Lust (Kendrick Lamar song)
| "Lust" | |
|---|---|
| Song |
"Lust" (stylized as "LUST.") is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, from his fourth studio album Damn, released on April 14, 2017. The ninth track on the album, the song was written by Lamar, DJ Dahi, Sounwave, and BadBadNotGood, and was produced by DJ Dahi, Sounwave, and BadBadNotGood.[1] The song features guest vocals from record-producer Kaytranada, of which he is uncredited.[2]
Lyrics
The song is about routine; the things we allow to interrupt them,[3] along with romantic lust and material desire.[4] The song's lyrics also reflect Lamar's reaction to the 2016 presidential election, specifically the anger and confusion some of the nation felt in the wake of it.[5][6] Specifically, Lamar speaks about the protests against Donald Trump, including the struggle to keep the energy up and sustain the protests long-term, without getting fatigued.[5] By the end of the song, the theme of acceptance comes into play.[5]
The song features guest vocals from electronic musician Kaytranada, and marks the first time he has worked with Lamar.[2] Jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington, who played on Lamar's third studio album, To Pimp a Butterfly, assisted with the string arrangements.[7]
Critical reception
Kathleen Johnston of GQ Magazine described "Lust" as the best song on Damn.[6]
Live performances
Lamar performed "Lust" live at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 23, 2017.[8] He performed "Lust" seated in a cage accentuated by strings of LED lights.[9]
Samples
The song contains a sample of Rat Boy's song "Knock Knock Knock",[10] which first appeared on his 2015 mixtape Neighborhood Watch.[11] When he found out about the sample, Rat Boy himself was very happy and delighted about it, tweeting his appreciation.[11][12]
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the official Damn digital booklet.[1]
- Kendrick Duckworth – songwriter
- Dacoury Natche – songwriter, producer
- Mark Spears – songwriter, producer, strings
- Chester Hansen – songwriter, producer
- Alexander Sowinski – songwriter, producer
- Matthew Tavares – songwriter, producer
- Leland Whitty – songwriter, producer
- Kamasi Washington – strings
- Kaytranada – additional vocals
- Rat Boy – additional vocals
- Derek Ali – mixing
- Tyler Page – mix assistant
- Cyrus Taghipour – mix assistant
Short Film
Months after the release of "Lust" and Damn, creative collective Combined Culture released a short film inspired by the track on June 17, 2017, in celebration of Lamar's 30th birthday earlier in June.[13][14]
Charts
| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[15] | 35 |
| Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[16] | 86 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[17] | 36 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[18] | 72 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[19] | 36 |
| Portugal (AFP)[20] | 34 |
| Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[21] | 45 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[22] | 94 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[23] | 52 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[24] | 43 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[25] | 25 |
References
- ^ a b c "Digital Booklet - DAMN. copy.pdf". DocDroid. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
- ^ a b "Kendrick Lamar's "Lust" Will Feature Guest Vocals by KAYTRANADA - DJBooth Article". DJBooth.net. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ "The Production on Kendrick Lamar's "Lust" Explores the Dread of Mundanity". Thump. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar's 'DAMN.': A track-by-track instant review". USA TODAY. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ a b c "In one verse, Kendrick Lamar captured the turbulent aftermath of the election". Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ a b Johnston, Kathleen. "'Lust' is the best track on Kendrick Lamar's new album, Damn". British GQ. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar's 'Damn.': A Track-by-Track Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar Setlist at Coachella Festival 2017". setlist.fm. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar sends off Coachella weekend 2 on a high note". USA TODAY. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Lust by Kendrick Lamar on WhoSampled". WhoSampled. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ a b "Rat Boy responds to Kendrick Lamar sampling him on 'LUST'". The Independent. April 15, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ "Rat Boy responds to being sampled on new Kendrick Lamar album - NME". NME. April 14, 2017. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar's "Lust" Inspired This Powerful Short Film". Complex. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ "Kendrick Lamar's 'Lust' Inspires Short Film About the Life of a Black Man - XXL". XXL Mag. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201716 into search. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar – Lust." (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
- ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. April 24, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar – Lust.". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved April 28, 2017.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201716 into search. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar – Lust.". Singles Top 100. Retrieved April 21, 2017.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
- ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2017.