Fans have complimented Kendrick Lamar’s new song “Auntie Diaries,” in which he talks about his struggle to embrace his trans relatives.
Kendrick Lamar’s ability to confront and condemn his own biases and prejudices, without placing himself above the individuals he’s calling out, is one of his greatest assets as a rapper.
It’s a trait that shows up throughout his work, especially on his deep and dense new album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, which arrived late Thursday, five years after his Pulitzer Prize-winning 2017 album “DAMN.,” and especially on the song “Auntie Issues,” which is a topic that few rappers have addressed at all, let alone with empathy.
Lamar sings about an aunt who has now become an uncle, as well as his difficulties with it, but ultimately decides that he loves his family and defends it to his friends. Learn more about his new song in the video below.
Meaning Behind Learn The Meaning Behind Auntie Diaries
Kendrick Lamar’s “Auntie Diaries,” off his latest album Mr. Morales and the Big Stepper, is about the singer rapping frankly about homophobia and transphobia and how they influenced his acceptance of his trans relatives.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper discusses his own prejudices in the past and how he’s aged enough to comprehend today.
Lamar raps about his strong relationship with his “auntie,” a trans guy who trimmed his hair at the pad and was the first person he has ever had a relationship with.
Lamar raps about other family members rejecting his relative but says he “took pride” in embracing him. In the second half of the track, Lamar raps about his “favorite cousin” who later came out as trans, and the church’s response to her.
Kendrick Lamar Track On New Album Auntie Diaries: What Is Auntie Diaries About?
Many fans were stunned when they reached Kendrick Lamar’s 15th song of Auntie Diaries and heard the rapper use a very offensive racist term. During the song, the Humble vocalist uses the word f****t seven times, which is an extremely cruel and offensive slur to describe a gay or homosexual guy.
Lamar, on the other hand, isn’t directing the word at anyone in particular, singing: “Back when saying f****t was comedy relief.” He has stated that the song is about his transgender uncle and that he did not use the phrase in an offensive manner. Kendrick raps about his auntie’s unpleasant experiences changing into a man, and the song also addresses LGBT themes.
The Lyrics Of Auntie Diaries Explained
Moving to the Lyrics of Auntie Diaries, in verses 3 and 4, one can witness the reappearance of Demetrius, who was referenced in Lamar’s major-label debut, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City,” back in 2012, and who may or may not be the aunt in the song and who subsequently has a Caitlyn Jenner allusion.
The final two verses introduce religion and reintroduce the repeating “I knew you were conflicted” phrase from “DAMN.”
Finally, it concludes with a self-evaluation: Lamar remembers bringing a white female on stage to rap one of his lines in 2018, and she used the N-word, just like he does in the song. She was booed, and Lamar gave her a kind but firm lesson onstage and now seems to regret what he said at the time.