Rhythmic and Lyric Interactions in Kendrick Lamar's DAMN: An Analysis of the Pulitzer Winning Album

Abstract

This study focuses primarily on the interactions between the rhythmic and lyric elements in Lamar's album DAMN. Although DAMN has various social and cultural implications, this writing is primarily concerned with the technical features of the key tracks in the album. Any discussion of the cultural or social implications of this work is for the purpose of providing a better understanding of its musical features (as many of the musical decisions are informed by the work's lyrical content). One of the key musical elements that is discussed in this study includes rhythmic texture. Mitchell Ohriner, in his book Flow: The Rhythmic Voice in Rap Music, alludes to the concept of "texture" that results from the relationship between text and its delivery. Rhythmic texture is the measure of conflict between the background beat, text, and the rapper's delivery in rap music. This study examines how the shift of alignment between the rhythmic layers within Lamar's flow (or rapping style and rhythmic delivery) and the beat generates tension.