5/5
To Pimp A Pulitzer .
OJ Simpson spits on the new Kendrick Lamar track. "I said I do this for the culture", he claims. As Kanye West raps in kind, "friends bipolar, grab you by your pockets." And Jussie Smollett adds, "the streets got me f##### up, y'all can miss me." Right before Will Smith claps back, rapping, "In the land where hurt people hurt more people/F## callin' it culture." What the?! Now if you thought that's crazy. Wait! There's more. "Euphoria is glorified and made His", the late, great Laker legend and Basketball God, Kobe Bryant says. Before another Los Angeles lost icon Nipsey Hussle finishes by saying, "as I bleed through the speakers, feel my presence". And we really do. OK. This isn't the craziest posse cut in history. More like the lengths deep fake can go, in something that's really real though in what it's trying to say. Like the latest and last season of Donald Glover's and Hiro Murai's 'Atlanta', especially the episodes that veer from the main narrative, without the principal cast. This is 'The Heart Part 5' from Kendrick Lamar's great series. But it's just the most amazing appetiser to wet your beaks for the crack music that's about to come, fresh off a Future ('I Never Liked You'), Pusha T ('It's Almost Dry') and Black Star ('No Fear Of Time') for this great month in hip-hop. Let alone week in music (Florence + The Machine ('Dance Fever') and The Black Keys ('Dropout Boogie')). All this heart for this Marvin Gaye sweet soul sample and its not even on the actual album. No matter how much we want it like that album artwork (Ernie Barnes' 'Sugar Shack') painting that went for a cool 26 mill. Just like Marvin wanted you. 'Damn'. It seems like a Jay-Z lifetime since the 2017 release of Kendrick's last album. Or 'All The Stars' he curated for the movement of a Marvel 'Black Panther' soundtrack. But with Lamar's fifth LP following 'Section.80', the 'Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City' Dr. Dre breakout, the aftermath of the amazing 'To Pimp A Butterfly' and the aforementioned, 'Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers', he really stomps. Bringing it big. If K. Dot's last album 'Damn' won the Pulitzer, then this one should make sure the prize is molded in this God's own image. Full stop.
A crown of thorns that adorns this amazing artwork of beautiful family and the Malcolm X lengths you would go to protect your home, under the belt is evoked in spirit in a sleeve as pure as the white tee or sheets that cover this loving bed. You know from that jump that this one was going to be a classic. Worthy of all the five stars. This double album with all eyes on him is his 'All Eyez On Me' and the hearts of men with his last bark for Top Dawg entertainment. What's next in the scope? Pulling the lever with Snoop Dogg for his new Death Row Records in a switch? Now that would be more than logo iconic, but symbolic in symphony too. Taking a 60 million bite in streams it's first day tells you whoever has him on deck next will own the core of music. This epic event album for a man who remained 'Humble' during this years Superbowl LVI halftime show for California love with Dre, Snoop, Eminem, 50 Cent and Mary J. Blige (not to mention Mr. Anderson . Paak on drums) is a true touchdown. Ever since the moment he made fans day on Twitter by using his tweet to announce the release date drop (what character). A socially conscious, alternative hip-hop album of West Coast rap, jazz, psychedelia, soul, funk, blues and prog rock. For this jazz age look of parenthood, faith, love, romance and sexuality. All to the tune of Pharrell Neptune and The Alchemist production. Guest spots from everyone from Wu-Tang Clan swordsman Ghostface Killah and Beth Gibbons of Portishead. Not to mention a 'June' sample (on the utterly heartbreaking 'We Cry Together') if you want to talk about Florence and the Machine for this album that gives us fever. Whitney Alford and Eckhart Tolle providing nuanced narration to welcome us to the new soundtrack of these Los Angeles times.
'United In Grief' encapsulates us all as it hold begins this modern look of America. All in an album that feels so 23 LeBron King in its innovation, all at the same time as sounding Magic like 32 in its throwback feel. "I’ve been goin’ through somethin’/One-thousand eight-hundred and fifty-five days/I’ve been goin’ through somethin’/Be afraid," he tells us from the jump. Straight to 'N95'. Unmasking the truth as he flies with cars in his video in black and white 'Alright'. "Take off the foo-foo, take off the clout chase, take off the Wi-Fi/Take off the money phone, take off the car loan, take off the flex and the white lies," he tells us in real talk. But keeping it 100. Keep on that N95. On 'Worldwide Steppers' he continues this walk. Before Blxst and Amanda Reifer's footsteps in the sand join him on a song that is 'Die Hard' like Bruce Willis (we will miss your acting, champ). There's a sixth sense of soul from Sampha on the 'Father Time' that will really take your daddy issues to task. And so much more to unpack if you "come from a generation of home invasions and I got daddy issues, that's on me/Everything them four walls had taught me, made habits bury deep." A 'Rich Spirit' with Kodak Black takes a sample of all that. The guest feature here uncredited, but appearing again under all of the lights, haunting the 'Silent Hill' of the second disc. The first one closing with the 'Purple Hearts' of this warrior, a Shaolin soldier and Summer Walker in this California soul that Prince reigns like that in Laker road colours. 'Count Me Out' does anything but that to begin Side B, before Kendrick takes the sort of 'Crown' that walks with Jesus. A king like the fever of Florence this week. But it's the 'Savior' with Baby Keem and Sam Dew and the interlude before that truly inspires. Showing you the human side of your heroes as he raps, "Kendrick made you think about it, but he is not your savior/Cole made you feel empowered, but he is not your savior/Future said, "Get a money counter," but he is not your savior/'Bron made you give his flowers, but he is not your savior/He is not your savior." Mr. Morale is full, big stepping effect. Like that part title track with Tanna Leone. But it's the 'Auntie Diaries' that really resonate in its transgender empathy and respect. "My auntie is a man now/I think I'm old enough to understand now." But if you thought that was fond for family wait until 'Mother I Sober' featuring Portishead's Gibbons. "All those women gave me superpowers, what I thought I lacked/I pray our children don't inherit me and feelings I attract/A conversation not bein' addressed in Black families/The devastation, hauntin' generations and humanity/They raped our mothers, then they raped our sisters/Then they made us watch, then made us rape each other/Psychotic torture between our lives we ain't recovered." There's your second Pulitzer there in all its raw poetry. All for the man standing in the 'Mirror' or reflection of a last and best album. "I choose me, I'm sorry", he says, having the last word. And why not like Laker Russell Westbrook? Over and over again like, "I realized, true love's not savin' face/But unconditional/When will you let me go?/I trust you’ll find independence/If not, then all is forgiven/Sorry I didn't save the world, my friend/I was too busy buildin' mine again." Now build yours. Off modern classics like this that underscore our lives. Music matters with men like this. Let's just hope he doesn't fade to the same black the Carter got. Thank Mr. Kendrick Lamar for stepping up our morale when we needed it the most. This is damn big. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'United In Grief', 'We Cry Together (Feat. Taylour Paige)', 'Auntie Diaries'.
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