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Hello, new world, all the boys and girls

I got some true stories to tell


You're back outside, but they still lied
Whoa, oh, oh, oh (yeah)
Take off the foo-foo
Take off the clout chase
Take off the Wi-Fi
Take off the money phone
Take off the car loan
Take off the flex and the white lies
Take off the weird-ass jewelry
I'ma take ten steps
Then I'm takin' off top five
Take off them fabricated streams
And them microwave memes
It's a real world outside (take that shit off)
Take off your idols
Take off the runway
I take off to Cairo (take that shit off)
Take off to Saint-Tropez
Five day stay, take a quarter mil'
Hell, if I know (take that shit off)
Take off the false flag
Take off perception
Take off the cop with the eye patch (take that shit off)
Take off the unloyal
Take off the unsure
Take off decisions I lack (take it off)
Take off the fake deep
Take off the fake woke
Take off the I'm broke, I care (take it off)
Take off the gossip
Take off the new logic, that if I'm rich, I'm rare (take it off)
Take off the Chanel
Take off the Dolce
Take off the Birkin bag (take it off)
Take all that designer bullshit off
And what do you have? (Bitch)
Huh, huh, uh, you ugly as fuck
(You out of pocket)
Huh, two ATMs (hah, hah, hah, hah)
You steppin' or what? (You out of pocket, huh)
Who you think they talk 'bout?
Talk about us (you out of pocket, shoot, shoot, shoot)
Who you think they copy off? (Brrt, brrt, brrt, brrt)
Copy off us (get back in pocket)
The world in a panic
The women is stranded
The men on a run
The prophets abandoned
The Lord take advantage
The market is crashin'
The industry wants
Niggas and bitches to sleep in a box
While they makin' a mockery followin' us
This ain't Monopoly
Watchin' for love
This ain't monogamy
Y'all gettin' fucked
Jumpin' on what the hell is that?
I gotta relax when I feel (huh, facts)
All of my descendants
They come in my sleep and say I am too real (huh, facts)
I'm done with the sensitive takin' it personal
Done with the black and the white
The wrong and the right
You hopin' for change and clericals
I know the feelings that came with burial's cries (bitch)
Huh, huh, uh, you ugly as fuck
(You out of pocket)
Huh, two ATMs (hah, hah, hah, hah)
You steppin' or what? (You out of pocket, huh)
Who you think they talk 'bout?
Talk about us (you out of pocket, shoot, shoot, shoot)
Who you think they copy off?
Copy off us (brrt, brrt, brrt, brrt)
Servin' up a look, dancin' in the drought
Hello to the big stepper, never losin' count
Ventin' in the safe house, ventin' in the sa-, ahh
Can I vent all my truth?
I got nothin' to lose
I got problems and pools
I can swim in my faith
Camera's movin' whenever I'm movin'
The family suin' whatever I make
Murder is stackin', the president actin'
The government taxin' my funds in the bank
Homies attractin' the feds
When I'm brackin', look at my reaction
My pupils on skates (hold up, hold up)
Let's think about this for a second (let's go)
Tell me what you would do for aesthetic (let's go)
Would you sell your soul on credit? (Let's go)
Would you sell your bro for leverage? (Let's go)
Where the hypocrites at?
What community feel
They the only ones relevant? (Let's go)
Where the hypocrites at?
What community feel
They the only ones relevant? (Let's go)
You outta pocket, yeah, you outta pocket (this shit hard)
You entertain the mediocre, need to stop it (this shit hard)
You entertainin' old friends when they toxic (this shit hard)
What's your life like? Bullshit and gossip (this shit hard)
What the fuck is cancel culture, dawg?
Say what I want about you niggas
I'm like Oprah, dawg
I treat you crackers like I'm Jigga, watch
I own it all
Oh, you worried 'bout a critic?
That ain't protocol (bitch)

ABOUT THE SONG:


 a seething cultural critique where Lamar spits bile.

 “N95” is the second track on Kendrick Lamar’s 2022 album ‘Mr. Morale & The Big
Steppers.’ The track title is a reference to the N95 masks that were recommended to
prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. On the track, Kendrick Lamar explores
more important topics in the ‘new world.’
 In “N95,” Kendrick Lamar calls out for a massive strip-off, from fake jewelry to fake
social media highlight reels to getting hooked up on Wi-fi and luxury brands. On top
of this, Kendrick Lamar also claims that the whole world was lied to during the
pandemic.

 In the intro to the song, Kendrick Lamar welcomes all the listeners to a new world.
The post-pandemic world has been called a new world or a new normal.

 He tells people to take off their materialistic items and take a close look at
themselves.

 The lyrics of ‘N95’ by Kendrick Lamar tell us to get outside the materialistic world and
we would have nothing to show for it. It’s a very important message as people were
showing off the brand of the masks even when they were on the verge of a
disastrous pandemic. In simple words, the rapper is telling us to be humble.

 Kendrick’s “N95” is a song about the fronts people put up to mask their true
intentions, feelings or circumstances. It is about betrayal, inequality and facades. It’s
an artistic banger, chock full of references and symbolism.

 Conclusion: The meaning of ‘N95’ by Kendrick Lamar is the mask we put on so we


appear as though we are people with substance. However, the rapper shatters that
illusion by ripping us off materialism. He shows us that we are a nobody outside of
the materialistic value we provide. It means we are not living for ourselves but are
living for someone else.

 The track title is a reference to the N95 masks recommended to the public during the
pandemic, as a comparison to the fakeness and insincerity in America’s culture. The
song opens with a greeting to the “new world” and lists off societal distortions,
referencing a new normality being set. Lamar reflects on the inauthenticity
developed by society’s changes throughout recent years, with lines about “cancel
culture”, “microwave memes” and the morals lost by the public through clout
chasing.

