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

[Chip Skylark]

Kendrick put out the album Kayne wanted to put out.

Just completed my first listen…. best mainstream rap album of the 2020s no doubt.

Kendrick was in his avant- garde bag on this one. Love that TDE allowed him the freedom to explore his creativity.

Haters can go listen to Gunna and Future tired music this summer

Yo why do y’all do this? Kendrick said himself on this very album he’s more Kodak black than pro black. Kendrick himself gave future a shoutout and that future told you get your money but he’s not your savior

it’s possible to like Kendrick, Gunna, and Future

 

[reserved_one]

Damn Kendrick even got Beth Gibbons on the album

 

[The Mad Titan]

“relationship these days”

people having arguments in relationships only started occurring recently?

Be obtuse brehs

 

[imfromthesouthside]

the f word is out unless you're a c00n. keep in mind that he was under the influence of his auntie demetrious at the time though. i haven't said the f word in years and i don't really feel the need to.

Excuse me? Everyone I know still says fakkit. I quit saying the N word in 2020 though. There is nothing wrong with calling gays fakkits or people you don’t like.

 

[ReasonableMatic]

Seen a Christian say:
“the vaccine mark of the Beast”
Then he caught COVID
and prayed to Pfizer for relief
Then I caught COVID
and started to question Kyrie..
Will I stay organic
or hurt in this bed for two weeks?

- Kendrick Lamar (Savior)

Kenny talkin to a LOTTA you nikkas!!!

 

[Billy Ocean]

Ghost, Kenny and Summer

3 of my favorites right now

Why she do that to her face...smh

 

[semicko82]

Indian dude got 100000 posts in here. Make it stop

This

 

[CarltonJunior]

Can't finish the album just yet but We Cry Together is peak Kendrick

 

[UpNext]

Album was incredible. Not a single skip on here. Kendrick doesn't miss

 

[cornercommission2k12]

Gave a careful listen very early this morning

Album is great but has its pros and cons

For the good, i enjoyed the concept of the album. The vaudeville minstrel show undertone was dope considering those shows were designed by black Americans to make us appear less threatening yet we were forced to stick to that minstrel show script as America wouldn't have accepted another version of ourselves. Even using Kodak black who consistently appears in public looking like a a pick-a-loo from rhe minstrel shows I'm sure was intentional. That was a deep message behind the album. Big steppers=tap dancers. Appearing as if we are ok when we are really playing a role either given to us or developed through family trauma and pain created by poverty. It's like Kendrick took what he did on songs like fear and Duckworth and expanded it to an entire album. Which is great.

Album honestly delves into areas of black society only a few artist have ever before. This was like a today version of ice cube death certificate or nas -nword or little brother- the minstrel show. It was great to have that level of artistry in today's world void of this kind of depth in music mainly because it's only a few artist who could pull it off

Now with that said, what keeps this album behind the other great albums I mentioned is the production. Those other artist while offering a conceptual project designed to get us to challenge our ideas and concepts also made sure to still offer what music is about, live beats, head knockers, beats that still inspire mcs to spit etc. This album was more like Marvin Gaye hear my dear were it was so personal that it felt more like your enjoying the triumph of it for Kendrick, but taking really nothing for yourself. Without that great production many will probably only play this album a few times and let it go because once you get the point and the message your through with it unlike Kendrick prior projects where you found yourself wanting to return to the music because it banged.

So for me it's a 8/10 def a great project deep and something many will walk away from amazed but I fear it won't have the replay value his other projects carried.

 

[Hood Critic]

"Take off the money phone
Take off the car loan
Take off the flex & white lies
Take off the weird ass jewelry
I'ma take 10 steps, then I'm takin' off Top 5
Take off them fabricated streams
And the microwave memes
It's a real world outside."

 

[Morethan1]

Mother I sober

Jesus Christ

 

[NormanConnors]

Hmmmm might be his most creative joint, but the least entertaining. Seemed like breh was stuck on either being a rapper or trying to mimic Stevie Wonder (Mirror is still dope though) The Dope factor has gotten worst with each album. Breh still has two classics though imo. To me Kendrick reached back the most to Section 80 with this release, i just wish he kept it consistent.

And Some of yall cats need to re-evaluate what bars are considering what yall be criticizing in other threads lol

Too bad I cant use smilies to accentaute some of my points, smh.

5 or so tracks needed to be trimmed off

Best tracks imo

N95
Die Hard
We Cry Together
Silent Hill
Savior
Mirror

Its alright/solid. Not even close to album of the year.

 

[IIVI]

When was the last time people even cared enough to compare disc 1 vs disc 2 for an album?

This is honestly the first time in a long ass time anybody cared enough not to throw away an album away after the first disc and consider the 2nd disc a gimmick.

Not counting Beyonce, the last time I remember that is the All Eyez On Me, Life After Death, The Art of War, Wu-Tang Forever, etc. era.

The fact that many people are having different favorite songs means there are quite a number of "grow on you" songs on here. That tends to age albums extremely well.

Again, even after the initial hit wave is over, this album is going to age like GKMC over time. Many albums today won't. Not knocking them because they're still enjoyable, but they ain't built the same.

 

[Canada Goose]

We Cry Together