Reincarnated: The Astrology of Kendrick Lamar’s Nodal Story
Delineating the Past Life stories within the birth chart of Kendrick Lamar
June 17 1987 3:04 PM Compton California
Reincarnated, I’m A Star Gazer…’
This is not a blog about the beef, but like many others, I have been enjoying this throw down of Kendrick’s battle with Drake. A fellow Astrologer and client of mine were recently gushing about all of the celebrity take downs that are accompanying Pluto’s journey into Aquarius. I mentioned how much I was looking forward to a stadium full of people chanting ‘they not like us’ at the Super Bowl show that did not disappoint. So very Pluto in Aquarius. And wow, how incredible that transiting retrograde Mars was at the exact same degree as Kendrick’s natal Mars on the midheaven for the event. But I’m not here to get into any of that, I’m sure there is plenty of other content about that and other parts of his chart online. I’m here to talk about his Nodal Story and how it aligns with his song, ‘Reincarnated’.
It’s not very often that ones comes across a birth chart that is strikingly similar to that of their own. However, I must say I felt a rather delightful sense of pride when my eyes first gazed on the birth chart of Kendrick Lamar. Libra rising with a Gemini Sun in the 9th ruled by Mercury in Cancer in the 10th, I could relate. There aren’t many parts of my chart that I am proud of, but as the ancients considered the Sun to receive it’s ‘joy’ in the 9th house, my Gemini sun in the 9th is definitely one of them. The sun in the 9th house is a very spiritual placement. This placement can quite definitely indicate an Astrologer. We can’t argue that Kendrick is a spiritual man. Allegedly he once said in an interview that if he weren’t a rapper, he would probably be an Astrologer instead. Although I searched but could not find this statement, and I’m unsure about its source, with this placement, it absolutely would not surprise me.
While I could break down his entire chart from multiple different angles (oh my Yod), the main story I want to focus on here is the Nodal one as it relates to the past life stories that he shares in the song ‘Reincarnated’. One of my favorite offerings are my birth chart Past Life Readings, helping clients to learn and understand their repeated themes over several lifetimes, cycles that need to be broken, and the direction they should be headed in in order to find purpose and meaningfulness in their life. There are many ways you can find this within the birth chart, and in actuality the entire birth chart itself is Karmic really, but there are a handful of main places we look at to gain insight into the potential prior lives of a person. Through the delineation of Kendrick Lamar’s chart, I will show you my process for discovering someone’s karmic codes, and we’ll even get into how the beef with Drake shows up as a major point of purpose in this lifetime for Kendrick. Places of consideration in delineating the past life story:
South Node and its sign placement: Where you have been, what you are comfortable with and have mastered over many lives. This is the main theme carried over and also the main cycle that one may need to break free from.
House Placement of the South Node: This can give indications as to what the environment may have been like, and what area of life is of increased relevance to your karmic cycles.
Planetary Ruler and its Sign and House Placement: You can already gain a lot of information from just the South node and its House alone, but it’s the planetary ruler, and it’s sign and house placement that will give you all of those extra juicy details.
Aspects to the South Node and it’s Ruler: Again, juicy details
Always look to the North Node, it’s sign, house placement and ruler to further synthesize and understand what is important for the person to work through and where they need to focus on heading towards in life. What karmic knots need untied. The North Node might feel a little uncomfortable at times, but working through that discomfort to embody it can be the difference between what feels like a meaningful life, and what feels like a repeated cycle that should have been broken, but was not.
If you have not already listened to the song ‘Reincarnated’ on the album ‘GNX’ by Kendrick Lamar, you can pause to give it a listen but you don’t have to, as I’ll break down the comparisons pretty straightforwardly here, and share some of the lyrics along with the delineation.
Now, do I think it’s likely that the entire song is a metaphor speaking to the evolution of music throughout the past century? Yes.
Do I think it’s also more probable that Kendrick did indeed seek past life regression therapy and use it as a source of inspiration for his art. Most Definitely.
I mean to start with, the lyric literally straightforward states:
‘I did past life regression last year and it f***** me up’. (lyric)
So yeah, there’s that. There’s also no arguing that he’s a spiritual man.
