I appreciate Kendrick as an artist and he can truly do things that no other rapper can do. But he’s lost his presence in the rap game. It’s clear there came a point where he didn’t care about that anymore and just wanted to make art. Taking 5 years out and coming back with MM&TBS, although a great album, didn’t put his stamp back in the game. His few features since have been mediocre. In fact, he isn’t a very strong feature artist in general since the early days of Control etc. The frustrating thing is he holds back on a lot of features. He doesn’t have any notable ones with J Cole and the Jeezy song which had Cole on it, he dropped a whack verse. It’s like he does it on purpose sometimes. I will always appreciate anything he does cause it’s real and original and I guess we just have to accept he’s never gonna be that rapper we want him to be

This is why Hip-Hop sucks now. We expect "bangers" from an artist, and the art gets lost. It's pretty saddening.

It's crazy Akademiks's self esteem is so tied up with Drake's success and failure

This actually aged like spoiled milk.

Came here after Kendrick murked Drake in the beef.. Just wanted to laugh at this..😂

Kendrick Lamar in his 4 studio albums has written: A movie, A poem, A message that can played forwards and backwards, and a stage play… WHAT MORE DOES HE HAVE TO PROVE!!

So, basically, you guys prefer McDonald's over a meal from a crockpot... Got it

You know you're built different when your "flop" of an album wins you a Grammy. 🐐

Music is art, and Kendrick Lamar is one of the few true artists left. I don't care if he's not 'present' in the current rap game. He's beyond it.

Kendrick can do what he wants . He has more than earned it .

Kendrick isn’t the problem. The fans are. They’re just looking at the numbers and not even trying to appreciate the art he put behind his album. Everything is about making more money or sales but no one in a business standpoint appreciates it for the art that it is.

This aged like an avocado sitting in the sun for 5 hours 😂😂😂

This aged like unwashed ass

Kendrick is in a class above Drake.

Kendrick makes art, coincidentally its medium is hip-hop; there is no fall of an artist like this just another evolution.

this album was therapy for me after a family member died last year, i cried so much when i heard “die hard” or the instrumental of “united in grief”. he’s making art at this point with his music. this year i’ve spent my birthday at one of his concerts, it was beautiful. I will cherish this album forever.

This aged like milk 🥛

Mr. Morale is an extremely cathartic album to listen to. not everybody wants to have a therapy session everytime they listen to music, but it’s invaluable to everybody who truly resonated with it. i love it, and i respect Kendrick for making a project that helped himself, not something that pandered to a demographic that already has hella people pandering to it

This album touched me like no other piece of media out there. I don’t care if it doesn’t have hits I love this album.

"You not in Drakes league" You are technically correct 😂

Man I couldn’t disagree more with some of these sentiments, this album transcends rap music and is a social masterpiece of art

Man I still cry whenever I hear Count me out and mother I sober, that shit cuts deep every time.

Even as a Kendrick fan, I've said I wouldn't be shocked if this was the beginning of the end for him. However, he's one of the few rappers around who can vanish for a long time, come back, drop a project, and then have one of the highest grossing tours of all-time making $110 million.

Mr Morale was an album for grown folks. It was for people going into the real world with life experience, leaving clubs behind...leaving college behind...leaving high school behind. It was a mentally DEEP album that touched any person that wants to leave something behind for their children, not an album for someone trying to be noticed or flashy. This was an album saying THIS IS FOR YOUR HEART AND MIND, not for your clubs and BBQs.

ahhh, this aged EXACTLY how it should have. much love to Kendrick.

This album was a therapy session and honestly, it did wonders for me over the summer. I love this album so much.

I didn’t like the album at first, but going through things in my own life made me appreciate the project overtime.

This album is hands down one of my favorite albums to exist. There’s so much that’s relatable to a person that’s healing and understanding life.

That intro aged so bad 😭😭😭

Kendrick is still that guy. “Content creator” narrative is one thing, but when me and the boys sitting around smokin and drinkin and Money Trees comes on the playlist? Nothing better.

Kendrick is one of the few artists that you could feel they are tapping into their full potential

This clip at the beginning didnt age well

BBL Drake getting smoked out rn and this video is not looking good

I'm glad Kendrick saw this project through. Need more rappers and producers making moves like this and expanding what we think is possible with hiphop.

akademiks is wrong but what else is new. kendrick has dropped 2 undeniable classics (GKMC & TPAB) with multiple great albums.

