Kendrick Lamar - Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers

[Nebraska]

https://oklama.com/

i've never listened to a kendrick album but i heard this song recently and thought it was brilliant. looking forward to this record

 

[thumbass]

This is going to be brilliant. He's the best in the game.

[species8472]

it’s like the 2022 version of daft punk get lucky

[dr lopez]

sound of the summer

[cern]

My gf is always having "Money Trees" on loop but this is totally different style. 

Is he also becoming god like Kanye West now? Like he is the answer to the world 

[cloud capture]

loving this production

[Nebraska]

this was a very mixed bag for me. i loved some songs (united in grief, worldwide steppers and rich (interlude) were my favorites. the rest is meh and is too theatrical for my taste. almost like a record you'd get if you attended some kind of experimental college hiphop play. the structure and arrangement are so studied it robs the entire project of any levity which (for me) made it an incredible bore. 

[chenGOD]

22 minutes ago, Nebraska said:

the rest is meh and is too theatrical for my taste. almost like a record you'd get if you attended some kind of experimental college hiphop play.

This is basically what Kendrick did on "To Pimp a Butterfly". He took the narrative construct that was outstanding but somewhat linear and fairly one-dimensional on "Good Kid MADD City" and flipped it to that type of structure where he's examining bigger structural issues in society. This seems to have taken it to the next level - I'm on my first run through now, but I'm enjoying this a lot.

[gnarlybog]

Very impressed with this! Strange production surprises all over the place.

United In Grief is a hell of an opener. Auntie Diaries and Mother I Sober have the power to make you ugly cry in a car.

[thumbass]

What a goddamn album. From what I've seen its pretty decisive but imo this is the best follow up he could have given. I didn't want another damn or tpab, this is way more personal of an album

[d-a-m-o]

Most overrated MC ever.

[chenGOD]

4 hours ago, thumbass said:

What a goddamn album. From what I've seen its pretty decisive but imo this is the best follow up he could have given. I didn't want another damn or tpab, this is way more personal of an album

This is a great follow up to TPAB. I kind of think on that one he looked at big picture structural issues and like you said on this one, it’s examining a lot of personal level things (probably a mix of happening to him and observation of friends and fam). 
Lots going on on the record. 

[dr lopez]

I am by no means a rap expert, but I really enjoyed this album. He has a very clear personality and the music backing tracks are considered and well-produced. It's a bit too long but the fact that he doesn't sound like a xann'd out retard means it's better than 90% of "rap caviar" lol

[sidewinder]

Played this on Friday morning and haven't gone for a 2nd listen yet. Didn't really have any expectations, having heard each of his last 3 around release time and enjoying them but never falling in love with any. I've revisited them over the years but probably only listened to each about 3 times all the way through. It's a lot to take in, and I like how the 2 parts felt pretty distinct (and "Count Me Out" is a great intro to the 2nd half). Another stand-out was "Mr. Morale". I think the first half was a little more rough and jarring, not pretty, setting the stage for 2nd half. Again, that's just first impressions. Subsequent listens may reveal that style and quality are consistent throughout. I'll just finish by saying I didn't have much in the way of expectations and I think this exceeded it. I'm just not gonna hit replay all day, maybe listen once a week or something and see how it goes.

[watmmisdead]

what a downfall

how can you go from TPAB, to DAMN, to this?

 

 

[beerwolf]

My hip hop credentials have since 88/89/90 steadily dropped from maybe a 9/10 to todays 0/10 so I can’t criticise too much but I just can’t stand the guys voice and delivery. I instantly have to switch him off. I did listen to first album a few times, but it didn’t interest me. But as a chap from leafy Berkshire I can’t relate to what he’s probably talking about anyway. Which I’m more than happy with tbh. Yeah raves and drugs down here mate

Edited May 18, 2022 by beerwolf

[chenGOD]

This is such an intensely personal album, and the more I listen to it, the wilder it gets. Really liking the production as well.