Kendrick Lamar has shared a mid-tour message in which he reflects on the power of rap music and the ability to confront painful truths and imperfections.
- READ MORE: Kendrick Lamar – ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’ review: a cathartic, soul-baring autobiography
The rapper, who is currently touring his fifth album ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’, shared dozens of photos from the tour and also wrote a lengthy message on his Instagram Stories.
“Rap has truly helped my expansion of self. beyond the perception of who I believe to be. on jojo. music is air to a young n***a at this point,” part of his message read [via Complex].
He opened the note by saying that it took him 20 years to come up with ‘Mother I Sober’, a song off ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers‘ that hears him address family trauma and sexual abuse. At the end of the title song ‘Mr. Morale’ and before the next track ‘Mother I Sober’ the voice of spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle is heard discussing the ‘pain-body’ concept.
Tolle’s concept explores how people carry emotional pain from childhood that never disappears but only builds with intensity. By adulthood, the ‘pain-body’ periodically returns to gather more pain, targeting a partner in doing so. Lamar appears to embrace Tolle’s idea in his own untangling of personal trauma across the album.
“Mr morale. the catalyst of my self expression,” Lamar continued in his post.
“ill never forget the process of falling in love with imperfection. the piano. my fans. the stories of reconciliation i hear from pentitentiaries [sic] to small villages. Some words will find you today. Some will find you in 10. find your children type shit. sitting in the corner like an old book,” he continued. “im forever underground. infratrating [sic] the mainstream a la carte. these cities still beautiful to watch. on jojo. ily. –ok ok!”
Lamar’s message follows him opening up recently to a 12-year-old reporter about what legacy he hopes to leave. He made a similar statement “about accepting the beauty of imperfection” and also noted an “impact to inspire people and always [show] them that the duality of life is not such a bad thing”.
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