KENDRICK LAMAR

Mr Morale & The Big Steppers

PGLANG/TOP DAWG ENTERTAINMENT/AFTERMATH/INTERSCOPE

8/10

KENDRICK LAMAR is one of the finest instrumentalists of his era, although his instrument happens to be his own voice. On previous albums but especially on his latest, , he raps in many modes, varying his pitching and flow on nearly every song, switching up his cadence as though changing his identity. He sounds impossibly nimble and declarative on opener “United In Grief”, even as he warns the listener, “”. He goes low and legato on “Crown”, then spry and playful on “N95”. He uses short, choppy lines on “Count Me Out”