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

[waynep]

Whilst this may be subject to change, this does not move me so far. I mean Kendrick does his thing but it is not very captivating.

 

[LevelUp]

Whilst this may be subject to change, this does not move me so far. I mean Kendrick does his thing but it is not very captivating.

Yup kinda lukewarm to me. Lyrics there but feeling like something missing.

 

[JA_Carter]

This ain’t one of those albums you can listen to once and give a final verdict. It’s a lot to take in and he’s extremely honest and vulnerable on this, maybe even more than on TPAB. I see a lot of people on twitter are offended especially by Auntie Diaries

I still think that this will do about 440k-480k first week but I doubt it will have the smash hit replay value of DAMN or GKMC. Tik Tok is gonna eat up We Cry Together though lol.

 

[valet]

Cry For You sounds like Baby Boy pt.2

 

[Bondye Vodou]

This dude selling black pain right now and white media is gonna crown him as some sort of breakthrough artist.

I'm out.

He's been doing this for A LONG time. Milking trauma when he should be making music. This is slam poetry shyt. This isn't ... music.

its an art project.

fukk is your problem breh? Are u this outraged at these drill rappers that make record labels rich of the murder of young Black men?

 

[Ziggiy]

I can’t even post as much because this site is acting beyond retarded right now.

But Imma let this album sit and marinate til I give it a second listen. This was truly something different brehs, fitting for it to be Kendrick’s final TDE project too

I REALLY wasn’t expecting this type of album from him. From the album title to Heart Part 5 song and video I wasn’t prepared for THIS amount of raw emotion and honesty. I was expecting a hybrid rap/doo woo or soul music album, instead this is a confessional.


I don’t even know what song individually would work as a proper single. This is a body of work that HAS to be experienced as one piece of music.


Its going to be interesting how the label and Kendrick promotes the album throughout the year. Its also a peculiar time to release an album like this as it doesn’t sound like a “summer” album at ALL.


Either way its a true work of art and i’m happy Kendrick went this route. He really brought up some topics that black men and the black community on the whole needs to address.

 

[Jards]

Two full listens. The way this guy can create conceptual albums is absolutely next level. Interpreted it as an album about Black Psychology - Big Steppers (first half) is about black bravado, machismo, etc and Mr Morale (second half) is unpacking the root of that bravado, machismo.

Biggest compliment I can pay this album is that it doesn’t feel like a 73 minute album - absolutely flys through with no filler.

Definitely will be up there with the best projects this year (if not the best). In regards to his own discography, I need to sit with this longer but I think it will be up there - might be my favourite after GKMC.

Saying all of that though, Ghost Deini may have had the verse of the album - what a verse

Edit: We Cry Together was fukking fire - reminds me of this classic from Banana Clip though:



Also the white goat ALC lol

 

[rabbid]

aoty is still durkio for me. but back last year when we were debating if cole, drake, or kenny would have the best album. i think its clear that kenny had the best one of those three. YE imo had the best album overall and the biggest cultural impact.

 

[ReasonableMatic]

Remember church, Easter Sunday?
I sat in the pew,
you had stronger faith
More spiritual than these dudes
were living life straight
Which I found ironic
'cause the pastor didn't see him the same
He said my cousin was going thru some things
He promised the world we living in
was an act on abomination
And Demetrius was to blame
I knew you was conflicted
by the feelings a preacher made
Wondering if God still call you a decent man
Still you found the courage
to be subservient, just to anoint
Until he singled you out,to prove his point
saying: Demetrius is Mary-Ann now

Church!
His auntie is a man now,
it hurt.. you the most
'cause your belief was close,
to his words
Forcing me to stand now
I said: "Mr. Preacher man,
should we love thy neighbor?
The laws of the land
or the heart, what's greater?
I recognize the study
she was taught since birth
But that don't justify the feelings
that my cousin preserved"
The building was thinkin out loud: “Bad angel”
That's when you looked at me and smiled,
said: "Thank you"
The day I chose humanity OVER religion
The family got closer, it was all forgiven
I said them F-bombs, I ain't know any better
Mistakenly,
I didn't think you'd know any different
See, I was taught:
“Words was nothing more than a sound
If ever they was pronounced without any intentions”

- Kendrick Lamar (Auntie Diaries)

This shyt deep as hell.
The honesty he displayed is wild, son really ain’t held back

 

[H.S.]

Whilst this may be subject to change, this does not move me so far. I mean Kendrick does his thing but it is not very captivating.

 

[Mike18jj]

After my first full listen I'm not feeling it so far, I thought Damn was much better.

Maybe it will grow on me

 

[Metal Face]

this album is a classic

 

[valet]

That Kodak song sounds like it could be GKMC. That hook could def crossover on Tik Tok. I can see people pushing off

 

[Scaaar]

Father Time is just..... Kendrick that dude

 

[Chip Skylark]

Yup kinda lukewarm to me. Lyrics there but feeling like something missing.

He said he had writers block for two years while also seeking therapy and trying to focus on hisself. So it makes sense