Compton native Kendrick Lamar is widely hailed as the greatest storyteller of a generation. Discography brimming with self-reflection and external analysis, Kendrick’s words have a way of seeping into the cracks of the psyche. From 2011’s rugged and raw Section.80, to the polished yet prolific DAMN. of 2017, he’s journeyed through a multiple levels of understanding and acceptance. In the between time, during the conception of various bodies of work (namely To Pimp A Butterfly), Kendrick fought a war with reasoning and life itself, as evidenced on the project Untitled Unmastered.
“Untitled 05,” nestled in the middle of the tracklist for the project, sees Kendrick Lamar and his TDE affiliates expressing their understanding of the happenstances that come with this existence. The chaos present in the intro (“Untitled 01”) track finds its way back through primal instrumentation and first verse delivery. Tracks 2 and 3 speak on dichotomy and differences among groups, and analyze how each “existence” operates in conjunction with factions and culture. These attributes reach a head in “Untitled 05,” with climactic swells and dramatic layering driving the thesis home.
Punch and Jay Rock’s contributions are some of the standout points of the entire project. They offer needed counterpoints and confirmation to Kendrick’s cynical worldview, with Punch stating “perception is key, so I am king,” while Rock acknowledges that the world is seeing Black artists pacified with worldly possessions “but couldn’t fathom the meaning of seeing sacrifice.”
“Untitled 05” is one of the most densely-packed Kendrick Lamar tracks, and gives an incredible glimpse into his state of mind at the time. With a new album potentially on the way, it’s a great time to revisit his journey and look forward to what’s to come.
Quotable Lyrics
The other side is never mortified, my mortal mind,
The borderline between insanity is Father Time,
I fall behind my skeleton, they tell me that I’m blind,
I know that I’m intelligence, my confidence just died