It’s not an album about the industry, culture, or gang violence. This is where the key distinguishing characteristic of the album becomes clear: it is about Kendrick Lamar. The beats become more soulful as Lamar details his insecurities and fears involving his relationship with his father and fears of opening up.
Suddenly, on the track “Die Hard” there is a stark change in sound. The album continues with trap beats as Lamar discusses his perspective on the pandemic and his relationships with various women. It has been 1,855 days since his last album and he reminds us on the opening track, “United in Grief.” The track opens at a high intensity with skillful lyrics as Kendrick Lamar pursues therapy. The two-part album is extremely dense but can be summarized as Lamar’s most introspective project yet.
Morale & The Big Steppers’ opening words are an apt description of what is to be expected. Morale & The Big Steppers Cover Art (Renell Medrano)
