Just months after U2 joined Kendrick Lamar on “XXX.” off DAMN., the Compton MC returns the favor on “Get Out of Your Own Way.”
King Kendrick appears in the final seconds of the anthemic track, where he delivers a spoken-word poem about privilege and wealth.
“Blessed are the arrogant who bares the kingdom of their own company,” he says over electric guitars. “Blessed are the superstars, for the magnificence in their light, we understand better our own insignificance. Blessed are the filthy rich for you can only truly own what you give away like your pain.”
It’s unclear whether K-Dot’s portion of the track leads into another song, but it appears to be the case.
U2 connected with Kendrick via Mike WiLL Made-It, who was introduced to Bono by Apple Music’s Jimmy Iovine. “It was just ill to play a part in that,” Mike WiLL told BuzzFeed. “It was just ill to produce that record and actually go in with [Lamar] and do some creative shit. With Bono, I hadn’t wanted to really blow him up or force it, because I wasn’t really sure how we could even work together. But with everybody adding their contributions to this song right here, it just came out dope as fuck man.”
“Get Out of Your Own Way” is set to appear on U2’s 14th album Songs of Experience, which is due Dec. 1.