In August, Kendrick Lamar announced that he would be leaving his longtime record label, Top Dawn Entertainment. He also hinted that a new project was in the works. "As I produce my final TDE album, I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years," he wrote on a new website called oklama.com. "The Struggles. The Success. And most importantly, the Brotherhood. May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators. As I continue to pursue my life's calling."
Responding to a tweet that read "Kendrick Lamar is officially retired" on April 18, Lamar shared a link to the oklama.com website, where he announced that his fifth album, "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers," would be released on May 13. "The following statement was released today by oklama, through his company pgLang at 11:00 a.m. PT in Los Angeles, CA:
"Album: 'Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers'
"Release date: 5/13/2022
"All factual information for this release will come directly from this source only."
The rapper's new album is a reflection on his last 17 years in the music business. "I spend most of my days with fleeting thoughts. Writing. Listening. And collecting old Beach cruisers," he wrote ahead of the album's debut. "The morning rides keep me on a hill of silence. I go months without a phone. Love, loss, and grief have disturbed my comfort zone, but the glimmers of God speak through my music and family. While the world around me evolves, I reflect on what matters the most. The life in which my words will land next."
