- (React) You are going to react to Kendrick Lamar's new album,
Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. - I'm ready.
- Oh. - ♪ Told you not to cry
and held you close to me ♪ - Ugh, I love him.
- That undertone. So nice. - ♪ I hope I'm not too late ♪
♪ To set my demons straight ♪ - Okay.
- ♪ I know I made you wait ♪ ♪ But how much can you take? ♪
- Love that. - Saturday afternoon vibes.
I like it. - His cadence and his flow
is so good. I love that it doesn't sound
like he's trying too hard. - It's mellow, but it's still got
that hard kick drum in the back that'll still keep your head moving,
keep you bobbing just a little bit.
But you're still listening, you're still paying attention.
- Just in that verse he was starting, it sounded like he was coming
from a place of wanting to reconcile or be better.
- I was trying to really listen to what he was saying,
but just even that undertone and that choice of feature,
so intentional. ♪ (percussion music) ♪
♪ I come from a generation
of home invasions ♪ - Ooh.
- ♪ And I got daddy issues ♪ ♪ That's on me ♪
♪ Everything them four walls had taught me ♪
♪ Made habits bury deep ♪ ♪ That man knew a lot ♪
♪ But enough to keep me past them streets ♪
♪ My life is a plot ♪ ♪ Twisted from directions
that I can't see ♪ - This one's my favorite, actually.
This is my top one on the whole thing. - The first line is "I come
from a history of home invasions." And I'm like, yeah,
I've lived in the ghetto, and that's the reason why
specifically my mom would always get apartments on the second floor
because of the fact that it was harder for anybody who shoots
through the window to hit you. And number two, people don't
wanna take [censored] downstairs. - I'm not gonna lie.
That one makes me kind of emotional. And I don't know where that
comes from, but a good emotional, like a release emotional.
- Some of his previous work, it's more universal issues.
And this seems to be so personal. - I love what he's choosing
to do with this new album. - ♪ I'm a good man, shake your hand,
firm grip rule ♪ ♪ 72 ways, lost 10,
ballin' with the flu ♪ ♪ More than two hands for sho',
but add another two ♪ ♪ Hmm ♪
♪ Lil' Man-Man the big mans ♪
♪ The GT diamond flippin' the kick stand, ooh ♪
♪ Rich [censored], broke phone ♪ - Oh.
- ♪ Tryna keep the balance ♪ ♪ I'm staying strong ♪
♪ Stop playin' with me 'fore I turn you to a song ♪
- This is making Kendrick become one of my favorite-favorites.
- Ooh. Stop playing with me before I turn you into a song?
Damn. - Basically, don't mess with me
before I put you in a song. There's just something really powerful
about it. In most cases, often or not,
you're able to really make some of your best work
when you're deriving it from your own personal experience.
- ♪ I love Taylour Paige. - (Lamar) ♪ I swear I'm tired
of these emotional [censored] ♪ ♪ Ungrateful [censored] ♪
- (Paige) ♪ Shut the [censored] up ♪ - (Lamar) ♪ Unstable [censored],
confrontational [censored] dumb [censored] ♪
♪ You wanna bring a [censored] down
even when I'm tryna do right ♪ ♪ We could go our separate ways
right now ♪ ♪ You could move on with your life ♪
♪ I swear to God ♪ - (Paige) ♪ You love a pity party ♪
♪ I won't show up ♪ ♪ Always act like
your [censored] don't stink ♪ ♪ [Censored], grow up ♪
- Whoa. This is a spousal...spat. - Ooh! Why do I feel like
I've had conversations like this before on both ends?
- And it's a back and forth between two people
instead of it just being, "I'm gonna take this verse,
and you're gonna take the third." - I love the fact that he gave
a female artist the side to say her piece.
And that's so relatable to so many relationships.
- Damn. You gotta hear both sides out. That's why I like how he did it
on the track, where it's like-- he could've just chose
to tell his side, you know, and just be like--
you know, speak his piece. But to have the response,
it's like you're getting to sit in on an argument.
And it's like, "You decide who you feel is"--
you know what I mean? - Some of my favorite forms
of artistry, especially songwriting, is collaborations like this,
when artist is able to invite another, especially a female artist,
opposite sex, opposite, you know, upbringing, whatever.
Great way of storytelling. Poetic rather than...
like, songwriter-y in a way.
- ♪ Tippy-toein' and I'm up walkin' ♪ - Oh, it's got Ghostface!
- ♪ Rollin' sevens, I ain't ready for no coffin ♪
- ♪ I know y'all love it when the drugs talkin', but ♪
♪ Shut the [censored] up when you hear love talkin' ♪
♪ If God be the source, then I am the plug talkin' ♪
♪ Yeah, baby ♪ - ♪ Yeah, baby ♪
I love that. That needs to be a TikTok sound.
- When he said, "If God is the source,
then this is the plug talkin'," like, God was love. God IS love.
You know what I mean? And so, when you have judgment,
or when you have-- and [censored]. I'm--
we all sinners in my opinion. So I'm not even saying that
like I'm better than anybody else, but it's the steps of realizing
and making an effort to do better and be better.
And I love how he's saying that. Just be quiet. Tune out the nonsense.
Really tap in to what is love and how can you move in love.
- Kind of sounds like Charlie Brown. The piano.
- ♪ You walk around like everything is in control ♪
- ♪ Favor come with favors and you can't say no ♪
♪ Go out the way to make the coin available ♪
♪ That's what I call love ♪
- Anybody who rises to this level of fame
is gonna have so much expectation put on them.
And then, on top of that, in his personal life,
he has expectations put on him. It sounds like he's just...tired.
