Release Date: May 13
Genre: Conscious Hip Hop / West Coast Hip Hop / Experimental Hip Hop / Trap
He's back! After a five year hiatus, Kendrick Lamar has returned with his fifth studio album, as well as his final project for Top Dawg Entertainment. Now, I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that Kendrick is one of the greatest rappers of the past decade. This man is a fantastic poet and rapper, as his themes on racism, religion, self discovery, trauma, politics, police brutality and so much more are talked about in such captivating and well thought out detail. You could spend hours dissecting every single line on every project of his and come away with so many different theories and ideas. He also constantly works with outstanding producers and instrumentalists, as he has given us some of the greatest rap songs in recent memory. "DNA," "How Much a Dollar Cost?," "The Blacker the Berry," "m.A.A.d City," "Swimming Pools (Drank)..." all of these are modern classics, and there's a reason why Kendrick is held in such high regard.
Now, from what I can glean, the timeframe between DAMN. and this project was pretty tumultuous for Kendrick. Sure, his accolades were the highest he's ever seen, to the point where he received a Pulitzer Prize for his music, but this album reveals his struggle with mental health, as well as writer's block, and how he sought therapy. There's also information that he cheated on his fiancée, now wife, Whitney Alford, but more on that later. All of these troubles culminated into this double album: Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.
Before I begin dissecting the music and the lyrics, I want to make a couple of disclaimers. One: this album is a lot. This is a dense project, and will probably be the hardest album to talk about this year due to how much is being said and how many ways things could be taken. Because of this, know that if there's something I get wrong about what Kendrick is trying to say, I apologize. I'm simply giving my interpretation of what I'm listening to. Two: due to the themes of this album, I'm going to be touching on some subjects that might be uncomfortable to some, including abuse, trauma, infidelilty, transphobia, rape and more. If any of those make you want to click away, I completely understand. Once again, know that these topics are presented in the album, and in order to give my opinions, I have to touch on what he's saying. Generally, I'm of the opinion that lyrics are not the most important aspect of music, but with Kendrick, there's so much being said that I have to address it, as his lyrics and his messages are so tied into the overall sound of the album.
With all of that said, here is my general opinion of the album: it's good! Quite good, in fact. It's slightly uneven and not everything works for me, but I still found myself really loving this project. Let's go track by track and see why, shall we?
The first side of this double album starts with "United in Grief." Right off the bat, you can tell that this project is a different beast sonically. After a short refrain from Sam Dew, a vocal pattern which comes again later in the album, a simple single chord piano melody plays. It gives the track a sense of weight at such an early stage. Kendrick raps about how his excesses in luxuries have resulted in him growing depressed and endlessly lost, feeling as if he is without purpose. It introduces so many of the themes that are further explored throughout the rest of the album, and Kendrick's flow is as impeccable as ever. I especially love how the flow switches up when the drum beat hits. The drums are skittish and frantic. They contrast beautifully with the somber, slow piano passages. And it is cool hearing Kendrick fire on all cylinders. It's an exceptional start to this album.
The following song, "N95," is the first single released for this album. This song discusses some of the pieces of luxury discussed on "United in Grief," but then poses an important question: when all of those coping mechanisms are gone, what do you have left underneath? It's basically telling people to stop hiding behind what they have and understand the problems we are facing in the world. Lyrics like "Take off them fabricated streams and them microwave memes, it's a real world outside (Take that shit off)" and "Let's think about this for a second (Let's go) / Tell me what you would do for aesthetic (Let's go) / Would you sell your soul on credit (Let's go) / Would you sell your bro for leverage (Let's go)" help to drive this point home. Plus, the fact that this song is named after the N95 masks acts as a metaphor for how we cover ourselves with what we have instead of revealing the true extent of ourselves. It's a good message, and it is backed by an energetic and fun as hell trap beat, resulting in this track being one of the biggest bangers this album has to offer.
