Kendrick Lamar's "The Blacker The Berry" Gets An Anime Remix In "Bass X Machina"

BY Alexander Cole
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Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Recording artist Kendrick Lamar performs during the halftime show of Super Bowl LIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Kendrick Lamar's iconic song "The Blacker The Berry" has found its way onto the new Netflix anime, "Bass X Machina."

Kendrick Lamar has delivered some big hits over the years. One of those songs is none other than "The Blacker The Berry," which comes from his 2015 magnum opus, To Pimp A Butterfly.

The song has been performed at the Grammys, and it has remained a pivotal song in rap history. That said, the song was recently used as part of an episode of Bass X Machina. This is a new anime on Netflix, with Brian Tyree Henry playing the part of Bass Reeves.

As you can see in the clip below, there is a gunfight on a train. When Reeves says, “Anybody wanna reconsider? You got until I finish reloading this gun," the song begins playing. As you will notice, this is a remix of the song that is made to fit within the sound design of the episode.

Kendrick Lamar In Bass X Machina

Overall, it is a dope move from the show to include this song. It just goes to show the power of Kendrick's music, and how it remains culturally relevant after all these years.

Mustard once said that Kendrick Lamar was inspired by Goku when he made the song "Hey Now." Clearly, the anime influences are clear, and now, the shoe is on the other foot.

"I had heard 'Hey Now' during the 'Not Like Us' video shoot; he played me a snippet. I asked him, 'Man, what made you do that?' And he said, 'When I heard the beat, I just felt like Goku or something'," Mustard told Grammy.com. "I was like, 'What?' And he explained, 'Yeah, when I hear certain shit on your beats, it brings out something else in me, so I just did whatever I felt.' I was like, 'Wow, that's crazy.'"

Stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the music world.

About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current editor-in-chief of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. It was here where he began to hone his craft, putting his journalism degree from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec, to good use. Since that time, he has documented some of the biggest stories in the hip-hop world. From the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef to the disturbing allegations against Diddy, Alex has helped HotNewHipHop navigate large-scale stories as they happen. In 2021, he went to the Bahamas for the Big 3's Championship Game. It was here where he got to interview legendary figures like Ice Cube, Clyde Drexler, and Stephen Jackson. He has also interviewed other superstar athletes such as Antonio Brown, Damian Lillard, and Paul Pierce. This is in addition to conversations with social media provocateurs like Jake Paul, and younger respected artists like Kaycyy, Lil Tecca, and Jeleel!

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