- United in Grief
- N95
- Worldwide Steppers
- Die Hard
- Father Time
- Rich (Interlude)
- Rich Spirit
- We Cry Together
- Purple Hearts
- Count Me Out
- Crown
- Silent Hill
- Savior (Interlude)
- Savior
- Auntie Diaries
- Mr. Morale
- Mother I Sober
- Mirror
5
1
0602445886906
Taylour Paige Primary Artist
Kodak Black Primary Artist,Rap
Summer Walker Primary Artist
Amanda Reifer Primary Artist
Ghostface Killah Primary Artist,Rap
Blxst Primary Artist
Sampha Primary Artist
Sam Dew Primary Artist,Vocals (Background)
Beth Gibbons Primary Artist
Tanna Leone Primary Artist
Baby Keem Primary Artist,Rap
Anneston Pisayavong Choir/Chorus
Brenton Lockett Choir/Chorus
Bryce Xavier Choir/Chorus
Paris Burton Choir/Chorus
Immryr Spencer Choir/Chorus
Jaheen Tombs Choir/Chorus
Sydney Bourne Choir/Chorus
Troy Bourgeois Drums
Danny McKinnon Guitar,Bass
Duval Timothy Piano
Bekon Bass,Violin,Strings,Keyboards,Percussion,Keyboard Bass,Vocals (Background)
Kyle Miller Cello,Violin
Hykeem Carter Drums
Johnny Kosich Percussion
Tim Maxey Vocals
Frano Huett Bass,Keyboards
Grandmaster Vic Strings
Thundercat Bass
DJ Dahi Drums,Percussion
Jason Pounds Bass
Daniel Tannenbaum Strings,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Dacoury Natche Vocals (Background)
Matt Schaeffer Bass,Drums,Guitar,Mellotron,Fender Rhodes
Sounwave Drums
Homer Steinweiss Drums
Daniel Krieger Guitar
Stuart Johnson Percussion
Avante Santana Composer
John Wade Recording
Whitney Alford Narrator
Hannah Kacmarsky Assistant Engineer
Beach Noise Mixing,Composer,Producer
Marco Echeverria Assistant Engineer
Pat Darnell Composer
Raymond Scavo III Recording
Erwing Olivares Recording
Troy Bourgeois Engineer
Charles Brown, Jr. Engineer
M. Spears Composer
V. Crane Composer
Freddie Tisdale Dancer
Teddie Tisdale Dancer
Dante Lamar Perkins Composer
River Tiber Composer
Rascal Composer,Producer,Composer,Producer
Zachary Acosta Assistant Engineer
Bill K. Kapri Composer,Narrator
Duval Timothy Composer,Producer
Cyrus Taghipour Mixing
Tyler Mehlenbacher Composer,Producer
Ray Charles Brown Engineer,Recording
Rob Bisel Recording,Assistant Engineer
Chad Gordon Engineer
Victor Ekpo Composer,Producer
Hykeem Carter Composer
Summer Walker Composer
Johnny Kosich Composer,Engineer,Recording
Tim Maxey Composer,Producer
Sedrick Moore II Assistant Engineer
Curtis "Sircut" Bye Mixing Assistant
Kaushlesh Garry Purohit Assistant Engineer
Mario Luciano Composer,Producer
Amanda Reifer Composer
Frano Huett Composer,Producer,Programming
Baby Keem Producer
Zach Pereyra Mixing Assistant
Brandon Blatz Mixing Assistant
Anthony Vilchis Mixing,Mixing Assistant
Bekon & The Donuts Producer
David Bishop Engineer
Evan Fulcher Assistant Engineer
Trey Station Mixing Assistant
Daniel Alan Maman Composer
Andrew Boyd Engineer,Recording,Assistant Engineer
Thundercat Composer
Marvin Eugene Smith Composer
Matthew Samuels Composer
Jahaan Sweet Composer,Producer
Kennis Jones Composer
DJ Dahi Producer,Programming
Jake Kosich Composer
OKLAMA Composer,Producer
Juanita Morton A&R,A&R Assistance
Johnathan Turner Engineer,Recording
Sounwave Programming,Producer
Brandon Wood Assistant Engineer
Jason Pounds Composer
Daniel Tannenbaum Composer
Sampha Sisay Composer
Craig Balmoris Composer,Producer
J.LBS Producer
Isaac de Boni Composer
Sam Dew Composer
Sergiu Gherman Composer,Producer
Dacoury Natche Composer
Mark Spears Composer
Tristan Bott Assistant Engineer
Johnny Morgan Assistant Engineer
Joe Visciano Engineer
FNZ Producer
Matt Schaeffer Composer,Engineer,Recording
Tae Beast Producer
Donte Perkins Composer
Michael John Mule Composer
Matthew Burdette Composer
Khalil Abdul-Rahman Composer
Ronald LaTour Composer
Gary Peacock Composer
Vincent Crane Composer
Dennis Coles Composer
Leon Ware Composer
Pharrell Williams Composer,Producer
Denise Stoudmire Choir Arrangement
Derek "MixedByAli" Ali Mixing
Kendrick Lamar Composer
Cardo Producer
Beth Gibbons Composer
Bekon Composer,Producer,Programming
Marvin "Smitty" Smith Composer
Boi-1da Producer
Manny Marroquin Mixing
DJ Khalil Producer
Homer Steinweiss Composer
James Hunt Engineer,Recording
Bob Smith Composer
Eckhart Tolle Narrator
Charles Brown Engineer
R. Smith Composer
Arthur Ross Composer
The Alchemist Producer
Wesley Seidman Assistant Engineer
