Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers

Kendrick Lamar’s Best Songs

by

Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Kendrick Lamar is gearing up for another leg of his impressive The Big Steppers Tour. The tour supports his latest No. 1 album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers released last year. Lamar was born on June 17, 1987, in Compton, California. Kendrick is mainly known for his progressive musical styles and socially conscious lyrics. Further, he is widely considered one of his generation’s most influential hip-hop artists. Lamar started his mainstream music career after signing with Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2005.

The Compton artist’s career has skyrocketed since then. Lamar has sold over 70 million records in the United States alone. Additionally, all his studio albums have been certified platinum or higher by the RIAA. He topped the Billboard charts for the first time after being featured on the remix of “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift. Kendrick has also received numerous accolades throughout his career. They include 17 Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two American Music Awards. Lamar has also bagged six Billboard Music Awards, 11 MTV Video Music Awards, a Brit Award, and a nomination for an Academy Award. These are some of the emcee’s best songs from his discography.

“N95” (2022)

“N95” is the lead single from his fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. The album is Kendrick Lamar’s first since parting ways with Top Dawg Entertainment. ‘N95” is a seething cultural critique where Lamar spits bile in multiple directions over a bleakly catchy, bass-driven instrumental. With a visual that opens with Lamar hovering about the ocean with arms stretched wide in a crucifixion-like pose, Lamar certainly turned heads with this one.

“Family Ties” – Baby Keem ft. Kendrick Lamar (2021)

“Family Ties” was released on August 27, 2021, by Columbia Records and pgLang. The song is the fourth single from Keem’s debut album, The Melodic Blue. “Family Ties” is also Lamar’s first musical release under pgLang, a production company he co-founded in March 2020. Lamar signed Baby Keem under the collective. He is also Kendrick’s cousin, hence the song title. “Family Ties” won Best Rap Performance at the 2022 Grammy Awards. It has officially been certified three times Platinum by the RIAA.

“All The Stars” – Kendrick Lamar & SZA (2018)

“All the Stars” was released on January 4, 2018, as the lead single to the soundtrack album of the film Black Panther. It was co-written by Lamar and former label-mate SZA. Sounwave and Al Shux also produced the song. Ryan Coogler, the Black Panther director, hand-picked Lamar to produce the soundtrack.

Moreover, “All The Stars” received numerous accolades and nominations, including Best Original Song at the 76th Golden Globe and 91sAcademy Awards. It additionally received four nominations at the 61st Grammy Awards including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. “All The Stars” won Best Song at the African-American Film Critics Association. The video additionally won Best Visual Effects at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards. Since its release, the song has sold two million copies in the United States.

“LOVE.” (2017)

“LOVE” is a song from Lamar’s fourth studio album, DAMN. Lamar also co-wrote the song with collaborators Zacari Pacaldo and Teddy Walton. Sounwave and Top Dawg CEO Anthony Tiffith are credited for production. Lamar’s fans have often speculated that the song’s lyrics describe his love and devotion to his fiancée and mother of his children, Whitney Alford. Further, “LOVE” spent 40 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and is currently certified four times Platinum in the US by the RIAA.

“HUMBLE.” (2017)

Kendrick Lamar’s “HUMBLE” was released on March 30, 2017. The song was the lead single from Lamar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning album, DAMN. “Humble” also topped the Billboard Singles chart and became Kendrick’s second No. 1 song after “Bad Blood” remix with Taylor Swift. The song won Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video at the 60th Grammy Awards. Mike Will Made-It produced the song. He initially created the beat for Gucci Mane. Additionally, the RIAA has certified ” HUMBLE ” seven times Platinum.

“Alright” (2015)

The song “Alright” is a fan favorite in Lamar’s discography thanks to its messages of hope amid struggle. It was released as To Pimp a Butterfly’s fourth radio single on June 30, 2015. Pharrell Williams is also credited for the production of the record. The song was primarily associated with the Black Lives Matter movement after several youth-led protests were heard chanting the chorus. It was officially dubbed the Black Lives Matter soundtrack because of this. Additionally, “Alright” received numerous accolades, including four nominations at the 58th Grammy Awards: Song of the Year, Best Music Video, Best Rap Performance, and Best Rap Song. It won the latter two. The song has been certified Platinum by the RIAA.

