Kendrick Lamar left a spine-chilling PSA on his cousin Baby Keem’s Family Ties that could shake up the rap game in the tail end of what’s been a pretty interesting year for the genre.
Breaking down Kendrick Lamar verse on Family Ties
The 34-year-old made his first appearance on wax since his critically acclaimed 2017 DAMN. offering. While Baby Keep stuck his neck out against his wordsmith blood relative, Lamar stood out with a chilling verse aimed at Hip-Hop’s Top 5.
Here’s our interpretation of Lamar’s performance on Family Ties:
A Kendrick Lamar album is closer than we think
This, fans already know. Last week, Lamar broke the internet and sent murmurs on overdrive when he published a letter to his stans, confirming that not only was an album on the way, but it was his last offering for his longtime record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE).
“As I produce my final TDE album, I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years. 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,” he wrote.
However, on Family Ties, Lamar took a more aggressive turn when teasing his return to music. In fact, no bars were held when he made it clear that “[as] soon as [he] presses that button n—-s better get right like the ambulance coming.”
Therefore, while no official release date for Lamar’s album has been announced, don’t rule out a surprise offering from the 34-year-old before the end of 2021.
Who we think the verse is targeting
Lamar starts off his verse with an ominous chant, “smoking on your — what’s the name — tonight,” a Chicago-coined phrase that essentially means he is out for blood.
Drawing energy from his controversial Control verse, Lamar goes guns-blazing calling on every fan’s Top 5 rapper to prepare for an onslaught when he returns to save Hip-Hop.
“2021 I ain’t taking no prisoner. Y’all f—-d up all the listener, who went platinum? I call that a visitor,” he raps”
From a lyrical standpoint, it doesn’t take much guessing to realise that Lamar has his scope zoomed in on the likes of J Cole and Drake, the two top-tier rappers who have either released an album or have one on the way this year.
Why Lamar has been off grid
Based on his writing in his open letter, the hiatus from music has been both turbulent and serene.
“I spend most of my days with fleeting thoughts. Writing. Listening. And collecting old Beach cruisers. 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,” he writes.
On Family Ties, K.Dot delves deeper into the reasons behind his disappearance from the scene. He makes it clear that he’s been “ducking the pandemic, the social gimmicks , ducking the overnight activists.”
How to download Baby Keem’s Family Ties
Family Ties is available on every digital streaming platform. You can also listen to the song and watch the music video below:
