If Kendrick Lamar were a cocktail, he’d be a heady mix of drama, self-importance, and a dash of over hype. Shaken, not stirred.
Let’s be real for a minute. Lamar is a skilled wordsmith, but lately his reputation has grown into a self-congratulatory victory lap.
Lamar’s technical skill has been overshadowed by a cult-like fan-base that now favors polished, abstract spectacles over the raw, accessible authenticity that once defined his groundbreaking work.
Take his beef with Drake. Lamar’s lyrical jabs and diss tracks have become a recurring theme, dominating his narrative of personal growth. Instead of using his platform to push creative boundaries, he often appears more interested in one-upping his rival.
Many of his Drake disses in his songs are peak songwriting, but it is still disappointing to hear his lyrics descending from meaning and art to cheap attacks on perceived rivals.
Previous albums, such as “To Pimp a Butterfly” and “untitled unmastered.” focused on social issues. Songs like “Institutionalized” and “untitled 03” critiqued racial inequality.
This trend of meaningful songs played no small part in his rise to popularity. Fans loved to listen to his free-flowing music and playful style.
But in his more recent singles like “Not Like Us”, the focus shifts almost single-mindedly to his dispute with Drake. His single, “meet the grahams” forgoes any sort of musical progression beyond a repeating harmony, coming off as an underdone and frankly disconcerting monologue.
The style, energy and enthusiasm that previously defined his work were abandoned in favor of tasteless and boring disses.
And then there’s his Super Bowl halftime show. It shattered records with 133.5 million viewers. But if you ask me, the performance felt a bit too high-concept.
Most casual viewers were left scratching their heads at all the symbolism and abstract visuals. It was dazzling but not exactly the kind of party-starting performance everyone craves on game day.
During his Super Bowl performance, Lamar took a few subtle shots at President Trump, using pointed visuals and lyrics to critique the president. While this political commentary is a part of his style, it still risks undermining the traditional spirit of the Super Bowl as a unifying celebration of sport and entertainment.
Even within the hip-hop community, the debate is on fire. Many critics argue that while Lamar’s technical skills are solid, the cult-like hype around him is too much. After his Super Bowl performance, expectations were high, and his new album “GNX” did not meet them.
His persona, built on intricate symbolism, high-profile feuds and self-importance, often comes off as more egotistical than revolutionary.
At the end of the day, Kendrick Lamar is still a powerhouse on the mic. But maybe it’s time we question if all that praise is truly earned or if we’re just riding a wave of media hype and fervent fandom.
