Kendrick Lamar’s latest track, “The Day The Party Died,” was self-released on September 11, 2024, through his Instagram, coinciding with the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards.
This surprise release follows the announcement that he will headline the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, which has sparked discussions in the hip-hop community, particularly concerning his ongoing feud with Drake.
Song Overview
- Title: The Day The Party Died
- Release Date: September 11, 2024
- Length: 5:07
- Songwriters: Kendrick Duckworth
- Producers: Jack Antonoff, Pasqué, Greg Sekeres
The song critiques the current state of the music industry, particularly hip-hop culture, addressing themes of materialism, celebrity influence, and the superficiality prevalent in mainstream rap.
Lamar’s lyrics express his frustrations and serve as a call for a moral and spiritual awakening within the industry. Critics have noted that while the song references his feud with Drake, it is not merely a diss track but rather a broader commentary on the industry as a whole.
The Day The Party Died Kendrick Lamar Lyrics
I think it’s time to watch the party die
This shit done got too wicked to apologize
It’s different, get him whacked and disqualified
We even kill the killers ’cause they like taking innocent lives
Burn a whole village, we start over, it’s really that time
Why reason with these niggas if they can’t see the future first?
Why argue with these clowns if the circus is well at work?
Just walk that man down, that’ll do everyone a solid
It’s love, but tough love sometimes gotta result in violence
If you parade in gluttony without givin’ truth to the youth
The graveyard is company, just tell us what casket to choose
They party more than bitches, tell me, what are you working for?
They glorify scamming, you get chipped over this credit card
Influencers talked down ’cause I’m not with the basic shit
But they don’t hate me, they hate the man that I represent
The type of man that never dickride ’cause I want a favor
The man that resides in patience, so where the soldiers at?
The one’s that lost it all and learnt to learn from that
A thirst for life, head inside a book ’cause he concerned with that
Information that’ll change his life because he yearns for that
Dedication, findin’ out what’s right ’cause he can earn from that
I feel for the women that deal with the clown and nerd shit
Can’t blame them, today they ain’t really got much to work with
How many bitches harder than a lot of you niggas?
Would trade all of y’all for Nip, I can’t be proud of you niggas
God, give me life, dear God, please give me peace
Dear God, please keep these lame niggas away from me
Dear God, keep me shinin’, the fuck do they really think?
Pocket-watching, you must be the police
God, bless these words, dear God, bless how I think
Dear God, draw the line, they tryna confuse ’em with me
Dear God, please forgive me, you knowin’ how hard I tried
I think it’s time for me to watch the party die (Uh-huh, huh)
Get ’em gone, we gon’ watch the party die (Uh-huh)
Send ’em home, we gon’ watch the party die
I think it’s time to watch the party die
Street niggas and the corporate guys, the rappers that report the lies
I need they families mortified
We can do life without ’em, get they bodies organized, tell me if you obliged
No more pillow-talkin’, jump-startin’ neighborhood wars
Dirty-mackin’ bitches because your spirit is insecure
The flashy nigga with nasty decisions usin’ money as a backbone
I want his head cracked before he’s back home
The radio personality pushin’ propaganda for salary
Let me know when they turn up as a casualty, I want agony
Assault, and battery, I see a new Earth
Filled with beautiful people makin’ humanity work
Let’s kill the followers that follow up on poppin’ mollies from
The obvious degenerates that’s failing to acknowledge the
Hope that we tryna spread, if I’m not his vote
Then you need to bring his fuckin’ head, or film that shit in hi-res
God, give me life, dear God, please give me peace
Dear God, please keep these lame niggas away from me
Dear God, keep me shinin’, the fuck do they really think?
Pocket-watching, you must be the police
God bless these words, dear God, bless how I think
Dear God, draw the line, they tryna confuse ’em with me
Dear God, please, forgive me, you knowin’ how hard I tried
I think it’s time for me to watch the party die
Sometimes I wonder what Lecrae would do
Fuck these niggas up or show ’em just what prayer do?
I want to be empathetic, my heart like Dee-1
But I will—
It’s time to get these devils out the way, heavy metals on my sword
We settle hard disputes today, the ghetto Hollywood divorce
Say hello to your future fate, the culture bred with carnivores
You let ’em snack, they eat your face, the signatures is bein’ forged
They wonder why I’m not enthused to drop
The more visible you get, the more your spiritual is tried
It’s cynical to say I know these artists petrified
The end result, in jail by Jezebel or drugged up full of lies
Critical, I know my physical is tested all the time
I’m pitiful, sunken place soon as I’m questionin’ my pride
I’m seein’ ghosts, blackin’ out, relapsin’ one thought at a time
I spare no feelings that ain’t mine, I’m in my feelings when I slide, I mean
A nigga wonder what Lecrae would do
Terrace Martin said I’m mentally with layers, true
I flood the market with my best regards, I paid your dues
And so it’s up, if you ain’t one of ours, it’s bad news
My nigga Jay Estrada said I gotta burn it down to build it up
That confirmation real as fuck, it ain’t too many real as us
Lockin’ in to what I trust, lookin’ outside
The kids live tomorrow ’cause today, the party just died
