"Feel" (stylized as "FEEL.") is a song by American rapper

Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his progressive musical styles and socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generat ...

, from his fourth studio album '' Damn'', released on April 14, 2017. The fifth track on the album (tenth on the ''Collector's Edition'' of ''Damn''), the song was written by Lamar and Mark Spears,

Sounwave Mark Anthony Spears, known professionally as Sounwave, is an American hip-hop producer and songwriter from Compton, California, and an original member of the Californian hip-hop label Top Dawg Entertainment. Sounwave has worked on every Kendric ...

, and produced by Sounwave. The song features bass from bass guitarist Thundercat and vocals from Chelsea Blythe.

Lyrics

The song sees Lamar taking a deeper look into the void and isolation caused by fame and success, specifically how he feels detached from his family and friends. A common recurrence in "Feel" is the phrase "Ain't nobody prayin' for me", a sentiment that Lamar "revisits elsewhere".

Critical reception

In a positive review, writers of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' magazine said "with round, textured notes from the Grammy-winning bass virtuoso Thundercat and a rickety, rim-shot drum pulse, "Feel" nods to the live-musician inflections of ''

To Pimp a Butterfly ''To Pimp a Butterfly'' is the third studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on March 15, 2015, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. The album was recorded in studios throughout the U ...

'' – or the sixth track from last year's '' untitled unmastered.'' Ann Powers of ''NPR Music'' also gave a positive review, saying "Feel" was the first song that "jumped out" at her on ''Damn''. Powers also commented that the song is reminiscent of ''To Pimp a Butterfly''.

Samples

The song contains a sample of the song "Stormy" by American musician

O. C. Smith Ocie Lee Smith (June 21, 1932 – November 23, 2001), known professionally as O. C. Smith, was an American singer. His recording of " Little Green Apples" went to number 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1968 and sold over one million rec ...

from the album ''For Once in My Life''. It also contains interpolations from "Don't Let Me Down" by Fleurie from the album ''Love and War''.

Live performances

Lamar has performed "Feel" as an encore on

the Damn tour The Damn Tour (stylized as The DAMN. Tour) was a concert tour by American rapper and songwriter Kendrick Lamar, in support of his fourth studio album, '' Damn'' (2017). The tour's North American leg began on July 12, 2017, in Glendale, Arizona ...

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the official ''Damn'' digital booklet. *Kendrick Lamar – songwriter * Mark Spears – songwriter, producer, mixing * Thundercat – bass *Chelsea Blythe – additional vocals *Matt Schaeffer – additional guitar, mixing *Derek Ali – mixing *Tyler Page – mix assistant *Cyrus Taghipour – mix assistant

Charts

Certifications

References

{{authority control 2017 songs Kendrick Lamar songs Songs written by Kendrick Lamar Songs written by Sounwave Jazz rap songs