I have grown with Kendrick.. each life stage.. granted Mr. Morale & The Bigsteppers isn’t for everyone. It’s reflective and especially it’s deep. Hip hip needed this. Also he is evolving as an artist. It’s a hard listen but required. Toxic hip hop is overplayed.

Let’s not forget his verse on Control that not only sent these rappers into panic mode but he also said he was the KING OF NY and had Everyone making their own version.. Drake never did that. Lol

This man made this album for ME! I LOVE this album; recently diagnosed w cancer at 29….. This album came at the right time. I respect this man for not worrying about charts. 4:06 My soul cried out for this album and I feel like I’m heard. I can weep and transform with him. This is why I love music.

The fact ppl dislike morale rlly shows this world aint rlly one for longevity in art anymore. Its become way too saturated, with both useful and useless info, the world blinks and shit falls off a cliff. Its up to us to hold stuff like this album that we ourselves deem important close to our chest, ignoring the fast pace of social media sometimes.

Kendrick has a new style on every album he makes. Each one incredible in its own way, layered with new sounds, complex lyrical storytelling, and self reflection. People need time to process new styles especially if they wanted a replica of a past album. Often times when incredibly talented artists make something totally new and unheard of the mainstream doesn’t understand it’s brilliance. Similar responses were voiced originally about OutKast - ATLiens, Kanye - 808’s and Heartbreak, Beastie Boys - Check Your Head, even Nas - It Was Written (because how do you follow up Illmatic. Each one of those is a classic now but originally received criticism claiming they fell off. I don’t even feel like the Drake claim is worth addressing, albums are progressively worse and predictable. He’s a culture vulture who replicates whatever is mainstream at the time.

Being here after the beef is so funny

It’s not forgettable, it’s just hard to listen to. Stirring strong emotions isn’t something you can just keep in rotation with your current bangers. You have to be in a certain headspace, and most of us can’t stay in that inner turmoil space all the time, without going mad, ourselves. Without any palette cleansers, offered on all other albums, it’s hard to stay in that focus for such a grand display.

7:20 Explains it all. Kendrick DGAF about making 'bangers' at this point in his career. Its only about making the art he wants to make.

Im so glad he did Mr Morale, it aged so well.

Well. It’s happened now. Bro.

Mr. Morale grew on me so much since my first listen, I feel like it's really important to sit on and relisten to an album enough to truly understand it, when the album is as left field as something like MMATBS. I'm so glad I did, and I'm so glad Kendrick shared this album with us

Akademics talking about Kendrick album being forgettable, when Drake whole discography only has like 3 albums people actually go back to listen to from almost 20 he had is hilarious

Ak gotta be eating his words now 😭😭😭

Its funny because its been a year and I’ve come to love this album. So much for 2 weeks. People who hated this album are either mentally and spiritually shallow or scares to be different.

That N95 is a track in my opinion that could've blown up if kdot wanted it to. It had the energy, beat and a catchy hook.

His tour yielded more than any other hip hop artist to date. There’s no fall off. There just opinions of who likes and doesn’t.

Kendrick hopped in the ring. Drake and AK immediately regret it

This aged pretty interestingly lol

Kendrick Lamar isn’t falling off, he’s evolving. And he proved that with MMATBS. With the different perspectives, admitting to his faults, & coming up with solutions on how to get better. With myself becoming a new father this year in 2023, this album is the most relatable to me from all Kendrick’s albums & my 3rd favorite album from him behind TPAB & GKMC. An amazing artist and rapper and someone who will always be ahead of the curve. If you don’t Appreciate the album now, I believe you will down the road. This album will continue to age like fine wine and be talked about for years to come (just like all of Kendrick’s albums).

Kendrick talks about things that Drake would & could never say because he got too much money invested in him. Also, environments where you grow up makes a difference in how you present sometimes.

Watching this after Not like us dropped is wild, because it is at once the certified banger of the year and actually comes from The dude’s heart and has something meaningful to say, not only about who he is but the state of rap and the industry as a whole. Mad.