“King Kunta” (2015)

“King Kunta” is a single from Kendrick Lamar’s third album, To Pimp a Butterfly. It was released as the album’s third single on March 24, 2015. Lamar also co-wrote the song with producer Thundercat. Terrace Martin, Michael Kuhle, and Sounwave served as producers. The song’s title references the rebellious enslaved man Kunta Kinte from the novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family. “King Kunta” has been certified Platinum by the RIAA in the United States.

“Control” – Big Sean ft. Kendrick Lamar & Jay Electronica (2013)

“Control” is a song by Detroit emcee Big Sean. It features guest vocals from Kendrick Lamar and Jay Electronica. Lamar’s verse was labeled as a “wake-up call” for hip-hop, both for his skill as a rapper and for calling out multiple fellow rappers by name. The song was initially intended to be included in Big Sean’s second studio album Hall of Fame. However, this was ultimately hindered by sample clearances.

“Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” (2012)

“Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” is one of the lead singles from Lamar’s Good Kid, M.A.A.D City album. Sounwave is once again credited for production. Lamar was also reportedly initially meant to collaborate with pop star Lady Gaga on the song. However, delays in submission eventually led to her part being left out. The song’s version with Lady Gaga vocals was added to later editions of Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. Jay-Z is also featured on the official remix of the song.

“Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” is generally considered the song that thrust Kendrick into the limelight. The record peaked at No. 32 on the United States Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also reached the Top 10 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts. The RIAA has certified “Don’t Kill My Vibe” four times Platinum.

Kendrick Lamar’s Fiancée Shared An Adorable Video Of Their Children Watching As He Accepted His Grammy

by
kendrick lamar 2023 grammys
Getty Image

At the 2023 Grammy Awards that took place this past Sunday (February 5), Kendrick Lamar took home the award for Best Rap Album for his fourth major-label album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.

Though Lamar’s fiancée Whitney Alford, and their two children — daughter Uzi and son Enoch — couldn’t be at the Crypto.com arena on Grammy night to witness the special moment, the three of them were tuned into the television to watch it happen.

Alford shared a video on her Instagram story, featuring herself and their children watching Lamar deliver his acceptance speech.

“First and foremost I want to thank my family for giving me the courage and vulnerability to share these stories and share my truth with this album,” said Lamar during the speech. “I want to thank my fans for trusting me with these words. As artists… we say things to provoke thoughts and feelings and emotions.”

When three-year-old Uzi heard the word “family,” she was overjoyed to know Lamar was talking about her, Enoch, and Alford.

“Daddy! He’s talking about us!” she says in the clip shared to Alford’s story. “He’s talking about us. He’s talking about his family… Uzi and Enoch and mommy.”

On Grammy night, Lamar also took home the awards for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song for “The Heart Part 5,” bringing his total number of wins for the night up to three, and his overall Grammy wins up to 14.

Kendrick Lamar’s Kids React To Grammy Win For “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers”: Watch

by

Kendrick Lamar might not have won AOTY at the Grammys but he didn’t leave empty-handed. K. Dot had a phenomenal evening that saw him win three out of eight of the categories he was nominated in. As he won the Best Rap Album category, he thanked his family their support to create the album.

“First and foremost, I want to thank my family for giving me the courage, you know, and the vulnerability to share these stories and share my truth with this album,” he said. “I want to thank my fans for trusting me with these words. As artists, we all entertainers.. we say things to provoke thoughts and feelings and emotions,” he continued. “Making this record was one of my toughest albums to make,” he added. “I would like to thank the culture for allowing me to evolve in order to make a song like ‘Mother I Sober.’ That’s special to me. All we wanted was to be the biggest underground artist of all time and I finally found imperfection with this album.” 

