kendrick lamar - mr. morale & the big steppers (2022)

yep

"rich spirit" instant classic

― Let's disco dance, Hammurabi! (Austin), Thursday, May 12, 2022 10:35 PM

definitely my favorite song of the year. beat is the sci-fi synth funk of the promised land and verse 3 especially is very rhyme of the month/hiphop quotable-

Frat brother, real n/gga, that brother
We just upped the score, give me dap, brother
Spirit medium, I don't rap, brother
We headed there now, are you strapped brother?
Ayy, peacemaker, but I'm not naive, brother
Ayy, gotta watch your homies and police, brother
Ayy, clout chasing hell of a disease, brother
I'm fasting four days out the week, brother
I pray to God that you realize the entourage is dead
I pray to God that you not lackin' when you off the meds
I pray to God she know them Cabo trips don't last forever
Bet she argue with her momma, go and get them kids
I pray to God you actually pray when somebody dies
Thoughts and prayers, way better off timelines
False claimin' not cute, I'm mortified
The new Earth in hot pursuit, two-hundred lives

the little mannerism he takes on in the section i emphasized still makes me giggle. his charisma and ability to deadpan such convincing satire remain unmatched. sounds like paul mooney the rapper sometimes. love love love.

Once I took "We Cry Together" out of the track listing, this album is very very very good. "Father Time" and "Purple Hearts" probably my favorites but there's a lot of songs near that level, like "Rich Spirit"

literally just now realizing that the song is called "mother | sober" not "mother i sober"

hahaha I also thought it was mother i sober

real n/gga

flagged

Father Time is killing me tbh

I need to come back to this again soon, but right now kinda stuck in TPAB mode because of Sequoia Maner's new 33 1/3 book about it.

I have been playing this on headphones a lot and it's really, really satisfying

This often leaden mess is my favorite Kendrick release since 2015.

Basically a double LP (running over 73 minutes), at minimum there's enough for a really good 50 minute LP, maybe even a great one.

I no longer believe in trimming double albums, sorry! Keep everything.

I actually agree with that sentiment in principle - unless they were simply clearing the vaults or the scraps off the floor, an artist (usually) puts out a double album for good reason, like this is everything they want to say and every piece has its place. But in practice, that still doesn't stop me from hitting the arrow on my remote.

somebody better tell these musicians that people out here can press arrows

ghostface's verse on "purple hearts" is just too good. he's the best rapper ever.

xp for better or worse, it's like a presidential veto in button form

ghostface's verse on "purple hearts" is just too good. he's the best rapper ever.

― in places all over the world, real stuff be happening (voodoo chili),

The way he folds "Elohim" into the verse.

it's a beautiful, ecstatic moment, and ghost does the "my voice is cracking because i just can't handle all the things i'm feeling" delivery better than anyone.

otm!

This album is astonishing.

― castanuts (DJP), Tuesday, June 14, 2022 10:37 AM (one month ago) bookmarkflaglink

OTMFM

I am not here for any take that doesn't start with "we are lucky to be alive when a talent like Kendrick's is around"

Pretty much yeah. I haven't listened to GKMC in a couple years now, but Mr. Morale might honestly top it for me - hard to believe. Maybe it's just that I haven't played out the new one yet

this is me and i'm blessed.

anybody fightin through the stress?

I guess this isn't the thread to admit that I think the album is mostly astonishing with a few significant flaws that I'm having a hard time dismissing as easily. Will wholeheartedly cosign the "we are lucky to be alive when a talent like Kendrick is around" part though, absolutely.

jon that's disappointing that you feel like it's not appropriate to discuss music on a music discussion board. sorry if i did anything to make you feel like that.

i.e. i would like to hear your criticisms and i welcome them with open ears. i like listening.

(also: yes, this album has some major problematic elements. that's part of what makes it so engaging.)

xp - no worries, I was being a little sarcastic wet to JCLC's line drawn on takes.

This guy's run right now is like Radiohead's run from The Bends up to Amnesiac.

Which reminds me - is Radiohead the biggest, most canonical band without a double album? Kendrick joined the club with Morale... might make a good thread.

No need to be insulting.

saying "we are lucky to be alive when a talent like Kendrick's is around but this album could be edited down a bit and be better" would fit with JCLC's parameters ha

true

oh yeah, i'm total fanboy for this album but skip certain tracks every time, for reasons.

however none of those tracks has ever been, is not now, nor will ever be "rich spirit", which i find to be just as delightfully classic presently as i did the instant i heard it. i suppose you could say it was an instant classic.

It’s a double album? 78 minutes is like a Redman CD in the late 90s

yo shoutout to redman, pioneer of longass albums😄

When Helen Mirren said "you texted me at two o'clock in the morning" there were a couple ways it coulda gone and honestly I wish it'd gone the other way.

"United in Grief" is such an an amazing song

it's nice to go back to these type of "event" albums and listen to them after all the discourse is over

seemed like the discourse was over with this one a few days after release

"Rich in Spirit" is still such a jam, one of his all-timers.

yeah that's great

"Father Time" sticks out to me more now, the way that jazzy beat keeps morphing is really cool

the Kodak Black part could still go though

Man did I sleep on this. Got this email at 10:30 am but didn't see it until now:

KENDRICK LAMAR LIVE & IN PERSON AT ROXY CINEMA, TONITE!

Kendrick Lamar will be joining us TONITE for a Q&A after an exclusive screening of his documentary THE BIG STEPPERS TOUR: LIVE FROM PARIS. Get your tickets now for what promises to be an unforgettable evening!