Genius Meanings
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Kendrick Lamar – GOD.
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In “GOD.,” Kendrick flaunts his successes, how it feels, and why he works so hard. Throughout the track, Kendrick compares the sensation to “what God feels like.”
In the first
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Kendrick Lamar – God Is Gangsta
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On “God Is Gangsta,” Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar discusses a relationship with a girl that is difficult to understand, as the two aren’t clear about their expectations. He also
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Kendrick Lamar – FEAR.
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On “FEAR.,” Kendrick explores three instances of true terror at ages 7, 17, and 27, respectively. In the first verse, he explores the fear he experienced growing up in the hood
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Mac Miller (Ft. Kendrick Lamar) – God Is Fair, Sexy Nasty
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The last track off The Divine Feminine showcases Mac’s strong lyricism with a powerful, passionate Kendrick Lamar feature. The sexual ballad ends this album with a powerful message
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Kendrick Lamar – Alright
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“Alright” provides a moment of hope amid To Pimp a Butterfly’s battle to find higher purpose. After “u” – where Kendrick lays out his burdens – “Alright” responds by detailing how
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Kendrick Lamar – BLOOD.
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On “BLOOD.,” Kendrick is shot by a blind lady he’s trying to help. The blind woman can be thought of as representing consequences of the damnation referenced in the Book of
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Kendrick Lamar, Blxst & Amanda Reifer – Die Hard
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In a very Nipsey track, Kendrick opens up about his insecurities and struggles involving honesty and sharing in a relationship. He is having doubts as to whether he will still be
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Kendrick Lamar – u
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The sixth track on Lamar’s third album, “u” acts as a complete contrast to its lead single “i,” an anthem of peace, positivity, and prosperity starting with self-love.
With more
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Kendrick Lamar – DUCKWORTH.
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“DUCKWORTH.” is a street tale about how Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith was planning a second robbery at a local KFC where Kendrick’s father, nicknamed “Ducky,” was working back in the
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Kendrick Lamar – untitled 02
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This track is about Kendrick’s confliction between his life at home in Compton and his life as a global superstar.
In 2014, he was prophesying the success of To Pimp a Butterfly
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Kendrick Lamar – i (Album Version)
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“i” is the first single from Kendrick’s third studio album, To Pimp a Butterfly. Kendrick received two Grammys for the studio version of the song at the 57th Grammy Awards for Best
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Kendrick Lamar (Ft. BJ the Chicago Kid & Punch) – Faith
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Produced by King Blue of the group Sore Losers, “Faith” is found on the Kendrick Lamar EP, the first project he released by after the name change.
It details stories of faith and
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Kendrick Lamar – GOD BLESS AMERICA. (XXX. Demo)
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[Intro: Congress Alley] / All the signs (all the signs) / Of a dying nature (all the signs) / God save america / Just look around (just look around) / And see the crazy (just look
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Kendrick Lamar (Ft. Anna Wise, Bilal & Snoop Dogg) – Institutionalized
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While “King Kunta” shows Lamar at a high, confidently claiming his throne atop the rap game with the influence and success he has acquired, “Institutionalized” is the dramatic
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Kendrick Lamar (Ft. Anna Wise) – Real
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This song denotes an incredibly important realization that Kendrick Lamar has felt. The song as a whole stresses the importance of loving yourself (and how this is a necessary
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Kendrick Lamar – Count Me Out
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“Count Me Out” is the first track on the second disc and the 10th track overall from Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. The track focuses on Kendrick calling out a once-significant
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Kendrick Lamar – Sherane a.k.a Master Splinter's Daughter
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The story opens as a flash-forward. K.Dot has known Sherane for a number of months by this point. He met her at a party where they flirted and exchanged numbers. They kept in
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Kendrick Lamar (Ft. Anna Wise, Bilal & Thundercat) – These Walls
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The title “These Walls” plays off the familiar expression “if these walls could talk…” Kendrick’s complex wordplay introduces layered metaphorical and literal walls—the “walls” of
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ScHoolboy Q (Ft. Kendrick Lamar) – Collard Greens
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The second single from Q’s highly anticipated album Oxymoron, on which the West Coast superstar recruits close friend and fellow Black Hippy member Kendrick Lamar to spit a
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Kendrick Lamar – Rich Spirit
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“Rich Spirit” depicts an irreverent Kendrick talking about his own qualities while trying to stand firm against the criticism against him.
