After Kendrick Lamar‘s 2012 debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, which was instantly hailed a classic, his next single has been highly anticipated. Finally, the first single, “i,” from his sophomore album, has dropped.
The song features Lamar utilizing a singing-rapping technique for the the hook “I love myself,” the song’s central theme, over an upbeat guitar and drums. While the hook aims to be both meaningful and catchy, it lacks the catchiness of widely compared songs like “Hey Ya!” by OutKast, because of the beat and the hook. This is not to say either are lacking in quality, but they do lack the vibe a song like “Hey Ya!” has to chart at number one.
In his verses, Lamar addresses issues such as violence, drug use, critics but mostly self-confidence and acceptance. By loving himself, Lamar is able to overcome his depression which stems from his lack of confidence. By truly accepting himself, Lamar reveals, he has become free.
The lyrics are meaningful and consistent like the majority of his songs. The message is strong, personal and essential to everyone. In an age where rap and virtually all pop music boils down to money, drugs, partying and sex, it is certainly refreshing to see an artist like Lamar lead his upcoming album with a single with so much substance.
The song is limited by its replay value. It verges on catchy, but fails to reach it through its hook and beat. Ultimately, this keeps the song from, potentially, being an urban radio smash.
The song has only been out two days, so this is not to say it might grow in it’s catchiness, but as of now it does not live up to the standard Lamar’s previous singles, like “The Recipe” and “Poetic Justice,” have displayed. “i” certainly has a more positive and accessible message than most of his past singles, but Lamar fails to mix these two elements together to the degree expected by a top-tier rapper in this single. Lamar’s next album, expected to release late 2014 or early 2015, will still be highly anticipated because he has shown his ability to making deep songs has not faded, but one can hope the hooks and production are better musically than “i.”
The Hilights
Song Title: “i”
Release date: 9/23/2014
Cost: $1.29
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Note: Explicit