After five long years, Kendrick Lamar finally releases another hit album, Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers on May 13, 2022. Following his announcement of the album on April 18, everyone has been excited on the edge of their seats. 

Sound

The album is filled with strong, unique beats for each track. There are 18 songs total with lyrics so descriptive you can almost picture a story for each. Throughout the songs, different styles and instrumentals come together—piano, jazz, bass. Together, these created a new vibe and listening experience, unlike his past albums which were a bit more mellow. 

“The new audio engineering that we’ve never seen in a Kendrick album before stood out the most,” said Ishya Mukkamala (‘23).

Some top hits on the album include “Rich Spirit,” “N95,” and “Die Hard.”.“Rich Spirit” is the perfect balance between fast and slow with lyrics flowing in-in-out. 

“I think that Rich Spirit felt really familiar but not at all at the same time. I really enjoyed the lyrics and rhythm so it’s easily one of my favorites on the album,” said Mukkamala.

“Die Hard” starts off with capturing beats and intertwines and then has a beautiful smooth melody sung by featured artist intertwined with featured Amanda Reifer’s singing. N95 has a fast and catchy rhythm, making it easy to get lost in the song. 

“Out of all the songs in the album, N95 stood out the most to me, the song went pretty hard and it matched the creativity in its music video,” said Shreyans Porwal (‘23).

Additionally, the song “We Cry Together” is more like an angry rant or argument, another piece of creative work the lyrical king crafted.

Artist

Kendrick Lamar is one of the top rappers of all time, known for his unmatched, heavy lyrics and creative style. His songs often portray his background from Compton – his experience living in the hood and his internal conflicts. He is best known for his song “HUMBLE,” often played at parties and “Money Trees.”

Verdict 

Overall, Mr. Moral and The Big Steppers surprised everyone after the long wait. With a wide range of strong beats, the album comes together full of life. 

“The album was unexpected but in the best way possible,” said Mukkamala. 

The wait is over; it’s time to pull out those headphones and listen to another great masterpiece by Kendrick Lamar.