Why “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” Works (For Me)

Kendrick’s newest album is, what I believe to be, a modern classic.

After a five year hiatus acting as plenty time for an absurd amount of hype to develop, Kendrick Lamar’s newest album “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” has finally released to mixed, but generally positive, reviews. After what some saw as a step down from his previous work in “Damn,” “Mr. Morale” had some big shoes to fill and expectations to deliver, and personally, I can safely say I was not disappointed with this album as much as others. A 4.5/5 stars for me, I found this album profoundly intimate, daringly self reflexive, and the most personal Kendrick has ever been. While some have called this self indulgent, I find it nothing short of genius, as the project is developed with the nuance and depth we have come to expect from Kendrick. Meaning, before committing to a complete review of this daunting album, I want to delve into why Kendrick’s latest has been divisive in the first place.

Before continuing, I would like to make it clear that I feel no sense of superiority for liking a popular but divided album as much as one who dislikes the same album that most seem to enjoy. I simply want to share my opinion on this project through this article, not develop a superiority complex where I recognize “real music” (whatever that means) while others stay blind to it. In fact, many issues I’ve seen brought up I agree. “Auntie Diaries” probably could have been as effective as it is now without the use of the f-slur, the production is not as stellar as TPAB or “Good Kid, m.A.A.d City,” and at times the album feels fractured. However, that does not mean the project is self indulgent or bland as I have seen different reviews state across the internet on sites such as musicboard, youtube, and reddit. While these are certainly not the most trusted sources for music criticism, they are reliable sites to visit if you want to hear far too much about people’s opinions (yet here you are reading this article, so what’s the difference I suppose). In fact, I find these common complaints to be completely untrue, and it is these reviews that made me want to write this article and explain why “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” works, at least for me.

The first complaint I’ve seen floating about that I would like to address is that this album is “too self indulgent.” Quite frankly, I don’t understand where this criticism is coming from for multiple reasons. Yes, this is easily Kendrick’s most personal album. From the slower production with an operatic and orchestral sound to the lyrics recounting stories of Kendrick’s struggles and his attempt at coming to terms with these issues, “Mr. Morale” is akin to a stage play with a spotlight on the man himself the entire time. However, this is far from a bad thing. The first issue I take with this stance is simply this, if you don’t want to hear the most intimate aspects of an artist, then why listen to their music in the first place? Is it really fair to call oneself a fan of a musician if they are reluctant to listen to the inner-workings of the musician itself? Even if someone does not classify themselves as a Kendrick fan, then why listen to the album in the first place? Or, to assess the same criticism through a different lens, Kendrick has always been a personal rapper. From his critically acclaimed “U” where we hear the artist berate himself for minutes on end to the entire premise of “Damn” being a story of a man named “Kung-Fu Kenny” that is clearly referential of the artist himself, Kendrick’s most popular and respected tracks have him at the center. However, what makes Kendrick’s music so profound is that he entangles his life stories with greater socio-political commentary. In “Wesley’s Theory,” Kendrick speaks of the ways Black artists are systemically risen to the top only to have a guaranteed downfall told from his own perspective, where he goes on and on about everything he will do and buy now that he’s been signed. In other words, Kendrick’s music is both personal and relatable, intimate and widely understandable, self-reflexive and nuanced in a way that allows the listener the opportunity to engage with the material. We see this unique aspect of Kendrick’s music in tracks such as “Auntie Diaries” and “Father Time,” both songs that tell messages that are desperately needed to be heard through Kendrick’s own history. Meaning, I don’t understand where this complaint that the album is “self-indulgent” stems from, as Kendrick has always been “self-indulgent,” and that’s not even mentioning the “savior complex” he establishes in his other work only to criticize here. Yes, this album is by far his most personal, but by no means a selfish, cocky, “I’m the man” barrage of lyrics we see so often in mainstream hip-hop.

This leads me into the second common complaint I’ve been seeing, that this album is full of repetitive and uninspired beats that fail to attain that euphoric feeling and innovation the production of TPAB and “Good Kid, m.A.A.d City” delivered. While I will admit I don’t believe this is his best produced album, that means little in the overall quality of the project when relating it to Kendrick’s other works, some of which have consistently been regarded as the greatest album of all time. While not beating out “TPAB” I can safely say this album has a solid mix of instruments, unique beats, and smart sample work that makes “Mr. Morale” a perfect inclusion into Kendrick’s discography. While I can see one thinking the album is a bit front loaded in terms of unique and innovative production, it is undeniable that the opening songs on the album could be considered straight up experimental. “United in Grief” has a beat that you simply do not hear in mainstream hip-hop, certainly not from the most anticipated album of any given year, and “Worldwide Steppers” unique wind instruments matched with Kendrick’s consistent and almost overwhelming flow creates a sound that, again, is unique in the modern mainstream music landscape. While there are tracks with more conventional production such as “Die Hard” and “Count Me Out” that do give the album that fractured feeling mentioned before, they are still undeniable bangers that I don’t see fans simply forgetting about when all is said and done. Even here, “Count Me Out” has one of the most notable beat drops on the album, meaning even Kendrick’s most generic songs are not only still quality, but have a flair that separates them from other conventional hip-hop songs. Then there’s tracks with samples and beats I find to be flat out brilliant. “Father Time” has a sample that left me stunned, and when paired with Kendrick’s aggressive delivery and emotional bars, the result is a song that never fails to give me goosebumps. Again, it would be a crime not to mention “Auntie Diaries” with its spectacular development from a quiet contemplative piece to an explosive and energetic declaration of LGBTQ rights that acts as an example of perfect song structure. “We Cry Together” is masterful in its rhythm, somehow making a vicious argument into a song that is not only replay-able, but a highlight of the entire album. Finally, there’s “Mother I Sober” that has a soft piano melody that captures the operatic sound of the album as a whole. Essentially, “Mr. Morale” has a mix of experimental, orchestral, slow, energetic, explosive, and quiet beats that make for an album that isn’t the most coherent, but certainly acts as an evolution on Kendrick’s previous work.

For me, it is that evolution that makes for a consistently great artist. Here, Kendrick provides that same harsh, nuanced, look at society and himself that the audience has craved for the past five years with a sonic style that works alongside his previous projects. We can see the jazz inspiration of “TPAB,” the harder beats of “Good Kid m.A.A.d City,” and the more modern production of “Damn” all under a new layer of instrumentals that perfectly compliment the more intimate nature of the album. Meaning, I did not find “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers” to be “self-indulgent” or void of innovation, but rather a pivot in Kendrick’s style that provides a new level of enjoyment to the artist while shining a light on his most personal issues.