“Die Hard” by Kendrick Lamar, Blxst and Amanda Reifer
By Alexander Ross
This piece (“Die Hard”) can be taken as a love song, considering that the addressee is referred to as “baby” in the outro. But the song isn’t necessarily what one would classify as being romantic in nature. What Kendrick Lamar is doing, most simply put, is entreating a loved one to be patient with and loyal to him, despite what can be deemed as his interpersonal shortcomings.
');var c=function(){cf.showAsyncAd(opts)};if(typeof window.cf !== 'undefined')c();else{cf_async=!0;var r=document.createElement("script"),s=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];r.async=!0;r.src="//";r.readyState?r.onreadystatechange=function(){if("loaded"==r.readyState||"complete"==r.readyState)r.onreadystatechange=null,c()}:r.onload=c;s.parentNode.insertBefore(r,s)}; })();In a way it’s as if the vocalist is baring his soul, letting the addressee know that he is very much vulnerable to how she treats him. And the title is also related to such a concept, i.e. Kendrick putting forth that he is “a die hard” in the first verse. In context, what that’s supposed to mean is that when he falls in love, he does with all his heart. So sometimes, things can ‘get ugly’ due to his extremely “passionate” ways. The further implication is that sometimes getting caught up in his feelings can prove detrimental to the romance at hand.
So conclusively, as illustrated in the chorus and relayed by Blxst, the vocalist is hoping that, amidst his flaws, the addressee is able to perceive his good side. And in the end, Kendrick also appears to give a shoutout to the late Nipsey Hussle or more specifically his widow, Lauren London.
Facts about “Die Hard”
Kendrick Lamar’s celebrity cousin Baby Keem co-produced and co-wrote “Die Hard” with J.LBS. The other producers of the track are Sounwave, DJ Dahi and FNZ. The other writers are Kendrick Lamar, Blxst, Amanda Reifer, Thundercat, Sam Dew and Grandmaster Vic.
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This track was put out by UMG, Interscope, Top Dawg and Aftermath as part of Kendrick’s LP “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers”. The album was commercially launched on 13 May 2022.
“Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” is actually split into two volumes, “Big Steppers” and “Mr. Morale”. This track appears on the “Big Steppers” (i.e. the first half of the project).
Amanda Reifer is a singer from Barbados, and Blxst, like Kendrick, is a hip-hop artist from Los Angeles. This is the first time either of them have collaborated with each other.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
