Reviews (page 10 of 13)
Major bangers on this older album, but didn’t like all the talking parts.
You can tell how he became so big. Rap isn’t my favorite but Kendrick is pretty great.
É muito complicado julgar rap. Não é feito pra mim, não tenho a vivência necessária pra entender minimamente o significado, o feeling, nada. Mas dito isso, esse álbum passa uma baita qualidade, dá pra perceber que teve uma produção pica, que o bagulho é bem feito. Vários detalhezinhos bem feitos, algumas músicas tem umas melodias mó gostosinhas, umas vibes susse daóra. Apesar de eu não conseguir absorver direito, eu acho 2 estrelas muito pouco pra qualidade e vibe. Parece meio injusto. Eu achei ele consideravelmente melhor e mais divertido que muitos álbuns chatões aí que ganharam 2 estrelas. Acho que merece 3 estrelas, mesmo eu não curtindo muito rap.
Honestly pretty good. Close to giving it 4 (bump)
Honestly, he’s a pretty good lyricist. Never listened to a full Kendrick album as it’s not really my thing, but for modern rap he’s up there. I see why people enjoy it, but I’d rather listen to something else.
This sounds interesting right off the bat. I dig the unique flow and style of the rap and the backing track is good using a lot of interesting sounds. I’ve heard the album after this and enjoyed it as well so I definitely need to check out his more recent albums. As usual though with a lot of this kind of rap, the subject matter is personally unrelatable but it sure is fun and funny to listen to!
Took me a moment but glad I stuck with it. Intricate metre.
very good and foud content to my playlist but not quite my cup of tea
Don’t hate it. Might listen again
Solid lyrics and good jams…
Pas mon truc mais pas si mal!
It was an ok album - I don’t appreciate the vulgarity and misogyny but other than that it was ok musically.
The beats and music on this album are so good and the lyrics are so raw. Kendrick Lamar definitely has a sense of humour. The spoken bits at the end of songs are so funny, especially the father and his Dominos! With all of this, I'm not fully into it. I usually don't mind explicit language, but this is a lot for me. Liked Songs Added: Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst
Pretty good and chill, didn't fully grab me but was a nice background listen. I'd give it 3.5 stars if that was an option on this site, but I think I'm rounding this down to 3.
Good, need to spend more time with this.
This was better than To Pimp a Butterfly. A few songs that were melodically OK, and the breadth of his lyrics was impressive at times. Also, no skits or interludes as separate tracks. IPlus a Janet Jackson sample on “Poetic Justice”.
Not my style in terms of rap-style. but nicely produced. Good beats and entertaining
28/1001 Not my favorite style of music but Kendrick Lamer is undeniable and I do enjoy a good concept album. 5/10
Super talented but way too religious for my taste
Good but I preferred tpab
I really wanted to like it. Maybe I need to listen with lyrics next to me. Seemed to say bitch alot. Not bad, but I expected more.
The starting of tis album makes me wonder if this Kendrick is influenced differently because this album sounds really funny, as the songs goes on through out the album it feels more Kendrick. i like it but not love it.
Odotin enemmän. Oli ihan hyvä levy taas, mutta tavallaan pettymys kun bängereitä ei ollutkaan juurikaan. 3/5.
This style of rap is not really my style, and I find it unlikely that I'll return to any of these tracks in the future. That said then the beats were pretty cool on some of the tracks at times. Standouts Money Trees m.A.A.d city 3/5
Kendrick Lamar is a talented rapper and I appreciate that wordplay is used far more than other rappers - he doesn’t rely on the tropes in the same way that a lot of others do. I’m not an avid fan but have listened to (and enjoy) DAMN., which I do prefer as I think the hooks and music itself draws you in more - this didn’t quite capture my interest as much being a sometime fan. But it’s still solid and some decent tracks in there.
This album represents a significant development in hip-hop, giving a fresh new sound that seems to push the genre forward from the west coast hip-hop of the 90's. I quite enjoyed the dark, murky style and the nasal rapping over the well produced beats. I also liked that it had a variety of style and cadence, rather than feeling like you are listening to a single continuous tempo, Kendrick uses creative structures to vary tracks throughout the album. My main criticism is that a whole album of this genre is too much for me and what begins as fresh and interesting wanes by halfway through. That, on top of the fact that this is a long album which I think is about three tracks too long. If this was condensed down into a more efficient package it might have nudged into higher marks for me because I liked the general vibe.
