Compton’s hometown hero Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers is a passionate return after a five year hiatus from his acclaimed album DAMN. The “Where the Kendrick Album?” Meme is dead and his answer is a metaphysical storytelling of his life that holds no punches touching on faith, sobriety, forgiveness, and family secrets. This album is his brown, leather, broken-in therapist couch. Kendrick has now grown into a man and a Hip Hop legend all through hard work.
Undoubtedly this masterfully mixed project brings instrumentally with air filled drum kits that give the album life, smooth bass, emotional grand piano, and synths to really tie in the spiritual theme of the album to pair with a one of a kind rap cadence. As someone who believes in proactive mental health practice this album is the product of real self work and willingness to be vulnerable. This is the crux of an artist who wants to push himself past himself into greatness. One of the best rappers ever puts it all on the line for the sake of simply being real. Here at 10 pieces of real life advice from Mr. Morale and the Bug Steppers!
World Wide Steppers
Writer’s block for two years, nothin’ moved me
Asked God to speak through me, that’s what you hear now
While most rappers try to put out a mid project every year Kendrick will put his work in the hands of fate and push through a two year writers block to make something he thinks is great.
Die hard
Daddy issues, fuck everybody, go get your money, son
Protect yourself, trust nobody, only your mama ‘nem
This made relationships seem cloudy, never attached to none
Sometimes you need to cut negativity out of your life, work on yourself, and cut from attachments that bring expectations.
Count me Out
I love when you count me out
Extra motivation can come from those who doubt you.
Crown
And I can’t please everybody
No, I can’t please everybody
It’s an impossible feat, being a people pleaser can ruin your self worth as well as hinder your real wants and needs.
Silent Hill
Push these niggas off me like, “Huh!”
I’m pushin’ the snakes, I’m pushin’ the fakes
Create boundaries from those that you suspect are not authentic.
Savior
Seen a Christian say the vaccine mark of the beast
Then he caught COVID and prayed the Pfizer for relief
Then I caught COVID and started to question Kyrie
Will I stay organic or hurt in this bed for two weeks?
Without getting political, don’t believe everything you see on TV or hear from celebrities.
Mr. Morale
Watchin’ my cousin struggle with addiction
Then watchin’ her firstborn make a million
And both of them off the grid for forgiveness
I’m sacrificin’ myself to start the healin’
Sometimes pain and solitude can lead to real healing.
Mother I Sober
I transformed, prayin’ to the trees, God is taken shape
My mother’s mother followed me for years in her afterlife
Starin’ at me on back of some buses, I wake up at night
Life isn’t absolute. Death, nature, and the afterlife are some of man’s biggest fears. We should be open to what’s next or at least look for it because it’s coming.
Mirror
I choose me, I’m sorry
Sometimes choosing yourself means letting others down.
Rich spirit
pray to God you actually pray when somebody dies
Thoughts and prayers, way better off timelines
Thoughts and prayers actually healing for those who do it and pretty useless if its just a gesture on social media.
