Kendrick Lamar

Lyrics

[Intro: Bēkon & Kid Capri]
America
God bless you if it's good to ya
America, please take my hand
Can you help me underst—
New Kung Fu Kenny!

[Verse 1: Kendrick Lamar]
Throw a steak off the ark to a pool full of sharks
He'll take it
Leave him in the wilderness with a sworn nemesis
He'll make it (He'll make it)
Take the gratitude from him, I bet he'll show you somethin'
Woah (Woah)
I chip a nigga lil' bit of nothin'
I chip a nigga lil' bit of nothin'
I chip a nigga lil' bit of nothin'
I chip a nigga, then throw the blower in his lap
Walk myself to the court like, "Bitch, I did that!," X-rated
Johnny don't wanna go to school no mo', no mo'
Johnny said books ain't cool no mo' (No mo')
Johnny wanna be a rapper like his big cousin
Johnny caught a body yesterday out hustlin'
God bless America, you know we all love him
[Verse 2: Kendrick Lamar]
Yesterday, I got a call, like, from my dawg, like 101
Said they killed his only son because of insufficient funds
He was sobbin', he was mobbin', way belligerent and drunk
Talkin' out his head, philosophin' on what the Lord had done
He said: "K-Dot, can you pray for me? It been a fucked up day for me
I know that you anointed, show me how to overcome."
He was lookin' for some closure, hopin' I could bring him closer
To the spiritual, my spirit do know better, but I told him
"I can't sugarcoat the answer for you, this is how I feel:
If somebody kill my son, that mean somebody gettin' killed."
Tell me what you do for love, loyalty, and passion of
All the memories collected, moments you could never touch
I wait in front a nigga's spot and watch him hit his block
I catch a nigga leavin' service if that's all I got
I chip a nigga, then throw the blower in his lap
Walk myself to the court like, "Bitch, I did that!"
Ain't no Black Power when your baby killed by a coward
I can't even keep the peace, don't you fuck with one of ours
It be murder in the street, it be bodies in the hour
Ghetto bird be on the street, paramedics on the dial
Let somebody touch my momma, touch my sister, touch my woman
Touch my daddy, touch my niece, touch my nephew, touch my brother
You should chip a nigga, then throw the blower in his lap
Matter fact, I'm 'bout to speak at this convention, call you back—
[Break: Kendrick Lamar]
Alright, kids, we're gonna talk about gun control
(Pray for me) Damn!

[Chorus: Bono]
It's not a place
This country is to me a sound
Of drum and bass
You close your eyes to look around

[Verse 3: Kendrick Lamar]
Hail Mary, Jesus and Joseph
The great American flag is wrapped in drag with explosives
Compulsive disorder, sons and daughters
Barricaded blocks and borders—look what you taught us
It's murder on my street, your street, back streets, Wall Street
Corporate offices, banks, employees, and bosses with
Homicidal thoughts; Donald Trump's in office
We lost Barack and promised to never doubt him again
But is America honest, or do we bask in sin?
Pass the gin, I mix it with American blood
Then bash him in, you Crippin' or you married to Blood?
I'll aks again—oops, accident
It's nasty when you set us up then roll the dice, then bet us up
You overnight the big rifles, then tell Fox to be scared of us
Gang members or terrorists, et cetera, et cetera
America's reflections of me, that's what a mirror does
[Chorus: Bono]
It's not a place
This country is to me a sound
Of drum and bass
You close your eyes to look ar—

XXX. by Kendrick Lamar (Ft. U2) is a powerful and thought-provoking song that tackles a range of political and religious themes throughout its duration. In this collaboration with legendary rock group U2, Kendrick delivers a hard-hitting message that resonates with fans around the world. With its expertly crafted lyrics and intricate musical composition, XXX. stands out as one of the standout tracks on Kendrick's DAMN. album.

About XXX.

XXX. is a pivotal moment on Kendrick's DAMN. album, serving as a transitional point in the narrative that the album constructs. At this point in the album, Kendrick has already left behind his "Godly ways" and has moved on to grappling with the hypocrisies and contradictions present in American society. The song begins with Kendrick addressing the moral ambiguity that everyone is capable of evil given the right circumstances.

Throughout the first verse, Kendrick details his personal accomplishments on the streets before he receives a call from a friend about the death of his son. In a moment of anger, Kendrick advises his friend to seek violent revenge, a departure from Kendrick's usually more reflective and meditative approach to life. This sets the stage for the rest of the song, which covers a range of topics related to the troublesome state of modern society.

In the second verse, Kendrick expands on the nihilistic themes of his earlier song "PRIDE.", providing further context for the violence that he discusses. The song delves into the spiritual dislocation that Kendrick feels throughout his life in America, drawing on Old Testament overtones to provide a deep and powerful message that resonates with listeners around the world.

One of the standout features of XXX. is its collaboration with U2, who Kendrick teamed up with on the track. In an August 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, Kendrick described how the track came together. He had been working on a different track with U2 when he decided to ask if he could use their work in his latest album. The band was open to the idea, and the result was an expertly crafted collaboration that combines Kendrick's unique voice with the talent and experience of one of the world's most iconic rock groups.

The lyrics of XXX. deal with a range of themes related to modern society, including violence, spirituality, and American political hypocrisy. Kendrick uses the song to call out the failures of American society, addressing issues like gun violence and terrorism within his verses. He also deploys a range of rhetorical strategies throughout the song, including metaphors and analogies, to drive his message home.

The third verse of the song is particularly powerful, providing a sharp critique of America's hypocrisy and self-delusion. Here, Kendrick addresses America directly, calling out the nation for its role in perpetrating violence and promoting dangerous ideologies like gang culture and terrorism. He draws attention to the contradictions inherent in American society, highlighting the ways that the nation's reflections of Kendrick himself mirror the failures and contradictions of American society as a whole.

XXX. is a standout track on Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. album, providing a powerful and incisive critique of modern American society that resonates with listeners around the world. With its expertly crafted lyrics, complex musical composition, and collaboration with legendary rock group U2, the song represents one of Kendrick's most impressive feats as a musician and a cultural critic.

• Release Date: April 14, 2017
• Artist: Kendrick Lamar