 Kendrick Lamar Releases Video For Song "N95", A Metaphor Of Mask That Describes
Falsehood In Society

The song appears to be critical of materialism and the superficiality of society. The lyrics call
for listeners to "take off" various superficial elements of their lives, such as designer clothing
and expensive accessories, and to focus on what is truly important. The song also touches
on themes of authenticity and the importance of being true to oneself. Additionally, the
lyrics also describes the negative effects of the materialism and superficiality of the society
on the people, and the panic caused by the market crash and the industry's greed for profit.
The song also touches on the idea of people selling their soul for aesthetic and the hypocrisy
of some community
The song also appears to be critical of the way in which society idolizes and emulates certain
individuals, specifically mentioning the idea of "idols" and "false flag" and the way in which
people are manipulated by the perception that is being created by the government and the
media. The lyrics also express the idea of the government being corrupt, taking advantage
of the people and the industry's greed for profit.

It also appears to be critical of the way people are willing to sell out their own friends and
family in order to gain personal gain and gain leverage. The song also encourages the
listeners to think critically and question the status quo, and the hypocrisy of certain
community.

CAN YOU REFER TO QUOTES FROM THE SONG?


YES, HERE ARE SOME QUOTES FROM THE SONG THAT RELATE TO THE THEMES I
MENTIONED EARLIER:

"Take off the foo-foo / Take off the clout chase / Take off the Wi-Fi / Take off the money
phone" - These lines call for listeners to remove the superficial elements of their lives and
focus on what is truly important.

"Take off the car loan / Take off the flex and the white lies / Take off the weird-ass jewelry" -
These lines continue the theme of materialism and superficiality.

"Take off the false flag / Take off perception / Take off the cop with the eye patch" - These
lines touch on the idea of the government being corrupt and manipulating the people with
false perception.

"Take off the unloyal / Take off the unsure / Take off decisions I lack" - These lines encourage
listeners to be true to themselves and to question their own actions and decisions.

"Take off the fake deep / Take off the fake woke / Take off the I'm broke, I care" - These lines
call out the superficiality of people who pretend to be something they're not, whether it's
being "deep" or "woke" or pretending to care about others when they don't.

"The world in a panic / The women is stranded / The men on a run / The prophets
abandoned / The Lord take advantage / The market is crashin' / The industry wants / Niggas
and bitches to sleep in a box / While they makin' a mockery followin' us" - These lines
describe the negative effects of the materialism and superficiality of the society on the
people, and the panic caused by the market crash and the industry's greed for profit.

"You entertain the mediocre, need to stop it" - This line encourage the listener to not accept
mediocrity and question the status quo.

CAN YOU PICK OUT LITERARY DEVICES USED IN THE SONG?


SURE, HERE ARE A FEW LITERARY DEVICES THAT ARE USED IN THE SONG:

Repetition: The phrase "Take off" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the song's
main message of removing superficial elements from one's life. The phrase "Who you think
they talk 'bout? / Talk about us" and "Who you think they copy off? / Copy off us" is also
repeated throughout the song, which emphasizes the idea of the song being a reflection of
reality and people being influenced by the artist and the ideas he presents.

Metaphor: The phrase "Take off the foo-foo" uses a metaphor to describe the act of
removing superficial elements from one's life. The phrase "Take off the false flag" uses a
metaphor to describe the act of removing the false perception created by the government
and the media.

Imagery: The lyrics "The world in a panic / The women is stranded / The men on a run / The
prophets abandoned / The Lord take advantage / The market is crashin' " uses imagery to
describe the negative effects of the materialism and superficiality of the society on the
people, and the panic caused by the market crash and the industry's greed for profit.

Hyperbole: The phrase "You ugly as fuck" uses hyperbole to emphasize the ugliness or
negative qualities of something.

Irony: The line "I got problems and pools / I can swim in my faith" uses irony to describe the
idea that the artist has many problems but is able to cope with them because of his faith,
while the line "You entertain the mediocre, need to stop it" uses irony to describe the idea
of people accepting mediocrity and not questioning the status quo.

Personification: The line "The Lord take advantage" personifies the Lord and describe the
idea of the Lord taking advantage of the situation.

Allusion: The line "This ain't Monopoly" alludes to the board game Monopoly and implies
that life is not a game where people can make a profit at the expense of others.
HOW IS THE THEME OF MATERIALISM PORTRAYED IN THE SONG?

The theme of materialism is portrayed in the song through the lyrics' repeated calls to "take
off" various superficial elements of life, such as designer clothing, expensive accessories,
and even "weird-ass jewelry." The lyrics also describe these items as "fabricated" and "fake,"
emphasizing the idea that they are not real or meaningful. The lines "Take off the car loan /
Take off the flex and the white lies" suggests that material possessions bring the debt and
the need to maintain the image, which could be fake.

The lyrics also describe the negative effects of materialism on society, such as the "world in a
panic" and the "market crashin'." The line "The industry wants / Niggas and bitches to sleep
in a box / While they makin' a mockery followin' us" implies that the industry is exploiting
people in order to make a profit. This line also suggests that people are being manipulated
into buying unnecessary and superficial things, which is making them poor and causing them
to live in poverty.

The song also questions the idea of people willing to sell their souls for aesthetic and
material possessions, the line "Would you sell your soul on credit?" emphasizes this idea. The
song also criticizes the way people idolize certain individuals and follow the trends, the line
"Take off your idols" emphasizes this idea.

Overall, the song portrays the theme of materialism as something that is superficial,
meaningless, and harmful to both individuals and society as a whole. The song encourages
the listener to question the value of material possessions and to focus on what is truly
important in life.

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