section_path: Career/2020–2023: Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
section_name: 2020–2023: Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
paragraph_text: 2020–2023: Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
  
  On March 5, 2020, Lamar and Dave Free launched the creative entity PGLang, which was described at the time as a multilingual, artist-friendly service company. In October, he signed a worldwide administration agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group. Lamar announced through an August 2021 blog post that he was in the process of producing his final album under TDE, confirming rumors that emerged the year before that he would be leaving to focus on PGLang. The following week, he appeared on Baby Keem 's single " Family Ties ", which won Best Rap Performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. Lamar made additional contributions to Keem's album The Melodic Blue by providing background vocals and appearing on the song " Range Brothers ". In November, he held a "theatrical exhibition of his musical eras" during his second headlining performance at Day N Vegas, and featured on Terrace Martin's album Drones. He co-headlined the Super Bowl LVI halftime show alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, and Mary J. Blige on February 13, 2022, which won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
  
  After releasing the promotional single " The Heart Part 5 ", Lamar's fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, was released on May 13, 2022. The double album drew on jazz, R&B, trap, and soul influences; Alford served as its primary narrator. It was widely acclaimed by critics, who applauded Lamar's vulnerable songwriting and scope. Every track from the album charted on the Hot 100; its three singles–" N95 ", " Silent Hill ", and " Die Hard "–debuted in the top-10. Selling 295,000 units in its first week, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers became Lamar's fourth consecutive number-one album on the Billboard 200. It later became the first hip-hop album of the year to reach one billion streams on Spotify.
  
  In support of Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, Lamar embarked on the Big Steppers Tour, which ran from July 2022 to March 2024. The tour grossed $110.9 million in worldwide revenue, becoming the highest-grossing rap tour ever at the time. Lamar wrote, co-directed, and executive produced the short film adaptation of the song " We Cry Together ", which was released worldwide in September 2022. An accompanying concert film for the tour, Kendrick Lamar Live: The Big Steppers Tour, was released in November. Lamar won Favorite Male Hip Hop Artist at the American Music Awards, and Favorite Hip Hop Album for Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. He received six awards at the BET Hip Hop Awards, including Album of the Year. During the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers was named Best Rap Album, while "The Heart Part 5" won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song.
  
  In May 2023, Lamar was featured on the standalone version of Beyoncé 's single " America Has a Problem " and appeared on Baby Keem's single " The Hillbillies ". He won four awards at the BET Hip Hop Awards, and set four records in the process. Lamar was featured in the documentary concert film Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé and executive produced Baby Keem 's short film adaptation of The Melodic Blue. He quietly shed his ties with Aftermath Entertainment and signed a new direct licensing agreement with Interscope.
  
  On March 5, 2020, Lamar and Dave Free launched the creative entity PGLang, which was described at the time as a multilingual, artist-friendly service company. In October, he signed a worldwide administration agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group. Lamar announced through an August 2021 blog post that he was in the process of producing his final album under TDE, confirming rumors that emerged the year before that he would be leaving to focus on PGLang. The following week, he appeared on Baby Keem 's single " Family Ties ", which won Best Rap Performance at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. Lamar made additional contributions to Keem's album The Melodic Blue by providing background vocals and appearing on the song " Range Brothers ". In November, he held a "theatrical exhibition of his musical eras" during his second headlining performance at Day N Vegas, and featured on Terrace Martin's album Drones. He co-headlined the Super Bowl LVI halftime show alongside Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent, and Mary J. Blige on February 13, 2022, which won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
  
  After releasing the promotional single " The Heart Part 5 ", Lamar's fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, was released on May 13, 2022. The double album drew on jazz, R&B, trap, and soul influences; Alford served as its primary narrator. It was widely acclaimed by critics, who applauded Lamar's vulnerable songwriting and scope. Every track from the album charted on the Hot 100; its three singles–" N95 ", " Silent Hill ", and " Die Hard "–debuted in the top-10. Selling 295,000 units in its first week, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers became Lamar's fourth consecutive number-one album on the Billboard 200. It later became the first hip-hop album of the year to reach one billion streams on Spotify.
  
  In support of Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, Lamar embarked on the Big Steppers Tour, which ran from July 2022 to March 2024. The tour grossed $110.9 million in worldwide revenue, becoming the highest-grossing rap tour ever at the time. Lamar wrote, co-directed, and executive produced the short film adaptation of the song " We Cry Together ", which was released worldwide in September 2022. An accompanying concert film for the tour, Kendrick Lamar Live: The Big Steppers Tour, was released in November. Lamar won Favorite Male Hip Hop Artist at the American Music Awards, and Favorite Hip Hop Album for Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers. He received six awards at the BET Hip Hop Awards, including Album of the Year. During the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers was named Best Rap Album, while "The Heart Part 5" won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song.
  
  In May 2023, Lamar was featured on the standalone version of Beyoncé 's single " America Has a Problem " and appeared on Baby Keem's single " The Hillbillies ". He won four awards at the BET Hip Hop Awards, and set four records in the process. Lamar was featured in the documentary concert film Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé and executive produced Baby Keem 's short film adaptation of The Melodic Blue. He quietly shed his ties with Aftermath Entertainment and signed a new direct licensing agreement with Interscope.