Derek Garcia Engineer
Robert Smith Composer,Composer
Daniel Krieger Composer
K. Jones Composer
M. Smith Composer
Matt Anthony Engineer
Kevin Rodriguez A&R
Florence Welch Composer
Michelle Mancini Mastering Engineer
Stuart Johnson Composer
Marvin Smith Composer
Thomas Warren Assistant Engineer
Brock Korsan A&R
Ray Charles, Jr. Engineer,Recording
Emile Haynie Producer
Anthony Dixon Composer
Mike Larson Recording,Programming
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Overview
As early as his first official studio release, 2011's Section.80, Kendrick Lamar's albums have been intricate and conceptual, constructed more like ambitious theatrical narratives than mere collections of songs. Fifth album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers follows this trajectory as a double-album's worth of interconnecting statements that are relentlessly complex, emotionally dense, and sometimes uncomfortably raw. Unlike the lush, spacious sonics of DAMN. or the life-affirming funk of To Pimp a Butterfly, Mr. Morale is scattered both in terms of musical approaches and lyrical perspectives. The album's first half is particularly messy, with themes of trauma, grief, society, and Kendrick's own uneasy relationship with fame all overlapping. His technical abilities are stunning and versatile as ever, but the frantic flows and jarring beat switches of "United in Grief" begin an angsty catharsis that runs throughout many of the tracks. "N95" is a seething cultural critique where Lamar spits bile in multiple directions over a bleakly catchy, bass-driven instrumental. Issues with lust addiction and infidelity are put under a microscope on the tense and minimal "Worldwide Steppers," and Lamar depicts his troubled relationship with his father in painful detail on "Father Time," which features a gorgeous vocal performance by Sampha on the hook. There's further exploration of deeply personal family history on "Auntie Diaries," which chronicles Lamar coming to understand the experiences two of his relatives had with transitioning gender identities. Throughout the album he funnels all of these experiences inward, seeking to grow through his own changes and the changes he sees around him. This shows up as a dismissal of celebrity on "Rich Spirit" or as striving for self-acceptance on "Count Me Out." The album's quick musical and thematic shifts can make for an uneven flow. The floating R&B instrumental and tender introspection of "Die Hard" come just a few tracks before cacophonous swirls of piano on "Rich - Interlude" and the jagged cosmic hip-hop of Ghostface Killah and Summer Walker collaboration "Purple Hearts." The album's intensity reaches a full boil on "We Cry Together," a song that sounds like live audio footage of the most vicious couple's argument imaginable, and reaches the same levels of ugliness as Eminem's "Kim," a clear reference point. As always, the production is immaculate and Lamar is joined by a host of industry giants, with contributions coming from Baby Keem, Thundercat, and even a vocal cameo from Portishead's Beth Gibbons on the stunning sadness of "Mother I Sober." While not as immediately accessible as some of the work that came before it, there's value in both the harrowing and enlightening moments here. Lamar puts everything on the table with Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, trying to get closer to his unfiltered personal truth, and creating some of his most challenging, expectation-defying work in the process. While not always an easy listen, the album shows more of its intention as it goes, and ultimately makes sense as the next logical step forward in Lamar's increasingly multi-dimensional artistic evolution. ~ Fred Thomas
Product Details
Release Date: | 05/27/2022 |
---|---|
Label: | Pglang / Aftermath / Interscope / Top Dawg Entertainment |
UPC: | 0602445886906 |
Rank: | 3544 |
Tracks
Album Credits
Performance Credits
Kendrick Lamar Primary Artist,RapTaylour Paige Primary Artist
Kodak Black Primary Artist,Rap
Summer Walker Primary Artist
Amanda Reifer Primary Artist
Ghostface Killah Primary Artist,Rap
Blxst Primary Artist
Sampha Primary Artist
Sam Dew Primary Artist,Vocals (Background)
Beth Gibbons Primary Artist
