Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
It feels almost surreal that we are finally getting another Kendrick Lamar album. I feel lucky to live in a time where the landscape of popular music (including rap) is so vastly different, but we still have an artist as culturally significant as Kendrick Lamar. When Kendrick drops, it’s an event, and whether this album is good, or great, he is already solidified in his place in Hip Hop, and music in general. ‘Section.80’ puts most debuts to shame, ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city’ is an undeniable classic at this point, and ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ is without exaggeration one of the most ground-breaking albums of the 21st century - even it’s ‘untitled unmastered’ throwaways were fantastic.
Whilst expectations are through the roof, I will try not to let that influence me. Truthfully, I’m itching for another masterpiece from Kendrick, ‘DAMN.’ wasn’t quite that for me – but it didn’t need to be, it was still a pretty great LP, but it’s more radio friendly leaning sound resulted in a few (but not many) skips, none quite as bad as ‘No Makeup (Her Vice) from Section.80, though. Regardless, ‘DAMN.’ will will still likely be remembered for decades to come for its significance, acclaim, and popularity. Since then, the majority of Kendrick’s feature verses, remixes, alongside his contributions to ‘Black Panther: The Album’ and cousin Baby Keem’s latest record, have been mostly great but have mostly served to feed his super stardom, each making him a bigger household name than the next - and there’s nothing wrong with this, he constantly delivers, but now he’s back in album mode, I am hoping for something different from the Compton emcee.
It's hard not to manage expectations, after hearing Marvin Gaye’s DNA all over ‘The Heart Pt. 5’ (one of Kendrick’s most lyrically heavy tracks yet) and seeing the news of ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’ being a double album. Getting a double album from one of the greats usually means something significant is on the way and doesn’t carry the same implication as filler-filled 25 track albums with 20-song deluxe track lists that we’ve been seeing too much of recently. Whilst there have been some not-so-great double albums from huge figures, like Drake’s ‘Scorpion’, and Nas’ ‘Street Disciple’, there have also been some incredible ones which serve as some of the most iconic albums in Hip Hop history, like ‘All Eyez on Me’ by Tupac, ‘Life After Death’ by Biggie, and ‘Speakerboxx/The Love Below’ by Outkast.
Five years have passed, and no one in the mainstream has even made a start to taking Kendrick Lamar’s place, I was still a teenager working in McDonald’s when ‘DAMN.’ came out, and now I’m about to start my last year of university. We’ve seen so much unique, or experimental music in this time from the likes of Tyler, The Creator, Pusha T, Danny Brown, Freddie Gibbs, Run The Jewels, BROCKHAMPTON, Little Simz, Slowthai, JPEGMAFIA, Denzel Curry, none have quite had the impact that a Kendrick Lamar release has, and no one really has that power. Careers have started and ended in this time, we’ve lost many rappers, and we have been missing a voice for all the tragedy we’ve seen unfold since 2017. But it’s finally time to dig into this new era of Kendrick Lamar, as he departs from TDE, and begins his arc with pgLang under the alias of ‘Oklama’.
Ahead of the release of the album, Kendrick stated this:
“As I produce my final TDE album, I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years. The Struggles. The Success. And most importantly, the Brotherhood. May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators. As I continue to pursue my life’s calling.”
These are my first impressions, my initial thoughts on first listen, so apologies if I don’t pick up on your favourite sample, or every double entendre, as I’m just gonna enjoy my listen through without looking too deep into everything (but I will be scanning each songs Genius page so I’m not distracted by my phone with this sit down listen). I have only seen bits of the track list, so I am mostly going in blind…
Track 1. United In Grief
We’re already off to a unique start, as Kendrick delivers a squeaky verse over piano, already flowing breathlessly. A minute in, the production is already shifting into something jazzier which gives me high hopes, as Kendrick delivers an insight into his demons. The track deals with a lot of mental health themes, which Kendrick is no stranger to (see tracks like ‘u’), but him revealing he’s seeing a therapist is a welcome message to myself. This is certainly an impressive introduction to ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’.
