Remember when Empire’s rap “icon”-in-the-making, Hakeem, made a subtle dig at Kendrick Lamar (and several of his high-profile peers) before introducing the world to “Drip Drop”? Well, neither does Cookie, because Taraji P. Henson just dropped the next single from Kendrick’s forthcoming album with a tweet.
With dancehall flourishes and a pounding beat (by Boi-1da and Terrace Martin), “The Blacker the Berry” is worlds apart from “i,” which (coincidentally?) earned him two Grammys at Sunday night’s ceremony. Pharrell has reportedly called another song on the album (rumored to be called “King Kunta), “so unapologetically black.” But with lyrics that skewer racist stereotypes and language (“I want you to recognize I’m a proud monkey”), I have a hard time believing this isn’t that song.