Slower very autobiographical good for a chill rainy day situation
I know this one is supposed to be amazing but even when it came out I didn't get along with it. There are some good tracks on it but the flow and vibe don't always work for me. I wouldn't turn it off and there's only a couple of skips on it but it's not the Kendrick album I'd reach out for. Cool baseline on "Good Kid".
My son loves Kendrick Lamar. I’ve tried many times to listen to him and just don’t get it at all. So I approached this with caution fully expecting to feel like an old man yet again who just doesn’t get modern music… But I didn’t hate this! Can’t imagine ever listening to it again but it was good I think my issues with this - and a lot of hip hop in general - is goosebumps. The albums that I’ve given 5⭐️ on this invariably have moments that literally make the hairs on my arm stand on end. None of this moves me like that even if I can appreciate the stories weaved by the lyrics and tap my foot to the beat. That might be an issue inherent to me rather than any fault in the music but I just remain unmoved by this. Gonna give it a generous 3 though as I at least got close enough to seeing what my son sees in this
Not what I’d choose to listen to most of the time but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it.
oh, kendrick. i usually hate gagsta rap but i have a sweet spot for "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe". i don't even understand why, it's just "hangin' on the sofa and chillin'" music, which i don't even do usually. it's probably what i'd imagin i could enjoy listening to when i'd arrive doing it. ha.
3/6
Ich verstehe, was Leute daran gut finden, und schlecht ist es auf keinen Fall, aber für mich zündet es nicht wirklich. Irgendwas fehlt, ich denke, etwas mehr Melodien und Groove, aber ich bin mir nicht sicher. Trotzdem echt in Ordnung.
In general, this just isn't for me but it did grow on me over the course of the album. I liked good kid, with it's retro vibe and the music of Swimming Pools (Drank) was really cool. I also liked Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst and Compton. I still don't like hiphop skits, and on a practical level, the skits being part of if the track on streaming so you'd be unable to skip through them, makes them even more annoying to me. They also make the album very long. I feel like I'm probably not appreciating the short movie format of this album, but it's just fine to me. 3/5
The album is a hell of a story as an overall arc. You need to almost invest in the entire album to follow the journey properly. That arc is genius. Each individual song isn't as stand alone for me.
Kendrick is a genius... period. That being said, this album didn't resonate with me as much as To Pimp a Butterfly.
Interesting rap album. Very talented, but I find it hard to keep up and enjoy him sometimes. 3/5 Might listen again
Meh
Just ok. Not a big fan of this album
I liked it better than I thought! he has a great flow of words, and great beats. 3.5
Alguns instrumentais interessantes: Bitch, D'ont Kill My Vibe; The Art of Peer Pressure e Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst
poignant narrative-led, almost confessional exploration of morality, masculinity and faith in a racially stratified america. always going to struggle with the over-sexualisation of women though. perhaps done to expose the distorted gender dichotomy/dynamics and violent toxic masculinity of the world he depicts, but with knowledge of his broader discography and tendency to sort of moralise female sexuality and objectify women, i question this a bit. the production itself, though, is so smooth. not the biggest fan of kendrick's voice, but the samples (especially beach houseee), deep bass, and interspersed jazz and soul elements compensate. 2.5/5
I appreciate the significance, and the storytelling is quite good. The music itself is also well thought out. Can’t stand much of the lyrics though..
Some really great stuff in there. Just a bit too much stuff I couldn’t be bothered with too
Some good musical moments, but on most tracks there is not enough and too much going on at the same time(?). Am I likely to listen to this album all the way through again? Probably not, but 2 stars feels too harsh. I’m obviously not cool enough, soz.
Täitsa enam vähem. Esimest korda üldse kuulasin seda artisti. Mingi loo märkisin meeldivaks
Really liked Sing About Me. Easy to see why he got so much attention.
Kendrick is a genius. I still don’t like the moodiness of modern day hip hop though
Once again, I struggled with this album, but I appreciated it. On one hand, the music quality and production is great. Kendrick Lamar does an excellent job of representing what life was like in Southern California’s less-than-wealthy neighborhoods, but by the other respect, this music is a detailed account of a culture that I obviously don’t understand and therefore feel like I am watching a sporting clips on the internet rather than being at the game. The Art of Peer Pressure was a powerful look at this world, and Poetic Justice was poetry. And mAAd City was hard hitting. Respect to him: he has more talent than I do. If I was younger I probably would have dug this. Now, I don’t think I will be returning to this neighborhood.
