New music Friday: Kendrick Lamar finds yet another way to surprise fans

By Rashad Milligan
May 13, 2022
11:46 am

Kendrick Lamar has completed his comeback. More than five years since the release of his last album, Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers officially debuted on May 13. A member of modern day hip-hop’s “Big 3” along with Drake and J. Cole, Lamar’s release trumped the attention of any other May 13 release.

Lamar’s project features his children and wife on the cover and explores some of the rap superstar’s most intimate thoughts over the past five years. He admitted he dealt with writer’s block for two years and revealed that members of his family had undergone gender reassignment. Lamar also discussed in-depth his childhood trauma, includung family accusations of molestation. The most explosive track, however, is “We Cry Together” featuring Taylour Paige.

The song is nearly 5 minutes and 45 seconds of a back-and-forth verbally-abusive argument between a couple. It’s relationship rawness that hasn’t been heard on a track by a mainstream rap or R&B artist since perhaps R. Kelly’s “Trapped in the Closet” saga.

Here’s how some fans on social media reacted to the track.