Kendrick Lamar has returned after a five-year hiatus with a double album that subverts expectations and takes a probing look at his own identity. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers finds Kendrick rejecting his role as a moral authority in hip-hop and instead delving into his own messy psyche.
The album’s production is smooth but askew, and Kendrick’s flows are often untidy, channeling his messy admissions. While some tracks lack depth, the album has its high points, and Kendrick’s rapping is often astonishing.
Table of Contents
A New Kendrick Emerges
In his previous albums, Kendrick Lamar was known for his intricate storytelling and precise flows. However, on Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, he takes a new approach, rejecting the elegance and structure of his past songs. Instead, he opts for quick strokes and sketches that channel his messy admissions. His flows are often untidy, dancing with the chords and bouncing off the kick drum.
This change in Kendrick’s style is jarring but also refreshing. It shows that Kendrick is not content with resting on his laurels and is willing to experiment and evolve as an artist. The production on the album is also askew, with rhythms and chords stacked precariously, giving the tracks a unique and off-kilter sound.
Kendrick’s Search for Self
Kendrick Lamar’s search for his own identity is a central theme of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Throughout the album, he grapples with questions about who he is and what he represents.
Prompted by his partner Whitney Alford, Kendrick opens the album by framing his honesty as dangerous. He reveals that he’s been going to therapy and is wracked by grief and shame, feelings that he copes with through luxury purchases and infidelity.
As the album progresses, Kendrick seems to actively reject the idea that he represents anything beyond his family and his close circle of friends. He spends much of the album exploring his own psyche and revealing his flaws and imperfections. While some tracks lack depth, others, like “Mother I Sober,” offer a deeper look into his personal struggles.
This search for self is not new for Kendrick. Throughout his career, he has been known for his introspective lyrics and willingness to examine his own flaws and shortcomings.
However, on Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, he takes this exploration to a new level, delving even deeper into his psyche and exposing his vulnerabilities in a raw and unfiltered way.
Jarring and Introspective
Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is a jarring and introspective album that subverts expectations and takes a deep dive into Kendrick Lamar’s psyche.
The production on the album is smooth but askew, with rhythms and chords stacked precariously, giving the tracks a unique and off-kilter sound. Kendrick’s flows are often untidy, channeling his messy admissions and bouncing off the kick drum.
The album is introspective in that it explores Kendrick’s personal struggles and vulnerabilities. He grapples with questions of identity and purpose, revealing his flaws and imperfections in a raw and unfiltered way. On tracks like “Mother I Sober,” Kendrick opens up about his experiences with domestic and familial violence, exposing the pain and trauma that has shaped his life.
The album is also jarring in that it subverts expectations and challenges the listener. Kendrick seems to actively reject the elegance and structure of his past songs, instead opting for quick strokes and sketches that channel his messy admissions. His flows are often untidy and unpredictable, keeping the listener on their toes.
A Slippery Portrait of Kendrick
Despite the deep introspection and vulnerability that Kendrick Lamar displays throughout Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, the album ultimately presents a slippery portrait of the artist.
Throughout the album, Kendrick seems to actively reject the idea that he represents anything beyond his family and his close circle of friends. Instead, he focuses on exploring his own psyche and revealing his flaws and imperfections.
This slipperiness is also evident in the album’s production and Kendrick’s flows, which reject the elegance and structure of his past songs. Instead, he opts for quick strokes and sketches that channel his messy admissions, with rhythms and chords stacked precariously.
While this approach is refreshing and challenging, it ultimately leaves the listener with a sense that they don’t fully understand Kendrick as a person or an artist. The album lacks the cohesion and narrative structure that made his previous work so compelling. Instead, it meanders through a series of disjointed tracks, with Kendrick’s thoughts and emotions shifting rapidly and without warning.
Final Thoughts
Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is a jarring and introspective double album that finds Kendrick Lamar rejecting his role as a moral authority in hip-hop in favor of delving into his own messy psyche.
While some tracks lack depth, the album has its high points, and Kendrick’s rapping is often astonishing. Despite all its aggrieved poses and statements, the album never settles on a portrait of Kendrick, leaving the listener with a sense of the rapper’s slipperiness and fear of being defined by trauma and shame.