Another beat switch already before the halfway mark, Kendrick is spitting over bare drums, and it sounds great. This is already vastly different to the playful Kendrick we heard on Baby Keem’s recent album, rapping with paranoia in the wake of Nipsey Hussle’s death – “pray none of my enemies hold me captive”. Kendrick’s refrain of ‘I grieve different’ almost feels like a continuation of where he left us on ‘The Heart Pt. 5’. The constantly evolving instrumental on this track is incredible.
Track 2. N95
Track 2 begins with Kendrick referencing the pandemic, “you’re back outside, but they still lied”, reflecting the corrupt times we live in amongst people in high places. It sounds almost like a nursery rhyme, before transitioning into a stripped back beat as Kendrick raps nonchalantly. The synths on this sound like something from Kanye West’s ‘Graduation’ or ‘808s & Heartbreak’, and according to Genius, it’s produced by cousin Baby Keem, which makes a lot of sense considering the Kanye influence all over ‘The Melodic Blue’. It definitely sounds very Baby Keem with the flows and intonation Kendrick is rapping with, especially on the chorus, but he does it with effortless style. Much like on ‘DAMN.’ Kendrick is pulling from a lot more modern influences, but doing it well, and he doesn’t seem to care either, with closing line “Oh, you worried 'bout a critic? That ain't protocol”.
Track 3. Worldwide Steppers
Kodak Black??? An interesting choice for Kendrick, but if his feature on Future’s latest album is anything to go off then we’re in for a treat. Didn’t expect Kodak to reference Eckhart Tolle either. The beat is grimy, very unconventional so far, and Kendrick’s storytelling is as top shelf as it ever is as he raps about his daughter and paranoia as a father. The beat switches into some old school sounding soul, as Kendrick gets deeper – “non-profit preachers in church, crooks and burglars”. This switch up is beautiful, the track plays out very theatrically… Although, Kodak does not appear on the track after the intro.
Track 4. Die Hard
This next track features west coast vocalist Blxst, so this should be a smooth one. Kendrick opens with ‘I pop the pain away, I slide the pain away’, calling back to commentary made on tracks like ‘Swimming Pools (Drank)’. Blxst kills the chorus as expected, and Amanda Reifer shines with some great vocals afterwards. Kendrick’s melodic autotuned verse continues his radio friendly leanings, but I’m enjoying the track so far. It’s not the most lyrically dense track, but this one will definitely be a hit, despite continuing the themes of pain and grievance onto this track.
Track 5. Father Time
A Sampha collaboration! What a dream collab. Speaking of which, it’s been a longer wait for Sampha than it has Kendrick. “You really need some therapy” someone says to the West Coast rapper in the opening lines. This track sees Kendrick reflect on his childhood, and ‘daddy issues’. The reversed eerie production is crazy, before transitioning into something that sounds so lavish and classic. Sampha soars on this chorus, he is such an amazing talent (everyone listen to ‘Process’). Kendrick seems to reference the Kanye/Drake situation and whether he could forgive someone so easily, following on from his ‘daddy issues’ that have forced him to repress his emotions. One of the best tracks so far, Kendrick really lays it all out on the table as if we’re his therapist that he’s talking to. I really admire that this album has already been so open and honest about mental health.
Track 6. Rich (Interlude)
Kodak is back! Rapping loosely over keys from pianist Duval Timothy, it once again sounds very theatrical, almost out of a stage performance. I never thought we would hear Kodak Black over something like this, this is incredible… Kodak and Sampha (if it is him on the backing vocals?) - what an odd combo, but it works. Kodak really opens up, which he is no stranger to either. Whilst this is a controversial inclusion on the album, let’s not forget Kendrick’s portrayal of controversial figures in ‘The Heart Pt. 5’ video.
