Watch the Party Die
{{Short description|2024 song by Kendrick Lamar}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Watch the Party Die
| cover = Watch the Party Die by Kendrick Lamar.jpg
| type = song
| artist = Kendrick Lamar
| released = {{start date|2024|9|11}}
| recorded = 2024
| genre =
| length = {{Duration|m=5|s=07}}
| writer = Kendrick Lamar Duckworth
| producer = {{hlist|Jack Antonoff|Sounwave|Irvin "Pasqué" Mejia|Anca Trio Plus One}}
}}
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.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-09-12 |title=DJ Akademiks believes Kendrick Lamar took shots at him in new track 'Watch the Party Die' |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2495584/dj-akademiks-believes-kendrick-lamar-took-shots-at-him-in-new-track-watch-the-party-die |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Horowitz |first=Steven J. |date=2024-09-12 |title=Kendrick Lamar Drops First New Song Since 'Not Like Us' |url=https://variety.com/2024/music/news/kendrick-lamar-drops-first-song-since-not-like-us-1236141721/ |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-09-12 |title=Who Is Kendrick Lamar Talking About On His New Song 'Watch The Party Die'? |url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/kendrick-lamar-new-song-watch-party-die-meaning |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=HipHopDX |language=en}}
The song was released 3 days after the announcement that Lamar would be headlining the Super Bowl LIX halftime show.{{Cite web |last=Fekadu |first=Mesfin |date=2024-09-08 |title=Kendrick Lamar to Headline 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/kendrick-lamar-headline-2025-apple-music-super-bowl-lix-halftime-show-1235995076/ |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} 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
Lamar announced that he would be headlining the Super Bowl LIX halftime show on September 8, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Aswad |first=Jem |date=September 8, 2024 |title=Kendrick Lamar to Perform at 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show |url=https://variety.com/2024/music/news/super-bowl-2025-halftime-performer-1236136777/ |access-date=September 13, 2024 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Nadkarni |first=Rohan |date=September 8, 2024 |title=Kendrick Lamar will headline Super Bowl halftime show |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/nfl/kendrick-lamar-will-headline-super-bowl-lix-halftime-show-rcna170117 |access-date=September 13, 2024 |website=NBC News |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Arianna |date=September 9, 2024 |title=Nicki Minaj And Others Seemingly Call Out Jay-Z For Picking Kendrick Lamar For Super Bowl Over Lil Wayne: What To Know |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2024/09/09/nicki-minaj-and-others-seemingly-call-out-jay-z-for-picking-kendrick-lamar-for-super-bowl-over-lil-wayne-what-to-know/ |access-date=September 13, 2024 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |last=Lee |first=Chantelle |date=September 9, 2024 |title=Some Are Criticizing Kendrick Lamar Headlining Super Bowl |url=https://time.com/7019302/kendrick-lamar-people-criticize-headlining-super-bowl/ |access-date=September 13, 2024 |magazine=TIME |language=en}}
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.{{Cite web |last=DeVille |first=Chris |date=September 12, 2024 |title=Kendrick Lamar Drops First New Song Since "Not Like Us" |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2279956/kendrick-lamar-drops-first-new-song-since-not-like-us/music/ |access-date=September 12, 2024 |website=Stereogum |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Strauss |first=Matthew |date=September 12, 2024 |title=Kendrick Lamar Drops New Song on Instagram |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/kendrick-lamar-drops-new-song-on-instagram/ |access-date=September 12, 2024 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Rossingnol |first=Derrick |date=September 25, 2024 |title=The Sellers Of The Kendrick Lamar Cover Art Shoes Are Attempting To Cash In With A New eBay Listing And Merch |url=https://uproxx.com/music/kendrick-lamar-shoes-sale-ebay-watch-the-party-die/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240925180635/https://uproxx.com/music/kendrick-lamar-shoes-sale-ebay-watch-the-party-die/ |archive-date=September 25, 2024 |access-date=January 10, 2025 |website=Uproxx}}
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.{{Cite web |last=Cowen |first=Trace William |date=2024-09-12 |title=Kendrick Lamar Drops New Track Amid Ongoing Super Bowl Discourse: 'Time to Watch the Party Die' |url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/tracewilliamcowen/kendrick-lamar-new-song-watch-party-die-superbowl |access-date=September 12, 2024 |website=Complex |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Squires |first=Bethy |date=September 11, 2024 |title=Kendrick Lamar Shocks World by Not Torching Drake on New Song |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/kendrick-lamar-drops-time-to-watch-the-party-die.html |access-date=September 12, 2024 |website=Vulture |language=en}} Lamar expresses his frustrations with the music industry as a whole, particularly focusing on the hip hop industry.{{Cite web |title=Kendrick Lamar drops first song since 'Not Like Us' and fans are eager to work out the meaning |url=https://www.capitalxtra.com/news/kendrick-lamar-watch-the-party-die-meaning-lyrics/ |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=Capital XTRA |language=en}}
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.{{Cite web |last=Trapp |first=Malcolm |title=Kendrick Lamar Declares It's Time To "Watch The Party Die" On First Single Since "Not Like Us" |url=https://www.rap-up.com/article/kendrick-lamar-says-it-s-time-to-watch-the-party-die-on-new-song |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=Rap-Up}} Both artists responded positively{{snd}}initially through posts on X, and later through response tracks.{{cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/music/lecrae-kendrick-lamar-watch-the-party-die-response-song/|website=Uproxx|date=September 15, 2024|first=Flisadam|last=Pointer|title=Lecrae Responds to Kendrick Lamar's 'Watch The Party Die' Mention With a Unifying Track of His Own}}{{cite news|url=https://www.iheart.com/content/2024-09-19-dee-1-fires-shot-at-joe-budden-on-his-response-to-kendrick-lamars-new-song/|title=Dee-1 Fires Shot at Joe Budden on His Response to Kendrick Lamar's New Song|date=September 19, 2024|publisher=iHeart Radio|first=Tony M.|last=Centeno}} The song is primarily Lamar rapping over a mid-tempo instrumental, which consists of piano, violin, and a gentle vocal melody.{{Cite web |last=Kearse |first=Stephen |title=Kendrick Lamar: “[Untitled]” |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/kendrick-lamar-untitled/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Instagram|id=reel/C_y8-rrS5La|name="Watch the Party Die"}}
{{Kendrick Lamar songs}}