Kendrick Lamar released his first track since being announced as the Super Bowl 59 halftime performer ... and the theme isn't exactly a stadium-rocker that'll need crowd control ... he's calling for the hip hop culture to change for the better!!!
The unnamed track clocks in at 5:06, which is pretty long by current standards. But Kendrick has a lot to say about the materialism and drug abuse that passes so easily in today’s music.
Fans are convinced the song is named “Watch The Party Die.” The lyrics say “I think it’s time to watch the party die … Street n***** and the corporate guys, the rappers that report the lies I need they families mortified!!!”
Kendrick never mentions Drake by name but does dance around their historic beef -- and possibly his “grave” a bit -- when he raps, “Just walk that man down, that'll do everyone a solid. It's love, but tough love sometimes gotta result in violence.”
The song’s cover art depicts a pair of worn down, all-black Air Force 1’s … a common footwear choice for shooters in the hood ... indicative of the song's theme that he had to do the dirty work in order for the culture to cleanse itself.
DJ Akademiks also took issue with K. Dot’s lyrics -- “The radio personality pushin' propaganda for salary / Let me know when they turn up as a casualty, I want agony / Assault and battery” -- and he live-streamed for a couple hours to avenge his reputation.
Drake hasn't responded to the song or Dot's SB LIV announcement, but Baka Not Nice -- the guy Kendrick roasted on "Not Like Us" for allegedly having a weird case -- still feels some type of way, and declared the track belongs in a burning dumpster!!!
Kendrick didn't use all his lyrics to immolate ... he also shines a spotlight on Christian hip hop stars Dee-1 and Lecrae for their cultural stances -- “Sometimes I wonder what Lecrae would do?” before rapping, “I wanna be empathetic, my heart like Dee-1.”
Dee-1 thanked Kendrick for the shout-out with a throwback of them together, and Lecrae says his phone hasn't stopped buzzing since the song dropped ... we'll take some of the blame for that!!! 😎
Moral of the story: Kendrick says a cultural shift had to happen at the expense of Drake's reign ... but then again, there's still this mysterious "Round 2"!!!