Random thoughts: * I can’t really comment on rap albums these days. I feel kinda old and like I just don’t get it. * It feels like Kendrick has a lot to say and I would need to put in more effort to truly “get” what he is saying. * I’ve never heard any of these tunes before although I have listened Kendrick before and listened to all of “Pimp a Butterfly” * I enjoyed the tunes but could use less profanity. But it represents how people talk. * I probably need a few more listens but doubt I’ll head back.
I didn’t get through all it. It was ok
Kendrick definitely deserves a place on this list, although I think DNA was a bit better, this one is also a banger. He just gets you pumped and he is a great lyricist. I wonder if his and Drake's feud was a marketing stunt?
A glimpse into a formative moment from another world outside my own. Well done with the theme carried neatly throughout. Several bangers I already have in rotation, but likely would put this full album on one a year or every other year.
Eh not for me but alright
Started off not great but got much better. Though I think to pimp a butterfly is better. Enjoyed the beach house sample in money trees.
Tuvo onda
I didn't love it but it had its moments.
1. Sherane - Not bad, not really liking it but it's still pretty much good 7/10 2. bitch don't kill my vibe - it's not bad, just okay 7/10 3. backseat freestyle - good, great even 10/10
There are flashes of brilliance here, but it just didn't click with me. That likely has something to do with me being too old and white. I'm guessing I'm not supposed to get it. Still, telling a story in a rap seems like a good format.
The last time I reviewed a Kendrick Lamar album, I used words like socio-political commentary. Well, this time I’m just going to say, I didn’t particularly like it, but Kendrick Lamar is better at rapping at me for 75 minutes than most.
There are a couple of songs I liked but overall, not for me.
eek, I'm not sure how to rate this one. i enjoyed it, and I especially enjoyed reading more about it and the important role is played both in rap generally and in Kendrick's own career. How cool that it's been taught in classes alongside other notable coming of age texts. I wish I liked it more - I think I prefer Kendrick's later style over this very spare instrumentation. Still, I'm glad I listened to it!
If TPAB is an album for music nerds GKMC is an album for rap nerds, theres great things in it but for me as a rock nerd this wasn’t an instant love for me. Sure ‘money trees’ is great and ‘master splinters daughter’ is a good way to open but then theres tracks like ‘bitch don’t kill my vibe’ and ‘poetic justice’ that I was a bit neutral too. I’m sorry but I just can’t put this in the same tier as ‘alright’, ‘the blacker the berry’, ‘king kunta’, ‘wesleys theory’ etc… I will give a shoutout to ‘sing about me I’m dying of thirst’ there was a bit of the album that flew by quite quickly but it stopped with this song (ik he’s got mortal man on TPAB) but this is kendricks ‘desolation row’ moment. A brilliant 12 minute epic that earns its length. The album has to be a 3/5 tho
Elment, de nem hoz lázba továbbra sem Kendrick Lamar
Ok, had some good parts but not really for me. Not as good as To Pimp A Butterfly.
weighted and deep lyrics, religous touch with elevated gangsta rap, very wide range, biographical elements, very long songs, voice message "Money trees"/"Poetic justice"/"Good kid"/Swimming pools (drank)
Strong 3. Obviously iconic, landing nicely on the ears
Crazy
Some 10/10 songs, some are not too special. Kendrick’s rap is always on top, but in comparison to his later releases, this one just isn’t as strong anymore.
Classy stuff from Kendrick, but not his best album
Really good as far as rap goes.
I can’t pinpoint why I can’t get into Lamar, maybe it’s his flow. I respect it, it’s just not for me.
Though it had rhythm and rhyme, it was still boring.
It's OK, not as good as I expected.
70/1001. Another Lamar for me, tpab was first, so this is sort of in the wrong order. This definitely is an album that would need more listens. But the problem is that I don't really listen to this kind of music. Nor that I wouldn't want to, but there is just too much beyatch to get over.
2010s gen z childhood music
Not quite the star quality as his more recent music.
Kult nok. Et par gromlåter.
Not my usual thing but in the right mood I would enjoy this. Not sure.