Kendrick utilizes ethereal melodies and
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The Weeknd & Kendrick Lamar – Pray For Me
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“Pray For Me” preaches loyalty, sacrifice and redemption—with both artists taking on the voice of a despondent hero. Kendrick knows a thing or two about a hero/Messiah-complex from
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Kendrick Lamar – Backseat Freestyle
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In the outro of the previous song, “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe”, one of Kendrick’s friends asks him to rap. “Backseat Freestyle” serves as a flashback. The freestyle is not
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Kendrick Lamar, Summer Walker & Ghostface Killah – Purple Hearts
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“Purple Hearts” is the final track on the first disc and the ninth track overall from Kendrick Lamar’s fifth and final studio album with Top Dawg Entertainment, Mr. Morale & The
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Kendrick Lamar (Ft. James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley) – How Much a Dollar Cost
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Up until this point in the album, Kendrick’s been plagued by Lucy & Uncle Sam. On his road to recovery, he runs into a homeless man at a gas station in South Africa.
He tells the
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Kendrick Lamar – HUMBLE.
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On the ironically braggadocious track “HUMBLE.” Kendrick Lamar challenges his competition. It was released a week after the first promotional single, “The Heart Part 4,” with a
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Kendrick Lamar – The Blacker the Berry
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Released via Empire star Taraji P. Henson’s twitter, this comes the day after Kendrick won Best Rap Song & Performance for “i” at the 2015 Grammy Awards. The song shares the name
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Kendrick Lamar – Worldwide Steppers
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“Worldwide Steppers” is the third track on Kendrick Lamar’s fifth and final studio album with Top Dawg Entertainment, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.
The track features a brief
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Kendrick Lamar – United in Grief
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Throughout his first release in exactly 1,855 days, Kendrick muses on his many achievements covering a 19-year career, as well as the pitfalls of fame. He goes into great detail
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Kendrick Lamar – Momma
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“Momma” tells of the personal growth and self-realisation that Kendrick experienced after having persevered against the internal struggles he described as “Lucy” in the preceding
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Kendrick Lamar (Ft. U2) – XXX.
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Kendrick teams up with rock legends U2 on “XXX.,” which delves deeper into the political and religious themes heard throughout DAMN. In an August 2017 interview with Rolling Stone
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Kendrick Lamar (Ft. Drake) – Poetic Justice
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Kendrick explained “Poetic Justice” in a 2012 interview with Complex magazine, saying:
If you listen to ‘Poetic Justice,’ it’s a song about a chick saying these legs are poems. On
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Kendrick Lamar (Ft. Beth Gibbons) – Mother I Sober
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“Mother I Sober” is the eighth track on disc two of Kendrick Lamar’s fifth and final studio album with Top Dawg Entertainment, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, and the seventeenth
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Kendrick Lamar – A.D.H.D
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Kendrick Lamar demonstrates a robust knowledge of drug culture and neurotransmitters on “A.D.H.D.” He mentions such topics as tolerance, endorphins, and cold water extraction. This
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Kendrick Lamar – untitled 06
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A song about embracing one’s unique traits.
Written in the form of a plea to a lover, they purport talking about the character traits that come across as odd rather than see them
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Travis Scott (Ft. James Blake, Kid Cudi, Philip Bailey & Stevie Wonder) – STOP TRYING TO BE GOD
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On “STOP TRYING TO BE GOD,” Travis cautions rappers to not develop a God complex and to remain true to their roots. The song features Kid Cudi’s signature hums, vocals from Philip
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Kendrick Lamar – YAH.
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The song title “YAH.” refers to Yahweh (יהוה), which is believed to be the closest estimation to God’s actual name–in Hebrew, it was said as ‘YHWH,’ as they had no vowels in their
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Kendrick Lamar – DNA.
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On “DNA.,” Kendrick Lamar adopts multiple viewpoints; celebrating, critiquing, and exploring his black heritage and culture. In the music video, Kendrick and actor Don Cheadle
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Kendrick Lamar – untitled 05
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Kendrick debuted parts of his first verse during his 2016 Grammys performance. The track explores power disparities and social inequality. Minorities are institutionalized and, in
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Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, Future & James Blake – King's Dead
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A star-studded collaboration. In his first single as the main credited artist since 2015, Jay Rock links up with Future, James Blake and Black Hippy partner and label mate
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