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In the latest episode of Dissect Podcast's ongoing album analysis of Kendrick Lamar's Grammy-winning fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, host Cole Cuchna touched on various themes displayed in the ninth track, titled Purple Hearts.
Cole started his breakdown by analyzing the instrumental used on Purple Hearts, citing that although there is no official sample credited on the record, the composition sounded "very similar" to 1984's Weekend Girls by the SOS Band.
"While Purple Hearts resembles SOS Band's Weekend Girl, [the song] itself resembles the Isley Brothers' Here We Go Again, which was written 4 years earlier in 1980," Cole Cuchna stated.
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Cole then began to break down the record's title, citing that Purple Hearts primarily explores Kendrick's relationship with his partner Whitney Alford, exploring themes of infidelity, honesty, religion, and love.
The Dissect Podcast host continued by claiming that Purple Hearts' title acts as a reference to the military award given to honor veterans wounded in action, whose supposed implication suggests that Kendrick Lamar and Whitney are survivors of traumatic experiences.
Cole then highlighted reported experiences from Kendrick's childhood, citing that the Grammy-winning Compton native witnessed his first murder when he was five. He continued by claiming that these traumatic experiences could, at times, lead to mental health issues, behavioral problems, and substance abuse.
"These experiences are traumatizing and very often lead to mental health issues like PTSD, depression, and anxiety and can contribute to behavioral problems and substance abuse," Cole explained.
Cole then explained how these traumas "add a secondary layer" to the title of Purple Hearts, claiming that the record acts as a symbolic acknowledgment of the wounds experienced by Kendrick Lamar's community, stating:
"Purple is the color of bruises, implying Kendrick's community of Big Steppers have wounded hearts in need of healing. At the same time, Kendrick honors his community by symbolically awarding them the Purple Hearts, acknowledging the wounds they experienced and the courage it takes to live with the burden of these injuries."
"His verse is one of the more important moments on Mr Morale": Cole Cuchna praises Ghostface Killah's verse on Kendrick Lamar's Purple Hearts
After breaking down Summer Walker's featured verse on Purple Hearts, Cole Cuchna began a dissection of Wu-Tang Clan's Ghostface Killah's verse, which appears on the latter half of the record:
"His verse is one of the more important moments on Mr morale as he delivers a prophetic message that in many ways guides and propels Kendrick into the Journey of disc 2," Cole Cuchna states.
Kendrick Lamar has, at many times, publicly spoken highly of the hip-hop collective and paid homage to the Wu-Tang Clan in his music.
Cole cited that Ghostface's verse essentially propels Kendrick Lamar into his journey, explored on disc 2 of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Cuchna also highlighted the importance of the production incorporating elements of choir and piano strings, stating:
"The importance of this moment is signaled in the music too as the song opens up into a beautiful trio of piano strings and choir vocals...intentionally creating a feeling of divinity that perfectly accentuates Ghostface Killer's Divine message," Cole stated.
While breaking down the third verse on Purple Hearts, the podcaster claimed the reason Kendrick included the Wu-Tang Clan member on this record was because of Ghostface Killah's past struggles closely resembling Lamar's childhood.
Cole reported that Ghostface Killah got involved in "street activities" at a young age and narrowly survived being shot in the neck in the early 90s. The podcaster suggests the rapper turned to Islam in 2004, claiming:
"Ghostface credits hip-hop for saving his life. In 2004 he converted to Islam and became someone deeply concerned with morality"
Cole continued by stating that because of Ghostface Killah's tough upbringing and the fact that he "eventually transcended his circumstances" to live a morally and spiritually righteous life, the rapper fits perfectly into the military theme explored during Purple Hearts' title breakdown.
Kendrick Lamar recently captured headlines after his hit collaboration with SZA, titled Luther. This was included on his sixth studio album GNX, held its seventh week atop Billboard's Hot 100 charts, and went No.1 on the Radio Songs Chart.
