Kendrick Lamar revealed what might be the central theme for his follow-up to 2015’s “To Pimp a Butterfly” as he recently told T Magazine that his next album will focus on “God.”
The platinum rapper described the project as “very urgent” and alluded to simply addressing the ills which plague the black community as not enough. “I think now, how wayward things have gone within the past few months, my focus is ultimately going back to my community and the other communities around the world where they’re doing the groundwork,” he said. “To Pimp a Butterfly was addressing the problem. I’m in a space now where I’m not addressing the problem anymore. We’re in a time where we exclude one major component out of this whole thing called life: God. Nobody speaks on it because it’s almost in conflict with what’s going on in the world when you talk about politics and government and the system.”
Faith is not a new theme for Kendrick as he depicted his own baptism on his major label debut, Good Kid M.A.A.D City. His faith in God continued to influence his music in songs like “How Much a Dollar Cost” and “Alright” on “To Pimp a Butterfly.” Lamar, along with artists like Chance The Rapper and Lecrae, is bringing Christianity to the forefront of hip-hop. Lecrae even described Lamar as a deeply spiritual person in an interview with Buzzfeed back in 2015.
“In this industry, a lot of people shake hands and high-five each other, but there’s not a lot of genuine conversation about the deeper things in life,” said Lecrae. “When you’re struggling with your girl or your mom is sick, it’s rare that you find someone that actually wants to talk with you on a real level. So being able to connect with him [Kendrick Lamar] on spiritual matters is definitely something that I value and appreciate.”
Source: hiphopdx.com