Tanna Leone Primary Artist
Baby Keem Primary Artist,Rap
Anneston Pisayavong Choir/Chorus
Brenton Lockett Choir/Chorus
Bryce Xavier Choir/Chorus
Paris Burton Choir/Chorus
Immryr Spencer Choir/Chorus
Jaheen Tombs Choir/Chorus
Sydney Bourne Choir/Chorus
Troy Bourgeois Drums
Danny McKinnon Guitar,Bass
Duval Timothy Piano
Bekon Bass,Violin,Strings,Keyboards,Percussion,Keyboard Bass,Vocals (Background)
Kyle Miller Cello,Violin
Hykeem Carter Drums
Johnny Kosich Percussion
Tim Maxey Vocals
Frano Huett Bass,Keyboards
Grandmaster Vic Strings
Thundercat Bass
DJ Dahi Drums,Percussion
Jason Pounds Bass
Daniel Tannenbaum Strings,Keyboards,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Dacoury Natche Vocals (Background)
Matt Schaeffer Bass,Drums,Guitar,Mellotron,Fender Rhodes
Sounwave Drums
Homer Steinweiss Drums
Daniel Krieger Guitar
Stuart Johnson Percussion
Technical Credits
Logan Haynes Assistant EngineerAvante Santana Composer
John Wade Recording
Whitney Alford Narrator
Hannah Kacmarsky Assistant Engineer
Beach Noise Mixing,Composer,Producer
Marco Echeverria Assistant Engineer
Pat Darnell Composer
Raymond Scavo III Recording
Erwing Olivares Recording
Troy Bourgeois Engineer
Charles Brown, Jr. Engineer
M. Spears Composer
V. Crane Composer
Freddie Tisdale Dancer
Teddie Tisdale Dancer
Dante Lamar Perkins Composer
River Tiber Composer
Rascal Composer,Producer,Composer,Producer
Zachary Acosta Assistant Engineer
Bill K. Kapri Composer,Narrator
Duval Timothy Composer,Producer
Cyrus Taghipour Mixing
Tyler Mehlenbacher Composer,Producer
Ray Charles Brown Engineer,Recording
Rob Bisel Recording,Assistant Engineer
Chad Gordon Engineer
Victor Ekpo Composer,Producer
Hykeem Carter Composer
Summer Walker Composer
Johnny Kosich Composer,Engineer,Recording
Tim Maxey Composer,Producer
Sedrick Moore II Assistant Engineer
Curtis "Sircut" Bye Mixing Assistant
Kaushlesh Garry Purohit Assistant Engineer
Mario Luciano Composer,Producer
Amanda Reifer Composer
Frano Huett Composer,Producer,Programming
Baby Keem Producer
Zach Pereyra Mixing Assistant
Brandon Blatz Mixing Assistant
Anthony Vilchis Mixing,Mixing Assistant
Bekon & The Donuts Producer
David Bishop Engineer
Evan Fulcher Assistant Engineer
Trey Station Mixing Assistant
Daniel Alan Maman Composer
Andrew Boyd Engineer,Recording,Assistant Engineer
Thundercat Composer
Marvin Eugene Smith Composer
Matthew Samuels Composer
Jahaan Sweet Composer,Producer
Kennis Jones Composer
DJ Dahi Producer,Programming
Jake Kosich Composer
OKLAMA Composer,Producer
Juanita Morton A&R,A&R Assistance
Johnathan Turner Engineer,Recording
Sounwave Programming,Producer
Brandon Wood Assistant Engineer
Jason Pounds Composer
Daniel Tannenbaum Composer
Sampha Sisay Composer
Craig Balmoris Composer,Producer
J.LBS Producer
Isaac de Boni Composer
Sam Dew Composer
Sergiu Gherman Composer,Producer
Dacoury Natche Composer
Mark Spears Composer
Tristan Bott Assistant Engineer
Johnny Morgan Assistant Engineer
Joe Visciano Engineer
FNZ Producer
Matt Schaeffer Composer,Engineer,Recording
Tae Beast Producer
Donte Perkins Composer
Michael John Mule Composer
Matthew Burdette Composer
Khalil Abdul-Rahman Composer
Ronald LaTour Composer
Gary Peacock Composer
Vincent Crane Composer
Dennis Coles Composer
Leon Ware Composer
Pharrell Williams Composer,Producer
Denise Stoudmire Choir Arrangement
Derek "MixedByAli" Ali Mixing
Kendrick Lamar Composer
Cardo Producer
Beth Gibbons Composer
Bekon Composer,Producer,Programming
Marvin "Smitty" Smith Composer
Boi-1da Producer
Manny Marroquin Mixing
DJ Khalil Producer
Homer Steinweiss Composer
James Hunt Engineer,Recording
Bob Smith Composer
Eckhart Tolle Narrator
Charles Brown Engineer
R. Smith Composer
Arthur Ross Composer
The Alchemist Producer
Wesley Seidman Assistant Engineer
Derek Garcia Engineer
Robert Smith Composer,Composer
Daniel Krieger Composer
K. Jones Composer
M. Smith Composer
Matt Anthony Engineer
Kevin Rodriguez A&R
Florence Welch Composer
Michelle Mancini Mastering Engineer
Stuart Johnson Composer
Marvin Smith Composer
Thomas Warren Assistant Engineer
Brock Korsan A&R
Ray Charles, Jr. Engineer,Recording
Emile Haynie Producer
Anthony Dixon Composer
Mike Larson Recording,Programming
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