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

[Sad Bunny]

 

[Sad Bunny]

 

[AAKing23]

I'm not really feeling this album but like always I don't know how it may grow on me later.

Kendrick can still rap at an incredible level no doubt but I strongly lean towards Cole at this point in my life.

 

[Metal Face]

another high Metacritic score

the goat of rap

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

Objectively speaking, this album is way too dense (which I love, my favorite Kendrick album was TPAB), so its far too early to call it a classic. You really need to sit with it over time to get it a fair review. You can not like the music, but calling this music trash like some people are doing is just categorically wrong, there's just way to much substance here and high production values to call this mid or trash. I think its fair to be disappointed if you were expecting something more commercial like DAMN versus another left field deep artistic album like TPAB, but calling this trash is crazy, this is clearly one of the best albums that released this year.

Some first impressions from me though after a couple spins, and this is purely my opinion now. Not a fan of some of the topics Kendrick was speaking on, and there are other topics where Kendrick comes off too preachy and self righteous, but songs like 'Mother I Sober' and 'We Cry Together' (really similar to 'Circles' by Game and Q-Tip off Doc 2) are masterpieces, and cmon he got Blxst, Yak, and Tony Starks on this album haha all of them killed it. I feel like Kendrick is relying too much on spoken word poetry and melodies instead of giving us raw verses full of bars on this album too, and I'm personally not a fan of that direction, even though its probably better for him as someone whos a true artist and not just a rapper. There's a lot of musical elements that hipster cacs and critics love all throughout this album like some of the cac hooks (which I'm sure was intentional to give this album more mainstream appeal provided how heavy the subject matter in some of these songs are), skits / interludes, beat switches, and all of the layered instrumentation in the production. But theres so much content here that even if you dont like some of it, you'll find songs that you do like, which is the good thing about long/double albums. I think most people who are disappointed by this album wanted an album full of 'N95's and 'Silent Hill's and I dont blame them cause Kendrick is fire when he gets in those bags haha.

I might sound like Im hating but Im definitely going to sit with this album a lot more to fully digest it, Kendrick is covering so many topics on this album to take it all in so early, but I dont see myself it ranking higher than Ransom's album personally when were talking albums that dropped this year. Nas is coming too. I'm just not a fan of the musical direction of this album, but I appreciate the substance / content.

Its an art project. Like I said. this isn't casual listening. Its just an audio presentation.

 

[010101]

respect it because you know he put deliberate thought into it

it ain't that inebriated in front a microphone randomly chatting

*

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

they not his fukkin family

 

[superchoops]

Crazy this is the first album of his that I instantly liked.

same, i think the only one that i liked as much as this on release was GKMC. This might be my favorite Kendrick album

also that Savior Interlude is fire. Gotta pray for the basics, my nikkas aint never bust down faces, them nikkas aint tasteless

 

[cornercommission2k12]

The genius breakdown of Auntie Diaries for people needing context:

If ever they was pronounced without any intentions
The very second you challenged the shyt I was kicking
Reminded me about a show I did out the city
That time I brung a fan on stage to rap
But disapproved the word that she couldn't say with me
You said, "Kendrick, ain't no room for contradiction
To truly understand love, switch position
'fakkit, fakkit, fakkit,' we can say it together
But only if you let a white girl say 'nikka'"

Yea I appreciated the tone of auntie diaries not necessarily a for or against but an acceptance and displaying a love to his family regardless of their choices

Then ending the song on some Dave Chapelle gut punch to that community lol

 

[Metal Face]

perfect reviews brehs

 

[010101]

certain music has a vibe

its the sound of that space between life & death

i am not being over dramatic my near death experience was very musical in nature

either k. been there or he been getting high high high to reach that space

*

 

[Moose_Greyjoy]

I don’t really understand a lot of talking points in here.

Kendrick was very direct on this album with his outlooks and feelings. He’s literally laying it all on the table and you’re either going to take it or leave it. He can’t make everyone happy so he’s choosing his own happiness over everything.

It has to be a case of fans looking for things and making things deeper than what they really are.

Album is very straight forward

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

perfect reviews brehs

white authors and writhers

 

[Rekkapryde]

You are a Drake stan fakkit.. nobody cares about your opinion. You listen to meme raps and songs about a 35-year old man having a crush lmao

 

[CoolinInTheCut]

Are you guys being serious right now with the album reviews and scores? Yall really care about critical reception? Do yall have any idea whos actually reviewing this music? Have yall seen these peoples faces cause most of them are loser hipsters. These are some of the last people you should be listening to for an opinion on hip hop.

Let the people decide and not these cac critics. Didn't Pitchfork give The Fix by Scarface a 5 or 6? fukk the music critics lol.