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Kendrick Lamar releases new song on Instagram: full lyrics and meaning
The rapper has released new material for the first time since his historic feud with Drake.
There is no consensus within the scientific community as to why cats prefer to play with captured mice before eventually deciding to kill and eat them. Some say they’re inviting others to join in, some argue that it’s a way to check the mouse is dead, and others point to it just being outright fun. So when Kendrick Lamar, after all he did to Drake, goes and drops another diss aimed at the Canadian, the only question that remains is: why? He’s already dead!
OK, before I go further, I have to say that the track, as of yet without an official name, is not entirely aimed at Drake. There are references to plenty of other things that we’ll get into, but some lines, and not least that hellish, ‘Meet the Grahams’ style beat, certainly throw our minds back to the beef that captivated everyone from Swifties to WNBA stars just months ago.
The song was released on Kendrick’s Instagram with no warning, no title, and just a picture of a pair of black Nike Air Force Ones that one scarily quick Reddit user (you know what they’re like) found on Ebay. The size 12s were, according to the listing, “pre preowned in good condition” and sold for $70.
The lack of information sparked debate online: what was the meaning behind the photo? Why release a song now? And just what is K-Dot talking about? Some fans have, as you may expect, eaten lots of sweets and gone a little too crazy, suggesting the delivery date on the item could be the date Kendrick drops a new album: don’t worry, we’re not going that far.
We can, however, answer at least one of those aforementioned questions and dive into the lyrics, which you can find below.
Kendrick Lamar Instagram song full lyrics:
[Verse 1]
I think it's time to watch the party die
This shit done got too wicked to apologize
It's different, get him whacked and disqualified
We even kill the killers 'cause they like taking innocent lives
Burn a whole village, we start over, it's really that time
Why reason with these n----- if they can't see the future first?
Why argue with these clowns if the circus is well at work?
Just walk that man down, that'll do everyone a solid
It's love but tough lovе, sometimes gotta result in violеnce
If you parade in gluttony without giving truth to the youth, the graveyard is company
Just tell us what casket to choose
They party more than bitches, tell me what are you working for?
They glorify scamming, you get chipped over this credit card
Influencers talked down 'cause I'm not with the basic shit
But they don't hate me, they hate the man that I represent
The type of man that never dick ride 'cause I want a favor
The man that resides in patience
So where the soldiers at?
The one's that lost it all and learnt to learn from that
A thirst for life
Head inside a book 'cause he concerned with that
Information that'll change his life because he yearns for that
Dedication, finding out what's right, 'cause he can earn from that
I feel for the women that deal with the clown and nerd shit
Can't blame them, today they ain't really got much to work with
How many bitches harder than a lot of you n-----?
Would trade all of y'all for Nip, I can't be proud of you n-----
[Chorus]
God, give me life, dear God, give me peace
Dear God, please keep these lame n----- away from me
Dear God, keep me shining, the fuck do they really think?
Pocket watching, you must be the police
God, bless these words, dear God, bless how I think
Dear God, draw the line, they tryna confuse 'em with me
Dear God, please forgive me, you knowin' how hard I tried
I think it's time for me to watch the party die (Uh-huh, huh)
Get 'em gone, we gon' watch the party die (Uh-huh)
Send 'em home, we gon' watch the party die
[Verse 2]
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
We can do life without 'em, get they bodies organized
Tell me if you obliged
No more pillow talkin', jump starting neighborhood wars
Dirty mackin' bitches because your spirit is insecure
The flashy n---- with nasty decisions using money as a backbone
I want his head cracked before he's back home
The radio personality pushing propaganda for salary
Let me know when they turn up as a casualty
I want agony
Assault and battery
I see a new earth filled with beautiful people making humanity work
Let's kill the followers that follow up on poppin' mollies from
The obvious, degenerates, that's failing to acknowledge the
Hope that we tryna spread, if I'm not as woke
Then you need to bring his fucking head or film that shit in Hi-res
[Chorus]
God, give me life, dear God, please give me peace
Dear God, please keep these lame n----- away from me
Dear God, keep me shining, the fuck do they really think?
Pocket watching, you must be the police
God bless these words, dear God, bless how I think
Dear God, draw the line, they tryna confuse 'em with me
Dear God, please, forgive me, you knowin' how hard I tried
I think it's time for me to watch the party die
[Verse 3]
Sometimes I wonder what Lecrae would do
Fuck these n----- up or show 'em just what prayer do
I want to be empathetic, my heart like Dee-1
But I will—
It's time to get these devils out the way
Heavy metals on my sword we settle hard disputes today, the ghetto Hollywood divorce
Say hello to your future fate
The culture-bred, we're carnivores, you let 'em snack, they eat your face
The signatures is being forged
They wonder why I'm not enthused to drop
The more visible you get, the more your spiritual is tried
It's cynical to say I know these artists petrified
The end result in jail by Jezebel or drugged up full of lies
Critical, I know my physical is tested all the time
I'm pitiful, sunken place soon as I'm questionin' my pride
I'm seeing ghosts, blackin' out, relapsing one thought at the time
I spare no feeling that ain't mine
I'm in my feelings when I slide, I mean
A nigga wonder what Lecrae would do
Terrace Martin said I'm mentally with layers it's true
I flood the market with my best regards, I paid your dues
And so it's up if you ain't one of ours, it's bad news
My n---- Jay Estrada said I gotta burn it down to build it up
That confirmation real as fuck
It ain't too many real as us
Lockin' in to what I trust
Looking outside, the kids live tomorrow 'cause today the party just
Died
Source: genius.com
Kendrick Lamar’s Instagram song: breaking down the lyrics
First of all, we get real Kung-Fu Kenny as he goes in on Drake from line one, rapping ”I think it’s time to watch the party die / This shit done got too wicked to apologize / It’s different, get him whacked and disqualified” before adding just a few lines later that “Just walk that man down, that’ll do everyone a solid”.
However, the rapper does move away from Drake and instead takes aim at the state of society and the music culture as a whole, saying “Influencers talked down ‘cause I’m not with the basic shit / But they don’t hate me, they hate the man that I represent / The type of man that never dick ride ‘cause I want a favor”. Lamar is clearly referencing the fact that he doesn’t make music for everyone, but people who are willing to invest time to delve into his messages and enjoy the sound, instead of making a catchy tune that can be sold for millions and played endlessly on social media.
Lamar also answers the question asked as to why he has not dropped any music, saying “They wonder why I’m not enthused to drop / The more visible you get, the more your spiritual is tried”. This first line could actually be a reference to Drake’s bar from ‘Taylor Made Freestyle’ in which he raps ”since ‘Like That’ your tone changed a little, you not as enthused”. What’s certain is that Kendrick is clearly not happy with the quality of music being released under the banner of hip-hop at the moment and simply doesn’t feel like the atmosphere is healthy within the world of rap.
While news of his appearance at the Super Bowl halftime show was met with frantic applause from fans, many were quick to criticise the fact that Kendrick had been chosen, with local rapper Lil Wayne many people’s choice for the gig.
Included in the list of critics was Nicki Minaj, who cited the veteran rapper’s impact on the genre, saying on Twitter that Jay-Z, who has co-produced the NFL event since 2019, was “denying a young black man what he rightfully put into this game for no other reason but your ego”. Jay-Z and Wayne have had a long-standing feud that dates back years. And don’t think Kendrick turned a blind eye to the criticism: he rapped “Heavy metals on my sword we settle hard disputes today, the ghetto Hollywood divorce”, with the latter two words a reference to an Outkast song - featuring Lil Wayne.