Track 7. Rich Spirit
This one is just okay to me right now. A very skeletal, spacy beat, that sounds more like its conforming than evolving. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I do expect a little more from Kendrick musically. Country Kenny makes another appearance though, which is entertaining.
Track 8. We Cry Together
An intro from Florence Welch is not something I expected either, but it sounds very cinematic. The eighth song sees Kendrick in a dispute with a partner. These keys sound very Dr. Dre, and the track concept feels very 90s. Resembling a toxic relationship, Kendrick continues to dive deeper into the demons he witnessed growing up in LA, whether his own experiences or others. A very interesting concept track, that once again progresses the very theatrical feel of this album. Don’t play this one around anyone though…
Track 9. Purple Hearts
This track features Summer Walker and Ghostface Killah? The production is rich and textured, it sounds more Kevin Parker than Kendrick Lamar, and it’s pretty great. Summer Walker joins Kendrick on the chorus, and then delivers an empowering verse. I really appreciate the dreamlike soundscape of this track, it’s not something I expected from K.Dot. Ghostface delivers an expectedly hard verse… “I’m standing by the entrance, with heavy baggage, my brother's ashes, I seen tragic, I did dirt”.
Track 10. Count On Me
I think this marks the start of the second half of the album, and the intro’s similarities to the opening track would suggest that too, let’s see what we’re in for… So far it’s been a pretty great album with its theatrical exploration of mental health… More ‘DAMN.’ in sound than ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’, but plenty to dive into, with some incredibly interesting and abstract sounds for someone as big as Kendrick. “Session 10, breakthrough” we hear someone, presumably Kendrick’s therapist say, about to start his next session of counselling, which I think is an interesting narrative for this album to tackle. Kendrick begins spilling his emotions once again, and it’s very poignant. He sounds very insecure, which is hard to hear, but endearing to know a figure like Kendrick experiences these feelings too, and is just as human as us. “Please everybody else but myself” Kendrick spits with a very emotive inflection, ending the first verse with “If I didn't learn to love myself, forgive myself a hundred times”. The beat drops, bringing the track to life, as Kendrick continues his passionate storytelling.
Track 11. Crown
Once again, Duval Timothy’s stripped back, theatre-esque piano continues, threading Kendrick’s narrative together into a cohesive project, as he sings about his insecurities in falsetto stating his fears that he “can’t please everybody”. It’s a very emotive listen and one of the more poignant moments on the record, as Kendrick quits the act of pretending everything is okay. Kendrick is incredibly vulnerable on this LP, maybe the most vulnerable we’ve heard him yet.
Track 12. Silent Hill
Kendrick Lamar now has as many features with Kodak Black as he does Baby Keem I’m pretty sure. It’s a pretty mellow trap song, it could be better, but Kendrick is clearly still aiming for hits and festival bangers with this album too. Following such emotional highs, these trappier tracks do stick out like a sore thumb, but maybe it will sound more cohesive on further listens.
Track 13. Savior (Interlude)
This interlude serves to continue the therapy narrative with a speech from Eckhart Tolle…
“If you derive your sense of identity from being a victimLet's say, bad things were done to you when you were a childAnd you develop a sense of self that is based on the bad things that happened to you”
His words of advice are left on a cliffhanger, before Baby Keem starts penning his thoughts over cinematic strings. What a great interlude. Keem’s little sung vocals of “fa-a-all” and “ba-a-all” show him putting on his own performance in Kendrick’s play.
Track 14. Savior
‘Savior’ sees Kendrick return with some spoken word, before diving into a hard-hitting verse. Sam Dew makes an appearance, as well as Keem once again. Kendrick speaks on society’s downfalls, tackling issues like racism, controversy surrounding COVID-19, and the idea of being a ‘savior’ when you have so many flaws yourself. His faith plays an interesting role in the conversation he has with the listener.
