jun 20, 2017 - "LOYALTY." single released

Description:

The lyric in Loyalty states:

"I said, tell me who you loyal to
Is it anybody that you would lie for?
Anybody you would slide for?
Anybody you would die for?
That's what God for" (Duckworth, 2017)

Explanation:
God sent Jesus to earth to give his life to save us from our sins. That is showing true loyalty to someone... showing true loyalty to a cause. Is anybody willing to show that loyalty back to God? Peter clearly didn't want to even as Jesus was being hung on the cross.

Matthew 26:75: Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly. (NIV)

Our loyalty to people is displayed in our sacrificial actions for them. Kendrick claims dying for someone is "what God is for." If we aren't willing to die for God... are we really Loyal to him?

The music video also contains an excerpt from one of the other songs on the album, "PRIDE."

"Love's gonna get you killed, but prides gonna be the death of you and me." (Duckworth, 2017)

This is a direct reference to Proverbs 16:18 which states: "18 Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before the fall." (NIV)

It is important to also draw attention to the beginning of the phrase: "Love's gonna get you killed." In the book "Raising Cain, Fleeing Egypt, and Fighting the Philistines (The Old Testament in Popular Music)" it considers the idea of the temptress. "The 'temptress' tradition in the Bible begins with Eve, travels through the stories of Delilah and Bathsheba, and reaches its pinnacle with Jezebel, the Phoenician princess whom Ahab ruler of the northern kingdom of Israel, marries." (McEntire, Emerson pg. 56). This tradition is used in much of pop music as well... even in Leonard Cohen's famous ballad: "Hallelujah" where he describes the torment caused by these "temptresses." It seems love really is "gonna get you killed."

The line "Tell me who you loyal to. Is it money? it is fame? Is it weed? Is it drink?" (Duckworth, 2017) Is a key point of interest in the song as well. Kendrick seems to be calling back to the well worn phrase from Matthew 6:24 - "24 No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

Kendrick asks this question in the song as well with this and its accompanying lines. Though not in reference to God, Kendrick then asks:

"Tell me who you loyal to
Do it start with your woman or your man?
Do it end with your family and friends?
Or you're loyal to yourself in advance?" (Duckworth, 2017)

Kendrick is essentially asking what we care more about, and what we would be willing to lose in an effort to stay loyal to somebody. Are we willing to give up money and loyalty to ourselves, so that we can be loyal to the people in our lives.

Added to timeline:

Date:

Images:

YouTube: