The Heart Part 5, Kendrick Lamar, 2022
I've been listening to the new Kendrick Lamar album pretty much on a loop since it dropped yesterday. It's his first album in five years and I was a little nervous about this one because so much time has passed. I was in "first-listen hypercritical mode" -- absolutely expecting to be let down -- but from the album's first note, I was floored once again. How does he keep capturing lightning in a bottle? Kendrick Lamar is the greatest artist of the past 20 years.
So many of my friends won't even consider listening to Kendrick because they categorize his music as rap and they're hung up on stereotypes of what they think defines rap. The thing is, Kendrick is a revolutionary poet. The voice of a generation ... a master of invention.
I don't have a favorite from Kendrick's new album, yet. It's not on the album but this is the single that dropped this week ahead of Friday's album release. Kendrick's videos are always powerful. His live performances are always inspirational. The words and music fill him in a way that takes over his whole body. Super expressive like Joe Cocker. Like no one is watching. Pay attention to the face morph, it's part of the story.
Happy Saturday! Listen to Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.
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