Kendrick Lamar is one of the biggest, most well-known rappers in the industry. On April 14, 2017, he dropped his fourth studio album, DAMN. The album consists of 14 new songs that are full of powerful lyrics referencing social issues, fiery beats, catchy rhymes and even some jazz qualities.
One of Lamar’s most famous talents is his ability to tell a clear story through his music. He uses his own experiences as well as the issues of others into consideration when he raps track after track. His music also has a record of being more than just music, but a call for change. His previous album, To Pimp a Butterfly, discussed many social issues, especially problems related to the Black Lives Matter Movement. With DAMN, Lamar is focusing more on himself, his struggles as an artist, and his anger towards artists who he feels is not using their fame to take a stance against social issues.
In “HUMBLE.” and “DNA.” for example, Lamar speaks of his anger against the industry and society. Other songs, such as “ELEMENT.”, and “FEAR.”, talk about the artist’s personal struggles and accomplishments as an artist arise. Lamar also has some upbeat and soulful collaborations such as “LOYALTY.”, with Rihanna, and “XXX.”, with U2.
“HUMBLE.” challenges people to remember to stay humble and to stay true to themselves. The lyrics emphasize this point and Lamar even calls out people who use Photoshop when he raps, “I’m so fucking sick and tired of the Photoshop / show me something natural like afro on Richard Pryor / Show me something natural like ass with some stretch marks.” During this song, Lamar reminds people that it is important to be yourself in order for people to truly accept and respect you.
“DNA.” focuses more on the fact that African Americans are not defined by their race, however, it is a part of who they are inside. Lamar chants the lyrics as he ponders his blackness and all the stereotypes and truths that come along with it.
“FEAR.” is a very personal narrative that speaks of three different occurrences where Lamar experiences an immense feeling of fear. The first verse expresses the fear Lamar had of his strict mother at the age of seven. In the second verse, Lamar is seventeen and talks about the fear of dying at a young age because of the rough area he lived in and the constant cases of police brutality. Finally, the third verse shows Lamar’s personal fear at the age of twenty-seven of being good enough and losing the success he worked so hard to earn.
“LOYALTY.” has the potential to be a song heard all over the radio this summer thanks to its R&B sound. The song sparks thoughts in the listener as Lamar and Rihanna ask, what are you loyal to? Lamar emphasizes how important loyalty is because who or what you are loyal to is what truly defines you as a person.
Overall, Lamar uses his music not only to express himself, but also to gain society’s attention to discuss the real life problems in our world today. With DAMN, Lamar has produced another artistic masterpiece that will have listeners hooked until he drops another album.