[2][3] American record producer and multi-instrumentalist Terrace Martin worked with several musicians, including Robert Glasper, Lalah Hathaway, Thundercat, Anna Wise to compose the politically charged number.

[4] The track features a "boom-bap beat", with lyrics that celebrate his African-American heritage, and "tackles hatred, racism, and hypocrisy head on.

"The Blacker the Berry" is thought to be a response from Kendrick Lamar to criticism he received for comments made regarding the shooting of Michael Brown and the subsequent Ferguson unrest.

"[9] His comments sparked a backlash from audiences, journalists and fellow rappers, including Azealia Banks who called it "the dumbest shit I've ever heard a black man say.

"[8] The release of "The Blacker the Berry" came after Darryl McDaniels of the influential rap group Run-DMC claimed that radios were "too afraid" to play Kendrick Lamar because he speaks the truth.

In an interview with The Independent, he stated, "I don't believe in conspiracy theories but people are scared of a young man that looks like that from their neighborhood talking about real issues.

When you grow up in L.A. (or anywhere but I'm specifically talking about where I grew up), you can be pro-black, pro-self-love and say, "I'm on this march and love thy brother and no black-on-black," but you go to the gas station, somebody rolls up next to you and you sense danger.

"[4] On July 10, 2015, a lawsuit was filed by photographer Giordano Cipriani, stating that Lamar and the song's associated record labels (Top Dawg, Aftermath, Interscope) used a photo of his without permission or payment.

[4] During an interview with Billboard, Martin spoke about the making of "The Blacker the Berry," describing his experience working with Kendrick Lamar and the message they sought to deliver on with the song.

[4] Meanwhile, Martin integrated the jazz arrangements which arrive at the song's conclusion, taking cues from Lalah Hathaway and James Fauntleroy.

[4] Martin incorporated a jazz section for the ending of the record to give the intense feeling left by its third verse some sense of resolution.

"[16] Lamar is at his most confrontational in "The Blacker the Berry," addressing issues such as police brutality and accepting his African heritage with lyrics about his skin color and coming from "the bottom of mankind.

Comparing its musical content to the work of Ice Cube, Alexis Petridis of The Guardian called the number "remarkable" and credited Lamar's snarling vocal performance.

He remarked, "Lamar goes right ahead and screams his head off ... powered by post-Ferguson fury, plagued by the kind of self-doubt and qualification that comes from knowing any statement you make is going to be at best picked apart and at worst torn to pieces on social media.

"[2] Steven J. Horowitz of Billboard gave the song four-and-a-half stars out of five, writing "Lamar flips to beast mode on the serrated "The Blacker the Berry," an aural manifestation of #blacklivesmatter.

[15] Likewise, Patrick Ryan for USA Today also regards "The Blacker the Berry" as among the four best songs in addition to being a part of the album's moodier portion which "packs the bigger punch.

"[19] The song elicited controversy following the lines, "So why did I weep when Trayvon Martin was in the street, when gang-banging make me kill a nigga blacker than me?

Following an intro from actor Don Cheadle, the rapper marched out onstage in chains with a backdrop imitating a prison for "The Blacker The Berry" before creating a bonfire for "Alright" and wrapping his set with an illuminated image of his native city Compton in the outline of Africa.