On Sunday night, Kendrick Lamar delivered an electrifying closing performance at the Glastonbury Festival (June 26). The Compton native closed his headline act by playing "Savior," his "favorite record" by Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers while wearing a bejeweled crown thrown in homage to his strong Christian beliefs. King Kendrick kept singing a capella after the song ended, giving a passionate protest just days after the U.S. Supreme Court controversially overruled Roe v. Wade, depriving women of their constitutional right to abortion."They judge you, they judge Christ/Godspeed for women's rights !" Kendrick shouted as his voice, energy, and emotions reached a shrill crescendo. Then comes the mic drop.
The powerful finish concluded off a dramatic performance that traversed Kendrick Lamar's illustrious catalog, from the fan-favorite choruses of good kid, m.A.A.d city to the strong funk of To Pimp a Butterfly to the stadium-status songs of his Pulitzer Prize-winning DAMN. Cuts from his current album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, were sprinkled throughout, and as he told the Glastonbury audience, "we make sure we're privileged to give y'all some shit you can feel, and that's the actual reason I created Mr. Morale because everybody's going through something."
The blood-soaked performance cemented Kendrick's place in history, as he became only the third American rapper to headline the prestigious UK event, following JAY-Z (2008) and Kanye West (2010). (2015). The Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade on June 24 has sparked both indignation and action from MCs across the board. On Sunday, Eminem showed his dismay on Twitter by tweeting a link to a group called Reproductive Freedom For All. "It irritates me as a father that women have fewer rights now than only a few days ago," he added. "We're going backward. In Michigan, here's how you can assist." In other news, Megan Thee Stallion encouraged her fans to join Planned Parenthood's Bans Off Our Bodies crusade, while Lizzo contributed $500,000 from her forthcoming tour to Planned Parenthood, with Live Nation matching that amount.