Then we have our first title track: "Worldwide Steppers." This song is insane. Musically, it has one of the trippiest beats on the entire project. The droning, skipping bass loop is hypnotizing, and the little instances of piano melodies are enchanting. I also love how the beat switches to a more traditional jazz rap style production at the start of the third verse, but then changes back. It's so creative and entrancing. This song has some of my favorite production on the entire project. Lyrically, this is where the album, in my eyes, takes a more weighty turn. This song is very much a display of self criticism. He discusses struggling with writer's block and becoming a father, as well as his battles with infidelity and sex addiction. Verse two details the first two white women Kendrick had sex with, as well as the conversations he had with his fiancée about the instances:
"Whitney asked did I have a problem
I said, "I might be racist"
Ancestors watchin' me fuck was like retaliation"
With each listen, this line has grabbed me, as it showcases what I believe to be one of the biggest themes of the album as a whole. This project is about generational trauma. More specifically, it's about how the generations of black communities result in their offspring getting affected by the sins of their family line's pasts, resulting in them indulging in their own sin and depravity. This album shows Kendrick wading his way through the guilt and the shame of his actions, desperately trying to come out on the other side a better man. This theme is also reinforced through the inclusion of Kodak Black, who gives us a brief intro on the song, but more on him later.
"Die Hard" is the first song in the tracklist that I'm somewhat lukewarm towards. The beat has a nice groove to it, but the production is kind of bland. For the most part, this song sounds pretty generic and boring, and the guest artists don't add a whole lot to keep this song interesting. The lyrical content about the struggle with being honest in a relationship does a decent job with continuing the overall narrative, but I still come away not having really gained much by the end of the song. It's not bad, but it's certainly not one of the better cuts here.
I much prefer the following track, "Father Time." At the start, you hear Whitney telling Kendrick to go to therapy. This gives us the indication that all of the tracks here act as Kendrick giving us his therapy sessions through music. It's a cool narrative throughline, even if it is pretty loose. From here, we get a track all about daddy issues; both his and in the African American community, as well as the connections to struggling mental health and gang violence. It adds a lot of insight to the conflict that the community is going through, and I find myself, as an outsider, enlightened by the philosophy being presented. As for the music, the beat starts with this really weird reversed vocal loop, but then it goes into a fantastic, jazzy boom bap beat. It has an amazing groove, and Sampha's feature is gorgeous. It makes me want another Sampha album, as it has been five years since his debut album, but I digress.
Then we have the first of two interludes on this project: "Rich (Interlude)." For this track, Kendrick passes the mic to Kodak Black, who gives a passionate, almost spoken word verse over an arpeggiated piano melody. On this song, he talks about the numerous struggles he has faced during his rap career and that, while he is currently in a better place, he is constantly in fear of his past. You see, Kodak Black's inclusion on this album is interesting. This man has been in prison many times since 2015. The reasons have been vast, including robbery, battery, false imprisonment, possession of weapons, possession of drugs and even sexual assault. He has a sizeable rap sheet, and it is so easy for him to be considered a terrible person with a deserved reason to be cancelled, yet Kendrick included him on this project. Why is that? Well, it's hard to say, but I believe it's to show the themes of growth and change after troubling and traumatizing events through an objectively terrible person. It's a theme that is even more in full force with songs later in the album. Do I love Kodak's inclusion on this project? No. Controversies aside, Kodak's rapping style does not appeal to me at all. His vocal tone is pretty grating, and he is constantly marble-mouthed. Even still, it's an interesting inclusion, and I'm curious to know how this will age in the coming years.
The following "Rich Spirit" is probably my least favorite song on the album. I do appreciate some of the lyrical content and how he's talking about some of his qualities and criticisms, but the beat is pretty underwhelming. It goes for a kind of R&B/dancehall thing that doesn't do a whole lot for me. Plus, Kendrick's vocal timbre is pretty annoying. His high pitched, raspy tone gets old fast, and his flow is boring. I do like that it's a vocal style that Kendrick's never really done before, but the delivery itself is not my favorite at all.