Oh boy, here comes a review of Kendrick Lamar from a non-rap listener. Guess it took this long for me to listen to him, because I gusss the Drake beef and the Super Bowl weren’t enough. I heard plenty of good things about Kendrick, but let’s just say that I didn’t reach an epiphany from this. Some of the problems I have with rap albums are present here, such as the long length (why are most rap albums fucking an hour long) and the questionable lyrical material. I don’t mean “questionable” like offensive, but more in the sense of juvenile. I’m starting to come to terms that shit like this is what to expect in rap/hip-hop albums and Kendrick couldn’t convince me otherwise. He has, however, provided some refreshing changes. For one, there aren’t any skits in the sense that they are…voicemails? Is that what you would call them? Whatever they are, they add more value to the album than any stupid skit would have. I also noticed that I liked the latter half of the album more than the former, probably because it shows Kendrick maturing as the album goes on. It’s a nice little touch that gives this album a slight edge over some of the other hip-hop I heard. Overall, I’m not completely sold on Kendrick Lamar. I can see why many would love this album, but it’s really not for me personally. Maybe his later efforts can help convince me. I’m sure that there are down the pipeline on this site. Favorite track: Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thrist Other hits: Swimming Pools (Drank), Real, Compton, Money Trees, Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe
I was not really enjoying this until it got to good kid, but even after that it was just alright
This album was better than I expected. I appreciated that it did not have overkill of cussing and womanizing. I appreciated that he talked about faith and getting out of the bad situations in Compton without being a drug lord.
meh. hip hop is not my thing. can appreciate the sounds & different samples but don't find him the gifted lyricist that many do.
Songs were kinda hit or miss for me. Best song: Backseat Freestyle Notable(s): Bitch, Dont Kill My Vibe, Swimming Pools (Drank)
I love the phone skits. Some songs are a little long for my taste, but there are some jams in here. Probably a 3.5
It’s fine
One of the few “modern” rap albums I enjoy
Not into this genre but i enjoyed some
Its an album of two halves and the second is definitely better.
Thematic and cohesive as an album
Some beats are good.
alright, kinda cool as an art piece, maybe wouldnt listen to it all the time. once again, good for background music (maybe at a party) but no songs jumped out at me
Never dove into a full Kendrick album. I knew the production would be on point and his flow is nasty. Aside from that, I liked the way the album unfolded and got a little more accessible and closer to an R and B vice later on the album. Good use of skits to help the story unfold.
It was fine. Nothing spectacular.
Would it be cool if I loved him and loved this? Most of the music is definitely cool. Minimalist, a backdrop, a soundtrack. I know he's widely revered but far too much here is predictable, especially the sexual references. I can't tell if they are supposed to be funny? Some may just be unintentionally hilarious! I expected more genuine social commentary. There is some, especially later on in the album, but even then it doesn't grab me, it's too clichéd. And turning to God, or the idea of turning to God, does nothing for me. Another issue! His spoken word vocals are cool sometimes, but so annoying when he does the high squeaky stuff! Is that even him? Near the end "Real' goes on and on about loving yourself. A tired message. 'Compton' is closer to what I expected from the whole album. Hey ho, maybe I'm just old. For rap with social commentary I prefer Public Enemy and 'The Message'. Away from rap Bob Dylan, Matt Johnson, Billy Bragg, Morrissey, even The Housemartins and more recently Bob Vylan all have more to say. Gets a third star, but only just.
The beginning was a hard listen hearing the mindset of a teenager so crude and toxic (in their toxic world). The music was good and I like there being a journey over the album. I think I would have to listen a few times to appreciate more of the arc. I
Kendrick is pretty good, I think this was my first time going out of my way listening to his music and it leaves a good impression.
Tiene canciones míticas de Kendrick, no lo escucharía todos los días pero para un dia que me apetezca algo chill pero con carácter algo fuerte está bien.
I’m a fan of Kendrick Lamar but I found this album underwhelming. I don’t much enjoy interstitial and I’m willing to let some in as this was a “concept” album but found it took me out of the listening experience. All in all I find he has gotten better with age and experience and this early one is not where I would have hoped it would be.
I am not a fan of rap but this is accessible, love the melodies and production. Happy Birthday KEndrIcK!
Kendrick is a strong rapper with a sick flow. Some thought-provoking lyrics, some questionable lyrics. Cool beats.
Hit ad miss for me.
Awesome album with some great tracks. 7.9/10
Good album, not incredible though.
