Kendrick Lamar's 'Alright' Video Could Be the Wake Up Call the Music Industry Needs

#EssenceFest headliner, Kendrick Lamar is doing his best to speak out about racial disparities, social injustice and more but in his new video for Alright,fans find out that for the Compton native, using his popularity to change the world hasn’t always been easy.

In the beginning of the seven minute piece, he seems to recite a poem he wrote to himself.  “I remember you was conflicted, misusing your influence,” he says.  “Abusing my power, full of resentment. Resentment that turned into a deep depression…”

Lamar’s words and new video could serve as a wake up call to not only himself, but his music industry peers, to use their influential voices to inspire, uplift and charge their fans to pay attention to the things that are happening in the world around them.  Though many of them are encouraged not to take a stand because of brand relationships and other things, it is more important than ever to create a new way of thinking in this world.  Music has always been a great start.

Watch Kendrick Lamar start it all of in his new video, Alright.

Let us know your thoughts on the video on Twitter, @ESSENCEFEST.

Plus, see him perform this song, and many more, live at ESSENCE Festival 2015.  Single Night Tickets are on sale, now.