As fake blood poured down his face, the rapper chanted “Godspeed for women’s rights”.
Kendrick Lamar closed the Glastonbury festival with a powerful statement which appeared to reference the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade.
Last Friday, the US Supreme Court effectively outlawed or criminalised abortion in roughly half of the US after it overturned key precedents set by the 1973 court case Roe v Wade.
At least 25 American states are now poised to introduce new laws, or reactivate old ones, making it illegal to access abortion following the court’s decision. In some instances, this could include where the baby was conceived as a result of rape or incest.
Kendrick Lamar was the Sunday night headliner at Glastonbury and delivered a stunning set on his debut at the festival.
As he brought his powerhouse hour-and-a-half set to an end – throughout which he wore a diamond crown of thorns – the rapper performed ‘Saviour’, a song from his latest album.
With the song reaching its conclusion, fake blood began to pour from the crown, covering the rapper’s white shirt in a theatrical display.
He then furiously chanted “they judge you, they judge Christ, Godspeed for women’s rights,” before walking off stage, bringing the curtain down on what will surely go down as one of Glastonbury’s most memorable performances.
“Godspeed for women’s rights”
– Kendrick Lamar 🐐🐐pic.twitter.com/HAn23F5GTE
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) June 27, 2022
Throughout the festival, a number of acts called out the Supreme Court for the decision. Gracing the Pyramid Stage immediately before Kendrick, New Zealand’s Lorde delivered a spirited monologue to the crowd.
After performing her song ‘Secrets of a Girl’, she said: “Wanna hear a secret, girls? Your bodies were destined to be controlled and objectified since before you were born.
“That horror is your birthright. But here’s another secret. You possess ancient strength. Ancient wisdom. Wisdom that has propelled every woman that came before you.
“That wisdom is also your birthright. I ask you today, make exercising that wisdom your life’s work because everything depends on it. Fuck the Supreme Court.”
Lorde changed the ending monologue of “Secrets from a Girl” due to recent events regarding women’s rights in the US. pic.twitter.com/VW7iULmhCx
— Lorde Updates (@LordeUpdatesBR) June 26, 2022
On Friday, Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers and UK rock band Idles were just some of the acts who mentioned the ruling during their sets.
And on Saturday, Olivia Rodrigo invited Lily Allen on stage during her set to perform Allen’s song ‘F**k You’, dedicating the song to “the five members of the Supreme Court who have showed us that at the end of the day, they truly don’t give a shit about freedom”.
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