During the third installment of MTV’s four-part sit down with Kendrick Lamar, the TDE rapper explains the significance of the album version of “i” and explains the freestyle portion of the record.
MTV’s Hip Hop news editor Rob Markman tells Kendrick that he “loved” “i” when he first heard the song, but was disappointed when he heard the live version on the album.
When he reached the end of the song, and Kendrick begins to breakup a fight within the crowd, Markman said that’s when he began to “get it.”
“It had to be cohesive with the conceptual part of the album,” Kendrick explains. “I see things as scenes and movies when I write. Even if it won two Grammys, it’s still going to go on the album my way. It plays into the part going into ‘Mortal Man.'”
After Kendrick breaks up a fictional fight on “i”, he raps a freestyle aimed at Oprah Winfrey – regarding the word “nigger.”
“Are you going to reclaim the word?” Markman asks Lamar.
“We’ve been trying to do it,” he says. “It still never translates and is appeasing to the ear. This is a start and that was the purpose for it… It’s been under our nose for years, but we all are kings at the end of the day.”
Kendrick is referring to the definition of the word negus, which he emphatically spells out during his freestyle.
“N-E-G-U-S, definition: royalty, king, royalty. Wait listen, N-E-G-U-S description: black ruler,” Kendrick raps at the end of the live version of “i”.
“I had to look it up,” Markman replies. “It forced me to go and research. I know with you, it’s never just rap.”
Watch the full interview below:
For more Kendrick Lamar coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
HEY CHRIS HARRIS GOT A QUESTION FOR YOU. HOW DO KENDICK’S NUTS TASTE?
The easy way to not deal with “the worst site ever” is to not visit the site you fucking nitwit.
Stole it from Capital Steez…..
Dope sentiment, but it’s pronounced “neh-GOOS'”.
Yup!
wait that fight was staged? wow the reason i liekd it so much is bc i thought that was a real moment. that shits corny
How could it have been real? It was recorded in a studio, if not the acoustics would’ve been crappy. It’s not about that.
Are you stupid? He’s making a point. it’s a piece of art. You’re completely missing the point.
Negus is not an Ethiopian word. Its an Eritrean word.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medri_Bahri
Same language clown
no lmao The word negus was used in the amharic language for many years before eritrea was even its own country.
Lies. The main language of Eritrea is Tigrigna. And Negus is an Amharic word [from the language of the Amharas, one of the two major ethnic groups in Ethiopia].
N-U-G-E-S is the original meaning of Ethiopian emppiror,king.. Who never were a slaves like all Africans…..We Ethiopian are the greatest of all time…bitch ass nigro Slavs like you trying to hide the power of Ethiopia….
Long Live Ethiopia’s freedom
LONG LIVE the Slavery
You need to chill on that nationalist shit, also don’t ever speak for us Ethiopians again prick.
Reply to Dee boy
Ignorance is a disease…ignorant ass
And bitch u don’t know shit.
It’s sad that when someone comes out and tried to do something positive ignorant nobodies always tend to show up. Kendrick is trying to do something positive by empowering and uplifting a damaged society and selfish ignorant folk that probably do not even have a decent degree show up hoping to block his shine. I guess that is one of the downfalls of social media that any prick and just on and say whatever they believe. Learn to make a difference instead of a mockery.
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Kendrick is an icon…a music lord…people will never understand that