You’ve probably heard it. That smooth, funky groove. The way Anna Wise and Bilal trade vocals over Terrace Martin’s shimmering production. It sounds like a summer night in a Cadillac. But then you listen to the lyrics. Truly listen. And suddenly, the floor falls out from under you.
These Walls Kendrick Lamar isn't just a "vibe" track. It’s a surgical strike of psychological warfare.
When To Pimp a Butterfly dropped in 2015, this song was the moment Kendrick stopped being just a rapper and became a novelist with a microphone. It’s the fifth track on the album, and it’s the pivot point. It's where the "cocoon" mentioned in the album's overarching poem starts to feel claustrophobic. Honestly, it’s one of the most brilliant, and arguably the most spiteful, things he’s ever written.
The Triple Entendre You Might Have Missed
Most artists struggle to make a song about one thing. Kendrick made this about three. Simultaneously.
The title refers to three distinct "walls." If you aren't paying attention, you'll only catch the first one.
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- The Sexual Wall: The most obvious layer. The song opens with a woman moaning. Kendrick is describes being "in it." He uses metaphors like "interior pink" and "color-coordinated." On the surface, it’s a standard, if highly poetic, R&B-influenced rap song.
- The Institutional Wall: This is the social commentary Kendrick is known for. He’s talking about the walls of the city—Compton—and the barriers of race and class that keep people boxed in. It’s about the struggle to "climb" over the walls of his upbringing.
- The Prison Wall: This is where the song gets dark. Really dark. By the final verse, you realize the "walls" are the literal concrete boundaries of a jail cell.
The Revenge Plot No One Saw Coming
Here is what most people get wrong about these walls kendrick lamar. They think it’s just a song about a guy having an affair. It’s actually a direct sequel to "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" from his previous album, good kid, m.A.A.d city.
Remember Dave? Kendrick’s friend who was killed in a gunfight at the end of "Swimming Pools"?
In the third verse of These Walls, Kendrick addresses Dave’s killer directly. The killer is currently serving a life sentence. Kendrick basically tells him, "Hey, remember that girl who was the only one who cared about you? The mother of your child? I’m with her right now."
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"So when you play this song, rewind the first verse / About me abusing my power so you can hurt."
It’s a "revenge fuck." It's Kendrick using his new status as a "famous rapper" to dismantle the only thing the killer has left. He’s not bragging about the sex because he’s a player; he’s bragging because he wants the man behind those prison walls to feel the demolition. It's cold. It's calculated. And it's exactly what he refers to in the album's intro poem when he says he was "misusing his influence."
Why the Music Video Changes Everything
If you haven't seen the video, go watch it. Now. It’s a surrealist masterpiece directed by Colin Tilley.
It starts like a comedy. You’ve got Terry Crews doing a "Hit the Quan" dance-off in a talent show. It looks like a parody of black exploitation films or a wild 90s house party. But there’s a recurring image of a man sitting in a dark room, staring at the walls.
That man is the killer.
The contrast between the "fun" party scenes and the grim reality of the prison cell highlights the "duality" Kendrick is obsessed with. He’s living the high life, winning Grammys (this song actually won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration in 2016), but he’s still tied to the cycle of trauma and petty vengeance from his hometown.
The Collaboration: A Jazz-Rap Dream Team
You can't talk about this song without mentioning the musicians. This wasn't made by some guy clicking a mouse in a basement. This is live instrumentation at its peak.
- Thundercat: That bassline? That’s him. It’s rubbery and soulful.
- Terrace Martin & Larrance Dopson: They handled the production, blending jazz, funk, and neo-soul into something that sounds timeless.
- Anna Wise & Bilal: Their vocals provide the "feminine" and "ethereal" counterpoint to Kendrick’s increasingly aggressive delivery.
Actionable Insights: How to Truly "Hear" the Song
To get the full experience of these walls kendrick lamar, don't just put it on a "Chill Hits" playlist. You've gotta do the work.
- Listen to the transition: Play "Institutionalized" first. The poem at the end leads directly into the "sex" intro of These Walls.
- Read the lyrics to Verse 4: Don't just listen to the rhythm. Read the words. Look for the mention of "Sammy Da Bull" (a famous snitch) and "commissary." It shifts the entire meaning of the previous three minutes.
- Watch the ending of the music video: The final shot is Kendrick staring into the camera, reciting the poem that ties the whole album together. It’s the moment he realizes his revenge didn't actually make him feel better—it just led to his "deep depression."
Kendrick Lamar doesn't do things by accident. Every moan, every bass lick, and every reference to "interior pink" is a brick in a much larger structure. Once you see the walls for what they really are, you can't un-see them.
Next time this comes on the radio, remember: it’s not a love song. It’s a confession.
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Next Steps for You
- Listen to the "Dissect" podcast episode on this track for a bar-by-bar breakdown.
- Compare the lyrics to "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" to see the narrative connection.
- Watch the live performance of the song from The Tonight Show to see how the jazz elements translate to a stage.