Kendrick Lamar has always been a lyrical god, especially as of late. He’s been dropping tracks here and there, titled… Untitled, often going in depth on current issues. His campaign for black rights has been growing, and with it his music has been evolving. When Kendrick dropped “Untitled 2” on Jimmy Kimmel a few month back, the rap community was in shock and aw. Kendrick displayed himself in his true state of music, one with jazzy, funky beats. One with lyrics that are driven to serve a purpose in today’s society. With his newly, out of the blue, release, Kendrick has set himself up to be one of the greatest rappers of all time.
Titled, “Untitled Unmastered,” Kendrick’s new release delves back into the issues of the black community and racial separation. Kendrick has shifted from the beats of say “Swimming Pools,” to a more funk and jazz style beat, with plenty of melodic swings. Kendrick is using his music to fuel a popular political movement that is sweeping across the nation, and it’s working. Everything from the off beat bass to the on point trumpet cues, Kendrick has nailed it once again. His lyrics do nothing but make the listener think, and Kendrick knows that he has them by his hands. The sweeping sounds of struggle can be heard in every song on the album, driving the force that is the Black Lives Matter movement.
Kendrick grew up in Compton, a difficult place to escape, yet Kendrick has much praise for it. He wants to better his community, better where he once ran and played, his music is just one way he’s helping. Kendrick is here to tell everyone that we can come together, and that racism still exists whether we think it does or doesn’t.
The album dropped out of nowhere, which sort of symbolizes the Black Lives Matter movement as a whole. It was always growing and developing, it just took for something major to occur for people to notice it. This album is of the same context, he’s been working and working to forge it, and it finally, out of nowhere dropped for us to listen. And now that we have it, it just shows Kendrick’s dedication to something so large.
Kendrick has captivated me with his latest release, it’s absolutely superb. It’s influential actually, Kendrick really draws me in to his story via his music, almost as if he’s having a one on one conversation with me. His talent is evident, it’ growing, and it’s definitely not over yet as Kendrick will certainly have more in store for us.
