Kendrick Lamar Flawlessly Performs ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’ Tracks During ‘SNL’ Season 48 Premiere: Watch

Kendrick Lamar has returned to Studio 8H.

The superstar rapper helped launch the 48th season of Saturday Night Live on Oct. 1, stepping onto the stage for flawless performances from his latest chart-topping album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.

For his first performance on the Miles Teller-hosted SNL episode, Lamar opted for minimalistic visuals and utilized lighting and shadow effects while expertly delivering the set’s “Rich Spirit” and “N95.” Later in the show, he returned for a moving performance of “Father Time” alongside singer-songwriter Sampha. This time, Lamar’s stage design featured the sparse living conditions reminiscent of his recent album cover.

The Compton rapper’s latest release, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, his first album in five years, debuted atop the Billboard 200 in late May, earning the rapper his fourth No. 1 on the chart.

This marked Lamar’s third appearance as musical guest on SNL, following performances in 2013 and 2018. He is the eighth rap star to serve as a season-opening musical guest, following Public Enemy, Eminem, Nelly, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z and Megan Thee Stallion.

SNL returns on Oct. 8 with Irish actor and director Brendan Gleeson as host and Willow as musical guest.

Watch Lamar’s SNL performances below, and see the full episode on Hulu here. The streaming service is currently offering a 30-day free trial, which you can sign up for here. The show is also live streamed on Peacock.