The style does stand out on its own, and there's more creative and complex decisions in the songs. But something about Kendrick's sound just never grabs me, I'm sitting through songs that I can get along with while waiting for a banger that never comes
Some alright songs that I recognize, but not someone I could listen to regularly. I understand why people enjoy him though.
Tiene su interés pero sin letras......
occasionally vivid storytelling from a gifted writer. i like his poetry when he lets his guard down. i like his voice best when it cracks and gets wacky, gets a little weird. but this isn't consistently clear, vulnerable, or weird enough for me. it also lacks anything that gets me out of my seat. not surprising: dr. dre was executive producer. "m.a.a.d. city" probably comes closest to something funky when it morphs into a different song at 2:35 (boom boom bap), even with the squiggly high chronic synth that worms its way in near the end. apparently "backseat freestyle" is supposed to be kendrick's teenage self showing off for his buddies after one of them hits record and prompts him to rap, providing the backdrop for the juvenile eiffel tower dick stuff. but i listened to it four times, and i don't know how i'm supposed to get all that context. i also don't give a shit for skits or songs about someone's dick or sexual prowess (dr. dre, repeat offender: doctor's office / pause 4 porno). tryhard shortcut stuff. you're a good writer. find a metaphor. maybe that makes me a puritan, or maybe i just like wordplay when i know the artist is more than capable of it (kendrick, not dre). make it clever, not obvious, not crass, not boring. god it's boring. on the other hand, a song like "the art of peer pressure" is great. drop the posturing, peel back the production, give us something honest and biographical and retrospective. full of little details -- backseats and his boys and super nintendos and close calls. his voice is right there, too. go figure it's one of the least-listened-to songs on the album on spotify. count "good kid" and the aforementioned "maad city" in the same boat. more of that. i like some things about kendrick lamar, mainly tearing drake a new asshole before, during, and after the super bowl halftime show, but this sounds made for the masses. it's an autobiographical album, but the plot isn't clear enough and the beats aren't infectious enough to hold my attention for long enough to tell its story.
Personally, I prefer older rap with samples, but I get the copyright dweebs put a stop to that. Kendrick Lamar has been growing on me since the Super Bowl. Bonus points for him hating Drake. Fuck that dude. 3.5⭐️
A chronicle of Kendrick Lamar's formative years in Compton. I appreciate the concept and execution of the album, even if I probably won't come back to listen again. Standout track: Compton
It's not without some high points. But overall I just can't get into modern hip hop. 3/5 #77
Not necessarily for me but I can appreciate it.
wel oke volede me te cool
Recognized way more songs than I expected. I can appreciate how good this album probably is for this genre, but just not my vibe. Don't think I could listen to it again.
Damn. Can the pun still be “not intended” if I realized it before I typed it? Whatever. I’ve definitely listened to this album once or twice to hear what all the fuss was about. Despite accusations of being a contrarian levied at me and Kendrick Lamar’s immense popularity, I can remember getting a ton out of this. I’m excited to revisit and I hope to glean even more from this effort. Good 29 year old MAAD suburbs is my working title of this review. Let’s start on a bad note. Sherane a.k.a Master Splinter’s Daughter - The Master Splinter requests an audience with the one they call Kendrick Lamar. Wait a minute. There’s no weird guy named Master Splinter? Whatever. As much as sex is an overused lyrical trope, this storytelling is out of this world. The musicality and lyricism blend so well. Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe - Catchy song but this has lost so much of its lustre for me. Very bright and exciting when I first heard it but I just don’t care about it anymore. Long live the 2020s attention span. The next generation will communicate in a series of bleeps and bloops. Not a horrible song, just doesn’t do anything for me these days. Backseat Freestyle - Man, this song is kinda bad. Repetition of really dumb lyrics in a very Kanye West fashion. Off-putting. The Art of Peer Pressure - More high quality storytelling. It’s nice to be rewarded for listening closely. As a song, this isn’t the greatest thing I’ve ever heard, but I’m certainly enthralled. A fascinating look at adolescent stresses, conflicting feelings, and morality. Money Trees - Another pop moment. However, The laid back yet highly infectious beat, the production, and the continuation of the narrative aspect of this album make this a true highlight. Poetic Justice - I hate this early 2010s club voice. I feel like it was used in so many radio songs. Do I