Beyoncé & Kendrick Lamar Reconnect On “America Has A Problem” Remix
The song marks Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar’s third collaboration overall, following 2018’s “Nile” from The Lion King: The Gift, and “Freedom” from Beyoncé’s 2016 album Lemonade.
Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé reconnect on their third collaboration, the “America Has A Problem” remix. The original version of the Kilo Ali-sampling song was on Beyoncé’s seventh album Renaissance, which released last July and went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album. At the same awards ceremony in March, Kendrick Lamar took home three Grammys, among them Best Rap Album for Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.
On “America Has A Problem,” Lamar proclaims his status as an “honorary Beyhive,” while nodding to artificial intelligence-generated copycats. “Even AI gotta practice copyin' Kendrick / The double entendre, the encore remnants / I bop like tin men, the opps need ten men / Billboard they know not to hold, rightfully so / Simmer down, I go, I go,” he raps at the end of his energetic verse.
The song marks Beyoncé and Lamar’s third collaboration overall, following 2018’s “Nile” from The Lion King: The Gift, and “Freedom” from Beyoncé’s 2016 album Lemonade. The latter song also received a high-energy live performance at the 2016 BET Awards. Two years later, Beyoncé gave “Freedom” a first-time festival performance during her headlining set at Coachella, which was also seen in her Homecoming music documentary on Netflix.
Years before he became a household name, Kendrick showed his affinity for the former Destiny’s Child member on 2009 song “Beyoncé.” As a means of respect, Lamar also shouted-out Bey’s husband and longtime collaborator, rhyming: “Jay don’t be mad at me 'bout this song.” Beyoncé would later put her own twist on Lamar’s ode, sampling his voice from the song on 2013 track “Partition.”