God (Kendrick Lamar song) explained
"God" (stylized as "GOD.") is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, from his fourth studio album Damn, released on April 14, 2017. The thirteenth and penultimate track on the album (second on the Collector's Edition of Damn[1]), the song was produced by Ricci Riera, Sounwave, DJ Dahi, Bēkon, Cardo, Tiffith, with additional production by Yung Exclusive, Mike Hector and Teddy Walton.
The song details Lamar's successes, how it feels, and why he works so hard to get to where he is today. The song also finds Lamar declaring his faux-divinity as a rap god.[2]
Background
Before the release of Damn, the album itself was rumored to be centered around God.[3] It was soon confirmed by Lamar himself.[4] Lamar has been a devout Christian since approximately his late teen years or adolescence.[5] [6]
Lyrics
According to Jake Woolf of GQ magazine, Lamar trolls Canadian musician and rapper Drake by imitating his singing voice on the song's chorus.
Live performances
Lamar performed "God" live at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 23, 2017.[7]
Lamar has performed "God" at every show as an encore on the Damn tour.[8]
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the official Damn digital booklet.
- Kendrick Lamar – songwriter
- Ricci Riera – songwriter, producer
- Mark Spears – songwriter, producer
- Dacoury Natche – songwriter, producer
- Daniel Tannenbaum – songwriter
- Bēkon – producer, additional vocals
- Ronald LaTour – songwriter, producer
- Anthony Tiffith – songwriter, producer
- Mike Hector – additional drums
- Derek Ali – mixing
- Tyler Page – mix assistant
- Cyrus Taghipour – mix assistant
Charts
Notes and References
- Web site: India. Lindsey. Kendrick Lamar Surprises Fans With 'Damn.' Collector's Edition. XXL. December 9, 2017. December 8, 2017.
- News: Kendrick Lamar Wrestles With God and Fame on His New Album. RELEVANT Magazine. April 24, 2017.
- Web site: Will New Kendrick Lamar Album Address God? Okayplayer Okayplayer. Okayplayer. www.okayplayer.com. April 24, 2017.
- News: Kendrick Lamar Hints His Next Album Will Center On God. March 2, 2017. Vibe. April 24, 2017.
- News: Kendrick Lamar's Latest Drake Troll Could Be His Best Ever. Woolf. Jake. April 14, 2017. GQ. April 24, 2017.
- News: The Radical Christianity Of Kendrick Lamar. BuzzFeed. April 24, 2017.
- Web site: Kendrick Lamar Setlist at Coachella Festival 2017. setlist.fm. April 25, 2017.
- Web site: Masley. Ed. Kendrick Lamar launches DAMN. Tour in Glendale with triumphant one-man show of force. AZ Central. July 13, 2017. October 30, 2017.
- Web site: IRMA – Irish Charts. Irish Recorded Music Association. April 21, 2017.
- Web site: Swedish Heatseekers Chart - 14 April 2017. March 17, 2017.
