Welcome to the New York Times podcast. Your non-resistance is the key to the greatest

power in the universe of music, music, music, and criticism. I am your host, John Carmotaka.

Talking Kendrick today, we have an incredible squad. I want to open by saying I was emailing

with Craig Jenkins, who's here with us, and Craig told me earlier this week that he did

all the Eckhart reading before getting into the Kendrick album. And I had to be honest

and say that I did not do a bit. But yeah, I mean, there's a lot to read, but I had to

be. I put in a lot of chapters. I did not do the Eckhart reading, but in preparation

for this, I busted out a new earth awakening to your life's purpose, who among us has

not had an Eckhart toll phase. Certainly, I have started less weekend. Yeah. And Kendrick's

been on a mission, apparently, for a few years. So my opening salvo, that was a quote.

And to be honest, as I get older, I do find that non-resistance is, in fact, the enlightened

path. So go off Eckhart, I guess we have a big talk today. Like I said, Craig Jenkins

here, music critic at Vulture. And also, we haven't had Craig on since he was a finalist

for the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in criticism. Thank you. Hello, Craig. What's up? Jeffy

Haza is here from Rolling Stone, senior editor Rolling Stone. What's up, Jeff? Hello,

hello. Back, back nine months after dropping a Rihanna Rocky baby on the drakecast. Now

the baby is here. And Jeff is back. We appreciate it. He has risen. He has risen. Real

talk. And rounding it out, Stephen Kierce is here. Stephen is contributing at Earth

the nation and writes for pitchfork and others. Hello, Stephen. Hello, happy to be here.

It's my first time. I know. Pump, everybody here reviewed the Kendrick album. And I will

say three out of four rap critics agree. Kendrick is quote, fallible on this record. When

you read, when you read all of our views, that word does come up. And obviously part of

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