N95

“N95” is the second track on Kendrick Lamar’s fifth and final studio album with Top Dawg Entertainment, "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers". The song title refers to N95 face masks. Lamar may be criticizing responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. “You’re back outside but they still lied” and the repeated use of the phrase “take off”—as well as several other critiques—might be considered evidence for this interpretation. This song’s bridge, alongside the first half of the third verse, were originally meant to compose Baby Keem’s “vent”, where Kendrick ended up only doing the chorus of the song.

[Intro] Hello, new world, all the boys and girls I got some true stories to tell You're back outside, but they still lied Woah-oh-oh-oh (Yeah) [Verse 1] Take off the foo-foo, take off the clout chase, take off the Wi-Fi Take off the money phone, take off the car loan, take off the flex and the white lies Take off the weird-ass jewelry, I'ma take ten steps, then I'm taking off top five Take off them fabricated streams and them microwave memes, it's a real world outside (Take that shit off) Take off your idols, take off the runway, I take off to Cairo (Take that shit off) Take off to Saint-Tropez, five-day stay, take a quarter mill', hell, if I know (Take that shit off) Take off the front flag, take off perception, take off the cop with the eye patch (Take that shit off) Take off the unloyal, take off the unsure, take off decisions I lack (Take it off) Take off the fake deep, take off the fake woke, take off the, "I'm broke, I care" (Take it off) Take off the gossip, take off the new logic that if I'm rich, I'm rare (Take it off) Take off the Chanel, take off the Dolce, take off the Birkin bag (Take it off) Take all that designer bullshit off, and what do you have? [Chorus] Bitch, huh, huh, ugh You ugly as fuck (You outta pocket) Huh, two ATMs (Hah, hah, hah, hah) You steppin' or what? (You outta pocket, huh) Who you think they talk about? Talk about us (You outta pocket—shoot, shoot, shoot) Who you think they copy off? (Brrt, brrt, brrt, brrt) Copy off us (Get back in pocket) [Verse 2] The world in a panic, the women is stranded, the men on a run The prophets abandoned, the law take advantage, the market is crashin', the industry wants Niggas and bitches to sleep in a box while they makin' a mockery followin' us This ain't Monopoly, watchin' for love, this ain't monogamy, y'all gettin' fucked Jumpin' on what the hell is that? I gotta relax when I feel (Huh, facts) All my descendants, they come in my sleep and say I am too real (Huh, facts) I'm done with the sensitive, takin' it personal, done with the black and the white, the wrong and the right You hopin' for change and clericals, I know the feelings that came with burial's cries [Chorus] Bitch, huh, huh, ugh You ugly as fuck (You outta pocket) Huh, two ATMs (Hah, hah, hah, hah) You steppin' or what? (You outta pocket, huh) Who you think they talk about? Talk about us (You outta pocket—shoot, shoot, shoot) Who you think they copy off? (Brrt, brrt, brrt, brrt) Copy off us [Bridge] Servin' up a look, dancin' in a drought Hello to the big stepper, never losin' count Ventin' in the safe house Ventin' in the sa— [Verse 3: Kendrick Lamar & Baby Keem] Can I vent all my truth? I got nothin' to lose, I got problems and pools, I can swim on my faith Cameras movin' whenever I'm movin', the family suin' whatever I make Murder is stackin', the president actin', the government taxin' my funds in the bank Homies attracting the feds when I'm bracking, look at my reaction, my pupils on skates (Hold up, hold up) Let's think about this for a second (Let's go) Tell me what you would do for aesthetic (Let's go) Would you sell your soul on credit? (Let's go) Would you sell your bro for leverage? (Let's go) Where the hypocrites at? What community feel they the only ones relevant? (Let's go) Where the hypocrites at? What community feel they the only ones relevant? (Let's go) [Outro] Huh, huh, ugh You outta pocket, yeah, you outta pocket (This shit hard) You entertain the mediocre, need to stop it (This shit hard) You entertainin' old friends when they toxic (This shit hard) What your life like? Bullshit and gossip (This shit hard) What the fuck is cancel culture, dawg? Say what I want about you niggas, I'm like Oprah, dawg I treat you crackers like I'm Jigga, watch, I own it all Oh, you worried 'bout a critic? That ain't protocol (Bitch)