Kendrick Lamar is one of the most influential and super creative artists in the global Hip Hop scene. The man needs no introduction. His vast discography is enough for people to understand his artistic legacy. Born in California, at a time when there was violence and race crimes, his music talked about social issues. Personal experiences and difficulties of being identified. He is known for his lyrical games, goes deep, and is highly poetic. He has received numerous Grammy Awards and wrote history by becoming the first-ever hip-hop artist to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Music for DAMN.
Kendrick Lamar released his album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers in the year 2022, almost 5 years after the release of DAMN. The present album is of particular importance has it is a major milestone in his music career and marks his return. This latest album is a double album, divided into two parts, 9 tracks each that can be seen as two separate journey, which images the themes of personal struggle, society exploitation, trauma and generational pain. Several pressing issues have been addressed here. The album is a very personal reflection of artist's life, making it very vulnerable and dark. he talks about his family dynamics, trouble with identity, black trauma and his upbringing.
The production of the album is grand, massive and unpredictable just like Kendrick's lyrical trails. Listeners have highly applauded the the experimental blend - jazz, soul, trap, avant-gardes soundscape. Other minimal elements like muted piano, vocals, distorted synths, and persuasive rhythms are setting a tone of unease to the album. The aim has been to keep it raw and real, keeping the original tone intact, and the production team has been quite successful in doing so. Tracks like 'N95' is full of heavy beats, straightforward and trap induced, while "Father Time" is more on the soulful side with piano tunes and "We Cray Together" is altogether different and filled with intensity and heated arguments, capturing discomfort and conflicts in real life.
"The Album is the constant batter of Lamar's self-awareness and him recognizing his own flaws."
The lyrical game of Lamar never fumbles. It remains sharp, poetic, and introspective and has deep meaning. Listeners feel a sense of connection and comfort through his lyrics which are uncomfortable truths about self and realities of life. The story of two aunts whose struggles with gender informed his sense of familial responsibility, "Auntie Diaries," depicts his efforts in addressing both personal and societal struggles. In an effort to teach others about his journey of learning and unlearning the f-slur, he takes center stage in the tales of his LGBT family and recklessly uses the insult.
The roughness of "tough love" helped shape men but also hurt us, and "Father Time" takes a scathing look at Black parenthood. He expresses gratitude to his father for "telling him to take the gloves off," but he cautions men that a gentler approach is sometimes necessary to end domestic violence. And God, talking of violence, “We Cry Together” is brutal, a four-minutes of nothing but shouting and discomfort between Kendrick Lamar and Taylour Paige. It is as toxic and nasty as any song can possibly be. The hook is basically the pair cursing and being obscene to each other. And although it is dirty, the message is clean and clear and can’t be missed, a proper description of the ills of a patriarchal society.
Neither Good Kid, mAAd City's wide-eyed exuberance nor To Pimp a Butterfly's raucous glorification of being a black person nor DAMN's resentment characterize Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers. That's worse. A bit more powerful. Less attractive. The artist looks at himself and faces his own problems in a manner soo thoughtful, and full of maturity. One of the finest albums in hip-hop in recent memory is Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers because of its unflinching and ruthless honesty, which is becoming more rare in the industry. Please don't think of Kendrick as a rescuer. He won't guide you in any ethical way. Too preoccupied with mending his own broken heart to bother attempting to mend the world. "Mirror" and "I Choose Me. I'm Sorry" reveal all. The link to his album is attached below.
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