Watch the Party Die

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"Watch the Party Die"
Watch the Party Die by Kendrick Lamar.jpg
Song by Kendrick Lamar
ReleasedSeptember 11, 2024 (2024-09-11)
Recorded2024
Length5:07
Songwriter(s) Kendrick Lamar Duckworth
Producer(s)

On September 11, 2024, the American rapper Kendrick Lamar released an untitled song exclusively to his Instagram account. Following its surprise release, media outlets referred to the untitled song as "Watch the Party Die" after its chorus. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

The song was released 3 days after the announcement that Lamar would be headlining the Super Bowl LIX halftime show. Following Lamar's feud with Drake, "Watch the Party Die" concerns Lamar's frustrations with the music industry; specific critiques were aimed towards hip hop culture and media.

Background

American rapper Kendrick Lamar announced that he would be headlining the Super Bowl LIX halftime show on September 8, 2024. [4] [5] Despite the news being well received by critics, it polarized the rap industry as some believed Lil Wayne should have been the headliner due to the event being held in his hometown of New Orleans. [6] [7]

Lamar released an untitled song with no prior announcement to his Instagram account on September 11 at approximately 8 p.m. ET; the same time the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) commenced. [8] [9] The song's cover art is taken from an eBay listing for a pair of black Nike Air Force 1s, which were purchased shortly after the song's release. [10]

Composition

"Watch The Party Die" was the first song to be released by Lamar following the number one single "Not Like Us" and his highly publicized feud with Canadian rapper Drake. Though it references Drake and the feud, critics noted the song was not a diss track. [11] Instead, the lyrics critique materialism, influencers and celebrity culture; the song's release during the VMAs was perceived as being a direct reaction to it. [12] Lamar expresses his frustrations with the music industry as a whole, particularly focusing on the hip hop industry. [13]

The track, like previous standalone Lamar single "The Heart Part 5", pays tribute to rapper Nipsey Hussle following his death in 2019. It also references Christian rappers Dee-1 and Lecrae. [14] Both artists responded positively –initially through posts on X, and later through response tracks. [15] [16]

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References

  1. ↑ "DJ Akademiks believes Kendrick Lamar took shots at him in new track 'Watch the Party Die'". The Express Tribune. September 12, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  2. ↑ Horowitz, Steven J. (September 12, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar Drops First New Song Since 'Not Like Us'". Variety. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Who Is Kendrick Lamar Talking About On His New Song 'Watch The Party Die'?". HipHopDX. September 12, 2024. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  4. ↑ Aswad, Jem (September 8, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar to Perform at 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show". Variety . Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  5. ↑ Nadkarni, Rohan (September 8, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar will headline Super Bowl halftime show". NBC News . Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  6. ↑ Johnson, Arianna (September 9, 2024). "Nicki Minaj And Others Seemingly Call Out Jay-Z For Picking Kendrick Lamar For Super Bowl Over Lil Wayne: What To Know". Forbes . Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  7. ↑ Lee, Chantelle (September 9, 2024). "Some Are Criticizing Kendrick Lamar Headlining Super Bowl". TIME . Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  8. ↑ DeVille, Chris (September 12, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar Drops First New Song Since "Not Like Us"". Stereogum . Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  9. ↑ Strauss, Matthew (September 12, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar Drops New Song on Instagram". Pitchfork . Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  10. ↑ Rossingnol, Derrick (September 25, 2024). "The Sellers Of The Kendrick Lamar Cover Art Shoes Are Attempting To Cash In With A New eBay Listing And Merch". Uproxx . Archived from the original on September 25, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  11. ↑ Cowen, Trace William (September 12, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar Drops New Track Amid Ongoing Super Bowl Discourse: 'Time to Watch the Party Die'". Complex . Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  12. ↑ Squires, Bethy (September 11, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar Shocks World by Not Torching Drake on New Song". Vulture . Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Kendrick Lamar drops first song since 'Not Like Us' and fans are eager to work out the meaning". Capital XTRA. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  14. ↑ Trapp, Malcolm. "Kendrick Lamar Declares It's Time To "Watch The Party Die" On First Single Since "Not Like Us"". Rap-Up. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  15. ↑ Pointer, Flisadam (September 15, 2024). "Lecrae Responds to Kendrick Lamar's 'Watch The Party Die' Mention With a Unifying Track of His Own". Uproxx .
  16. ↑ Centeno, Tony M. (September 19, 2024). "Dee-1 Fires Shot at Joe Budden on His Response to Kendrick Lamar's New Song". iHeart Radio.
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