616 in LA Retrospective Thoughts 2/2
Not that I'm trying to be overtly deep but...... Too many people have only made an analysis of the lyrics in what its saying, but not what the lyrics are truly doing for the listeners. If I were Drake hearing it, I would have been concerned. When I first heard the song, on the part where Kendrick was talking to God, I was only visualizing that one part in the movie Gladiator when Russell Crowe is walking through the wheat field. Kendrick was really walking us through a perspective of "I'm getting ready to obliterate this guy." but I'm giving God the heads up first. In only a few minutes with this song, Kendrick walked us through a war chant emanating with YEARS of premeditation of getting ready to lyrically murk Drake. I have to put emphasis on premeditation. We've heard all the shots Kendrick has taken at Drake over time. This song to me felt like Kendrick's calm before his storm hit and he lyrically professed it as such to Drake. He did it not only as a warning, but it felt like some scary level of exhilaration on Kendricks part. Exhilaration in that he's been waiting for this moment to really tell the world about that man and do it in a way that would end him and really allow the listener to create in our minds a separation of him from not just Drake himself, but from all rappers as a challenge. He professed to us that rap IS a sport open to the best man standing and he's not afraid for any man to step up. And I don't know if Kendrick was trying to be funny but keeping beat by saying "Uh" a few times over Chris Alvarez's ventilator? Bruh.... I felt Drake should have been shivering in his boots off those few introductory seconds, because only Drake, Chris and whoever was with them knows what really happened at 3am in that hotel. It also really made me feel like Kendrick was allowing a peek into his world to see the caliber of man he is first, then laying out (in the way that he does lyrically) that he's a man of culture, intellect and he's been to the far reaches of the world - anywhere his passport could get him, and he "got money" and does with it what he wants in ways Drake could never hold a candle to. It after that, it was like Kendrick was saying to God, "I know you not about war and violence, but Imma have to repent later. I'm just giving you advanced notice.". Then he went to war. Drake should have fell in line like everybody else and tapped out then. Why? Kendrick said he loves peace right, but to me, ain't nothing crazier than a man willing to publicly profess to God that he finna cut a man off by the throat and crip walk on the dead body. Drakes eye and ears were closed to that. And his team of writers. I haven't yet seen someone talk about how cerebral this song is, especially if you were Drake listening. It was the audio version of I just stepped over that line you drew on the sand and I'm standing in front of you. Now what. Drake listening to this from a man who shirks himself away from celebrity. A man who has an actual dark past. And a nigga who's pen is very very real. I was like no no no no no no no no no no no Drake. This song is the perpetual smoke before you start feeling the fire. And then we sat back with our popcorn and watched him burn that man down. That's what it did for me.