Rating and Ranking Every Song on Kendrick Lamar’s New Album “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers”
In my first ever “Rate and Rank,” I will be reviewing Kendrick Lamar’s latest album “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers,” which dropped on Friday. Overall the album was nice and I think it was worth the wait. Before we get into it though a few disclaimers! These are my opinions and yours may vary from mine, that is what makes music so beautiful. It is all opinion based. Next, this is the first Kendrick Lamar album I have listened to fully. Lastly, I will be ranking this album into 4 categories.
- Interludes- It’s too hard to rate and rank these among other songs so they will be rated and ranked against each other into a separate category.
- Low-Mid Tier- Songs that didn’t really make it up to par completely, or were just lacking something. Not necessarily awful, but just not great.
- Good-Great Songs- Songs that were very good and I would listen to on my own time and enjoy.
- The Best- The big boy songs that can go up to bat against other Kendrick classics and are definitely up there at the top of his career (so far).
CATEGORY 1: THE INTERLUDES
Behold, your interlude ranking.
18. Rich (Interlude) 7/10
This interlude is nice. It has beautiful piano in it. Kodak does good. Something feels lacking though, and I don’t know what it is. It’s a very nice interlude however, and the piano helps carry it a bit.
17. Savior (Interlude) 8.5/10
A very beautiful interlude. Fantastic interlude and the orchestra in it really helps elevate it. A bit better than Rich, just due to me liking the rapping better than Kodak’s in Rich.
CATEGORY 2: LOW-MID TIER SONGS
Songs that aren’t bad, but not up to par with regular Kendrick.
16. Savior 6/10
I really, really am trying to love this song, but it hasn’t clicked yet. It’s not bad at all, but it’s also just not great Kendrick level. I really want this to be higher, but I can’t do that yet. Maybe it needs to grow on me. Good song, but nothing crazy.
15. Silent Hill 7/10
This song ended up being a waste. The instrumental/beat turned out to be one of the best on the album. Kendrick does solid too. But man, it is so hard for me to enjoy Kodak’s verses here. Shame the beat was somewhat ruined with Kodak putting up trash. He did good on the rest of the album, just can’t dig it here. However Kendrick and the beat carry the song. If Kodak wasn’t on this song It’d be a 9.
CATEGORY 3: GOOD-GREAT SONGS
These are the songs you’ll likely add to your playlist and enjoy once in awhile, nothing crazy, but solid good songs!
14. Crown 7/10
This is where these song start getting really good. Crown has a beautiful message and the piano blows me away. There’s nothing bad about this song, but on the contrary nothing phenomenal about this song. It’s just overall a nice solid song.
13. Purple Hearts 7.5/10
This song is so mixed. The beat and instrumental is so beautiful. The hook is nice, but a little annoying. This song is pretty similar to LOVE. from DAMN. But Ghostface sadly doesn’t fit here. His verse overall wasn’t great, and it’s not his fault. This song just does not feel like it fits Ghostface. Ghostface could’ve featured much better on a song like Worldwide Steppers. Overall though Kendrick and Summer Walker kill it for a beautiful duet and it really is a beautiful song.
12. Count Me Out 7.5/10
Count Me Out will need 2 listens from you before you can judge it. First listen I thought it was pretty “meh.” But after re-listening this song really is a solid one. It’s a little more “Drakey” than I’d like, but the hook is great, and it’s a great hype song. It will grow on you.
11. Mr. Morale 7.5/10
I didn’t expect much from this song due to things I’d heard, but wow. What is everyone talking about?? This song goes hard! The flow and vibe you get is unlike any other on the album. It has its weak spots, but overall, I was very pleased by this song!
10. Rich Spirit 7.5/10
When this song started, I thought it would be weak. I thought it was until the end. Until my third listen. Something just clicked, this song is very catchy, and has such a nice flow and pacing to it. The lyrics on it are a little weak but overall I still really like this song. Something unique and we don’t really hear on the album again.
9. We Cry Together 8/10
This song is incredible. But way too long. It’s one you won’t listen to for awhile after your first couple of listens. It is intense and you can feel emotion. The instrumental/beat gives off raw 90’s east coast rap vibes. I think both rappers did good here. This song immediately reminded me of Kim by Eminem. An incredible song, but one you’ll need to store away for awhile; due to it’s ridiculous intensity. The song is also a bit too long, 3 minutes would’ve done fine (heck even an interlude spot), but overall it’s a very unique Kendrick flow, we’ve never heard before!
8. Worldwide Steppers 8/10
At first this song was a 6 or so for me. But really listen to it. The vibe you get when listening to it, then that beat change. WOW. Got some serious MF Doom vibes on this track and it’s overall so poetic and beautiful. This is real raw Kendrick.
CATEGORY 4: THE BEST
We are now getting into the best songs on the album. These are all so good and very hard to rank. All of them are elite songs and must-listens!
7. United In Grief 8.5/10
Man this song is so good. One of the best intro tracks I’ve heard in awhile. It really sets up the album in a perfect way, and gets you ready for an incredible album of music. The song itself isn’t anything crazy, however the storytelling and the way it all flows in the end… just works. A great song you’ll love.
6. Mirror 9/10
On the contrary, this is one of the best outro songs I’ve heard in awhile. It has some of the best lyrics on the album. It just feels like he’s riding into the sunset and finally trying to find his peace of mind and prioritize his family life. It really is beautiful and so poetic. One that just makes you happy.
5. Auntie Diaries 9/10
I love the message on this song. It’s one that rap has needed for decades. This song will age so well. There’s not a bad thing about it. It’s just so hard to rank songs at this point though. But overall it’s really good, and the ways he connects the dots from events in his life is beautiful. So vibrant and colorful. The rap game will be talking about this one decades from now. It’s a real trailblazing song.
4. Father Time 9/10
You love this song the more you listen to it. It is very beautiful. The message is once again incredible. The way he talks about growing up, wow. Just incredible. The message is very important. Sampha, DESTROYED the hook. And the beat and piano in the back just puts the cherry on top.
3. Die Hard 9.5/10
Die Hard is beautiful. it’s a fantastic R&B/Hip Hop masterpiece. The production is one of the best on the album. In my opinion, it has the best hook on the album, only father time can compete with Die Hard’s hook.
2. Mother I Sober 10/10
This song has the best storytelling of them all. The song doesn’t necessarily go “hard.” It’s just real raw hip hop storytelling and something the genre has lacked for years. Everything about this song is so fantastic. It’s a song anyone can relate to and it’s a must-listen.
- N95 10/10
I really didn’t want to choose this song as my number one. Maybe because I know it will win rap song of the year and be overplayed to hell like HUMBLE. But for the time being it’s a great song. Is it he best lyrically? Big No. But it’s the big hype song on the album. the one you’ll hear played in sports arenas for years to come. Honestly though, Mother I sober is worthy of number one as well. It all depends what kind of person you are. That will lead you to choose one or the other as number one. Both are masterpieces and will be considered classics 30 years from now. I think N95 is better now, but Mother I Sober will age better and be considered more classic and iconic years from now.
That’s my list. Let me know what you think in the comments. Overall this is one of his best albums yet. Storytelling is top notch. Overall album receives a 9/10. And I predict it will easily win album of the year. Thanks for reading! Peace
-Max Green