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 05: Kendrick Lamar accepts the Best Rap Album award for “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” onstage during the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Alford Whitney, Kendrick Lamar’s fiancée, later shared an adorable video of their two kids reacting to the news. His daughter and son, who graced the cover of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers alongside Whitney, dressed up for the occasion as they witnessed their father make history. “He’s talking about us,” Lamar’s daughter said in the clip, “He’s talking about us! He’s talking about his family! Uzi and Enoch and mommy. Whitney congratulated Kendrick in the caption, writing, “Congrats on 3 more @kendricklamar we [white heart emoji] and appreciate you!”

Though Kendrick Lamar’s kept his family out of the spotlight, he opened up a lot more on his album. However, the album almost didn’t see the light of day. During an interview with W Magazine, he explained that he was hesitant to drop Mr. Morale after completing it.

“When I got to completion and I said, ‘I may or may not put this out; I’m not going to put this out; it’s way too much.’ I thought about my children,” he says, a grin spreading across his face. “I thought about when they turn 21, or they’re older in life, and when I got grandchildren, or if I’m long gone—this can be a prerequisite of how to cope. That’s the beauty of it for me.”

Check out the reaction from Kendrick’s children below.

Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’ Wins Grammy for Best Rap Album

by
FoQAcA3acAArmDy

Every year the rap album of the year is a moment of high conversation on the timeline. In the 50th year of Hip-Hop, Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is the winner. The award was presented by Cardi B.

King Kendrick beat out Jack Harlow’s Come Home The Kids Miss You, DJ Khaled’s GOD DID, Future’s I NEVER LIKED YOU and Pusha T’s It’s Almost Dry.

Earlier in the evening, Kendrick Lamar’s “The Heart Pt. 5” won Best Rap Song.

You can see the Best Rap Album moment below.

The post Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’ Wins Grammy for Best Rap Album appeared first on The Source.

Kendrick Lamar’s ‘DAMN.’ Has Spent Nearly 300 Weeks On The Billboard 200

by
kendrick lamar big steppers tour
Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz

It’s been nearly six years since Kendrick Lamar released his critically acclaimed fourth studio album, DAMN., in 2017. The project debuted at No.1 on Billboard and spawned chart-topping hits like “Humble,” “Loyalty,” and “Love.” The album sold over 600k units in its first week and has been certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) since 2018. Lamar even scored a Grammy for Best Rap Album and a Pulitzer Prize For Music. On Friday, January 20, the rapper hit another major milestone with the album: It’s now spent 300 weeks on the Billboard 200.

“.@kendricklamar’s ‘DAMN.’ has now spent 300 weeks on the Billboard 200. It has never left the chart,” Chart Data reported.

Lamar’s commercial success has been substantial throughout his career, and he’s been cemented as one of his generation’s most influential hip-hop artists. Recently, his second album, good kid, m.A.A.d city., became the first hip-hop studio album to spend 10 years on the Billboard chart — an incredible feat.

The “DNA” rapper recently celebrated the album’s 10th anniversary during a stop on his The Big Steppers Tour stop at Accor Arena in Paris this past October. The concert, which was live-streamed in conjunction with Amazon, featured sets from Grammy Award-winning recording artist Baby Keem, who is also Lamar’s cousin, and pgLang’s Tanna Leone. The enigmatic rapper’s concert followed the release of his fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, which was released in May 2022.

The project served as the rapper’s first body of work since releasing 2017’s DAMN., and it debuted at No.1 atop the Billboard 200.

DJ Dahi Slams Kendrick Lamar Leakers

by

One of Kendrick Lamar’s most frequent collaborators, DJ Dahi, recently slammed leakers who put some of his demos on Spotify. The “Morale Pack,” as it’s titled on the platform, is a set of three new leaks from the Compton MC. Moreover, many thought that they were leftovers from his fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. However, the legendary producer set some things straight on his Instagram story.

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JULY 24: Rapper Kendrick Lamar performs onstage during day thre of Rolling Loud Miami 2022 at Hard Rock Stadium on July 24, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)

““Why are y’all leaking s**t from 4 years ago???” he wrote on Thursday (January 19). “We didn’t even bounce those records out. These kdot records are strictly demos. Y’all are really dying of thirst out here lol.” Maybe they should ask Kendrick to sing about them.

