Kendrick Lamar: untitled unmastered, track-by-track

“Kendrick just extended Black History Month for another 28 days,” user ReeceD said in response to untitled 01.

“Nah, more like Kendrick just extended Black History Month to Black History: Past, Present and Future,” user ImaSamara countered.

These were the few comments I read on genius.com, but the consensus was clear:

King Kendrick is back. All hail the King.

“untitled unmastered” is the newest album dropped by Kendrick Lamar, a surprise to the nation as it was released onto Spotify and iTunes on March 4 with nearly no notice from Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), his record label.

The album includes tracks originally intended to go on his 2015 release, To Pimp a Butterfly (henceforth referred to as TPAB). Fans didn’t know these tracks existed, granted. But once released, we were thankful to have what we were missing in our lives, whether we knew it or not. It’s as though TPAB is finally concluded, with a product that stands alone by his own genius.

Let’s look at the tracks one by one:

untitled 01 | 08.19.2014.

The first track is the best way to open the album. The voice of Bilal over smooth bass and drums welcomes you, reminding you of TPAB in a way that gets you ready to enjoy ‘untitled unmastered.’ In his long verse between the intro and outro, Kendrick talks about the sins in our world. His tempo is strong and fast, with a sound reminiscent of verse three from King Kunta. The track ends on a slow-paced outro that pulls you right back to the days of listening to TPAB on repeat.

untitled 02 | 06.23.2014.

The breakout track of this album, untitled 02 is the one to bump. Kendrick does what we all love, playing with his voice to create different effects and tones in his music. Add in a powerful bass, and you can’t help moving your body to this track. You find yourself yelling, “Get God on the phone!” the first bar from the hook that truly makes you alive. The real magic, however, comes from verse 2 when Kendrick lowers his tone and speeds up his tempo. He almost sounds bored as he runs through his bars, yet it still gives you chills.

untitled 03 | 03.28.2013.

The second track is followed up by a real upbeat, jazzy song that was performed on “The Colbert Report” in December 2014. In the lyrics, Kendrick includes perspectives from different minorities. He speaks on lessons he has learned from other cultures – Asian, Indian – and his own, that of the black man. He rounds it off with a real punch:

  What the white man say?

  A piece of mine’s

  That’s what the white man wanted when I rhyme

  Telling me that he selling me just for $10.99

untitled 04 | 08.14.2014.

The fourth track is another powerful, beautiful song. Kendrick combines his voice with that of SZA to create a beautiful intro that comments on the corruption of government. It’s a short track, only running 1:49, but it’s one you’ll want to play on repeat just to get that feeling evoked from you again, and again, and again. And if you can explain the recurring lyric, “head is the answer, head is the future,” that has everyone baffled, please write in. We want to know.

untitled 05 | 09.21.2014.

Another beautiful mastery of drums, bass, piano and sax. Track five brings in Anna Wise, who ushers you into the track with smooth vocals. The instrumentals continue on as they started, and Kendrick bursts out onto the track with some great bars. What makes the track great is the intertwining of Wise’s vocals, Kendrick’s rap, and the bass guitar. Also, Jay Rock makes an appearance, which can always improve something.

untitled 06 | 06.30.2014.

The sixth track features CeeLo Green, which gives it a distinct sound. He meshes well with Kendrick’s own singing voice, as well as his rapping. This is a song that will get stuck in your head for days, have you singing, “I can explain,” from the bridge. Another self-expression song, with lyrics like:

  Estranged baby, no I’m not ashamed

  I recommend every inch of your lunatic ways

  Praise the lord, you teach the kids how to be themself and plenty more

untitled 07 | 2014 – 2016

The sequel, as far as tone and beat, to track 02. This is another song where you crank up the volume in your car (who’re you kidding, you do that for the whole album). What makes this track so great, though, is its three-part nature. We have the first part, mentioned above. Then a stand-alone verse by Kendrick about his fame and greatness, his ego. The third part ends it on an insight. A rough recording of him in the studio, going over some lyrics with a guitar. You can hear his friends laughing, singing with him. The lyric “head is the answer, head is the future,” comes up again, making you wonder what exactly that means to him. But, overall, the listener feels as though they’re right there in the studio with him. It’s magic.

untitled 08 | 09.06.2014.

A great end to the album. Kendrick brings the funk in this song, for sure. And while the beat makes you move, the lyrics tell another story. It’s a bittersweet lamenting about the monetary difficulties of the black community he came from, in comparison to the success he now has. Yet another struggle for him to reconcile where he is now with where he came from – a concept I think we will keep seeing pop up in his music.