have any source for that? Uhh. Look over there. Background vocals are pretty annoying in this case, but this isn’t abhorrent. Pretty catchy, fun. Oh NO. It’s Drake. Disgusting. He shouldn’t be allowed near any female without a Hannibal letter muzzle and a handler. good kid - This is the first song that I’ve kind of zoned out on. m.A.A.d city - Good lord. This is the kind of stuff that I gravitate towards. The old school aggression vibe with the brilliantly pointed lyrical criticism and acknowledgment of gang violence. A highly intelligent look at the emotions associated with a real issue while leaning heavily on best musical aspects of the genre. Greta feature from MC Eiht. Swimming Pools (Drank) - I feel like this song was the first meaningful song all the dumbest people I. High school listened to. I’ve heard so much discourse about this song for some reason. It’s great that such a popular artist can get that message to resonate, but “alcohol bad” is not exactly a revelation. Even in rap. We heard that excellent Public Enemy song a few weeks back. It is great to restate, especially considering the cultural connotations. Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst - Part deux of the average Lil Wayne listeners’ first experience of thought. I kid the lunkheads. This song this song is quite great. The rapping, the expert use of sound effects, and creation of in-depth emotion. The first beat is fairly boring to me, but everything else makes a very cool track. Real - Oh no. This chorus is awful. Really really really really real awful. Low energy nursery rhyme. I hate this. Compton - This sounds like a song that would appear in “Fight Night Champion.” I played a lot of that game. I think my expectations were too high here. I have certainly outgrown a lot of the feelings on this album. When Kendrick Lamar touches on something powerful that resonates with me, few modern rappers are as eloquent and impactful. There is also a lot of pop on this and frankly, not enough going on song-wise. Kendrick would improve on this formula in a couple years or so, but the songs here aren’t as good as we would hear on later projects. What a drab review. I’ll have to spice it up with something mean or something. I really have nothing. A highly literary rapper who crossed into the mainstream while not betraying one layer of himself. A complex look at street life with points of relation for every goofball in the suburbs make this an album that is ubiquitous in pop culture, and did a great deal to shape it as it is today. Like a MENSA meeting at a McDonald’s, this album is fascinating for its duality, if not slightly lacking in something to my ear. 3.5 HIGHLIGHTS: The Art of Peer Pressure, Money Trees, m.A.A.d city, Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst
There is a lot of talk about coming of age, but there was an entire generation of rappers saying the same things, violence and misogyny. That said, the beats were good. Perhaps not something I’d reach for, but not a bad album by any means.
Ok
It's a cool album but definitely doesn't grab me as much as To Pimp A Butterfly, I just love that jazz influence.
Well, you have to listen to everything I guess... I wasn´t convinced at the beginning but after all I finished and it wasn't that bad. it was good for 1h. 3/5
I'm old(ish), and love me some good late '90's and early '00's rap. Kendrick seems to be carrying the torch for that. Oddly enough though, I didn't get into him until his more recent shit. I think I like this, but it's going to take more listening for it to land.
Skillfully made but this album doesn't really vibe with me for the most part. The Art of Peer Pressure and Money Trees were chef's kiss, though!
It was OK but not for me.
This isn't my type of music nor does it speak to my life experiences, but I found it educational. Lyrically dense and smooth. I can see why he is so popular. He did ruin the Eiffel tower for me though... "We made a right, then made a left, then made a right Then made a left, we was just circlin' life"
Liked a few of the songs, but just not a big fan of the genre.
So first off, rap is definitely not really my genre. But I did like a lot of this. Some of the rhymes and flow were pretty good, and the music was excellent. A lot of this album felt like talking and was quite boring when I'm looking to listen to music. Overall I appreciated the talent that went into making this album, but I'm probably never listening to it again. Three stars.
A few catchy tracks. I can see the appeal but overall not for me
Didn’t listen. I will come back to it 😊. I think it’s going to be a 3
just not my thing at all. I realise it is important and all that, but it is not for everyone. I listened to it with this in mind but i just could not gel with it.. It was not unbearable though..so 3 stars
7/10
Not my jam at all. Quality production, to be sure, but this one’s a miss for me.
gostei. não ouvi todo.
With drake
I've never listened to Kendrick Lamar before. Although this is very much not my style, it is very well done.
