The Seahawks Have Hilarious Minor Connection to Kendrick Lamar's New Album
A little over five years removed from the released of his critically acclaimed album DAMN., rapper Kendrick Lamar has returned with his fifth studio record Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. The album, which released via streaming platforms at midnight on May 13, features a wide range of guest appearances and samples pulled from some unexpected places.
At the eight-second mark of the album's 16th track, titled Mr. Morale, listeners are greeted by a man angrily shouting, "It was one of the worst performances I have seen in my life! I couldn't sleep last night because I felt this s--t—."
The average listener is unlikely to think twice about the origins of this clip, but it particularly stood out to some Seahawks fans such as Cigar Thoughts producer and Beast Pode co-creator Mike Barwin, who identified the ranter in question as Cowboys fan and YouTube creator John Shango of The Dallas Cowboys Show.
The sample Lamar and Grammy award-winning artist and producer Pharrell Williams utilized was taken from one of Shango's videos posted nearly 10 years ago. In it, an infuriated Shango unleashes an epic, expletive-filled rant in reaction to the Cowboys' 27-7 loss to the Seahawks in Week 2 of the 2012 season.
Warning: NSFW language at loud volumes.
That game, in fact, holds significant meaning for the Seahawks as a franchise. It marked the first NFL win in the accomplished career of quarterback Russell Wilson, who completed 15 of 20 pass attempts for 151 yards and a touchdown to tight end Anthony McCoy.
Additionally, running back Marshawn Lynch tallied 151 yards and a score on 26 carries, while safety Jeron Johnson found the end zone on a blocked punt. Seattle's defense, beginning to form what would soon become the vaunted "Legion of Boom," made life difficult on Dallas quarterback Tony Romo all afternoon long, with defensive end Jason Jones and linebacker Bruce Irvin combining for a sack and cornerback Brandon Browner reeling in an interception.
Interestingly, this is not the first connection made between the Seahawks and Lamar. In an effort to speak on non-football matters during his weekly press conferences last year, former Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner began by promoting pgLang—a multi-faceted company founded by Lamar and Top Dawg Entertainment president Dave Free that focuses on content creation and youth development.
"Dave Free has been a very, very close friend of mine for a long time," Wagner explained to start his Week 1 press conference last September. "And he was with me while I was going through my contract negotiations [in 2019]. He provided a lot of support for me, as I did for him as he started his new company. So, you know, he holds a very dear place in my heart and I'm excited for what they have in store."
