Kendrick Lamar is set to make a big impact at the VMAs on Sunday and with it, possibly cement his status as the greatest rapper working today. We’ve talked about that genius in the past and the many times that Lamar has made the case, but now he’s confirmed a long-running theory about his hit album Damn that sure to bolster it in many fan’s eyes. Right on the eve of the weekend where he will return and hopefully break his run of VMAs bad luck, Lamar tells MTV News that Damn truly is designed and planned to be played backwards and forwards.
Now none of this means you need to go spinning vinyl backwards to hear Lamar summon demons or something similar. It’s based on the track lineup and how you choose to tackle the album will change the experience:
“I think like a week after the album came out, [fans] realized you can play the album backwards,”“It plays as a full story and even a better rhythm. It’s one of my favorite rhythms and tempos within the album. It’s something that we definitely premeditate while we’re in the studio.”
And as they point out over at MTV, it truly does change the sonic arc of the album when you play it in the reverse order. Just don’t think it’s going to change up the story too much according to Lamar. It’s more about rhythm and mood it seems, with the rapper concerned with the duality of his own being and how listeners can interpret that:
“I don’t think the story necessarily changes, I think the feel changes,” he said. “The initial vibe listening from the top all the way to the bottom is … this aggression and this attitude. You know, ‘DNA,’ and exposing who I really am. You listen from the back end, and it’s almost the duality and the contrast of the intricate Kendrick Lamar. Both of these pieces are who I am.”
You can check out the full interview below and prepare for what is hopefully a positive night for the hip hop star on Sunday at the VMAs.
(Via MTV News)
