What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

In a broad sense, Turner is saying that we can’t just destroy the bad, we need to build something better to replace it. More specfically, there’s a few possible meanings here. The line is almost certainly a reference to the concept of Maslow’s Hammer. “If all you have is a hammer, everything begins to look like a nail. ”

There’s also possibly a bit of cheek here regarding communism’s famed iconography, the “hammer and sickle.” Turner is relatively conservative in his views and while not a fascist, he sees communism as myopic or juvenile (cf. the “teenagers” in the previous line).

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

But… yes he was! He was a pretty noted jerk. The even reference the fact in the movie, Art School Confidential, calling him “a bully.” Anywho.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

I don’t know how to type a dash so I search “em dash” and copy it! LOL

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

At the 2014 Grammy Awards, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis were nominated for seven awards and took home four, including Best Rap Album for The Heist.

Macklemore felt that Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city was more deserving. He even texted Kendrick an apology:

It’s weird and sucks that I robbed you. I was gonna say that during the speech. Then the music started playing during my speech, and I froze. Anyway, you know what it is. Congrats on this year and your music. Appreciate you as an artist and as a friend. Much love.

Some credited him for being honest, others thought he was trying to have it both ways or position himself as a savior.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

The majority of these voices represent protestors who do not believe that Macklemore should be at the rally. They could also, in a more abstract sense, represent some common black criticisms of white liberals.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

Macklemore (whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty) second-guesses whether he, a white man benefitting from white privilege, has the right to attend and participate in the rally.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

This interlude is a dramatic extension of the first verse. A scene, wherein Macklemore is at a Black Lives Matter rally. Some of the voices do not necessarily fit the scenario, so it’s possible that it’s meant to be abstract.

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

“For my prayer has always been love.
What’d I do?
What’d I do to deserve this?”

Sufjan Stevens

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

But you’re obviously still not good designers. #ShotsFired

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.

What is this?

The Genius annotation is the work of the Genius Editorial project. Our editors and contributors collaborate to create the most interesting and informative explanation of any line of text. It’s also a work in progress, so leave a suggestion if this or any annotation is missing something.

To learn more about participating in the Genius Editorial project, check out the contributor guidelines.

Loading...

“No Future Part IV” is, other than the brief instrumental “The Angry Hour,” the opening song from the 2015 rock opera, The Most Lamentable Tragedy.

It employs a common rock song structure in the introduction, a higher-pitched, picked part that is subsequently joined by loud, ringing power chords (this can also be heard on The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” Fucked Up’s “Queen Of Hearts,” and AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck,” among others). The bridge employs chords more reminiscent of Fugazi and other ‘90s emo and post-hardcore bands.

Lyrically, it makes use of a Patrick Stickles staple, the consonant rhyme. Consonant rhymes are rhymes wherein only the vowel sound rhymes, as opposed to the overall sound of the word. Below, you can see examples of sets of consonant rhymes uses in the song. Each section of the song has a different vowel sound which dominates the vocal delivery; the repetition of the vowel sound allows for dramatic emphasis of words or syllables on rhythm very effectively.


[Verse 1] [Chorus 1] /ay/ days, earthquake, shakes, breaks, hate, awake, ache, weight, face, same, making, complain, snake, chains, names, praise, strength, vain, frame, pain; [Verse 2] /u/ pungent, skunk, hung, repugnant, dungeon, sunk, once, stunk; [Chorus 2] /oo/ gloom, human, entombed, exhumed, bloom, two, mood, move, soon, room; [Verse 3] /o/ closed, no, window, odious, remote, rodent, hole, frozen, ghost, expose, decomposing, soul, roasts, coals, flows, broken, nose, grows, rolling, stones, floating, boats, ocean, throw, below; [Verse 4] /oo/ loser’s, movements, truly, fruitless, stupid, student, improve, refuses, do, confused, rudiments, cruel, unusual, prove, prudent

This video is processing – it'll appear automatically when it's done.