Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers (Discussion Thread)

[Piff Perkins]

I mentioned the elementary school play vibe of some of the interludes, specifically the simplicity of the piano stuff. It kinda bleeds into some of the lyrics and themes as well. Aunties Diaries is largely from the perspective of a younger Kdot, which is probably why he's kind of getting away with that. But even still...it's rather cringe. And I like the song but still. You've got a group that doesn't want non-members to say that word (f-word)...and to make the point Kendrick says it and then argues "see if you wouldn't want a white person saying nikka you shouldn't tolerate that word either." I feel like that entire concept needed to be cooked in the kitchen more.

I get the impression he's incredibly sheltered and coc00ned and you sense it in some of the sentiments in the album (cancel culture??). Like, it makes me wonder who is challenging him. My concern is that this is exactly how Eminem operates and is a major reason he's so far behind rap conceptually, beat picking wise, etc. Makes me wonder how we went from Kendrick being a hungry rapper in GKMC to a more adventurous artist on TPAB to superstar on DAMN to...this. Certainly an interesting turn and I appreciate the honesty but man.

I got questions for Dave Free. The pglang thing, the overly mysterious shyt...I really don't get launching your multi million dollar imprint by pissing of "the gays" and not giving people what they want/expected. I like the album overall, it's feeling like a 3/5 to a 3.5/5. Easily his worst album despite some stellar highs.

 

[Paper Boi]

Who has the mustard?

youtube

it's 2022

 

[Paper Boi]

This is some condescending ass shyt right here. You wrongly assume he isn't self aware. He never suggests that his ideas are novel. Hell, on something like Savior he addresses the topic directly:

Fun fact, I ain't taking shyt back
Like it when they pro-Black, but I'm more Kodak Black

i really liked that line by the way.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

This is some condescending ass shyt right here. You wrongly assume he isn't self aware. He never suggests that his ideas are novel. Hell, on something like Savior he addresses the topic directly:

Fun fact, I ain't taking shyt back
Like it when they pro-Black, but I'm more Kodak Black

I’m not assuming anything. Just going by the lyrics. It’s more of just saying a problem exists than it is giving any of his own unique insight.

We all know this stuff all too well.

For me i need an artist to give some of their own unique insight and commentary, instead of them just announcing a thing exists.

 

[Paper Boi]

I’m not assuming anything. Just going by the lyrics. It’s more of just saying a problem exists than it is giving any of his own unique insight.

We all know this stuff all too well.

For me i need an artist to give some of their own unique insight and commentary, instead of them just announcing a thing exists.

i see why you have your badge

lmao

 

[MeachTheMonster]

You’re just throwing a bunch of word salad nonsense out there that has no bearing or meaning no matter how many times you mention “alkaline” It’s ironically what you are trying to accuse fans of this album of doing. Just say it’s not for you fam. All this reverse psychoanalysis trying to out work the other side just makes you as bad as the hardcore fan boys.

No what i said was very succinct. Again you just want to defend the guy/album. He doesn’t need your defense.

There’s no psychoanalysis. I’m talking straight up about the content. It’s like when a 16 year old finally finds out our government ain’t shyt. They are angry and got all this shyt to say, but it’s all the shyt we’ve already heard/seen before. As you get older you gain some experience and insight, then when you talk about it you have something to add to the conversation. Kendrick still has not turned that corner yet.

PS- You being pointed out as a failed SoundCloud rapper trying to give deep substantive criticism on not just Kendrick but any successful artist isn’t an attack it’s just stating the obvious

I never tried to be a “rapper” Just a hobby. This is like saying, cause a person played football in high school they can’t then have an opinion on an NFL game/player.

Like it said it’s just an attack for defense of Kendrick. As you said he’s very successful. He doesn’t need you to defend him.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

The few times he’s actually speaking on social issues it’s to shyt on that whole summer of 2020 movement and Twitter activism in general. You can always tell who actually listens to shyt on here

Stop it. The Album is like a compilation of all the twitter fights.

Black men VS Black women fight.
Gay/Trans fight
Black men need/go to therapy
Racism/police brutality.
Toxic masculinity

It’s all there, and there’s nothing new being added to any of the conversations. Just throwing it all out there.

 

[Amestafuu (Emeritus)]

This thread

J Cole isn’t better than Kendrick at anything lol

Yes he is. Features by miles and just pure spitting currently. I don't like talking to emotional stans. I'm a fan of both and can be objective.

Kendrick is clearly a better artist when it comes to bodies of work. However he has never been consistent on features at all. Cole on the other hand could always body features even when he was making mediocre albums.

Saying one isn't better at anything compared to the other is emotions talking. We could tally feature work and it would be close.

As far as this album I'd say it's not his most cohesive album which had traditionally been his strength. Beyond that it's too early to rate.

 

[kt773]

Savior dope as hell, I fukks with this album, it’s like a commercial tpab

 

[W.I.Z.E.]

