Mr. Morale
Kendrick Lamar Lyrics

(It was one of the worst performances I've seen in my life)
The singer witnessed an extremely poor performance.

(I couldn't sleep last night because I felt this shit)
The singer was unable to sleep due to intense feelings they experienced.

Enoch, your father's just detoxed, my callin' is right on time
Addressing Enoch, the singer's calling is precisely on schedule soon after his father's detoxification.

Transformation, I must had a thousand lives and like three thousand wives
The artist has gone through numerous transformations and has had many partners in their lifetime.

You should know that I'm slightly off, fightin' off demons that been outside
The artist is struggling with their own demons while dealing with the challenges of the outside world.

Better known as myself, I'm a demigod
The singer acknowledges their god-like status as their true self.

Every thought is creative, sometimes I'm afraid of my open mind
The singer realizes the creative power of their thoughts, but also fears the unknown possibilities of their open mind.

Shit on my mind and it's heavy
The artist has something troubling on their mind that is weighing them down.

Tell you in pieces 'cause it's way too heavy
The artist is hesitant to share what is troubling them because it is too difficult to convey all at once.

My diamonds, the choker is heavy
The artist is wearing heavy jewelry made of diamonds.

More life to give on demand, are you ready?
The singer is willing and able to give more of their life to others, if needed.

Who keep 'em honest like us?
The artist is questioning who else is capable of being as truthful as they are.

Who in alignment like us?
The singer is asking who else is capable of being in tune with them like they are with themselves.

Who gotta heal 'em all? Us (Us)
The singer is asserting that they are the ones responsible for healing everyone.

When there's no one to call
When there is nobody else to turn to for help or guidance.

Don't need no conversation (ooh, ooh, tee-vah)
The artist does not require any discussion in a particular situation.

If it ain't about the business, shut the door now (ooh, ooh, tee-vah)
If the conversation is not relevant to their business matters, the artist wants it to stop.

Bitch', it's a celebration (ooh, ooh, tee-vah)
The singer sees an occasion to celebrate.

And if this shit ain't bussin', what's it for now? (Ooh, ooh, tee-vah)
If what they are doing is not yielding results, then what is the point?

Steppin' out when the weight lifts
The artist is ready to take action when the burden is lifted.

Floatin' on 'em (ooh-ooh-ooh, da-da)
The artist is now moving smoothly and effortlessly.

Uzzi, your father's in deep meditation
Addressing Uzzi, the artist acknowledges his father is in a profound state of meditation.

My spirit's awakened, my brain is asleep
The singer's soul has been awakened, but their mind is still unaware.

I got a new temperature
The artist has changed internally, perhaps in attitude or mindset.

Sharpenin' multiple swords in the faith I believe
The singer is strengthening their faith, gathering knowledge, and gaining experience for future battles.

I think about Robert Kelly
The singer is reminded of Robert Kelly, possibly in light of recent news regarding the individual.

If he weren't molested, I wonder if life'll fail him
The singer is wondering if circumstances beyond his control caused Kelly to fail in life.

I wonder if Oprah found closure
The artist is curious as to whether Oprah Winfrey has found her own closure in her life.

The way that she postered the hurt that a woman carries
The artist is commenting on Oprah's public address of pain and how women endure it.

My mother abused young
The singer's mother was a victim of abuse when she was young.

Like all of the mothers back where we from
The singer suggests that it is common to find abused mothers where they are from.

SSI bury family members
SSI is burying the artist's family members.

At the repass, they servin' Popeyes chicken
At a meal after the funeral, they are serving Popeyes chicken.

What you know about Black trauma?
The artist asks who understands what it is like to be a Black person traumatized by systemic racism.

F&N's kickin' back is another genre
The singer observes that people in their area make shooting firearms seem like another leisure activity.

Tyler Perry, the face of a thousand rappers
Tyler Perry is compared to numerous rappers in terms of his public image and success.

Using violence to cover what really happen
The singer believes people use violence as a smokescreen to cover what really occurred.

I know somebody's listenin'
The singer has confidence that someone is paying attention to their message.

Past life regressions to know my conditions
The singer might have attempted past life regression therapy in order to understand their present situation.

It's based off experience
The artist's beliefs and decisions are largely informed by their own personal experiences.

Comma for comma, my habits insensitive
The artist's communication and behavior can be viewed as insensitive and tactless.

Watchin' my cousin struggle with addiction
The singer is witnessing their cousin grappling with addiction, a difficult challenge.

Then watchin' her firstborn make a million
Subsequently, the singer notes how their cousin's firstborn child went on to achieve financial success.

And both of them off the grid for forgiveness
Although they are both successful, the artist implies that neither has fully reconciled with their past mistakes.

I'm sacrificin' myself to start the healin'
The artist is sacrificing their own well-being in order to facilitate healing and progress for others.

Say, "Hydrate, it's time to heal"
The artist implores others to hydrate and begin the healing process.

Safe, you're frustrated, I can feel
The singer can sense and empathize with others' frustrations when they need assurance of safety.

Huddle up, tie the flag, call the troops, holla back
The artist is bringing people together to take action and lead the charge.

People get taken over by this pain-body (ooh-ooh-ooh, da-da)
People can become consumed by their emotional pain.

Because it's energy field that almost has a life of its own (ooh-ooh-ooh, da-da)
The pain-body has a powerful presence that can influence a person's behavior and decisions.

It needs to, periodically, feed on more unhappiness (ooh-ooh-ooh, da-da)
The pain-body requires negative emotions to sustain itself and grow.