4 Observations About Kendrick's "untitled unmastered"

Amazing the power Lebron James holds over music huh?  It's pretty crazy the influence and power he holds over most things, but this is especially significant considering the fact he just convinced Top Dawg's CEO to release the unreleased songs (one of which they said they didn't have the audio file for because it was apparently accidently deleted, yet it somehow ended up on the album) that Kendrick has been performing on late night television. And his wish was granted!  WTF?!?!  Yo Lebron, while you're at it, go ahead and ask Just Blaze for that Slaughterhouse album would you so kindly (I know it's a shot in the dark, but worth a shot)?  Kendrick's untitled unmastered. doesn't even sound like the title suggests, but it's easy to make a few more observations of the EP just based on TPAB, and based on the sound he was experiencing with. Here's 4 observations I made about Kendrick's new EP.

Socially Conscience Agenda


"The smell is disgusting, the heat is unbearable, preachers touchin' on boys, run for cover the paranoid, raper's and murderers hurdle alleys, valleys in high places turn into dust, famous screaming in agony, Atheists for suicide, planes falling out the sky, trains jumping off the tracks, mothers yelling 'he's alive'," etc. Kendrick has never been one to shy away from speaking on the real state of the world, and "Untitled 1" is another prime example of this, as is the entire rest of the EP (especially the beginning of "Untitled 4").

To Pimp A Butterfly themes


The re-occurring "pimp pimp! hooray!" theme that Kendrick shows throughout untitled unmastered. can easily be seen as a theme that was intended for To Pimp A Butterfly. Is there a reason for the chanting?  I have a theory that the chanting could be a satirical way for Kendrick to demonstrate how the "hood" sees pimps (the "hooray" being a celebration of how cool and "righteous" being a pimp in the hood actually is). It's a far fetched theory, but most theories are. Anyways, the funky bass lines (which help lead to the next observation) found throughout untitled unmastered. are reminiscent of "King Kunta", not to mention the ever so familiar instruments found in the beginning of "untitled 6" (sounds eerily similar to "For Sale?" off of To Pimp A Butterfly).

Funky Music + Live Instruments    


Obviously the recordings on untitled unmastered. sound much different than those that Kendrick performed on his live television performances (which is the only disappointing thing about this EP, you can't hear him spazz out HIT THE BANK AND WITHDRAW, HIT THE BANK AND WITHDRAW like he did on Colbert), but one thing that stays true is the great use of live instruments that Kendrick uses throughout the project, as opposed to your average hip hop instrumental. You can hear the live snare come in beautifully and right on cue in "untitled 3", as well as every other track (live drums add an extra special pop to the beats on untitled unmastered., as well as the live hi hat in "untitled 5").

Kendrick Can't Be Touched

(*I do not own these songs, or the rights to them*)

It's understandable that people get tired of hearing this, I mean for God's sake at some point all you can do is sound like a broken record, but Kendrick might literally be the Chosen One. That was too much to say, let me be real about it. Kendrick is ACTUALLY pushing boundaries and breaking down walls that other artists so confidently (actually, the worst kind of cocky) claim they are (cough cough Kanye West). Kendrick has muted the already silent supposed "greatness" of Jay Electronica with subtle, yet potent jabs like "before you poke out your chest, loosen your bra, before you step out of line and dance with the star, I could never end a career if it never starts." Where's a shock-faced emoji when you need one?  I would love to hear Jay Elec's comment on that one. Regardless of the drama, Kendrick has done it again, and with an untitled and unmastered project, no less.