Entertainment

Kendrick Lamar takes aim at Fox News and Donald Trump in hard-hitting new album

There is something for everyone on Damn. – including U2 and Rihanna fans.
There is something for everyone on Damn. – including U2 and Rihanna fans. There is something for everyone on Damn. – including U2 and Rihanna fans.

Kendrick Lamar has unleashed a musical attack on everything from Fox News to Donald Trump in his hard-hitting new album.

Damn., released in the UK on Friday morning, brought fans a politically charged start to the Easter weekend, as well as collaborations with the likes of U2 and Rihanna.

The American rapper starts the album with an apparent pop at the news channel, which publicly slammed his song Alright that commented on police brutality.

Blood appears to feature a sample from the programme, in which broadcaster Geraldo Rivera claimed that Kendrick’s work did “more damage to young African Americans than racism”.Kendrick also makes his views on the current US presidency clear in more than one track, singing in XXX: “Donald Trump’s in office, we lost Barack and promised never to doubt him again, but is America honest or do we bask in sin?”But the downbeat theme is slightly lifted by the unlikely contribution from Irish rockers U2, providing a slow jazz-style verse with the lyrics: “This country is to be a sound of drum and bass, you close your eyes to look around”.

U2 live in Belfast.
U2 live in Belfast.
U2 live in Belfast (Niall Carson/PA)

Rihanna’s appearance comes on track six, Loyalty, where the hit artist sings about how it’s “so hard to be humble”.The collection of uncensored topics, guest artists and range of music technique have proved a winning combination for Kendrick, with fans even describing him as a life-changing artist.

It looks like Damn. will be the soundtrack of the day for some people, whether they like it or not…