Tkay Studio Reviews

[Glendora Spink]

Thediscourse around Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, Kendrick Lamar's first album in five years, is well and truly firing off. The critics have had heir say, from rave reviews to less-flattering takes on what most agree is a dense, complicated listening experience that can leave you awestruck and wanting to unpack more.

But regarded as he is as a rapper's rapper, we wanted to hear the opinions and perspectives of those that practise the same craft as Kendrick. So, we hit up some of the most esteemed names running 'round the Aussie hip hop scene to get their thoughts.

"It's only been a few days, so I have a lot of thoughts that are still simmering. But overall I'm enjoying the album a lot. It feels like Kendrick is more focused on growing and finding himself as a human being, and the music feels like an outlet for sharing that, rather than an album made for the enjoyment of others as a top priority."

"I'm seeing where it's coming from conceptually, but I do feel weird about the addition of Kodak Black with his history of abuse. The album provokes a lot of questions and discussions that'll hopefully be dissected with some nuance."

Tkay's string of Last Year Was Weird projects show she's all about high concept. Heading home this month after bringing the heat on tour in the US, both at her own shows and supporting old mate Billie Eilish, she rates Kendrick's new opus a "9.5 at the moment. But I feel like once I've lived with it for a while, it'll be a 10."

"I think Kendrick has proved that his talents are beyond limitless and he has no fear when it comes to his art. It feels like a healing exercise and he's more vulnerable than he has ever been - holding himself accountable for his mistakes but also analysing how he got to this point."

"He blesses us with new flows and delivery styles, too; consistently pushing the envelope. This album to me has a rawness and hunger that Section.80 and good kid, M.A.A.D. City have, but the sonic curiosity that untitled.unmastered. and Black Panther had.

Gearing up to release his debut album A Colour Undone (out 8 July), we once hailed J Award winner Tasman Keith as Bowraville's own Kendrick Lamar! He says right now, he rates the album somewhere between "8 or 9 outta 10" But it's about so much more than numbers.

"Kendrick's evolution on this album is very interesting and one that I feel will be a lesson for a lot of people. You can tell he has very much made an album for himself but still kept the listeners' betterment in mind. There's a lot of letting go, a lot of trauma addressed and amended."

"The energy and delivery from both [Kendrick and Zola star Taylour Paige] is so believable you end up physically feeling the emotions they are both portraying. How the fuck did they make this?! This is a song that makes me wishhhhh I was in the studio as this was being made and just witnessing how this actual masterpiece came to be because this is some GENIUS fucking shit."

Rapper, producer, tastemaker. Kwame is a one-man force who's been pushing his own artistic boundaries ever since hew was the 2018 Unearthed Artist of the Year. And game recognise game, he calls Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers "an impeccable album that speaks on important, powerful and universal themes such as family trauma, fatherhood, black relationships, cancel culture, sexuality and so so much more."

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