Kendrick Lamar. The name itself resonates with an unparalleled level of respect, a status attained by very few artists in the music industry. His lauded career is built upon a discography that stands as one of the most consistently powerful and thought-provoking in modern music. As Kendrick himself subtly suggests within his latest offering, approaching Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers with comparisons to his previous masterpieces would be a disservice to the listener’s experience. Each Kendrick Lamar album is a distinct entity, evolving conceptually and sonically from its predecessors. This exploration, however, isn’t a retrospective on his celebrated past works but a deep dive into Kendrick’s most recent magnum opus: the double album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.
The thematic core of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers centers on Kendrick’s introspective journey, a profound navigation through personal trauma laid bare across a collection of deeply personal and introspective songs. This narrative unfolds through the album’s unique double-sided structure, dividing the experience into side A, the “Steppers” side, and side B, the “Morale” side. While a definitive interpretation remains open, the parallels and contrasts between these two sides offer a compelling framework for understanding the album’s complexities.
The album lends itself to interpretations of a chiasmus, a literary structure where the latter part of a text mirrors the first in reverse order. Applying this lens to Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, we can observe potential mirrored relationships between tracks. The opening track of side A might resonate with the closing track of side B, creating thematic echoes. For instance, “N95,” which delves into masking insecurities, could be seen as a reflection of “Mother I Sober,” a track that confronts those vulnerabilities head-on. Obvious pairings emerge, such as “Worldwide Steppers” aligning with “Mr. Morale,” and the interludes mirroring each other. Given Kendrick’s history of intricate conceptual projects, this chiasmus theory holds a certain plausibility, though it remains within the realm of interpretation. Let’s now turn our attention to the specific songs that constitute this intricate musical tapestry.
“I’ve been goin’ through somethin’,” these are the first words Kendrick utters on the album’s opening track, “United In Grief.” This statement proves to be a significant understatement for the sonic journey that unfolds over the next hour and thirteen minutes. Immediately, Kendrick begins to chronicle aspects of his life over the preceding 1,855 days – a deliberate marker referencing the time elapsed since the release of DAMN. “United In Grief” serves as an overture to the album’s weighty themes, touching upon infidelity, the pursuit of therapy, the use of sex as a coping mechanism for trauma, and the disillusionment with material gains brought by fame failing to assuage inner turmoil. Kendrick delivers these narratives with his signature intricate lyricism, emotionally charged vocals, and intensely focused delivery. Sonically, the track is a potent introduction, employing dramatic piano chords and strings, punctuated by a mesmerizing drum roll that emerges after a striking beat transition.
A defining characteristic of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is its prevalent use of experimental and minimalist sonic landscapes, intentionally designed to foreground Kendrick’s vocal delivery and amplify the lyrical content. This approach heightens the intimacy of each song, drawing the listener deeper into Kendrick’s personal revelations. This minimalist sonic approach, combined with the gravity of the subject matter, means that Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers deviates significantly from the radio-friendly anthems often associated with mainstream hip-hop. However, exceptions exist, primarily within the “Steppers” side of the album. “N95” stands out as a track with a more contemporary hip-hop sensibility, featuring an upbeat arrangement of synths and piano. The influence of Kendrick’s cousin, Baby Keem, is palpable, particularly in the chorus, which echoes Keem’s distinctive high-pitched vocal style, and in Keem’s ad-libs featured in the third verse.
Yet, the majority of the songs on Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers are intentionally crafted for solitary, introspective listening rather than social settings. A stark example is “We Cry Together,” also from the “Steppers” side, a track that would undoubtedly create an atmosphere of discomfort if played at a casual gathering. In this song, actress Taylour Paige delivers a powerful performance alongside Kendrick, portraying a couple embroiled in a toxic and volatile relationship, their argument escalating into a raw and visceral exchange. The sheer emotional intensity conveyed by both artists, especially Paige, blurs the line between song and lived experience. After over five minutes of verbal sparring, the couple’s conflict culminates in a sexual reconciliation. Significantly, the track concludes with a tap-dancing sound, a recurring motif throughout the album, immediately followed by Kendrick’s wife, Whitney, uttering the phrase, “stop tap-dancing around the conversation.” This poignant ending underscores a central theme of the album: while physical intimacy might offer temporary respite or distraction, it fails to address the underlying issues plaguing the relationship – a pattern of avoidance that echoes throughout Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.
