On Friday, May 13 Kendrick Lamar will release his long-awaited fifth album ”Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.” While we have reservations about the album’s title, we are excited for some new Kendrick Lamar music.
Few days after debuting his newest single The Heart Part 5, and it’s accompanying video. K. Dot returned on Wednesday (May 11) with the official album cover for his last album under Top Dawg Entertainment.
The album cover shot by photographer Renell Medrano offers fans a rare glimpse into the life of the usually reclusive rapper, as it features the 35-year old and his family.
A crowned Lamar is pictured holding is now 3-year old daughter, while his longtime fiancée, Whitney Alford can be seen sitting on a bed cradling a baby.
According to TMZ, Lamar and Alford privately welcomed their second child, which is the baby being nursed in the cover. The reveal is also inline with his latest single “The Heart Part 5” in which In he referred to his “kids,” in the plural. He also mentions his “wife” but it’s unclear if his marital status has changed.
In an April 2015 interview with Power 105.1’s “The Breakfast Club,” Lamar confirmed that he was engaged to his high school sweetheart. “Yeah, yeah, definitely,” he said when asked about his relationship status with Alford. “I’m loyal to the soil. At the end of the day you want to always have real people around you, period–whether male or female.”
Lamar, 35 and Alford, 36 welcomed their first child in July of 2019.
“Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” also begins a new chapter in the life of the Compton rapper. Kendrick announced last August that the album will be his final under TDE.
“I spend most of my days with fleeting thoughts,” he wrote at the time. “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. While the world around me evolves, I reflect on what matters the most. The life in which my words will land next.”
He continued, “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. There’s beauty in completion. And always faith in the unknown. Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts. I’ve prayed for you all. See you soon enough.”
Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, the official follow-up to 2017’s Pulitzer Prize-winning DAMN is expected to arrive this Friday (May 13).