Next up is... "We Cry Together." Hoo boy. This song is a lot. This is a six minute track featuring Kendrick Lamar and actress Taylour Paige playing the role of a toxic couple. They spend the entire track hurtling insults at each other with seething hatred in each word, only for them to have sex in the end. It is an unflinching, brutal piece of tension and conflict. It is uncomfortable, uncompromising and oh so good. The beat is this unsettling piece of jazz piano over a subtle, reserved drum pattern. Kendrick and Taylour are both performing their hearts out, particularly Taylour. From what I can tell, she has no prior rap material to her name, and she kills it. You can even hear her voice breaking at certain points due to the full rage she is giving us. And the insults being slung are brutal. I don't want to say exactly what is said, but it's very shocking. To put it in context, there are over 170 swears in the whole song. It's not a song I would ever willingly put on to listen to in my free time, but it is an amazing piece of art, as well as one of the best moments on the album.
Side one ends with "Purple Hearts," which is a song that I love, even though I do have some pretty decent gripes about it. For one, this song has some of the weakest lyricism on the entire album. Lines like "I'm not in the music business, I'm in the human business / Whole life been social distant, hoes like 'When you not trippin?'" and "That's why I'm anti-everyone before this mask" leave a bad taste in my mouth. The features are fine. They do a decent job at fitting in the song, but they don't necessarily stand out. I do love Summer Walker's lyric "No, it ain't love if you ain't never eat my ass." That is hilarious. Also, the way Kendrick sings "Yeah, baby" is truly awful. Hear the song and you'll know what I mean. But do you know what I do love about this track? THAT PRODUCTION! It is dreamy and psychedelic, with these gorgeous synths and groovy drums making this track feel so serene. I also like the themes of love and drugs that are brought up in the song. It perfectly fits the hazy vibes the song portrays. It's a solid ending to a very solid first disc.
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The second half starts with "Count Me Out." It starts with introducing Kendrick's therapist Ekhart Tolle. He is featured sporadically throughout the second half, giving advice and words of wisdom. Anyways, the song itself is a little structurally messy. The flow is not as tight as it could be, and the beat drop is not necessarily strong. There are some great things about this song, though. The subject matter of Kendrick standing up to a family member that has always been against him is quite potent. Plus, the refrain of "And I'm tripping and falling" is so sticky. It's not one of my favorites on the album, but it is pretty decent.
"Crown" sees quite a big stylistic change for this project, as it is one of the most stripped back tracks here. The whole song consists of Kendrick and piano. That's it. Kendrick doesn't even rap. He sings. And you know what? It's beautiful. The piano is so lovely and depressing, and Kendrick's singing works quite well with the music. I also love the look into Kendrick's psyche as he discusses the need to please everybody, as well as him finding acceptance in the fact that he is unable to do so. It's a great message, and it's one that's conveyed quite well. The choral vocals at the end are pretty campy, but other than that, this song is fantastic.
The following track is "Silent Hill," which is a banger. The moody trap production slaps hard. I love the little silencer pistol sounds that play throughout the track. It almost sounds like someone scooping a whistle. Kendrick's laid back flows are great, and his "Huhs" in the choruses are hilarious in the best way possible. Also, I love the post-chorus. I've been singing it practically every day since my first listen. And sure, Kodak Black is on this song, but he works with this sound quite well, and his verse is well written. It's probably the most standard song here, and it's not as tied to the overall themes as the rest of the album, but it's a blast to listen to.
Then we get the second interlude for the album: "Savior (Interlude)." On this track, Kendrick passes the mic to his cousin, Baby Keem, who raps about his upbringing and the trials and tribulations he has had to overcome over recent years, all over a classical instrumental. The orchestration is gorgeous and Keem's writing is solid. It's cool hearing a different perspective of the themes that Kendrick has been talking about throughout the project. It doesn't leave as strong of an impression as other songs here, but it is a nice interlude.
This interlude leads right into "Savior," which gives us a very important message. Kendrick starts the song by telling us that all of the artists that we listen to are not our saviors. He then talks about racial issues, the Covid response and his own flaws and insecurities. It's a good reminder that everyone in the world, even the people we look up to, does terrible things and makes mistakes. Nobody's perfect. Even our heroes. It's great writing, and the beat is one of the most wild and creative on the album. It's a banger, and I love it.
Now, we have to talk about easily the biggest elephant in the room: "Auntie Diaries." This has easily grown to be the most controversial song on the album. Maybe even of Kendrick's entire catalog. This song talks about Kendrick's trans relatives, while criticizing the ignorance from society, the church and his own youth. However, in this process, Kendrick uses the f-slur, as well as deadnames and misgenders his relatives. Many in the LGBTQ+ have criticized this song for being transphobic and offensive. If you think this way, then I completely understand. Personally, and this is coming from someone with absolutely zero expertise, I think these tactics were used to show the path of growth Kendrick took to acceptance. There's a lot that can be said about this topic and all of them are justifiable. On that note, I do urge people to really listen to the song and read the lyrics to get at what Kendrick is saying. If you still feel the same way even then, then I completely get it. With all of that said, I do think it is a necessary song in context with the overarching themes of the album, but not everyone will think that, which is okay. Clearly, Kendrick cares more about getting his message across than how he will be perceived for doing so. Out of the context of the lyrics, I like the more understated flow that Kendrick has going here. Plus, the minimalist beat is so pretty, and I love how it builds over the course of the track. I do think it's a good song, even if it is tricky to talk about and intentionally shocking.
From here, we get the second title track: "Mr. Morale." This song might have my favorite beat on the entire album. I love the escalating synth notes and how much of a bounce the bass and percussion have. Kendrick also has some of his wildest flows on the album. He rides this beat so well, and I love some of the yelp inflection he has on certain words. This might be my personal favorite song on the album. Now lyrically, this song is directly about generational trauma, but compared to the next track, these themes are pretty surface level. If anything, this is a perfect intro for what follows.
"Mother I Sober" might be one of the most harrowing songs Kendrick has ever made in his career. This track deals with some heavy topics in an emotionally compelling and devastating way. Kendrick talks about the trauma he has faced throughout his life and how he would constantly be accused of being the victim of sexual assault. He talks about carrying that trauma and pain throughout his life, as well as connecting it to the guilt and regret he felt cheating on his fiancée. He also talks about his mother's history of sexual assault and how this trauma is generational, as it is echoed through many other rappers in the industry. It ends with Kendrick making a proclamation to do everything he can to change, grow and break this cycle. It's powerful stuff, and it is backed with some of the most minimal production on the entire album. The themes of generational trauma and growing from past mistakes are conveyed at their most heartbreaking here. Plus, the feature of Portishead's Beth Gibbons adds a lot to the overall somber feel. It is an amazing gut punch of a penultimate track.
The album ends with "Mirror;" an uplifting bop of a closer, giving us a nice dose of optimism to close us out. It has some charming production, as well as one of Kendrick's most impassioned vocal performances on the album. This track feels like the aftermath of Kendrick making an emotional breakthrough with therapy. It's a great feeling, and it ends the project on a good high.
And that's Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers. This has been the most difficult album to talk about so far this year, and I'm sure that will continue for the rest of the year. It's so dense and complex, as well as raw and unforgiving. There is no way that I was able to talk about everything, as there are so many ways to take these songs, as well so many details in each track. There were way too many details to cover in this review song-by-song. On that note, here are a few other reviews of this album. I like these videos a lot, as they get more in-depth than I do.
TheNeedleDrop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHQE7tULx6c
Mic The Snare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clewVIIsFqQ
As for my overall general thoughts, I think Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers is a great album, continuing Kendrick Lamar's win streak. It is not as consistent as projects like To Pimp a Butterfly or good kid, m.A.A.d city, and there are a few questionable stylistic choices here and there. Plus, the controversial subject matter could be a major turn off for some. Despite that, I do think this project has some of Kendrick's strongest writing and most gripping subject matter to date. It's not his best project nor is it his most immediately enjoyable. However, it is his most human, and that is worth commending.
Best Tracks: United in Grief; N95; Worldwide Steppers; Father Time; We Cry Together; Purple Hearts; Crown; Silent Hill; Savior; Auntie Diaries; Mr. Morale; Mother I Sober; Mirror
Worst Track: Rich Spirit
Grade: A-
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