Kendrick Lamar's debut good kid, m.A.A.d. city dropped this week and the music world is all a tizzy. First, let me say that it is refreshing to see that an artist who is obviously skilled and authentic get recognized. That being said, whoa whoa whoa people! Can we please slow down with all the "masterpiece" & "classic" talk? Vibe Magazine has even compared this release to that of 1994's Illmatic by Nas. Now we're bordering on blasphemy. Why do we need to make grandiose comparisons like this? Illmatic is one of the most important pieces of music ever compiled. Not in Hip Hop. In music. Needless to say, I don't agree with this comparison - but furthermore I don't even believe it is fair to make such comparisons or hold this guy to such a high standard. I believe Kendrick will do just fine with album sales as he seems to be all that anyone is talking about in the Hip Hop world. I just wish we would let artists get their feet on the ground before we raise them up to such a godly status. While it should be stated that normally I would not take time to talk about someone that is already so lauded about, I do feel it is important to speak on Kendrick and his relation to the current "state of Hip Hop".
As I've said, I respect Kendrick as an artist - but I believe he has been a beneficiary of the terrible condition that Hip Hop and Rap music is in. Hip Hop is so thirsty for a quality artist with substance, that it has embraced Kendrick with undiscriminating arms. There are so so many Wacka Flockas, Chief Keefs, and Gucci Manes and not enough Lupe Fiascos, Ghostface Killahs, or Talib Kwelis. Kendrick is good, but he is no Lupe Fiasco...so why all the fuss? Lupe Fiasco's debut was not nearly as anticipated as Kendrick Lamar's, but IMO Food & Liquor was a much more impressive and meaningful debut. One would have to look at the backing that Kendrick has acquired as an explanation. It can't hurt that the legendary production Hulk Dr. Dre has signed and endorsed Kendrick as the second coming of 2Pac. Kendrick's talent is highly based on flow ( which he has a lot of) rather than lyrical ability. Rarely does his lyrics derive away from the usual gang banging, colors, drug dealing and California hood-living. I will credit him for taking a critical stance on all of these topics, but haven't I heard this before? I thought The Game already did this. Kendrick Lamar may be capable of more, but this album kind of reminds me of a less aggressive version of The Documentary.
Let's look at the music of good kid, m.A.A.d. city. The first track that really stands out to me is "The Art Of Peer Pressure" where Kendrick illustrates an account of a night of fun and burglary in the hood with the homies. This is the most creative song on the album, as we get two songs in one - both sections are well composed, and the subject matter is something that I and many black men can relate to. Next is "Good Kid". This Pharrell produced track is mostly worth mentioning because it is part one of the title track, and I think really carries the meaning and foundation of what this album is about. Not crazy about the beat, though. Swimming Pools (Drank) is a nice joint. Really, one of the two tracks that have replay value. It's about filling up a swimming pool with liquor...of course I'm in. Lastly, "Compton" concludes the album with a banger from Just Blaze and some ghostwritten lyrics for Dr. Dre to spit on the feature. Didn't The Game have a Just Blaze beat on his first album, too?
A couple nights ago, ex-Bad Boy rapper and Biggie sound-alike, Shyne, said on twitter that he thought good kid, m.A.A.d. city was trash. He stated that there is a hype machine behind him in the form of Interscope and Dr. Dre but Kendrick has not delivered. The beats are "trash" in his opinion, but he thought he does have talent and potential. I wouldn't go as far as to say the album is trash, but other than that I absolutely agree with Shyne. The beats don't appeal to me, Kendrick's style doesn't win me over, and there are too many uninteresting skits. Some may fall into the misconception that I'm hating. Far from it, but this is why I get bothered when the media over blows artists. Rather than looking at what Kendrick does well, I'm forced to focus on where Kendrick falls short. It's like the girl that everyone fawns over. She's over-exposed and everyone idolizes her for her beauty - naturally, don't her flaws stand out that much more?
I give good kid, m.A.A.d. city 4 out of 8 bars.
