Shocked by the wretchedness of the latest release by the world’s most important rapper, I’ve returned to Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morales & the Big Steppers every few weeks since its release in May. It gets worse with each listen. Uninspired, self-pitying and vainglorious, Lamar all but acknowledges the album is a compulsory product rather than a meaningful artistic statement. Watching the corresponding concert video verified my impression. I long for a return to the brilliance Lamar displayed in the previous decade.