Kendrick Lamar - "XXX." ft. U2

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I'm realizing that it has to include vocals from Bono in some capacity...otherwise, it's not exactly worth advertising that it's U2, eh?

And some are on the fence that it could just be a sample, but I doubt it. Kendrick is one of the biggest names in music and of course U2 would want to work with him, plus featuring credits are rarely given for old samples.

We will have our answer by Friday at the latest. First rap collaboration for U2, correct? They recorded music with Kanye that never got released though.
 
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INSTCUWSUMVC said:
I would assume it will be a single right? I mean just to be an album cut wouldn't be too appealing to anyone involved.
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Except Kendrick has had some of the most critically and commercially successful albums around over the last few years. People will hear it.

Word is that the production is by Mike Will Made It who also did the above "Humble" track. If he's actually providing a beat, then U2 clearly isn't sampled and will be performing on top of the track.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Will_Made_It_production_discography



Also realizing that it's possible they could end up performing this with Kendrick Lamar on some of the JT shows. Certainly in Los Angeles.
 
Coachella is this weekend, and Kendrick is headlining. I'm curious if Rihanna or U2 will stop by the festival and perform with him.
 
This is pretty exciting. And let's just put it out there, a pretty damn big deal for U2 at this moment. Stereogum (U2 haters) wrote an article on it, and pretty much came from the perspective that U2 is the biggest band in the world and Kendrick scored a coup to actually get them. That's pretty cool. They also said it has the potential to be horrible. Not cool, but let's be honest, true.

I think we all know that them getting on the Kendrick album is actually a really big thing for them. If it was actually really well done and a great song. U2 could be getting their groove back a bit with the JT tour and now this...
I doubt it would be a single since its sitting on the back end of the album, but how amazing would it be if it were.
Humble just broke YouTube viewing records, so if U2 could get in front of that many fresh eyes, that would be huge.

Can't wait til Friday!!
 
Stereogum are not U2 haters. They have one of the best U2 writers on staff (Ryan Leas) and cover the band without sneering at them. Check out the Pop anniversary piece. It's wonderful.
 
So incredibly interested to see what this is – my favorite band and favorite rap artist... never would have guessed this! My first reaction is to be skeptical, but if anybody could pull this off it's Kendrick.

Can't wait for Friday!
 
Hollow Island said:
Stereogum are not U2 haters. They have one of the best U2 writers on staff (Ryan Leas) and cover the band without sneering at them. Check out the Pop anniversary piece. It's wonderful.
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This is so true. I still visit Stereogum on a daily basis and their attitude towards - and coverage of - U2 is one of the many reasons.

The comments section can be a little harsh at times, but overall Stereogum and their community are pretty welcoming/forgiving of U2.

In fact, the most negative thing I've read about this collaboration anywhere today (albeit I haven't really dug too deep), has been along the lines of, "WTF U2? Could be cool but I hate Bono..."
 
Single? Possible but unlikely. But will it be good?

INSTCUWSUMVC said:
I would assume it will be a single right? I mean just to be an album cut wouldn't be too appealing to anyone involved.
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I thought that I read that Kendrick doesn't really release 'singles'. His albums to tend to sound like one long cohesive work. So would it be a single? I suppose it's possible but it sounds unlikely, in the traditional sense. But it might be what radio ends up playing from the album? Time will tell.

Second, how much of U2 is on the track? We'll know on Friday. Could be a sample? Could be the band? Could it be a full band backing track or a loop of a few band bits? Could be B&E? Could be B&E merely helped write something with Kendrick.

Sounds interesting. I'd already pre-ordered Kendrick's up-coming album. So being that there is some U2 involvement, makes it all the better.

I hope the results are good. I don't think that Kendrick would include it on the album if it weren't good.




mama cass said:
glad you guys are interested - i am terrified :D
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I'm mildly scared. There have been some Bono, B&E and U2 collaborations that have not been so great. And their trying to appear/be relevant has looked like they were trying too hard a few times. Not to be harsh. I love this band. But I have seen mistakes. And some of those mistakes could have been avoided.

