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

[Notorious 1 E.Y.E.]

vol 1 is better than vol 2
lol i stopped paying attention during vol 2

 

[IIVI]

Album all over the Top USA and Top Global charts on Spotify this morning.

They projected 400k, I think it's blowing past that.

 

[Ziggiy]

They ain't happy and it'll bleed in virtually every think piece that comes out on this album.

I'm not gay or trans. I'm not going to tell people in those communities I should be able to say words they find harm in. Ironically that's literally the point he was making so while I get your argument it comes off sloppy. I wouldn't expect a white rapper to get away with saying nikka to make some wider sociological point. And before I get hit with "it's the same" nah. It's not an Olympics competition on which word is worse (undeniably ****** is worse), the point there are some words you shouldn't say if you aren't in that community. You call a Polish person a pollack and you getting knocked yet they use it amongst themselves. You call an Italian a wop and you getting knocked out, yet they use it.

End of the day I don't think Kendrick's intentions were bad and he even goes far enough to say he lost faith in religion watching Christians judge his family member for who they were.

The reaction to the themes expressed in Auntie Diaries seems to be overwhelmingly positive amongst that community, even the few reviews i’ve read that weren’t glowing are acknowledging that Kendrick’s heart and intention is in the right place. I don’t think there’s going to be a huge blacklash that ends up hurting his reputation or the album’s reception. I think part of that is Kendrick’s prior reputation as a self reflective and sometimes self flagellating artist has gifted him a modicum of good will amongst, not just Hip Hop heads, but music lovers in general. The other part is that Kendrick, being the first mainstream rapper to touch on the subject in such a deep and forthcoming manner, is being given the benefit of the doubt that he doesn’t quite understand what would be offensive about things such as “deadnaming” and “misgendering”; hell I myself just learned about these terms in like the last year or so.

 

[Mastamimd]

Here it is Piff Perkins and Ziggly, I can't tag y'all

 

[Lord Beasley]

End of the day I don't think Kendrick's intentions were bad and he even goes far enough to say he lost faith in religion watching Christians judge his family member for who they were.

i get what he's trying to say, but not all christians view LGBT people that way. Also, how did that make him lose faith in religion....but global terrorist acts and 9/11 didn't?

 

[Ziggiy]

Album all over the Top USA and Top Global charts on Spotify this morning.

They projected 400k, I think it's blowing past that.

I’m thinking 550K. If there was ONE “hit” single on the album it could have done upwards of 700K but again with the way this album is presented a traditional “single” seems to be the furthest thing from his mind

 

[Ziggiy]

Here it is Piff Perkins and Ziggly, I can't tag y'all

Yes I read it yesterday. Thats why I was saying that the response from thar community has been mostly positive and even thoughtful. Kendrick’s getting something that black men RARELY get; understanding and critique without judgment

 

[MischievousMonkey]

Fantastic album. Probably one of his best. 18/18 no misses.

He got even better. Even if DAMN was deep conceptually, there was some tracks I did not like at all musically or in terms of rapping. He did way better here. The production is insane and reminded me a lot of Tyler The Creator's latest efforts at some parts.

 

[MischievousMonkey]

I also like how his last two albums are performative. With DAMN he's trying to bring God back in people's minds, with this one he's exorcising trauma inherited from family and taking responsibility from it. He's not rapping just to rap.

Also cool that he keeps evolving in his thoughts and challenging his listeners with controversial views.

 

[Piff Perkins]

The reaction to the themes expressed in Auntie Diaries seems to be overwhelmingly positive amongst that community, even the few reviews i’ve read that weren’t glowing are acknowledging that Kendrick’s heart and intention is in the right place. I don’t think there’s going to be a huge blacklash that ends up hurting his reputation or the album’s reception. I think part of that is Kendrick’s prior reputation as a self reflective and sometimes self flagellating artist has gifted him a modicum of good will amongst, not just Hip Hop heads, but music lovers in general. The other part is that Kendrick, being the first mainstream rapper to touch on the subject in such a deep and forthcoming manner, is being given the benefit of the doubt that he doesn’t quite understand what would be offensive about things such as “deadnaming” and “misgendering”; hell I myself just learned about these terms in like the last year or so.

I've seen positive reactions, but I've seen a loooot of negative reactions as well and not just from the usual blue check mafia. Lot of people find the song laughable. Like I said, I'd be stunned if he does interviews because someone gonna press on it. I "like" the song but get the complaints and like I said I'm not gonna tell other people in those communities "you don't get it, he said fakkit because..."

 

[Controversy]

Kendrick could burp on a track and y'all nikkas will say it was the most poetic, substantive burp in the history of performative rap music

 

[Cᵣₐₛₕ&ₜₕₑCₒᵤₚ]

I feel like disc 2 is the better half. Also appreciate the therapy concept/execution, Kendrick just spilling how he feels about a lot of s*** and he's NOT your savior lol​

 

[semicko82]

This is got damn masterpiece
This shyt is special. We don't really know how good we have it brehs

 

[GoldenGlove]

I honestly think its unfair to compare THIS particular album to Cole’s conceptual albums like 4YEO and KOD. This album is a very very personal, raw, even uncomfortable at times treatise on one man’s reckoning with his own trauma and attempts to heal. I hesitate to even call this a “concept album” in the traditional sense of telling a cohesive story. This album literally sounds like Kendrick rapping his therapy sessions. I don’t think its fair to say that Cole, or any MC, could do “better” at this type of project.


Comparing Cole’s conceptual work to albums like GKMC and TPAB seems like a more fitting assessment, and as much as I fukking LOVE 4YEO (I think Cole pulled it off pretty flawlessly and its my favorite album of his) I think both of Kendrick’s albums are objectively better than Cole’s.

4YEO like this MMATBS both are dark introspective albums that cover the same themes. I appreciate the efforts but they both are heavily depressing albums.

My post was speaking to how Cole seemingly went through this same phase as Kendrick. Just jaded with society and their music reflected it. I wasn't saying Cole's albums were executed better than TPAB or this tho. For a while, I questioned whether or not Cole even enjoyed making music. Now I have the same feeling about Kendrick...

 

[spliz]

Yes I read it yesterday. Thats why I was saying that the response from thar community has been mostly positive and even thoughtful. Kendrick’s getting something that black men RARELY get; understanding and critique without judgment

I think this is my issue. Like I said. He gets to just do shyt others can’t and I still can’t figure out why. nikkas say one thing on a song and they getting all kinda thinkpieces and shytted on and shyt getting outta context.