Jokes aside, leak culture caused a lot of discourse in the 2010s, and continues to hamper projects and releases today. Readers may remember the highly-anticipated state of Whole Lotta Red, when many of Playboi Carti’s songs leaked before he could drop the album. However, this is a pretty different case, as the leaked material is about four years old according to Dahi.

Still, for being four-year-old leaks, these new Kendrick tracks aren’t half bad. Moreover, they contain some interesting overlap with a few Mr. Morale cuts. When it comes to flows, certain lyrics and verses, themes, instrumental choices, and delivery, it appears to be in a similar headspace. In fact, completed tracks like “Purple Hearts,” “Silent Hill,” “Count Me Out,” and Baby Keem’s “vent” are the end results of many of these leaks’ ideas.

Even then, that’s just a theory or small observation, because who knows what else Dahi and Kendrick have in the vault. Mr. Morale was Spotify’s most successful rap album of 2022, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see more great material from these sessions. Despite our highest hopes, K-Dot is likely in another phase of his legendary career, but here’s hoping for some more untitled unmastered. tracks in the future.

Regardless, what do you think of DJ Dahi cracking down on leakers who put unreleased Kendrick tracks on Spotify? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments down below. Also, as always, come back to HNHH for the latest news regarding hip-hop’s greatest talents.

[via]

Kendrick Lamar “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” Leaks Surface On Spotify

by

One of 2022’s best albums is still giving us great new songs to bump… kind of. New Kendrick Lamar leaks, seemingly recorded during the making of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, surfaced on Spotify. Moreover, they appeared in a playlist titled “Morale Pack” from user Marozy. Previously, the user leaked versions of Kanye West’s “City in the Sky” and “Mr. Miyagi.”

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JULY 24: Rapper Kendrick Lamar performs onstage during day three of Rolling Loud Miami 2022 at Hard Rock Stadium on July 24, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)

Surprisingly, those songs are still available on Spotify, and time will tell if the Kendrick leaks stay as well. Furthermore, the three new tracks are titled “Pure,” “Make Me Happy,” and “Computer Love,” respectively. Given similar lyrical references, flows, and themes, these songs sound like they came out of Mr. Morale’s headspace. What’s more is that Baby Keem’s influence is also pretty apparent in these cuts.

Moreover, Keem’s track “vent” originally leaked with a more developed Kendrick verse, which appears in part on “Pure” and on “cocoa.” Also, the new leak was reportedly produced by Pharrell.

Meanwhile, “Make Me Happy” features some lines from “Purple Hearts,” like “Crown on Bob Marley, wrist on Yo Gotti.” Interestingly, “Computer Love” features a lustful refrain and an old-school beat courtesy of the sample, a 1986 Zapp track of the same name. Even though the “HUMBLE.” star’s fifth LP set a high bar, these leaks step up to that caliber.

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers sent shockwaves through the game in more ways than one, being Spotify’s most popular rap album of 2022. In addition to the heap of critical acclaim the album’s already amassed, the Grammys nominated it for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album this year. As such, it’s no surprise that its leaks are still pretty good tracks. Much like To Pimp A Butterfly and the following untitled unmastered. demos, maybe we’ll soon see a collection of B-sides from the Compton MC.

Regardless, what did you think of Kendrick Lamar’s leaks on Spotify? Are you still hungry for more from the Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers sessions? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments down below. Also, as always, check back in with HNHH for the week’s new releases.

[via]

Kendrick Lamar Sold The Most Vinyl Of Any Hip-Hop Artist In 2022, But Not For The Album You Might Think

by
Kendrick Lamar
Getty Image

In a year in which vinyl again outsold CDs by a sizable margin — this first happened in 2020, but the trend has continued since as the age-old format surges in retro interest and the more recent one declines in popularity — some surprising albums made up the best-selling vinyl of the year in hip-hop (pop star Taylor Swift blew everybody out of the water, though). According to Billboard, while Tyler The Creator’s recent records Igor and Call Me If You Get Lost did brisk business, selling 172,000 and 211,000 copies, respectively, the best-selling hip-hop record of the year went to Kendrick Lamar.