But we'll know more in 3-ish days time. Hopefully the entire Kendrick Lamar album is as great and sonically refreshing as 'To Pimp A Butterfly'. And if the U2 addition makes the album that much cooler... then it's wins all the way around.



Y2K said:
Coachella is this weekend, and Kendrick is headlining. I'm curious if Rihanna or U2 will stop by the festival and perform with him.
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Seems most of the band have been on holiday or travelling for other non-band related reasons over the past week. Unless they are rehearsing for Coachella this week... it's be a disaster if they tried. Plus, I think if U2 ever try a festival again... and decided on Coachella... it'd be a full set and not a mere song that isn't even to be on their own album. Seems counterproductive.

Again... anything is possible. But their playing Coachella seems against all odds this time.
 
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Edge_Orchestra said:
I thought that I read that Kendrick doesn't really release 'singles'. His albums to tend to sound like one long cohesive work. So would it be a single? I suppose it's possible but it sounds unlikely, in the traditional sense. But it might be what radio ends up playing from the album? Time will tell.



Second, how much of U2 is on the track? We'll know on Friday. Could be a sample? Could be the band? Could it be a full band backing track or a loop of a few band bits? Could be B&E? Could be B&E merely helped write something with Kendrick.



Sounds interesting. I'd already pre-ordered Kendrick's up-coming album. So being that there is some U2 involvement, makes it all the better.



I hope the results are good. I don't think that Kendrick would include it on the album if it weren't good.
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No, it actually credits all 4 in the song writing credits. We can't rule out a sample, but seems unlikely.
 
So Bono did the Wyclef thing, has there been any other u2/ rap collaborations?

Rumors of Dre/Treason, Kanye, Rza remixing and collaborating on a Pop single(if I'm remembering correctly)... any others?
 
This is a nice thread, but really I'm waiting for redhill's thread about how he's handing in his U2 fan card because the band are sullying their reputation by being featured on a song by a black rapper who's probably a huge misogynist.
 
While I am not a he rap fan, I am OK with this move if it does turn out to be a collab that is. Out of all the major artists that are "cool" right now Kendrick is pretty decent, good a what he does, has a huge following and has good street cred. If it was Kayne or something I wouldn't be too happy but this I can handle. There are far worse artists out there..... Anyway I am interested to see what happens.

Lets be honest people will think if U2 is "cool" enough for Kendrick they must not be that bad...

On a side note how funny would it be if it was a sample of Kite "the last of the rockstars when hip hop drove the big cars"
 
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I'm a bit of a hip hop snob. I think Kendrick Is borderline unlistenable for me. Kudos to U2 though. If it's relevance they seek with the younger crowd, it seems like they chose the right collaboration. Here's to hoping it's the one Kendrick song I like because up until this announcement I never even listened to him.
 
superchuk5 said:
IMO if the goal was to work with a "relevant" musician with artistic credibility, they couldn't have done better
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Yeah. I don't think there's a single name above Kendrick at the current moment.

It certainly can't suck because there's no way he'd let it be on the album, but let's hope they don't disappoint. :up:



There's kind of a nice symmetry with Rihanna and U2 being the only featured artists on this LP. I'd argue that Rihanna is currently at her best after dropping the not-so commercial, highly excellent album she put out last year while U2 hit their nadir with SOI and it's disturbingly low Metacritic score (and that's despite some of their reviewer friends delivering perfect scores). So a peak artist delivering the goods and a group in trouble critically needing something to excite the general audience.
 
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Gonna Run 2 U said:
I'm a bit of a hip hop snob. I think Kendrick Is borderline unlistenable for me. Kudos to U2 though. If it's relevance they seek with the younger crowd, it seems like they chose the right collaboration. Here's to hoping it's the one Kendrick song I like because up until this announcement I never even listened to him.
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This is the single worst thing I have ever read in my entire life
 
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