Listened through Loyalty and holy shit this thing is wild and abrasive. Not what I was expecting after Humble. Picking up a lot of Bible references, need to sit down and do a read along with the lyrics. *That part* in the first track made me jump back while driving home lol
The first track is a bit corny tbh. I guess the double album theory would make it better? idk it's heavyhanded symbolism
Love is still my favorite by a pretty large margin. Different from like any other Kendrick song. He usually has an odd ear for hooks/melodies but this is great. DNA, Feel and Element are other standouts on my second listen
Reminder that the Humble video had different opening lyrics from the album version. "Wicked or weakness, you gotta see this." Similar to the opening line of the record.
There are also at least 4 references to no one praying for Kendrick on here. Starting to pick apart the lyricism a bit and loving how recursive a lot of the lyrics are.
Damn = to curse perhaps that has something to do with the no praying theme throughout. If one were to buy into the double album theory, maybe the second one is more positive? Idk I'm not putting to much weight into it but the themes of damning him are more prevalent on second listen.
Anyone else hearing throwback words or phrases from TPAB? I know it's early but this is seriously great, give it time this will stand beside all his work. The production on this sounds so smooth and crisp with good headphones. James Blake did the production on "Element" right? I can hear the influence. "Loyalty" will be on the radio, Rihanna sounds pretty good on it. "Love" might be my favorite, holy shit. "God" is great too...I'm feeling a light Drake vibe on some of this but I know he said it's going be more mainstream. The religious symbolism is still hard to make total sense of, especially of these rumors of his resurrection and another album come Easter. Someone on Reddit posted that they played "Fear", the backwards part and got this "Every Stone thrown at you resting at my feet Why God, why God do I gotta suffer? Pain in my heart carry burden for the struggle Why God, Why God do I gotta Bleed? Every stone thrown at you Restin at my feet Why God, why God do I gotta suffer? Earth is no more won't you burn this mother fucker" If this was already posted my bad.
The verses on Fear are dope but man I don't like the chorus at all. That seems to be a recurring problem I have with Kendrick tracks