I think that if you look over the lyrics and truly get a feel for what they mean, you wouldn't be comparing this to a Game album. The skits put the whole story in perspective and you becoming bored and skipping them over is taking you out of the story. Sit down, listen front to back and read the lyrics. Obviously they flew way over your head
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, Torin. You know, I listened to the whole album through, no skips, back to back to back. The lyrics are good, not great. My comparison to The Game was meant to allude to how there's kind of a formula for modern West Coast rappers now. Especially if Dre has anything to do with it. I've never been a fan of skits, but I respect that they were meant to piece the story together here. I just think it's dangerous using skits in an album. If they are there, they better be super funny or super interesting, and they were neither. I grasped the lyrics, the story and the emotion of the album...I just think that it's average overall.
DeleteThanks again, and keep reading!
What do you think he could have done to make this a better album? I believe that he is speaking from experience so I think he would have had to go an entirely different route with the album if he were to scrap the whole Compton idea
DeleteThat's an interesting question. I think for starters, improve the production. When your beats are nicer, one tends to set the lyrics aside a bit. As an artist, I understand having a vision for your creation, so it's tough for me to say what he should or should not have done with it. For me, I would have found a way other than skits to glue the concepts of my album together. And, if I did decide to go the autobiographical route, I would have made sure to reveal more emotion throughout.
DeleteShyne is just an attention seeking motherfucker. This album is seriously good and definitely not 'average'. The whole flow of the album is great, the skits work perfectly with the story and the tracks are a lot more compelling than nearly all of the music that is out there at the moment. I've listened to it about 6 times already and that's a compliment in itself because it's not normally something I would tend to do. I actually don't tent to like skits aswell but I think he's managed to pull them off better than most. I find reviews like these really frustrating because 90 percent of the hip-hop material coming out now is quite frankly garbage and we are now lucky enough to have a talented artist who's willing to do his own thing and be ORIGINAL and your trying to down hype the reality which is that this is a great piece of work. All of the material has evidently come from the heart and his narrative really emphasises his struggle so I don't see why hailing him as "The second coming of Tupac".
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I might aswell get this off my chest, TUPAC IS OVERRATED. I mean, you say Kendrick's lyrics aren't great but Tupac wasn't exactly a lyrical Meister, in fact he was far from it. What made his tracks so popular (apart from his death which made him far more Legendary than he would be) was the message that they contained and in that respect Kendrick is better. This album is stronger than anything Tupac could have produced.
Hey, thanks for reading, Cerylin. You know, there is a lot in what you said here. I really do agree with you; it is a shame that I had to review this album from this perspective. That is why I pointed out that it's dangerous to over-hype an artist and make ludicrous comparisons to debuts from Nas, 2Pac and Biggie. I would have loved to review this album as just a debut from a Compton rapper who has been making noise in the Hip Hop community. Instead, I have to defend the history of Hip Hop and Rap music and define the prerequisites for a classic album. I'll take Kendrick over Waka Flocka any day...what I won't do is accept good kid, m.A.A.d. city as a classic. Not while Supreme Clientele, Reasonable Doubt, and Illmatic are considered as such.
DeleteI appreciate your point of view, but when you say Tupac is overrated and wasn't a "lyrical Meister"...well, that's where the conversation ends my friend.
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ReplyDeleteI'm not one to disrespect one's opinion because we are all entitled to one but giving this album 4 out of 8 bars is just ridiculous. At first listen I thought this album was just average and it was mainly because the beats did not appeal to me and the lyrics were not easy to understand. But after several listens you start to grasp a deeper meaning. I'm just asking you to give this album 2 or 3 more listens with 100% of your attention. You will appreciate it way more, you may not call it a classic but I guarantee you will appreciate much more.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading, Jamal. It seems we thought the same thing upon first listen...only difference is that it grew on you more after listening further. That has not happened with me, and I have listened quite a bit while writing the review as well as afterwards. Mostly I think the production is lacking...most beats are not on par with "Swimming Pools (Drank)" or "Compton". I will take your advice, though, and continue listening.
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Don't sweat it, it's the "cool" thing to do to go against the grain. Makes it seem like you're on different level than the "masses". Like you know something that they don't, etc
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading, Sergio. I take it, you really enjoyed the album? My written opinion here was not for the purposes of seeming "cool", though I can't help it if I look that way because of it. That is the nature of music and art in general...differing views. What fun would it be if everyone in the world shared the same, exact viewpoint on everything?
DeleteThanks again and please subscribe to the blog...I'm bound to have an opinion that you agree with at some point!