good kid, m.A.A.d city

I am not a huge fan of new rap, even though I appreciate that there FINALLY is something that sounds modern on this list, but out of all the newer rap I feel that Kendrick is absolutely the best. I vibed with this record pretty much.

Kendrick really knows how to tell stories. Love the contrast between the chill beats, the realities of growing up in Compton, and the religious motifs. Super immersive too! (4.5-5)

The first few songs had me worried. I don't love the way the songs talk about women. But the rest of the album improved from that point, so I think I'll give it a slight pass. The song where Kendrick speaks from a woman's POV was interesting. 4/5.

P.S. I saw a review saying (to paraphrase) that when black hip-hop artists talk shit about women it's fine but when a white artist does it it's seen as misogynistic. Sweetie. I've heard white artists say MUCH worse things about women than Kendrick does here, especially on this list, and I see almost NO ONE else calling it out. But the second it's a black artist suddenly everyone is anti-misogyny.

We as humans should be calling out ALL misogyny when we see it. But if you only pretend to care about women so that you have an "excuse" to be racist, then you can fuck right off.

I'm less surprised at enjoying this one! Lyrics were... bold in places, but great music

I like the music. I like the beats. I like the way his voice sounds and how he sings or says things. I just don't really care for what he's singing about. Some catchy songs.

An incredible rap album. The run on tracks 8-10 is like a six out of five set of songs. And there's other incredible songs here. Not only are the songs all memorable, well-written, and musically excellent, but the story here is immersive and paints a picture of how Kendrick aims to portray himself as an artist. He's an aesthete for Compton, a wordsmith hero for 21st century black America. The songs are legendary and will make this record endure for decades as a monument in the genre.

AH RIN KIN KIN KIN

Ever since the super bowl last year, I've started to appreciate Kendrick more, and I'm not really a rap listener. Being honest, I usually don't listen for lyrics, just vibes, especially on first listen.
This was fine, nothing jumped out to me, 2*

I'm not a fan of Kendrick Lamar. I have heard a lot of his music before this, but not many from this album. Well, now that I've heard it in full, it's amazing. I don't necessarily relate, but it's hard not to feel emotional when listening to this album. It's more than an album. It's Kendrick's story. It feels like a movie. It gives me much more respect for Kendrick Lamar

Pretty alright.

Smijem li biti prva osoba koja će reći da je ovo malo bolje od To Pimp A Butterfly? Onaj je valjda još duži i dosadniji. Mada mi se ni ovaj nije dopao.

My early 20’s kids think he’s great, I find him dull and uninteresting

It was fine.

A CLASSIC. Just an amazing coming of age album. Vocals, beats, lyrics all superb. Evey song flows so nicely into the next. Skits are great and add to the story. Such an impactful album too, so much buzz when it came out and is still talked about now as one of the greatest rap albums ever. Everything about it is so good, I love it. One of the albums that really cemented my love for music, so it holds a special place in my heart. Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst might just be K.dots best song. Not sure what else to say other than thank you and I you love Kendrick Lamar.

It’s interesting he calls it a short film because I do think it’s paced like a movie. I like BDKMV and backseat freestyle a lot, but mostly the first half or so is just scene-setting and rising action. But everything from maad city on is a classic, like how a great movie will build to an exciting conclusion.

If there was an award for “greatest 12 seconds of a song,” 5:24-5:35 of maad city would be a strong contender.

Also, mild hot take: the vision of TPAB and Damn might be greater, but this and GNX are more fun. This is the Kendrick album I play the most.

My general apathy towards hip hop is well documented (I don't mind some experimental hip hop in the vein of Death Grips, JPEGMAFIA, clipping. etc.) but I've always found this to be far more interesting and dynamic than much of what I've been exposed to in the genre.

There's some actual atmosphere and textural depth to the music - equally, when the album opts for an abrasive approach, it doesn't feel forced or tryhard. The beats are wide-ranging and fresh, and the lyricism is genuinely creative and intelligent. It's been an infrequent revisit for me since my initial discovery, but as a result, it never loses its sheen.

Another incredible rap album. I am among those who consider Kendrick Lamar to be the greatest rapper of all time. It's interesting to look back at this album versus his more recent albums. I think his lyrics reveal and criticize the gangster lifestyle. What I think makes Kendrick so legendary is his ability to perfectly hit the vibes of rap that feels good with party/club level production. Then his lyrics can hit some highly introspective insights. Later albums feel like they spun out of notes from therapy sessions. He bears his soul in his work.

Not as experimental as TPAB but still sonically rich and warmer with irresistibly catchy hooks.

Goood kid, this K Dot.

Everyone who one starred this appears to be a one star man.

Better than Coldplay

Kendrick is a great rapper and whilst some of the content may feel like stereotypical rap content it reflects where he has come from.

Sing about me, i’m dying shows just how to make a long rap song listenable.

Overall this is a really good album, but i dont think it’s his best