The South Node in Libra in the 1st House is the symbol that looks like a pair of upside down headphones. The North Node in Aries in the 7th House is the symbol that look like a pair of headphones
So it turns out Kendrick’s Archetypal past life story within the birth chart, lines up pretty spot on with the story within the song.
In the song Kendrick tells the story of two past lives spent as a self absorbed musician, and then finishes the song discussing his current life. Now let’s breakdown the Nodal comparison. The south node is where we look in order to discover the repetitive themes carried over from multiple lives into the current life. It is the cycle we need to break but it is also where we are the most comfortable and harbor our greatest gifts carried over, the things we have mastered. Kendrick Lamar has his south node at 8 retrograde Libra in the first house. The first house is the house of the self. It represents your identity, your physical body, your personality and your demeanor. The first places I look to to find the past life themes are the south node sign, house, and ruler.
South node in the first house = potentially self absorbed or concerned with oneself - check.
Since the sign the south node is in is Libra, this would put the ruler as Venus in Gemini in the 9th house.
Venus the planet of love, art, beauty, and music, Gemini the sign of words and wit = lyrical songwriting musician - check.
Venus in Gemini, this is the art of the spoken word, this is the poet, someone who creates beauty with the human voice. So just by analyzing the South Node, its house placement and its ruler we can come to the conclusion that Kendrick Lamar has potentially had many lifetimes as a person concerned with words, the arts, and themselves. But not necessarily themselves for the sake of themselves. With the south node’s sign being in Libra, there is an emphasis on the importance of relationships for him. As with all Libra Risings, (I use the Whole Sign House System), Kendrick bears the cross of balance and contradiction in his nodal archetypal story. While one may have had many different types of lifetimes, the Nodal story analysis gives us the through-line of the lifetimes. What are the themes that connect the lifetimes together?
The Ruler of the South Node - Venus in Gemini in the 9th House
The devil in the details = The South Node Ruler = Venus in Gemini in the 9th House
‘Gifted as a musician, I played guitar on a grand level
The most talented where I'm from, but I had to rebel’ (lyric)
His North Node in Aries, a sign that is bold courageous, and rebellious here may indicate that he failed in some way in his need to rebel and be bold in another life, and this time around must succeed in doing so. I don’t think one can argue that he seems to be doing that quite well. For Kendrick, this delicate balancing act of his Nodal axis lies in balancing the needs of the self with relationships with others. His south node being in Libra, the sign of partnerships, but in the first house of Self. His North Node (Purpose and Direction) being in Aries the sign of the self and the leader, but in the 7th house, the house of Others. Relationships are huge themes for him to karmically straighten out in this lifetime. The fact that the 7th house was traditionally considered the house of ‘open enemies’ is also rather fascinating. Suggesting that there may be something quite karmic about his beef with Drake, something that may have been several lifetimes in the making. I wouldn’t underestimate the level of fulfillment this created for Kendrick, we have several points of purpose within our birth charts, but the North Node is one of the most powerful and it could even be said that Kendrick came here in this life specifically to accomplish this particular exposure of an enemy. More on that later.
‘My father kicked me out the house 'cause I wouldn't listen to him
I didn't care about his influence, only loved what I was doing’ (lyrics)
Once again we see self centered themes with the south node in the 1st house, and the need to focus more on others this time around.
‘And so I'm off in the sunset, searchin' for my place in the world
With my guitar up on my hip as the story unfurled
I found myself with a pocket full of money and a whole lot of respect
While the record business loved me, I was head of rhythm and blues
The women that fell to they feet, so many to choose
But I manipulated power as I lied to the masses
Died with my money, gluttony was too attractive, reincarnated’ (lyrics)
Here in the above lyrics once again we can locate the Nodal Story. First in the placement of the South Node Ruler Venus in Gemini in the 9th House. Remember the 9th House is the house of long distance travel, setting off with guitar at hip across the country or the world. Let’s remember also that the 9th house is the house of the king, which holds up here as well. The theme of womanizing sort of holds up in the context of needing to make amends in relationships and the need to be less selfish this time around in the nodal story. Lying to the masses is relevant as well, as lying is certainly a shadow side of Gemini. Often when Gemini is the ruler of the south node there was a reason a person may have needed to develop a sharp tongue in order to survive. There is no doubt that Kendrick has mastered this sharp tongue over several lives, and has brought this gift with him into this lifetime.