The intro to the track sets the tone… “Future said, ‘get a money counter’, but he is not your savior, ‘Bron made you give his flowers, but he is not your savior”, establishing that despite Kendrick’s influence, he cannot be a savior for you, continuing these themes into his verses like “like it when they pro-black, but I’m more Kodak Black”.
Track 15. Auntie Diaries
“My auntie is a man now, I think I’m old enough to understand now”. Hearing Kendrick rap about trans rights is something so important for Hip Hop. The Hip Hop scene is a toxic place, filled with anti-trans, and homophobic language (like the DaBaby incident last year, or some people’s reaction to Isaiah Rashad’s leaked sex tape). Having one of music’s most prominent figures talking about these issues is so significant, and hopefully helps change perceptions of trans people. Kendrick even critiques his own religion on this track, which is very admirable too – “I said ‘Mr. Preacher man, should we love thy neighbour?”. It’s a beautiful song that continues to acknowledge and open the discussion on society’s shortcomings.
Track 16. Mr. Morale
This Pharrell beat is incredibly heavy hitting with its repetitive synths and bass providing the backbone for Kendrick’s verses. Exploring themes of abuse and trauma, Kendrick delivers another tough pill to swallow. Rapping about R. Kelly and Oprah Winfrey to explore black trauma…
“Watchin’ my cousin struggle with addictionThen watchin’ her firstborn make a millionAnd both of them off the grid for forgivenessI'm sacrificin' myself to start the healin'”
A very powerful track, complimented perfectly by Pharrell’s skills on the boards.
Track 17. Mother I Sober
Kendrick continues to spill his emotions out over piano, reflecting on his own traumas in Compton once again. Hearing him pen his story about witnessing physical and sexual abuse growing up is heavy but makes for another expressive moment on this penultimate track. Across this whole album, Kendrick has been nothing but honest, and it has made for his most personal album so far in his impressive catalogue. This is definitely one of the highlights, and I’m in awe of the storytelling. Beth Gibbons from Portishead provides vocals too! Another welcome but unexpected collab.
Track 18. Mirror
Now, the final track, reflecting on his career and the pressures of fame once again, something Kendrick is no stranger in sharing stories about. This track neatly ties up the theatrical and therapeutic angle the LP has been tackling, with more uplifting production, yet still deeply personal lyricism with playful lines like “darlin’ my demons is off the leash for a moshpit”. Kendrick’s song writing remains strong throughout the whole record, and evidences why he’s such a one in a million generational talent. He once again reminds us people shouldn’t overestimate his ability, calling back to ‘Savior’, with lines like “sorry I didn’t save the world, my friend, I was too busy buildin’ mine again”. With rich orchestral strings, the album ends on a high, as Kendrick’s parting words imply he’s going to finally put himself first, which is certainly earnt, as he doesn’t owe us anything.
Overall thoughts
This is another fantastic offering from Kendrick, a huge sprawling concept album with a tight narrative and very emotive, personal themes that are at times challenging to listen to, but complimented by endearing words of self-help from Eckhart Tolle. On first listen, I think I like it a little more than ‘DAMN.’ and maybe in time ‘Section.80’, but it doesn’t quite match the consistency of ‘good kid, m.A.A.d city’ and ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’. Whilst the album has a few weaker moments which show Kendrick conforming to popularity, it’s highs are absolutely incredible, as should be expected. This record certainly delivers on the emotional gut punch we were served on ‘The Heart Pt. 5’, and very poetically speaks on many issues in society in greater personal detail than Kendrick ever has. K.Dot is a once in a lifetime talent that has cemented his place as one of the greats once again, after this album, he’s definitely top 5 for me. He did not fail with the looming threat of expectations going into a double album either, which is definitely a hard feat. Could it be 10 minutes shorter? Sure, but every track seems to serve the narrative in one way or another. An album that defies toxic masculinity and sounds great doing it, the genre-defining Compton emcee refuses to miss any time soon, and this one will definitely be being played years down the line.
Check out the album here.