“Father Time” emerges as a standout track on the “Steppers” side, delving into themes of therapy avoidance and inherited emotional suppression. The song opens with Whitney urging Kendrick to seek therapy, met with his resistance, punctuated by the now familiar tap-dancing sound, reinforcing the theme of evasion. Kendrick’s reluctance is deeply rooted in his father’s teachings, which he subsequently laments. He vividly describes a childhood where emotional expression was discouraged, a deeply ingrained mentality that continues to affect him and countless others, “grown men with daddy issues.” Kendrick recounts a poignant memory of his father’s stoicism upon the death of his own mother, returning to work immediately and stating, “son, that’s life, the bills got no silver spoon.” Kendrick delivers these introspective bars with his characteristic assertive delivery, complemented by a soulful chorus sung by Sampha and a particularly impactful keyboard loop.
Transitioning to the “Morale” side, “Mother I Sober” unequivocally stands out. This track is arguably the most emotionally challenging and darkest piece Kendrick has ever created, representing the emotional zenith of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. It encapsulates some of the album’s most profound takeaways. Kendrick confronts cycles of abuse, laying bare his personal experiences within his family. He fearlessly delves into addressing these deeply rooted traumas with newfound sobriety, articulating, “you never felt guilt ’til you felt it sober.” He confesses his own personal vice, lust, openly acknowledging his infidelity during his relationship with Whitney. The track culminates with Kendrick addressing the pervasive, often unspoken, cycles of abuse within the hip-hop and Black communities, acknowledging his role in breaking this “generational curse” within his own lineage.
“Mother I Sober” is, in its entirety, an intensely moving and profoundly heartbreaking song, arguably even more emotionally weighty than “u” from To Pimp A Butterfly. The inclusion of Beth Gibbons of Portishead adds a layer of somber beauty, serving as a poignant bridge between verses. The accompanying piano melody mirrors the heartbreaking nature of Kendrick’s narrative. Kendrick’s vocal delivery is notably subdued and weary, reflecting the immense emotional burden of the song’s content.
Despite the widespread critical acclaim bestowed upon Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, the album has also faced a wave of criticism. This backlash primarily stems from the inclusion of Kodak Black throughout the album, an artist with a controversial history including abuse allegations, and Kendrick’s use of the f-slur and deadnaming in “Auntie Diaries,” a song intended to promote trans acceptance. These elements have sparked considerable division among listeners. Some argue that these inclusions were essential to conveying Kendrick’s overarching artistic vision and message, while others find them deeply problematic, leaving a negative impression on an otherwise powerful work. The question of whether these choices were artistically necessary or represent missteps that detract from the album’s overall impact remains a point of contention and personal interpretation for each listener.
Regardless of individual perspectives on these controversies, these discussions ultimately reinforce one of Kendrick’s central messages in Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers: he is inherently human and incapable of universally pleasing everyone. A significant portion of the album explores Kendrick’s struggle with the near-deification he has experienced from fans and his conscious effort to shed the “savior complex” that permeated his earlier works. This internal conflict reaches a pivotal point in “Savior.” In this track, Kendrick reminds listeners that figures like himself, J. Cole, Future, LeBron James, and Ye are fundamentally human and challenges the pervasive notion that entertainers should serve as moral compasses. Kendrick explicitly relinquishes this burden of responsibility – a role that both the public and, at times, he himself had assigned – on the album’s final track, “Mirror,” declaring, “you won’t grow waiting on me.”
Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers stands as an exceptionally heartfelt, intimate, and profoundly vulnerable album from Kendrick Lamar, an artist of generational significance. The album is meticulously crafted and richly detailed, rewarding repeated listens with new layers of understanding. To convey his deeply personal narrative, Kendrick masterfully employs his consistently exceptional lyricism and ventures into some of his most sonically adventurous territories to date. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is a sonic and lyrical journey centered on confronting and coming to terms with one’s past, facilitated by professional guidance, and ultimately aimed at personal growth and self-improvement. This album serves as a profound answer to the question, “Who is Kendrick Lamar?” – revealing a complex, flawed, and deeply human artist navigating the complexities of self and societal expectations.
