Kendrick Lamar closed out his performance at the 2022 Glastonbury Festival on Sunday (June 26) with a plea for women’s rights in light of the United States Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
When the Grammy-winning rapper took the stage at Worthy Farm in Somerset, England, he addressed social injustice, faith, greed, loyalty and prejudice. He performed singles such as “N95” and “United in Grief” from his latest album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, including his older hits “Humble” and “Alright.”
The Compton native was backed up by dancers throughout his set. The men echoed his outfit of black trousers and white shirts, and the women wore flowing red dresses.
Lamar ended his set with a performance of his latest song “Savior,” which touches on politics, COVID, and the Black Lives Matter movement. With a crown of thorns on his head and blood streaming down his face, the rapper repeated the line, “They judge you, they judged Christ. Godspeed for women’s rights,” with growing intensity every time he chanted to the crowd. After a few deliveries, Lamar abruptly stopped, dropped the mic, and walked off the stage.
Rapper AJ Tracey told BBC News that Lamar was one of the most important rappers of his generation. “He works very hard but he’s also unwavering in his message. There’s a meaning behind everything he does,” he said. “He always stands up for Black people, for impoverished people, people who are unfairly treated, and that means a lot to people,” Tracey added.
Lamar isn’t the only rapper who performed at Glastonbury this weekend and spoke about the Supreme Court’s decision. Megan Thee Stallion called out her home state of Texas for “really embarrassing me right now,” and urged the crowd to chant “My body, my motherfucking choice.”