Kendrick Lamar recently revealed plans to perform alongside the National Symphony Orchestra at Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center on Oct. 20. Lamar’s sophomore album “To Pimp A Butterfly,” which addresses issues including racial injustice and police brutality, has been lauded among music critics and rap enthusiasts alike. Classical music lovers, however, are not usually counted among Kendrick fans. Whether or not Lamar seeks to bridge this gap with his upcoming classical collaboration, the concert will represent an important step forward not just for music, but for culture as a whole.

Historically, those who pursue classical music performed by the NSO and other ensembles like it have been white, upper-class citizens. It’s an interesting choice to collaborate on Lamar’s part, given that his music speaks to the kind of institutional racism that classical music is a part of. In its heyday, classical music represented one of the highest forms of culture for upper-class westerners. Lamar’s collaboration with the NSO will hopefully do away with this tired notion, showing patrons that rap music is an art form of its own, and it has something important to say about society.

In turn, the collaboration will also expose Kendrick Lamar fans to the artistry of classical music they may not be familiar with. Just as rap music is viewed by some as obnoxious, classical music has a reputation among younger audiences as boring and pretentious. By recasting classical music in a different light which younger generations are familiar with, Lamar’s show could make classical music wore appealing to rap fans. Not only could this show attract younger fans to classical music, but it could also encourage young musicians to enter into a field that may have previously seemed inaccessible to them, whether that be because of race, class or simple misinformation. Rappers like Lamar use words and music to showcase the injustices they see in their communities every day. When concerts garner crowds of thousands, people who may have otherwise not have been aware of these injustices gain awareness and are inspired to address them.

This upcoming collaboration is about much more than just music. By bringing together two very different genres, Lamar and the NSO are making different types of music more accessible to their respective fan bases. The definition of “good art” is ever changing, but it’s a rare and powerful moment when two of the best and most different artists come together on one stage, something that rap lovers and classical fans alike can agree on. Concerts of this type have the potential to blur the lines of age, race and class that have become all too distinct in this country.

Opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them. 

A version of this article appeared in the October 5 print edition. Email Mandy Freeborn at [email protected].