By Ismar Junuzovic – Entertainment Editor

The wait for new music from Kendrick Lamar has been an unbearable one to say the least. He has not released a solo project since releasing the genre-changing sensation album that was “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City” in 2012.  At that point, Lamar was at the top of the list on every hip-hop fan’s list. The album was revolutionary, and since its release, fans have been patiently awaiting any new music to be released.

That wait now over. But after hearing his new single, simply titled “I,” the excitement has toned down quite a notch and Lamar has unfortunately experienced a minor setback in his short, but incredible, career. While the message of the song is positive – embracing loving one another and loving yourself – there are a number of components that hold this track from being great. The lyrics aren’t necessarily terrible, but they are lacking when held up his lofty standards.

In his previous projects, Lamar’s content is varied and touches base on many social issues such as violence in the inner city and injustices that women face. All of his previous songs were carefully crafted with clever wordplay that made each song more enthralling to listen to. “I,” however, is very bland and sounds like a nursery rhyme in comparison to his previous works.

Lamar is also well known for extremely catchy hooks, which is definitely prominent during his last album with tracks like  “Money Trees” and “Sing About Me/Dying of Thirst”. The hook on “I” is simply an annoying “I love myself!” Kendrick yells multiple times and eventually it becomes an annoyance. He is known for having an incredible ear in terms of production and making beats by specifically knowing what to sample and what type of sound, story or emotion he wants to evoke in that particular song. Yet the production on this single is lifeless and completely out of character for him.

Lamar’s close friends, who also accompany him on his label Top Dawg Entertainment, have all released projects this year. These include SchoolBoy Q’s “Oxymoron” as well as Ab-Soul’s “These Days.” This probably means that Lamar will release a full-length project very soon. If this single is any indication of where he is headed, the proclaimed king of the West Coast may have just lost his throne.

(Photo courtesy thisis50.com)