I mentioned the elementary school play vibe of some of the interludes, specifically the simplicity of the piano stuff. It kinda bleeds into some of the lyrics and themes as well. Aunties Diaries is largely from the perspective of a younger Kdot, which is probably why he's kind of getting away with that. But even still...it's rather cringe. And I like the song but still. You've got a group that doesn't want non-members to say that word (f-word)...and to make the point Kendrick says it and then argues "see if you wouldn't want a white person saying nikka you shouldn't tolerate that word either." I feel like that entire concept needed to be cooked in the kitchen more. I get the impression he's incredibly sheltered and coc00ned and you sense it in some of the sentiments in the album (cancel culture??). Like, it makes me wonder who is challenging him. My concern is that this is exactly how Eminem operates and is a major reason he's so far behind rap conceptually, beat picking wise, etc. Makes me wonder how we went from Kendrick being a hungry rapper in GKMC to a more adventurous artist on TPAB to superstar on DAMN to...this. Certainly an interesting turn and I appreciate the honesty but man. I got questions for Dave Free. The pglang thing, the overly mysterious shyt...I really don't get launching your multi million dollar imprint by pissing of "the gays" and not giving people what they want/expected. I like the album overall, it's feeling like a 3/5 to a 3.5/5. Easily his worst album despite some stellar highs.

 

[Amestafuu (Emeritus)]

I mentioned the elementary school play vibe of some of the interludes, specifically the simplicity of the piano stuff. It kinda bleeds into some of the lyrics and themes as well. Aunties Diaries is largely from the perspective of a younger Kdot, which is probably why he's kind of getting away with that. But even still...it's rather cringe. And I like the song but still. You've got a group that doesn't want non-members to say that word (f-word)...and to make the point Kendrick says it and then argues "see if you wouldn't want a white person saying nikka you shouldn't tolerate that word either." I feel like that entire concept needed to be cooked in the kitchen more.

I get the impression he's incredibly sheltered and coc00ned and you sense it in some of the sentiments in the album (cancel culture??). Like, it makes me wonder who is challenging him. My concern is that this is exactly how Eminem operates and is a major reason he's so far behind rap conceptually, beat picking wise, etc. Makes me wonder how we went from Kendrick being a hungry rapper in GKMC to a more adventurous artist on TPAB to superstar on DAMN to...this. Certainly an interesting turn and I appreciate the honesty but man.

I got questions for Dave Free. The pglang thing, the overly mysterious shyt...I really don't get launching your multi million dollar imprint by pissing of "the gays" and not giving people what they want/expected. I like the album overall, it's feeling like a 3/5 to a 3.5/5. Easily his worst album despite some stellar highs.

Is it bad that it reminded me of electric circus?

Disjointed polarizing etc. I don't hate either albums but I'll def pick and choose what I run through again from this. I usually let his albums flow thru.

Pissing off gays tho? There's literally nothing to be mad about unless you don't understand English. Song wasn't gay bashing at all.

 

[Da King]

Like many have said, a great work of art but very little replay value

 

[ShaDynasty]

Epic and immersive album. Its a great listen. Personally enjoying this more than TPAB.

I can understand some of the criticism though. When the dust settles I don't know how much of it will stay in rotation. The songs are self consciously heavy and direct, which makes them engaging but could also make them hard to listen to sometimes.

Still the writing and production is crazy and the performances are brilliant. I have no doubt that critics will cream themselves over this.

 

[Jards]

Yes he is. Features by miles and just pure spitting currently. I don't like talking to emotional stans. I'm a fan of both and can be objective.

Kendrick is clearly a better artist when it comes to bodies of work. However he has never been consistent on features at all. Cole on the other hand could always body features even when he was making mediocre albums.

Saying one isn't better at anything compared to the other is emotions talking. We could tally feature work and it would be close.

As far as this album I'd say it's not his most cohesive album which had traditionally been his strength. Beyond that it's too early to rate.

Yep default to “emotional stans” because you don’t have the facilities to articulate your arguement properly

Lol at bodying features - Future “bodies features” and but in no way is he a better rapper than Kendrick and I’m a Future fan. I don’t even think Future is in the realm of Kendrick as an artist and Future is one of the best in rap artistically and song writing wise.

Bodying features is a redundant arguement anyway - the reason J Cole isn’t making albums on the level of Kendrick is because he doesn’t have the range of technical or creative ability of Kendrick to create an engaging body of work for the 30 minutes plus that’s required to create a album

 

[winb83]

This thread

J Cole isn’t better than Kendrick at anything lol

Listening to J.Cole's verse on London that's not true. J.Cole is reaching a point of balance while Kendrick feels like he tries really hard to not make conventional everyday rap music. J.Cole used to put more effort into being different but he's reached a level where he's just making music and it's whatever and he's become better for it. He came into the game more traditional then he started leaning harder into non-traditional lecture heavy music. Kendrick is probably gonna burn out. On this album he even suggested he had difficulty for a few years writing.