THIS AGE WELL 0:24

The one in front of the gun lives forever 💔

with the world spiraling out of control and the mental health of people suffering as a consequence, i think in a couple of years, people will really understand what Kendrick did on MMBS. it's the kind of album where you don't just listen, you have to feel it. it's not music to distract you from the pain, it's music that tears those wounds open all over again and allows it to heal properly. truly timeless stuff

Drake Could Never.... Kendrick Is King! 👑

That opinion ages poorly! 🤣

Kendrick’s legacy is cemented. He’s definitely top 3 in the modern era.

The way Kendrick was able to capture what we all have felt or will feel is out of this world. He not only smoked on top 5s in that verse. He emphatically admitted he is prophet. A vessel & conduit for a higher being to speak thru. The heart part 4 is evidence of that. 3 yrs after that song 2020 happened. As an avid Kendrick fan since GKMC, he's been saying what I can't find the words to describe. The first time I heard swimming pools, it felt like my final call to get sober. The rest of the world played it in clubs & parties. I've been sober 10 yrs. A big part of it is cuz my favorite rapper made it cool to be❤️United in Grief starts off a chain of emotions only Kendrick has been able to pull from me. He dropped this album in the midst of the heaviest time of grieving not only my mother but my father. By the time Father Time came on, I was balling in a parking lot while sitting in my car. N95 can easily be an anthem cuz the beat is fire & the hook is mad catchy. Not to mention, they definitely still lied about everything smh. & Count me out is one of those songs that's somehow incredibly nostalgic & humbling while also being fire🙏🏽Kendrick doesn't have to aim for anything anymore. That's what sets him apart from any of his peers or even some b4 him. His mark is cemented in connection with the world & in spaces only authors dominate, The Pulitzer Prize. Kendrick was never meant for mass consumption or approval🪬

The naratives are out

Kendrick has constantly raised the bar & moved the needle. I don’t expect anything less. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers was the album I personally needed to hear. It’s an album that touches topics that we all can relate to. If you’re expecting just Bangers then this wasn’t for you. I loved this album. It’s as great as any of his other albums. It gets played in my house & I’m proud that he put it out.

People like Akademiks appreciate vibes over artistry. I love both sides and there’s a time and a place for both. You can’t play to pimp a butterfly in the club but if your reading this it’s too late aint winning a Pulitzer. There at the top of their field in different ways.

We gotta stop using Ak as a base for all these talking points. Lol

Aged so bad , Drake is dead

This album is a classic! So much depth, healing, Kendrick gave you everything on this album.

We still care about Akademics in 2023? damn lol

Kendrick doesn’t “dumb it down”… he pushes his artistic expression more and more with each release. That’s commendable but can also be problematic because simplicity is just as valuable complexity.

Kendrick said it himself in the most underrated track on the album, crown “you can’t please everybody”

I love this album…..it aged well, it was a lot for folks to digest, the toxic filled album…….he was ahead of its time with this album, now ppl are doubling back and it’s hitting different to them now….in a good way, this album is perfect for the climate nowadays….ppl were ready for it in 2022

For an album that was so “forgettable“ & “mid”, it was one of the highest grossing tours in world history! He’s the only rapper to have $110 million tour worldwide and the only rapper on the list! FOH! He da 🐐

Kendrick’s albums are all good that’s all I’m saying

Welp we see how this aged

Personally i enjoyed listening to Mr Morale And the Big Steppers.I appreciate the fact that he touched on topics many of us are afraid or not ready to talk about. We all know Kendrick is undeniably one of the greatest artists of our time. This may not be his best album but it sure is a significant one for a reason we may not comprehend now but will definitely in the future. Its all part of the process.❤

N95, Savior, Silent Hill, die hard, count me out, all those were IMO bangers that also had substance. Thats what makes kendrick great, im happy we got more personal, vulnerable stuff. For me, i appreciated it top to bottom. Felt like an evolution for him.

