Rapper Kendrick Lamar made his long-awaited return on Friday with the release of his double album “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.”
Lamar is one of the best story-telling rappers there is currently and even won a Pulitzer Prize by capturing the complexity of modern African American life in his prior album “DAMN.,” according to Administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes Dana Canedy.
In his newest album, Lamar continued his great story-telling and reflected on who he is as a person and the world around him with the many problems there are.
Whitney Alford, who is Lamar’s fiancée, is featured throughout the whole album as a narrator to guide Lamar through his internal conflicts.
He opened up with “United In Grief” and referenced how long he’s been gone in the rap world with the lyrics: “One thousand eight-hundred and fifty-five days, I been goin’ through something” which is exactly the amount of days since he released “DAMN.”
Lamar touched on issues such as toxic masculinity in “Father Time” (featuring. Sampha) and molestation in “Mother I Sob” (featuring Beth Gibbons).
Another issue Lamar highlights is toxic relationships in “We Cry Together” which features Taylour Paige and brings the listener in on an intense fight between a couple.
Paige and Lamar have great chemistry which made the song work as you can feel the anger behind the two and feel how real the fight is.
In Lamar’s most controversial song of the album “Auntie Diaries,” he raps about opening up and accepting his transgender family members.
The reason why it’s controversial is because Lamar decided to include the f-slur multiple times throughout the song.
It does serve a purpose as to why Lamar decided to include it because the song sets a timeline of how he thought of the word and fully says it multiple times when he thought it was okay to say it and then refers to it as “f-bombs” at the end instead to show how he’s come to realize how hurtful the slur can be.
It’s great story-telling once again, but feels excessive considering he said it over 10 times in the four minute and 41 second runtime.
Despite the controversy, “Auntie Diaries” is a powerful song about Lamar accepting his family members for who they are and choosing them over religion as Lamar shines light on the LGBTQ+ community.
The album has great production and hits an ultimate high in “Mr. Morale” with the help of Pharrell Williams which includes a great beat and gospel voices in the background with Lamar rapping over them, making it one of the best songs in the album.
Overall, “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” is different from Lamar’s previous albums “DAMN.” and “good kid, m.A.A.d city” and has its own identity with slower songs about the issues around him.
It may not be better than his previous albums as they are a tough act to follow, but it still is a piece of art by Lamar that adds onto his great legacy and amazing story-telling.