- It's almost somber in a different way than a lot
of the other tracks have been so far. - It's hypnotic.
And it's like he's speaking to your subconscience.
It's crazy. - (Keem) ♪ You ever seen your mama
strung out ♪ ♪ While you studied division? ♪
♪ Your uncle ever stole from you ♪ - Yes.
- (Keem) ♪ Day after Christmas? ♪ - I love the violin.
- (Keem) ♪ The 1st and the 15th, the only religion ♪
- Oh. - (Keem) ♪ Noodles in the microwave ♪
♪ Shark tank, tidal wave ♪ ♪ Grandma shootin' [censored],
blood on the highway ♪ ♪ Crosses on the dashboard,
you just want a platform ♪ ♪ I wanna take everything
that I ask for ♪ - You can see a lot of inspiration
from Kendrick in this interlude. - You can definitely hear
the influence from Kendrick. De-- like...
I would think this was baby Kendrick.
- It gives big cousin, little cousin vibes
when they work together. - ♪ Like it when they pro-Black ♪
♪ But I'm more Kodak Black ♪ ♪ Tell me where the money at, ay ♪
♪ Where the homies at? ♪ - Ay.
- ♪ Universal callout ♪ ♪ I can 'members only that, ay ♪
♪ Si-si ♪ ♪ Wait a minute ♪
♪ Ven aquí (Ven aquí) ♪ ♪ C'est la vie (C'est la vie) ♪
- Ooh. This is a good runway song. - ♪ Show me you real ♪
♪ Show me that you bleed ♪ - Can see Naomi pumping
down the runway. So good. That was sexy: production,
delivery, all of it. - I like that one too. (laughs)
They just get better and better only because they're surprises.
- At any given time in one of Kendrick's songs,
he will just lyrically just go off, and then he'll let the song start.
- ♪ You should know that I'm slightly off ♪
♪ Fightin' off demons that been outside ♪
♪ Better known as myself ♪ ♪ I'm a demigod ♪
♪ Every thought is creative ♪ ♪ Sometimes, I'm afraid
of my open mind ♪ ♪ [Censored] on my mind
and it's heavy ♪ ♪ Tear you in pieces
'cause it's way too heavy ♪ ♪ My diamonds, the choker is heavy ♪
♪ More life to give on demand ♪ ♪ Are you ready?
♪ Who keep 'em honest like us? ♪ - Ooh. I wanna hear more. Yo!
Yo! "It's so heavy, I could tear you in pieces." Yo!
- I feel like this track-- there's been a lot of tracks
that have reminded me of some Kanye and some Jay-Z beats.
- (Pharrell) I'm baaack! - I think that's probably
why it sound-- because I know that Pharrell
has worked with those other artists as well.
So, that makes so much sense. Pharrell-- why didn't I know that
that was a Pharrell beat? But it sounds like a Pharrell beat.
- Shoulda known. I swear to God,
anything that man touches is gold. - ♪ It was all a blur ♪
♪ Mother cried, put they hands on her ♪
♪ It was family ties ♪
♪ I heard it all ♪ ♪ I should've grabbed a gun ♪
♪ But I was only five ♪ ♪ I still feel it
weighin' on my heart ♪ ♪ My first tough decision ♪
♪ In the shadows, clingin' to my soul
as my only critic ♪ ♪ Where's my faith? ♪
♪ Told you I was Christian ♪ ♪ But just not today ♪
- It's like listening to an audio book
with a track on the back of it. It's crazy the way that it is
that he legitimately runs you through these stories
and builds worlds and does it so quickly,
but you can still catch it. That's so good!
- That Christian bar told people, "I'm Christian, but not today."
Like... man. Man.
It just really shows that struggle with moving in love,
how it's hard, and it's an active decision
you have to make every day. - He's got the perspective
of looking back on moments that shaped him to now.
- ♪ I can't live in the matrix ♪ ♪ Rather for sure than your graces ♪
- Love it! - ♪ This time, I won't trade places ♪
♪ Not about who's right, who's wrong ♪ ♪ Evolve, the only thing known ♪
♪ Ask me when I'm coming home ♪ ♪ Blink twice again, I'm gone ♪
♪ I chose me, I'm sorry ♪ ♪ I chose me, I'm sorry ♪
- Don't apologize, Kendrick. You can choose you whenever you want.
I love that. - "I chose me. I'm sorry."
This album isn't about anybody else. This is about me,
what I've been going through, and the things
that I've been creating. So, if you enjoy that, great.
If not, this was my story to tell anyway. Sorry.
- That was a good ending. He took us through.
- Ah, man. What a great way to end the album. Mirror. Reflection.
So great. - This is so different
from his last few, where it's just radio fluff kind of.
This is like SO hyper personal. This is sit down and listen to it.
- If you haven't listened to this album,
you should listen to it yesterday (chuckles) because it is so good.
- I think it's a great album, and I really like how authentic
and honest Kendrick is being. I feel like maybe five, six years ago,
he was not able to talk about such topics,
like trans issues, gun violence, racism.
And maybe he did touch on 'em a little bit,
but now, after everything that his community has gone through--
pandemic, the world-- I think he's just coming in
guns ablazing with honesty and authenticity.
And that's so important as an artist.
- I'm getting chills, man! Phil, what you doing? Okay!
I didn't know I was tapping into the culture this morning!
- Did he say [censored] in a theater? I was-- I-- (laughs)
"My uncle said [censored] in a theater."
- Pretty sure the editors are gonna be annoyed with me
this entire episode 'cause it's just all gonna be positive.
Sorry, dolls! Nothing negative to say this time.