Now Kendrick moves on to discuss the next lifetime as a black woman, a seductive vocalist in a Chitlin Circuit. A Chitlin Circuit was a network of entertainment venues across the United States, particularly in the South that catered to African American audiences and performers during the Jim Crow era. Once again we see the theme here of the traveling lyrical artist, aka Venus in Gemini in the 9th as the ruler of the South Node, giving us the past life details from the birth chart that align with this song.
Now let’s look at how aspects to the South Node can further flavor our analysis. The south node in Libra is in a tight 2 degree square with Neptune in Capricorn in the 4th. Squares to the south node can show us what things in our past lives may have hindered us from achieving a fulfilling life. The only other aspect that Kendrick’s south node makes is a trine to its own ruler, which is also important. Kendrick goes on to tell of the struggles with addiction and eventual death by overdose in this lifetime.
‘Had everything I wanted but I couldn't escape addiction
Heroin needles had me in fetal position, restricted
Turned on my family, I went wherever cameras be
Cocaine, no private planes for my insanity
Self-indulged, discipline never been my sentiments
I needed drugs, to me, an 8-ball was like penicillin
Fuck love, my happiness was in that brown sugar
Sex and melodies gave me hope when nobody's lookin'
My first assistant was a small-town scholar
Never did a Quaalude 'til I got myself around her
My daddy looked the other way, he saw sin in me
I died with syringes pinched in me, reincarnated’ (lyrics)
Kendrick’s South Node in Libra squaring his Retrograde Neptune in Capricorn in the 4th House
Now my jaw dropped at this one because it is spot on to the T. Neptune the planet of illusion, confusion, spirituality, blurring boundaries, and of course drugs and altered states of consciousness, squaring the 1st house of self from the 4th house of the family. The lyric ‘My daddy looked away’, being shown by Neptune in Capricorn, the sign of the father, furthermore, adding detail as to just who in this family there may have been karmic issues with surrounding this drug addiction. ‘Turned on my family went where ever cameras be’, indicating the square between the 1st house of the self, and the 4th house of the family, also Neptune being indicated once again as it is the planet that rules film. Again though, the main theme rings, balancing selfish acts, with necessary relationships with others. It is clear however with this that there is big karma with the father as well as substance abuse, further indicated by the fact that Neptune is Retrograde, as all Retrograde planets can indicate heightened karmic themes coming through from another life, into this one.
Aspects to the south node are important to take into consideration as well in order to get a little more flavor here. Taking into consideration that the ruler of the south node also trines the south node at an exact 8 degrees is very very relevant. A trine is a positive indication, it is equally positive that the ruler is also Venus, a benefic, and also that the trine is to the 1st house of the self, there is a story here of finally coming to an actualization of a theme that may have persisted over many lives. But it can also indicate in this case that his greatest gift of lyrical musicianship has been carried over from several lifetimes and his ability to lean on this gift in order to work through his karma in this lifetime, is a major part of his story. This aspect alone indicates that he came into this life with full embodiment of his prior lifetimes, and the ability to use them to his greater advantage.
The North Node in the 7th House at 8 Aries
Now we head into the last of the three lifetimes mentioned in the song, which happen to be Kendrick’s current lifetime, by breaking down the story of his North Node.
Kendrick then goes on into a dialogue between him and God throughout the rest of the song. Now let’s talk more about the North Node in Astrology. The North Node will always be in opposition to the South Node and guides you towards fulfilling your souls unique mission and in mastering your karmic lessons. The South Node is where you have been, and the North Node is where you are headed. So in unpacking the archetype of an Aries North Node in the 7th house, Kendrick ultimately needed to master Aries traits for the sake of others. He came here to embody the warrior archetype, bold, courageous, and unapologetic, not for himself, but for the sake of those around him, and his relationships. Another important factor to take into consideration is that while not conjunct his North Node, Jupiter is conjunct his descendant, the descendant which represents others, always lies in the 7th house, making it co present with his North Node. The best analogy of co presence within the same house in astrology is that of room mates that share a home, although this isn’t a conjunction, both Jupiter and the North Node here still have an awareness of each other. This indicates opportunity for help and in acquiring generosity from others in order to accomplish his karmic fate. Also in other words, it is possible there are people out there who karmically owe him, and these people have likely helped him on his journey as a successful musician in this lifetime. As well it is possible that a huge part of his fate is in boldly providing justice through his strength and leadership. He is doing this quite well.
