Kendrick Lamar’s new album is his first since officially leaving Top Dawg Entertainment. It follows a flurry of activity from the rapper, who became embroiled in a war of words with Drake when the Toronto rapper released “Push Ups,” in April, in response to Lamar’s “Like That.” Drake followed that with “Taylor Made Freestyle,” and Lamar opened the floodgates: “Euphoria” came next, then “6:16 in LA.” After Drake’s “Family Matters,” Lamar fired back twice, with “Meet the Grahams” and the quickly anointed summer anthem “Not Like Us,” which appears to have closed proceedings. Lamar celebrated the song’s success in July with a video starring Tommy the Clown, Compton native and former Toronto Raptors All-Star DeMar DeRozan, producer Mustard, and Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith.
Elsewhere, Lamar has soundtracked a Chanel short film, played a Pop Out concert in Inglewood, California, and kept his and Dave Free’s pgLang enterprise ticking along, dropping a bespoke phone last year. He also reunited with Baby Keem for “The Hillbillies,” in late 2023, and adopted the title to headline Camp Flog Gnaw.
Released in mid-2022, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers followed Lamar’s Pulitzer Prize–winning 2017 LP, Damn, and featured notable collaborators such as Portishead’s Beth Gibbons, Summer Walker, and Ghostface Killah. Per tradition, it was preceded by an installment of his “The Heart” singles series, “The Heart Part 5,” which came with a deepfake-heavy video in which Lamar morphed into Will Smith, Jussie Smollett, Kanye West, and others. He followed the LP with a concert film and went on to win Grammy Awards for Best Rap Album and, for “The Heart Part 5,” Best Rap Song.
Read about Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers in “The 50 Best Albums of 2022.”
01 Wacced Out Murals
Written by Deyra Barrera, Kendrick Lamar
Produced by Dahi, Frano, Sounwave, Bridgeway, Jack Antonoff, Tyler Mehlenbacher, Craig Balmoris, M-Tech
02 Squabble Up
Written by Kendrick Lamar
Produced by Kendrick Lamar, Sounwave, Bridgeway, Jack Antonoff, M-Tech
03 Luther
Written by Ink, Kendrick Lamar, Sam Dew, SZA
Produced by Sounwave, Jack Antonoff, Rose Lilah, M-Tech, Bridgeway, Kamasi Washington
04 Man at the Garden
Written by Kendrick Lamar
Produced by Tyler Mehlenbacher, Craig Balmoris, Sounwave, Jack Antonoff, M-Tech
05 Hey Now
Written by Dody 6, Kendrick Lamar
Produced by Mustard, Sounwave, Jack Antonoff
06 Reincarnated
Written by Deyra Barrera, Kendrick Lamar
Produced by Kendrick Lamar, Sounwave, Jack Antonoff, M-Tech, Noah Ehler
07 TV Off
Written by Kendrick Lamar
Produced by Mustard, Sean Momberger, Sounwave, Jack Antonoff, Kamasi Washington
08 Dodger Blue
Written by Kendrick Lamar, Sam Dew, Siete, Wallie the Sensei
Produced by Tim Maxey, Tane Runo, Sounwave, Jack Antonoff, Terrace Martin
09 Peekaboo
Written by AzChike, Kendrick Lamar
Produced by Bridgewway, Sean Momberger, Sounwave
10 Heart Pt. 6
Written by Kendrick Lamar
Produced by Sounwave, Jack Antonoff, M-Tech, Juju
11 GNX
Written by Hitta J3, Kendrick Lamar, Peyosh, Young Threat
Produced by Rascal, Kenny & Billy, Sounwave, Jack Antonoff, Tim Maxey
12 Gloria
Written by Deyra Barrera, Ink, Kendrick Lamar, SZA
Produced by Deats, Sounwave, Jack Antonoff