However, it wasn’t his new album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, that racked up all the sales. Instead, it was the 10th-anniversary reissue of his 2012 debut album Good Kid, MAAD City that propelled him to being one of the best vinyl-selling artists of the year with 254,000 copies sold. According to Billboard’s data collection service Luminate, Good Kid, MAAD City was the fourth best-selling vinyl record of 2022, while Tyler’s Call Me If You Get Lost and Igor in the 6 and 8 spots, respectively. Billboard also notes Kendrick had the second-most titles among the year’s top 40-selling vinyl LPs, tied with Harry Styles at three each. In January, Good Kid, MAAD City became the first hip-hop album to spend 10 years on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

Kendrick Lamar Dominated Spotify’s Rap Streams In 2022

by

Last year, many of the biggest artists in the industry blessed the Hip-Hop community with amazing projects. From J.I.D.’s The Forever Story to Pusha T’s It’s Almost Dry, fans were eating all throughout 2022. However, one album has been in every single “album of the year” debate: Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. 

Obviously, K. Dot’s latest full-length topped HNHH’s ranking of the top 40 Hip-Hop albums of 2022. In addition to HNHH, Complex highlighted Mr. Morale as the album of the year. Furthermore, Billboard, Guardian, and NME also featured the record in the top five spots of their year-end rankings. Needless to say, Kendrick’s most recent project has received a lot of love from critics. Now, new data shows that fans liked it just as much as music journalists did.

Kendrick Lamar performs on the Pyramid stage during day five of Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2022 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)
READ MORE: Kendrick Lamar Almost Deep-Faked Eminem On “The Heart Part V”

Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers performed exceptionally on Spotify

As Jay-Z rapped on The Blueprint 3’s “Reminder,” “Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t.”

Thus, although fans can debate critics’ reviews of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, they cannot refute the album’s streaming performance. According to a recent update from Chart Data, Kendrick Lamar’s latest record has performed exceptionally well on Spotify. In fact, the source for music industry statistics has confirmed that Mr. Morale garnered more streams than any other rap album last year.

“.@kendricklamar’s ‘Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers’ was the #1 most streamed rap album of 2022 on Spotify,” Chart Data tweeted on January 1, 2023.

Read MORE: Kendrick Lamar Explains Why He Stays Off Social Media

Alas, this will likely not be the last accolade that Kendrick’s latest body of work receives. Next month, K. Dot will be competing in eight categories at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. Naturally, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers is up for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album. More surprisingly, “The Heart Part 5” nabbed five nominations all on its own, including Song and Record of the Year, Best Music Video, and Best Rap Song and Performance. Lastly, the Blxst and Amanda Reifer-assisted Mr. Morale album cut “Die Hard” will compete for Best Melodic Rap Performance.

Keep it locked to HNHH for more updates on Kendrick Lamar and his lauded fifth studio album.

[via]+[via]+[via]

Kendrick Lamar Explains Why He Stays Off Social Media

by

Kendrick Lamar says that he tries to say “completely off” social media most of the time. The Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers rapper discussed his online presence during a new interview with The New York Times. During the piece, Lamar sat down with his long-time collaborator Dave Free.

“My social media, most of the time, is completely off,” he said. “Because I know, like … I can easily smell my own [expletive]. I know. … Like, I’m not one of those dudes that be like, Oh, yeah, I know how good I am, but I also know the reason why I’m so good is because God’s blessed me with the talent to execute on the talent, and the moment that you start getting lost in your ego, that’s when you start going down.”

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JULY 24: Rapper Kendrick Lamar performs onstage during day three of Rolling Loud Miami 2022 at Hard Rock Stadium on July 24, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)

As of Tuesday, Lamar has no posts up on his Instagram page while he also infrequently posts on Twitter.

Later in the interview, Lamar discussed his latest album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, which he says is his most personal yet.

“I’ve never expressed myself the way I expressed myself on this album,” Kendrick said. “From the moment I started picking up a pen and started freestyling. This was the moment that I was trying to get to without even knowing at the time.”

Lamar released the album back in May, five years after his previous effort, Damn. It received eight nominations at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. The album features Ghostface Killah, Baby Keem, Kodak Black, as well as Taylour Paige, Sampha, and many more.

Check out Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free’s cover for The New York Times below.

[Via]