I love Mr. Morale. Love the music, love the lyrics. I can relate to going through therapy and making new discoveries about yourself and your life. I don't need commercial hits from Kendrick, I just need good music and artistic integrity. To me, he's above everyone else. In a league of his own.

this album had me in a trance. aided me in coming to terms with my own traumas, learn about myself as a human being before anything else but also evolve as an artist. it doesn’t matter if Kendrick isn’t “involved in the culture” because he simply has depth and substance. his longevity is not determined by ‘hits’ … Kendrick IS the culture. he laid the foundations for so many and his legacy is undeniable. if Kendrick truly wanted to “stay relevant” he would most likely do so with 1% effort, compared to these other rappers who degrade themselves and put their life and soul on display for streams and views, following trends and prioritising making bops for TikTok dances instead of trying to reach deep and make sustainable music that is going to last for generations to come. its sad to see this much confusion and separation in Hip Hop when it comes to MM&TBS… I may be bias, but I personally believe this is the best Hip Hop/ Rap album to ever exist. maybe it’s just my opinion and taste, but no other album has made me cry, dance, laugh, turn up, find god and many more emotions that I couldn’t even explain using human language. it hit deep within my soul. MM&TBS is 4 life.

First listen of MM was just adjusting to the new sounds, heavy drums, different cadences and beat switches. Second time around was getting in turn with what he was saying. That third listen was like a door had opened and it all clicked. One of Kenny’s best projects, so many moments on this thing bring me to tears. I will always remember this album dropping the day I finished my last final and I graduated from college. That was one hell of a bike ride through campus

When Wackademiks stops promoting bums and skinny jean rappers...I'll take his opinion on Hip-Hop seriously. Kendrick Lamar is Goated. Lil Pump, Playboi Carti, Blueface (All rappers Wackademiks has promoted or pushed)wish they could say have the cultural relevance as Kendrick.

Feel like people are in love with the themes and message of the album and not the actual music

The album wasn’t for the masses. It was for his most loyal fans… The music was half the message the performances was the other half.

Every time I found myself going back to that album I fall in love with it more and more. At first release I thought it was cool, but each listening has evoked something that not many rappers today have the ability to accomplish. Kendrick released a masterpiece and most of us didn't appreciate it because it wasn't no radio hits on it.

Kendrick has been an absolute blessing to hip hop as a culture and a genre. I mean he's really the one that finally took "conscious rap" to the mainstream. The talent and skill it took to pull that off really can't be overstated.

This is Kendrick’s 4:44, not everyone can pull it off because its a not a chart grabber, but nevertheless its essential. That’s why Jay and Kendrick get that respect

Mr Morale is the type of album that you can come back to in 10 years and it’s still relevant! Mr Morale is a masterpiece

This album felt massive to me. It felt like it hit me right where i was in life at the moment. I cant tell you how many times i cried listening to this album, truly a masterpiece

kendrick will go down a legend no matter what.

I think that people liked Kendrick Lamar because he’s very talented. And he’s one of the rap artists that stands out. But I think that as soon as he was on Big Sean’s Control song. That’s when more people started to pay attention to him. Even TMZ started noticing him after that song. So it seems like people want Kendrick to be like that person on that song all the time. And I think that he can’t be that person whenever he releases an album

Just goes to show, if you ain’t always rapping about how much money you got, how many women you can pull, or how much drugs you just took people will say you fell off.

I don't care what is said, Kendrick Lamar makes amazing music that just needs a certain headspace. His album isn't meant to be a "vibe" but to resonate within his listeners.

I was recovering from a life changing injury when this album dropped, and it really helped me keep my shit together. Kendrick makes art for all, full of passion and meaning, and that's a process. Drake makes fast food music for white kids who want to know what it's like living in the hood. I'm not saying it's bad music, but you really can't compare the 2

If it's deliberate, then it's not a fail. Kendrick literally and totally predicted and expected every reaction this album has gotten. He hasn't missed. He has just made his choices.

Wonder what people think now? Also Mr. Morale has been revisited now because of the recent beef. Kendrick got the top spot.

Mr. Morale is an album about a man exposing and confronting his imperfection. It was inspiring tbh. We dont have enough men in the world willing to confront their issues.

Whether we like it or not, Kendrick isn't in the same mind state he was when he was making GKMC, TPAB or DAMN. He's reached a place in his career where he isn't hungry anymore. Maybe MMATBS wasn't everyone's cup of tea but I'm actually happy for him. I've been a Kendrick fan since Overly Dedicated and truthfully I didn't like the album when I first heard it, but it's greatly grown on me because I took the time to let it breathe.

The Album was GOOD! Man... I'd like to see these "critics" go in the studio and make a classic album. People to use to, listening to drug and murder music 😂

I'll be honest..people just want to sound intelligent and all that..kendrick lamar released a fire album and I still can't get over it❤