In “Crown,” the Compton native Kendrick Lamar gives us insight into his psyche, portraying his deeply conflicted inner-self while performing over a prominent sample from the 2016 song “Through the Night,” by Duval Timothy.

While rapping about his contrasting feelings about being seen and doing his best as a leader in his community while – obviously – not being able to please everyone, Kendrick also speaks about love – for his family, his fans and for himself – and makes references to William Shakespeare’s Henry IV throughout the song’s melodic refrain.

The song’s rhythm scheme might also channel Shakespeare’s metric, as it’s comparable to the poet’s famous Iambic pentameter, which was notably incorporated within his best known play, Romeo and Juliet, and often used by several English authors to introduce situations regarding love and affection between their characters.

It’s also worth-noting that the crown imagery is further displayed on the album’s cover art, where Kendrick – a Christian himself – wears a crown of thorns, one of the key symbols of the passion and crucifixion of Jesus Christ.