Top 5 Songs From Kendrick Lamar’s “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers”
Intro:
After 5 years of not delivering a solo album, Kendrick Lamar has returned with his latest release Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. The Compton native is now recognized as a music legend & his even won a Pulitzer Prize during this career gap. Personally, I am in love with this new release & think it’s probably best work so far honestly. Throughout the 18-song double disc release are deeply introspective songwriting & beautiful production that challenges Lamar as a performer. Take a peak at our Top 5 songs from this spectacular album release down below:
5. Crown
We’re starting off the list already with a pretty controversial pick. This piano ballad was always one of my favorite tracks off first listen, and I love his dead-paced delivery despite the many that find this style boring. Topically, Kendrick opens up his mind for audiences to see his twisted view of confusing “people pleasing” with love. The song is very cerebral & majestic in its simplicity & stripped back approach. It’s very hard to please everyone when you’re a leader, but that’s the responsibility that comes with being a leader in your community.
4. Mr. Morale (ft. Tanna Leone)
First, Pharrell Williams did an incredible job at making this synth-based instrumental fun/bouncy without sacrificing its darkness. It’s simultaneously one of the darkest/deepest songs & one of the most fun to listen to because of the song’s drums. Kendrick finds a creative pocket to delivery his rapid fire flows containing lyrics about generational black trauma & his own experiences/thoughts. His pgLang artist Tanna Leone gives a fantastic vocal contribution that comes in towards the song’s closing. Overall, I could see this being a beloved song from the album’s “Mr. Morale” half.
“Every thought is creative, sometimes I'm afraid of my open mind” ~ Kendrick Lamar
3. Auntie Diaries
It’s hard not to have this song as a standout upon initially checking out Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Kendrick details his growth in understanding/accepting members of the LGBTQ & trans communities. He talks about two transgender family members that were key in his life & the struggles/negativity they had to face throughout life. It’s the first time we’ve heard a rapper this huge really speak on a polarizing subject like this so positively & artistically. All of this while softly delivering his verses over the beautiful/tranquil instrumental.
2. Father Time (ft. Sampha)
It seems as though Father Time is the universally accepted answer for the best song from the album. It’s some of the best rapping we hear from Kendrick on the album as he talks about some of the “father issues” that trouble him & other black men. Sampha’s voice singing on the chorus beautifully contrasts the timbre of Kendrick’s voice. The beat on this song featured punchy & dusty drums over some vintage piano keys. Additionally, it’s one of the few songs that sounds like it could’ve fit on any of Kendrick’s previous albums.
“I come from a generation of home invasions and I got daddy issues, that's on me” ~ Kendrick Lamar
1. Silent Hill (ft. Kodak Black)
Another controversial choice for our list, and has been a source of controversy with the overall album. We see Kendrick enlist the help of Kodak Black instead of any of his former TDE label mates, but the result of his verse is better than anyone could’ve expected. I love how infectious this song’s chorus, cadences & flows are from both rappers. This chill trap-infused beat is a perfect fit for a song between the 2 rappers, and makes it very accessible to play in numerous settings. Overall, it’s a track that I can definitely see myself playing multiple times with & without the full album.
“The AP Roman numeral, everywhere I go, I need pharmaceuticals” ~ Kodak Black
Overall:
Do you agree with our list of top 5 songs from Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers? As usual, this list is purely subjective & will absolutely change as we have more time to sit with Kendrick’s latest offering. As mentioned above, this is definitely my favorite album from the California rapper in his discography. It’ll be intriguing to see how many more releases we’ll get from Lamar moving forward. Thank you all for reading & enjoy Kendrick Lamar’s new album below.
