"N95"
Single by Kendrick Lamar
from the album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
ReleasedMay 20, 2022 (2022-05-20)
Genre
Length3:15
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Kendrick Lamar singles chronology
"Family Ties"
(2021)		 "N95"
(2022)		 "Silent Hill"
(2022)
Music video
"N95" on YouTube

"N95" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released as the lead single from his fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, on May 20, 2022 through PGLang, Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The song was produced by Boi-1da, Sounwave and Jahaan Sweet, with additional production by Lamar's cousin, fellow American rapper and record producer Baby Keem.

Composition and lyrics

"N95" has been described as "a seething cultural critique where Lamar spits bile in multiple directions over a bleakly catchy, bass-driven instrumental".[3] Lyrically, Lamar raps about masks that go with expensive clothing rather than the N95 respirator mask that was used during the outbreak of COVID-19, as he raps: "Take all that designer bullshit off and what do you have? Bitch you ugly as fuck".[4] During the bridge, Lamar uses a verse that was originally intended for the song "Vent" from his cousin Baby Keem's album The Melodic Blue (2021), yet did not make the cut.[5]

Critical reception

Chase McMullen of Beats Per Minute drew a comparison between "N95" and "the blistering raps of" Lamar's fourth studio album, Damn (2017).[6] The Guardian music critic Alexis Petridis noted that "the tone of his delivery changes so dramatically and so often that it sounds less like the work of one man than a series of guest appearances".[7] NME music critic Kyann-Sian Williams saw the song as "the most high-octane track" from Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, which includes "a plethora of zippy one-liners and humour, which you might not expect sandwiched between piercing commentary on materialism and society".[8]

Music video

Lamar was seen filming a music video in September 2020, which would later be confirmed as scenes of "N95" (said scenes were Lamar floating above the ocean and using a phone booth). The official music video for "N95", directed by Lamar himself and Dave Free, was released on May 14, 2022. Similar to his music video for "Element", the video features heavy imagery in the form of a wide range of scenes. At the beginning of the video, a sign reads "This Shit Hard" in big red capital letters and appears a few more times throughout the video. Scenes include Lamar in a Jesus-like crucified pose floating over ocean waves, Lamar doing workouts on the roof of a dilapidated apartment, Lamar running from a horde of black men (which serves as a reference to Childish Gambino's music video for "This Is America"), an example of the 20th century doll experiments, Lamar and Baby Keem walking through a hallway (the latter suddenly kissing the former on the cheek, causing both of them to stop in their tracks), Lamar using a phone booth, and more.[9][10][11]

Credits and personnel

  • Kendrick Lamar – vocals, songwriting
  • Boi-1da – production, songwriting
  • Sounwave – production, songwriting
  • Jahaan Sweet – production, songwriting
  • Baby Keem – additional production, songwriting
  • Manny Marroquin – mixing
  • Anthony Vilchis – mixing assistance
  • Trey Station – mixing assistance
  • Zach Pereyra – mixing assistance
  • Andrew Boyd – recording assistance
  • Sedrick Moore II – recording assistance
  • Joe Visciano – engineering
  • Matt Schaeffer – engineering

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "N95"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[39] Platinum 70,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[40] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release history for "N95"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Italy May 20, 2022 Contemporary hit radio [41]

References

  1. ↑ Arcona, Ava (2022). "REVIEW: Kendrick Lamar self-reflects in emotional return to rap". The Harbinger.
  2. ↑ Bien, Ava (2022). "Kendrick Lamar's N95". The Summit Pinnacle.
  3. ↑ Thomas, Fred. "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers – Kendrick Lamar". AllMusic. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  4. ↑ Bryant, Ben (May 13, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar's Mr. Morale and the Bigsteppers is a tender, delicate opus – review". The Independent. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  5. ↑ Songfacts. "N95 by Kendrick Lamar - Songfacts". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
  6. ↑ McMullen, Chase (May 18, 2022). "Album Review: Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  7. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (May 13, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar: Mr Morale & the Big Steppers review – rap genius bares heart, soul and mind". The Guardian. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  8. ↑ Williams, Kyann-Sian (May 13, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers review: a cathartic, soul-bearing autobiography". NME. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  9. ↑ Villa, Angelica (2022-05-20). "Kendrick Lamar's New Music Video Features Two Major Texas Landmarks". ARTnews.com. Retrieved 2022-05-23.
  10. ↑ Peters, Mitchell (May 14, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar Drops Striking New 'N95' Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  11. ↑ Lavin, Will (May 14, 2022). "Kendrick Lamar drops beautifully complex 'N95' video". NME. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar – N95". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar – N95" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Croatia Songs (Week of May 28, 2022)". Billboard. May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  16. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 202220 into search. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Track Top-40 Uge 20, 2022". Hitlisten. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Top Singles / Semaine du 20 mai 2022". SNEP. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  20. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Stream Top 40 slágerlista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
  22. ↑ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  23. ↑ "2022 20-os savaitės klausomiausi (TOP 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar – N95" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  25. ↑ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  26. ↑ "Turntable.fm - play music together".
  27. ↑ "VG-lista – Topp 20 Single 2022-20". VG-lista. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar – N95". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  29. ↑ "RIAS Top Charts Week 20 (13 - 19 May 2022)". RIAS. May 24, 2022. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  30. ↑ "ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Note: Select SK SINGLES DIGITAL TOP 100 and insert 202220 into search. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  31. ↑ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100 Week 20-2022". The Official South African Charts. Recording Industry of South Africa. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  32. ↑ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 20". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  33. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar – N95". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
  34. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  35. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  36. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
  37. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 24, 2022.
  38. ↑ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  39. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  40. ↑ "British single certifications – Kendrick Lamar – N95". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
  41. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar "N95"" (in Italian). Radio Airplay Italia. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
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