If Kendrick Lamar hasn’t made the best minimalist music video of all time with The Heart Part 5 he inarguably deserves accolades for ingenuity. Shot against a red background, a pensive Lamar unleashes torrent after torrent of consciousness hip-hop verse as his body moves to the rhythm like he’s softly absorbing bullets and it looks like that’s all we’ll see until a wave of his hand and deepfake tech turn him into O.J. Simpson. Just as the mind processes the face swap, he switches to Will Smith, then Jussie Smollett, Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Hussle.
Lamar, who brings The Big Steppers Tour with openers Baby Keem and Tanna Leone to T-Mobile Arena this Friday, is the undisputed champion of lyrical flow. His timbre and tone are genetic gifts, but his delivery, speed and content evolved from hard work, focus and discipline. It’s been five years since the release of Lamar’s fourth album, Damn, but it doesn’t take even one full listen to Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers to prove the wait was worthwhile. Released in May, Mr. Morale feels like a release of a half-decade’s worth of words fired like a barrage of arrows so numerous they cloud the sky.
It’s worth catching Lamar live just to be overwhelmed by his recall ability. His mind works at super speed and songs are so packed with messages, imagery, shout-outs, post-traumatic stress and hope that layers and levels of meaning can be discerned on repeated listens. Sometimes he’s Dada-esque, other times every seemingly disparate line contributes to a whole effect.
Baby Keem guests on trunk-rattling album track “Savior” and Leone adds her voice to wobbly “Mr. Morale,” making their appearances during Lamar’s set a reasonable expectation. Walking away inspired after the show is a safe bet as well. Re-creating the uplifting vibe on Mr. Morale in a live setting was of high priority for Lamar, and reviews of the tour’s concerts so far indicate he’s been successful.
T-Mobile Arena, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9, starting at $69 plus tax and fee. axs.com
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