Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers (MMATBS), was released on May 13, 2022 by Kendrick Lamar, and was his fifth studio album. This concept album discusses Lamar’s childhood experiences, and shows his journey through therapy.

MMATBS was extremely well-received, placing atop the Billboard 200, marking his fourth number-one album. This album was also nominated for eight Grammys, including Album of the Year, and won Best Rap Album. This was huge for Lamar, as it was his first release since his five-year long hiatus from the music industry, during which he became a father to two children with his wife, Whitney Alford, who is also featured in the album during various narration sequences.

MMATBS is an extremely personal and heartfelt album, which tells the story of Lamar’s childhood trauma, and his inability to process it. This name of the album itself supports its concept, as the album is really two separate albums merged into one. Mr. Morale (Disc 1), and Big Steppers (Disc 2).

Some of the most popular tracks on this album include N95, United in Grief, and Father Time. These tracks can all be found on Mr. Morale. Some of the more emotional and personal tracks include, Count Me Out, Crown, and Mother I Sober. These tracks are found on Big Steppers. 

Overall, I believe that MMATBS is not only Lamar’s best album, but one of the greatest rap albums of all time. The intense story this album tells is underlined by the outstanding lyricism and invokes strong emotions in every listener. My top three tracks are, United in Grief, Silent Hill, and Die Hard. This album pushes the boundaries of rap, and I would highly recommend this album to anyone who hasn’t listened to it. Further, I would encourage them to dig deeper into the meanings hidden in each track. I rank this album as a 10/10.