DISK(CD) 1. 01. Wesley'S Theory 02. For Free? (Interlude) 03. King Kunta 04. Institutionalized [Feat. Bilal, Anna Wise, Snoop Dogg] 05. These Walls [Feat. Bilal, Anna Wise, Thundercat] 06. U 07. Alright 08. For Sale? (Interlude) 09. Momma 10. Hood Politics 11. How Much A Dollar Cost [Feat. James Fauntleroy, Ronald Isley] 12. Complexion (A Zulu Love) [Feat. Rapsody] 13. The Blacker The Berry 14. You Ain'T Gotta Lie (Momma Said) 15. I 16. Mortal Man

The Weeknd专辑《Starboy》中的单曲

A few days after releasing 2012’s <i>good kid, m.A.A.d. city</i>, the then-25-year-old Kendrick Lamar deemed his sophomore album “classic-worthy”. He wasn’t lying: Lamar’s sophomore album is one of the defining hip-hop records of the 21st century. On the surface, <i>good kid, m.A.A.d. city</i> is a hood tragedy, with Lamar painting a vivid picture of Black and brown youths growing up in underserved communities. But the album is also powered by faith and hope, with Lamar chronicling his turbulent coming-of-age through a cast of compelling characters that portray the trauma, familial guidance and relationships that led to his inevitable ascent.

After the release of his 2011 studio debut, <i>Section.80</i>, Lamar had landed a splashy deal with Interscope Records and Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment. Despite his newfound access to state-of-the-art recording spaces and high-profile producers, the rapper opted to return to his roots for <i>good kid, m.A.A.d. city</i>, spending time at the Carson home studio of Top Dawg Entertainment, where he wrote and recorded his debut set. Sitting just a few miles from Compton, where much of <i>good kid, m.A.A.d. city</i> takes place, Lamar pieced together tracks alongside collaborators Sounwave and Dave Free, both of whom have known the prolific rapper since high school. Throughout the writing process, Lamar would frequently return to his childhood neighbourhood to relive the “mental space” he was in during the early days of his rap career, unearthing the deeply personal tales that came to shape the monumental artist.

From the album’s opening scene—a collective prayer of gratitude—Lamar’s approach is entirely theatric (he even gives <i>good kid, m.A.A.d. city</i> a subtitle: “A Short Film by Kendrick Lamar”). And he never misses an opportunity to hold listeners in his grip, unspooling a series of vulnerable confessions over the album’s 12 tracks. Graphic scenes of violence, addiction and disillusionment are pervasive here. But Lamar makes even the harshest truths easy to swallow. Case in point: “Swimming Pools (Drank)”, a sobering tale of alcoholism that became a radio hit and earned a Grammy nomination. It’s just one of several beloved singles on <i>good kid, m.A.A.d. city</i>, which also includes such hits as “Backseat Freestyle”, “Poetic Justice” and “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe”.

While <i>good kid, m.A.A.d. city</i> famously lost Best Rap Album to Macklemore at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, its legacy as a crucial example of American storytelling remains intact—and the album established Lamar as perhaps his generation’s most accomplished writer. As he puts it himself on <i>good kid, m.A.A.d. city</i>’s “The Art of Peer Pressure”: “Everybody sit yo’ bitch-ass down and listen to this true motherfuckin’ story told by Kendrick Lamar on Rosecrans, ya bitch.”

Kendrick Lamar2017专辑《DAMN.》收录单曲DNA.获Pitchfork“BEST NEW TRACK”称号

When Kendrick Lamar popped up on two tracks from Baby Keem’s <i>The Melodic Blue</i> (“range brothers” and “family ties”), it felt like one of hip-hop’s prophets had descended a mountain to deliver scripture. His verses were stellar, to be sure, but it also just felt like way too much time had passed since we’d heard his voice. He’d helmed 2018’s <i>Black Panther</i> compilation/soundtrack, but his last proper release was 2017’s <i>DAMN.</i> That kind of scarcity in hip-hop can only serve to deify an artist as beloved as Lamar. But if the Compton MC is broadcasting anything across his fifth proper album <i>Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers</i>, it’s that he’s only human.

The project is split into two parts, each comprising nine songs, all of which serve to illuminate Lamar’s continually evolving worldview. Central to Lamar’s thesis is accountability. The MC has painstakingly itemized his shortcomings, assessing his relationships with money (“United in Grief”), white women (“Worldwide Steppers”), his father (“Father Time”), the limits of his loyalty (“Rich Spirit”), love in the context of heteronormative relationships (“We Cry Together,” “Purple Hearts”), motivation (“Count Me Out”), responsibility (“Crown”), gender (“Auntie Diaries”), and generational trauma (“Mother I Sober”). It’s a dense and heavy listen. But just as sure as Kendrick Lamar is human like the rest of us, he’s also a Pulitzer Prize winner, one of the most thoughtful MCs alive, and someone whose honesty across <i>Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers</i> could help us understand why any of us are the way we are.