The production is fittingly simple, a diced horn loop that sounds like game show intro music and snare-heavy percussion from Willie B and Sounwave it’s the kind of understated production you wouldn’t necessarily expect a rapper to char beyond recognition. Most Kendrick tracks have at least a flash or two of his incredible technical skills, but Section.80’s “Rigamortis” is still maybe his purest instance of verbal flexing to date. The flows and instrumentation get more complicated as the song progresses, building to a beautiful string ensemble outro, a perfect ending for one of Kendrick's most ambitious songs.- Alex Gardner He wants to make a difference and impact listeners by putting his vulnerability on display (as Kendrick himself explains here) and he wants his art to hold more weight than whatever the current trend is.Īll this is delivered over a smooth beat from Sounwave that samples "Tiden Flyver" by Danish group Boom Clap Bachelors.
First, he owns up to his inadequacies as a mere mortal, opening the song singing, "I am a sinner, who's probably gonna sin again/Lord, forgive me!" But, as an artist, Kendrick has grand plans which are detailed in this song. Kendrick lays out in clear terms the approach that so much of his career seems to be based on. City narrative as clearly as most of the other tracks, but it shines even brighter as a result. It doesn't fit into the good kid, M.A.A.D. That’s the vibe I wanted to kill," Kendrick Lamar told Complex of this song. "That’s really one big subliminal at everybody getting mixed in a situation where everyone wants to have creative control. The production of the track matches the pain felt in both Sasco's and Lamar's voices-resulting in an atmosphere where listeners can feel a release without having to physically take out their frustrations.- Adrienne Black
Jamaican artist Agent Sasco (fka Assassin) demands immediate attention as he enters to deliver the hook, and ultimately helps to bring the intensity of the entire single together. However, instead of a cookout-ready single led by a soulful sample, he delivered the flip side of that same coin-a more brash single that really makes you want to say "I'm black and I'm proud." The themes of self-love and black empowerment continue to be heard loud and clear. But Lamar went from slightly veering to completely swerving when he followed up with "The Blacker The Berry." This lead single put more emphasis on self-love and black empowerment. When Kendrick Lamar first dropped "i" back in 2014, it was clear that his upcoming album To Pimp A Butterfly would be veering into a different lane.