“Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” Album Review
By Brodie Patrick
Photo of Kendrick Lamar singing taken from Flickr.com
Kendrick Lamar returns after five years of silence. In 2022, Lamar is a mature, accomplished artist whose music reflects his step-up in production. “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” is the epitome of Lamar’s ever changing style, employing theatrical storytelling and orchestral beats. With its release, Lamar reminds listeners of both his lyrical excellence and chokehold of the rap genre.
Kendrick Lamar is known to push boundaries and comment on controversial topics. However, his subject material in this album is rather introspective compared to others. Instead of offering thoughtful and rhythmic opinions on current events like in “To Pimp A Butterfly,” Lamar looks within himself and his society for a topic. In this album, he tackles his struggles with bigotry, ignorance, and past regrets. “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” is broken down into two discs, with nine tracks on each side featuring two interludes respectively.
Side A:
The album begins with “United In Grief” and according to Kendrick himself, he has been “going through something” in the past 1855 days since the release of 2017’s “Damn”. Angelic backing vocals soothe the listener into the beginning of this masterpiece, with Lamar following in his classic fast-paced rhythmic attack. Then, like clockwork, a traditional drum pattern ensues as Lamar tears up the track. “United In Grief” is a perfect example of what is to follow in the album by employing a mixture of piano riffs, violin strings, and ethereal backing vocals.
“The world that I'm in is a cul-de-sac/The world that we in is just menacing/The demons portrayed as religious/I wake in the morning, another appointment/I hope the psychologist listenin'” - Kendrick Lamar (United In Grief)
To the surprise of many, Florida rapper Kodak Black welcomes listeners to the third track, “Worldwide Steppers.” The beat is mesmerizing thanks to the reverbed nature of the sample and fluidity of Lamar's rhyme scheme. In addition, he wastes no time diving into his past experiences, commenting on his judgments and struggles with writer's block.
“Rich - Interlude” (feat. Kodak Black) Is one of the biggest surprises on the album. While simple in composition, consisting of a catchy piano roll and the vocals from Kodak Black. I cannot stop replaying the song–an easy 10/10.
A mid-album masterpiece titled “We Cry Together” (feat. Taylour Paige) is easily one of the most memorable songs on the album. As opposed to Lamar’s past songs that employ intricate rhyme schemes, beat switches, and melodic bridges, this song is stylized in the form of an argument. Kendrick Lamar and Taylor Paige take turns taking lyrical shots at each other. Chaotic in nature and beautifully constructed, this song is a perfect example of Lamar’s creative take on modern rap.
Wrapping up the first side of this double album, “Purple Hearts” surprises listeners with features from Summer Walker and the infamous Ghostface Killah of Wu-Tang. A traditional Kendrick Lamar song, the beat is complex, utilizing synths and the likes of Summer Walker’s angelic vocal skills. In addition, Ghostface Killah’s feature perfectly wraps up the first side of this album in style.
Side B:
Writer’s Choice:
In perfect balance, West coast meets southern rap on “Silent Hill” (feat. Kodak Black). The combination of Kendrick Lamar and Kodak Black is welcomed with open arms to the catchy and bass-heavy beat. Utilizing a video-game-style suppressed shot sound as the cornerstone of the beat is equally unique and creative, quickly earning the spot of “Writer’s Choice” song for this album.
“Savior” (feat. Baby Keem and Sam Dew) is Kendrick Lamar’s attack on the pedestal upon which he and other highly-acclaimed rappers are placed. He breaks the fourth wall by calling out listeners on idolizing artists and defending their shortcomings while also pointing out his own hypocrisies. Once again, Lamar relies on pianos and ethereal vocals to complement his lyrical attack on the state of his hold on the rap genre.
“Kendrick made you think about it, but he is not your savior/Cole made you feel empowered, but he is not your savior/Future said, "Get a money counter," but he is not your savior” - Kendrick Lamar (Savior)
Honorable Mentions:
“Auntie Diaries” is a beautiful song. However, I do not feel qualified or equipped to comment on its lyrical content.
“Mr. Morale” has a fantastic beat and great lyricism.
“Count Me Out” employs a haunting bassline and soulful vocals.
Overall:
“Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” is an absolute victory for Kendrick Lamar. Not only does he tackle a series of sensitive topics, but he continues to mesmerize listeners with his top-notch lyrical prowess. This album is rather lengthy for a good reason: it is well rounded, has a song for everyone and provides a platform for Kendrick Lamar to speak directly to the listeners, oftentimes calling them out. I give this album a solid 9/10 rating.