Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar's new album 'Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers' will arrive on May 13. What will it sound like? What clues has he given us? Here's what we know.

It’s not shocking news that Kendrick has been reclusive over the past few years since dropping DAMN, but to learn that he’s fully detached himself in a way in which he doesn’t even need to use his phone may indicate how focused he’s been on new music (and his family life). Kendrick continues, “Love, loss, and grief have disturbed my comfort zone, but the glimmers of God speak through my music and family. He will be headlining Milano Summer Festival in Italy, Glastonbury Festival in the UK, and Rolling Loud in Miami, all within a few weeks of each other. He’s experimenting, too, trying out new flows and unafraid to deliver unorthodox bars, like the “top of the morning” chant that went viral from “Range Brothers.” The “love, loss, and grief” he’s referring to may have influenced his musical approach over these past few years and might be reflected in the album’s tone. Near the end of summer 2020, images began to surface online, appearing to show Kendrick Lamar on the set of music videos. Many people assume that Kendrick will release his own albums on pgLang after his TDE contract is over, so it’s somewhat surprising that the announcement for Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers has a pgLang stamp on it, rather than the logo of the label that it’s actually being released under. Not even a week after the five-year anniversary of his last solo studio album, DAMN, Kendrick revealed the title and release date of his forthcoming project, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, which is due to arrive on May 13. The statement concluded with a declaration that “all factual information for this release will come directly from this source only,” which hints that Kendrick himself will be at the center of this rollout. Kendrick has been focusing heavily on developing pgLang over the last few years. He barely makes appearances outside of his musical performances, and outside of occasional rap verses (like his features on Baby Keem’s The Melodic Blue) we rarely hear his voice. The only artist that predates Kendrick on TDE is Jay Rock, who was signed the year before. “Appreciate your patience,” the end of his Michael Jordan-esque press release read, after revealing his album’s impending arrival.