Lamar’s music is on the charts, in your head, and in the conversation, whether it is her portrayal of life among gang violence (Good Kid, M.A.A.D City) or her celebration and lamentation of the African-American experience over jazz-infused beats (To Pimp A Butterfly). His recordings have cemented their status as instant classics and inspired anthems screamed during “Black Lives Matter” demonstrations.
With its breakthrough song “HUMBLE,” his third album, “DAMN.,” shot him to the top of the charts and earned him a Pulitzer Prize for music—an honor never before bestowed upon rappers or even pop performers. Furthermore, he passionately eschewed the glitz and responsibility that accompany the titles of “genius” and “hip-hop messiah” in his follow-up, “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” (“I am not your savior / I find it just as tough / to love thy neighbor”).
Before Lamar made the decision to create history once more, Mr. Morale was the last person the world heard of him for almost two years.
He and Canadian pop-rap giant Drake had a musical back-and-forth in 2024. A memorable event in Western pop culture, the rivalry became brutal as accusations were made and family members were insulted, but it was unifying in its polarity.
This beef was won by whom? Ask any child at a party to yell along to Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us,” which is a biting critique of Drake’s purported inclinations (“Certified lover-boy? / Certified pedophile.”)
It was simple to conclude that the present phase of Lamar’s career is driven by pure, unadulterated hatred because the beef spawned songs like “euphoria” (“I detest the way that you walk / the way that you talk / I hate the way that you dress”).
Or so it appears. Listeners anticipated more of this enthusiasm when Lamar unexpectedly released his most recent album, “GNX,” on a random Friday. However, this victory lap is not an extension of GNX. Instead, it is the heavy sigh that follows, a reflection on the challenges, perseverance, and motivation required to cross the finish line.
Kendrick’s mental state in a post-Mr. Morale world is stoically reflected in the opening track, “wacced out murals.”Fundamentally, Mr. Morale and GNX are antagonistic records. The difference is that this fight is now aimed at cultural appropriators, Lamar’s detractors (including hip-hop icons Lil Wayne and Snoop Dogg), and possibly even the doubtful listener.
He reiterates, “I deserve it all,” on “guy at the garden,” assiduously defending this assertion in each stanza, which stands in sharp contrast to his earlier attempts to humanize himself. And you nearly believe this Godlike self-projection among the sterile production and cutting assurance.
