OPINION - “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar
[Pre-chorus]
Wouldn’t you know
We been hurt, been down before,
When our pride was low
Looking at the world like “Where do we go?”
On a blissful Saturday morning, my Spotify is on shuffle. Out of the blue it starts to play “Alright” by American rapper Kendrick Lamar (yes, I am a Drake fan as well).
A powerful social consciousness song dubbed as an anthem of pliability and protest during movements such as Black Lives Matter. This song became a message of hope, survival and unity while protesters confronted oppression and systemic racism.
I remember when this song was first released (a pure Throwback Thursday moment). It was the year 2015 and my friends and I would scream from the top of our lungs: “We gon’ be alright!” I am convinced that we manifested the ‘alrightness’ we as young adults possess today.
Reflecting on where we are today, I think the actions says it all. As youth who were once labelled ‘lost’, we realised no one was going to come and rescue us but we ourselves.
A perfect illustration would be Walter Blaq, an entrepreneur, podcaster and content creator, who started the Visit Kwa Clean-up Campaign in his home town, KwaNonqaba. A creator that used his influence and voice to combat a challenge that his home town was forced to deal with. Instead of complaining about the issue at hand, he came up with a solution that became a message of hope, survival and unity, exactly like the song. Changing the narrative of KwaNonqaba and erasing negative connotations.
Whenever we chant “We gon’ be alright!” it is not just to comfort us, but it serves as a statement to everyone that we young adults have ‘grown-up things’ under control.
If you’ll just cut us some slack …
I promise all of us will be alright.
Lluyle Arendse is an author, poet, facilitator and entrepreneur from Great Brak River, known for his work in poetry focusing on mental health awareness and community empowerment. He self-published his debut poetry anthology, Unspoken, in 2021. He recently won the young and innovative artist award at the 2025 Western Cape Cultural Affairs Awards.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Group Editors and its publications.
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