"Feel" (stylized as "FEEL.") is a song by American rapper
Kendrick Lamar, 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[2]), the song was written by Lamar and Mark Spears,
a.k.a.
Sounwave, and produced by Sounwave. The song features
bass from bass guitarist
Thundercat and vocals from Chelsea Blythe. The song originally had a music video which was never released and randomly leaked on
YouTube.
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.[3]
A common recurrence in "Feel" is the phrase "Ain't nobody prayin' for me", a sentiment that Lamar "revisits elsewhere".[4]
Critical reception
In a positive review, writers of Rolling Stone 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 – or the sixth track from last year's untitled unmastered.[5] 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.[6]
Samples
The song contains a sample of the song "Stormy" by American musician
O. C. Smith from the album For Once in My Life.[7] It also contains interpolations from "Don't Let Me Down" by
Fleurie from the album Love and War.[8][9]
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ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – SINGLES DIGITAL – TOP 100 and insert 201716 into search. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
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ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201716 into search. Retrieved April 25, 2017.