Another thing to note with the paradox of these nodes in these houses is to take into consideration that the shadow side of Libra can sometimes be sacrificing aspects of yourself in order to maintain peace at all costs. Is it possible that in these prior lives Kendrick had to sacrifice aspects of himself (1st house) in order to maintain peace and safety in his relationships (libra)? One’s imagination can run wild here with assumptions about Drake’s karmic relationship to Kendrick. In one of these lives could Drake have been around as an evil producer of sorts who abused his power and took advantage of Kendrick? Someone with whom Kendrick was unable to speak out against for the sake of his own safety? As they say, cycles often repeat, and the medicine that lies in breaking the cycle typically lies in the indications of the North Node. Aries is the archetype of the warrior, and by going to war with an enemy in this traditional house of open enemies, Kendrick is fully leaning into the direction of his North Node.
My present life is Kendrick Lamar
A rapper looking at the lyrics to keep you in awe
The only factor I respected was raisin' the bar
My instincts sent material straight to the charts, huh
My father kicked me out the house, I finally forgive him
I'm old enough to understand the way I was livin'
Ego and pride had me looking at him with resentment
I close my eyes, hoping that I don't come off contentious
The Ruler of Kendrick’s North Node
Now to better understand the soul’s purpose and where the North Node is pointing us, we will look to it’s ruler, Mars in Cancer in the 10th house. Now this is interesting as Cancer does have it’s association with the family, and the Midheaven of course with the public, so however he went about this, he was not meant to straighten out this karma in a private place. Now with Cancer it seems that a big part of his purpose here lies in possibly creating the ideal family that he was unable to have in his prior lives and current life, with family being a large part of his true legacy. The 10th house is all about our legacy. Mercury being conjunct the ruler of the North Node is also significant in indicating that communication and his words have a large part to do with this story. The fact that it rules over the 9th house where the ruler of his south node lies is also significant and really ties the entire karmic story together. He came here to talk about it, and since the 9th house is considered the house of good morals, to use this gift of tongue for the greater good and to expose enemies (7th house). Throw in the fact that transiting Mars was retrograding right on top of his natal Mars, the ruler of his North Node, during the Super Bowl and one thing becomes clear. This beef might include some much overdue karma.
I'm yelling, "Father, did I finally get it right?"
Everything I did was selfless
Ruler of the South Node in exact sextile aspect to the North Node
Now finding aspects to our North node can show us what may hinder or help us on our karmic journey in this lifetime and Kendrick has one main aspect to the North Node that helps him here. His North Node is receiving an exact same 8 degree sextile aspect from drumroll… his south node ruler Venus in Gemini in the 9th house.
I'm yelling, "Father, did I finally get it right?"
Everything I did was selfless (lyric)
Yes, yes, yes Kendrick you most certainly did. Morally, artistically, and spiritually, he used his musical and lyrical gifts acquired over lifetimes in order to tackle his most important mission head on in this lifetime. This is a potent and powerful indication of ‘getting it right’ in this lifetime. It’s indicated both by the fact that it is the ruler of the south node that is in sextile aspect with the north node, and also by the fact that the sextile is coming from the 9th house, a house of good morals, a Godly house, it is the house that represents the relationship we have between ourselves and what we consider to be a ‘higher power’. Even the fact that Kendrick chooses to have this conversation between himself and God in the song is relevant.
So can you promise that you won't take your gifts for granted?
I promise that I'll use my gifts to bring understanding
For every man, woman, and child, how much can you vow?
I vow my life just to live one in harmony now (lyric)
So there you have it. A breakdown of the main steps to take in order to analyze a person’s Past Life and Karmic Astrology story. If you are interested in discovering your own possible past life karmic through-line story within your birth chart, you may always book a reading. Combining birth charts with past life regression therapy is something I am feeling called to study, and will eventually offer Regression alongside the birth chart services. I hope that you are as in awe as I am at the magic that is karmic astrology. Now go and listen to the full song, I hope it gives you all the best chills.