Kendrick Lamar ended the five-year wait for a new album on Friday (May 13) with the release of his eagerly-anticipated fifth studio album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.
An 18-song double-disc effort, the project boasts guest appearances from Ghostface Killah, Kodak Black, Baby Keem, Sampha, Blxst, Summer Walker, Tanna Leone and Portishead’s Beth Gibbons, among others. Behind the boards, frequent collaborators such as Sounwave, Pharrell, The Alchemist, Boi-1da and DJ Dahi supply the eclectic sounds.
But it’s Kendrick who steals the show, and not simply because of his lyrical talents. Across the album, the Compton native addresses Kanye West and Drake’s reconciliation, Kyrie Irving’s COVID-19 stance and “cancel culture.” He also opens up about his “lust addiction” and infidelity, as well as transgender relatives and sexual abuse in the Black community.
While Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers opens yet another chapter in Kendrick’s illustrious career, it also marks the end of an era in another sense, serving as the 34-year-old rapper’s final release on Top Dawg Entertainment, the label he’s called home for well over a decade.
“As I produce my final TDE album, I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years,” he wrote on his oklama.com website last August. “The Struggles. The Success. And most importantly, the Brotherhood. May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators.”
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Given the fervent anticipation leading up to its release, it’s no surprise that Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers became one of the hottest topics on social media on Friday, with fans and artists alike flooding the internet with their reactions to Kendrick Lamar‘s latest, long-awaited effort.
From current rap stars such as Lil Durk, Tyler, The Creator and Kodak Black (who makes several appearances on the album) to OGs such as Lupe Fiasco, Questlove and JAY-Z‘s engineer Young Guru, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers had the internet goin’ nuts — which is nothing new for King Kendrick.
Check out the reactions to Kendrick Lamar’s new album below.
All due respect to Kendrick, album is fire upon first listen…but people need to educate themselves through more than music if they’re really seeing this as so eye opening.
Nah this facts! Ppl exaggerate it soooo much, like its fire but this is shit me and my homies researched back in highschool! Ppl just waking up are so annoying because they try to belittle people who’ve been on that tip! Like they know some new shit or some! Shit been really thanks Kendrick for waking the stubborn up I guess tho
From a pure objective angle, I think this might be the very first FLAWLESS album of the past decades.
You obviously haven’t heard Jack Harlows album >
Harlow killed that shit too! For sure
please tell me you’re both being sarcastic af – not only was it traaaaaash lyrics but the beats are boring af too – and jack goes on and on about how ‘he gotta bring back lyrical hip hop’ only to drop an album sounding like every average college rapper i went to school with smh
please tell me you’re both being sarcastic af – not only was it traaaaaash lyrics but the beats are boring af too – and jack goes on and on about how ‘he gotta bring back lyrical hip hop’ only to drop an album sounding like every average college rapper i went to school with smh
It’s Almost Dry and Bandana dude.
Agree with IAD, bandana dope but MMATBS and IAD are on another level – its juts crazy we got two of the best albums of the last ten years a couple weeks apart – totally diff but both iconic classics
masterpiece his magnum opus…took me several listens to even start to understand some of the things hes talking about..and oh god musically it’s perfection
Album cool. I like a few tracks, his jazz infused musical taste has never been my thing. Few hit but I’m more of a fan when he is featured on someone else’s track. I think that is the best Kenny. The story and topics he covered are the best parts but many of the songs I just can’t reply over and over again.
Metaphysically I expected more chaos
This album is about self and accountability….I’ve been on that path I just wish there was more knowledge dropped
There’s like 10 solid tracks
Savior and Mr. Morale are hard. Father time and Purple Hearts is deep. Otherwise…guess it just ain’t for me. And that’s cool, ya’ll enjoy.
First flawless album of the decade was Hov’s 4:44, this Mr Morale fire though. And in between Cole and Pusha keeping things real hip-hop with solid works of art.
4.44 the most overrated album ever. If it was that good it would’ve been streamed more when you’re a big star like Jay. It’s an album about a guy who’s cheated on his wife and saying sorry which is so cringe (if you even believe that bs). The rest of the album is cringe boomer money advice ‘what is better than throwing money in a strip club? Credit’ like Jesus are you kidding? people think this is a good album because they are sheep and the promotion was dope. MCHG, BP3, Kingdom come all garbage too. Jay been trash since the black album people need to accept it and stop celebrating mediocrity.
Apologizing to your wife is cringe? How about cheating on your wife is cringe. Y’alls generation is fucked in the head.
I wouldn’t say this absolutely sucks ass, but it only has a few tracks I’m into. Maybe a bit too experimental for me overall. GKMC and TPABF remain as my favorite Kendrick albums.
i cried
i think its the best album ever
it was scary durk is right
the venus project _ The Lost Children of Babylon
theres nothing better then this
Overrated arty-crafty boredom.
funny thing is while you hate hes making millions, and bout to win awards and you’ll still gonna hate like it really matters what you got to say lord like hes reading these comments………you’ll wasting ur time writing anything just to get a dumb reply back from somebody who’s slower you are………..stop hating dont nobody care about what you got 2 say
If you’re into rap rap, killers, choppers, then this album is mid. I expected Kendrick to spazz, the Heart Part 5 is the best record he did and it’s not even on the album.
Lol….rap rap: killers and choppers. TRR we do not know one another at all, yet let me state this. Killing and choppers and I’ll add in drip does not make something rap rap. Killing and choppers are actually murder music and keeps people in the “black” community killing one another. I implore you to listen to rap from the 80’s late 90’s and early 2000’s. Rap rap is a very funny statement and I understand what you mean. Rap is introspective Jay-Z introspective, Wayne lntrospective, Drake Introspective, Eminem Introspective, Ye Introspective, Missy introspective, MC Lyte Introspective, Rapsody same introspective alll the artist I just name are multi-talented they can make pop music and have introspective self-aware records where they talk about life, growth, and challenges, killings, and choppers every now and then. There’s different genres of rap and this isn’t gangster rap