Pet fav songs: Backseat Freestyle; m.A.A.d City; Swimming Pools; Compton. I don't know this a "masterpiece" but it is very good. Great production. Overstays its welcome a bit. Cut 'Sing About Me...' and 'Real' and I think this would be better. Albums hitting 40 to 45 mins or more start to drag. Just because technology lets you run up the play time doesn't mean you should. Forced restraint has helped more artists than anyone would like to admit. 30ish mins for an album is optimal just like 90ish mins for a movie. Make your point and keep it tight.
3.5
The elements are here that came to fruition brilliantly in damn but here it feels the subtlety and the pacing and the samples are not on the same level. This is good but not great.
Hmmm. Parts of this are brilliant. I believe many people have this as his best album. I can understand that. I prefer To Pimp, Mr Morale and GNX. This does not mean I don't like Good Kid. I do. It does start to drag towards the end though. It's a 3.5 really.
I'm not a big rap or hip hop guy so this will be a trip out of the norm for me, but with Kendrick being literally everywhere these days I'm excited to give this a listen. Standouts were "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe," "Backseat Freestyle" - absolutely loved this track for the beat and vocal style - "m.A.A.d. City" was powerful, "Swimming Pools." Also really enjoyed the Janet Jackson sample playing under "Poetic Justice," it complimented the song nicely. This is an album to be experienced as a whole and to really absorb the lyrics while you listen. Considering Kendricks upbringing, the whole package packs a punch. My only negatives are that the recordings interspersed into the songs were interesting snips of Kendrick's life, and I get that they help tell a story, but they kind of threw off the flow for me. Some of the songs switch styles/tempo partway through or after being divided with a recording like 2 songs mashed together, which I can't say I loved. Also I thought the album was on the longer side, 10-15 minutes shorter would have been perfect. This was a hard one to rate. I think you have to incorporate all the background and life experiences that were put into it because it's so personal. But, that can be said about a lot of albums. Musically, a lot of it is interesting, but probably not my favorite. It's a great origin story and piece of art, even if a little rough around the edges, and I'm glad to have listened and gotten a glimpse into Kendrick's life but I think this juuuust misses being a 4/5 for me.
Quite chilled, but better when you’re not listening to the effing and jeffing. Reminded me of the vibe of What’s Going On.
I don’t get Kendrick. I’m not a huge hip hop fan but I can appreciate it. I get why people like some rappers who might not be my personal favorite, but I don’t get Kendrick. I’ve listened to this album and to others and it’s just… mid. Ok rapper ok production. What’s all the hype about? How come this is the #6 most listened artist on Spotify? It’s not offensively bad just super generic. I don’t get it. I understand Kendrick is big so he can get his three stars but I don’t like the music.
Kind of enjoyed
I'm not a rap/hip hop fan. This album had some good tracks I know as classics. Other tracks I didn't like at all.
If I never hear another 16th note trap beat again it will be too soon
Obviously he's a great musician and storyteller. I'm not gonna repeat the same shit everyone else has, but I will say there's more to the lyrics than what's on the surface in the hope that those who dislike it for it's "misogyny" or whatever takes another look at it because that's not the point of this album. Story and meanings aside, he's made better stuff. I'm not a great fan of the downtempo, mellow hip hop stuff in general. The basslines are great though and the way he changes his voice to represent different characters and still maintain a high standard is really impressive. High 3
I get the Album. I get the lyrics. Funny hearing Drake on the album. Was decent
Not bad
Prefer his later albums but this is fine
Good album, everyone should hear it at least once 1001 album worthy: Yes - 60/109
Pretty good. not my personal jam, but I liked it. It wasn’t my closest listen, but I knew that it was sorta about escaping poverty and sjw stuff maybe idk
Muy interesante el uso de samples y audios al final de los temas, mucha coherencia en el disco. Producción 10/10. Las letras son ehhh mmmeh pero bueno. Nota: 3.4
Fine.
3,5
A simpler time - when Kendrick and Drake could exist in harmony. I'm too damn old to fully appreciate but the mic skills and thoughtful production are in arguable. The best truly rises to the top - not to me but I hope respect.
I was given very high expectations, which maybe it does deserve but as of two listens it’s not quite there for me. I like how he sounds honestly, I think some of the songs I could get into except that the amount of lyrics that use b**ch or just generally talk about women’s bodies as objects in a lot of the songs make it not very listenable for me. I get that apparently it’s like supposed to be not Kendrick’s thoughts but idk his impression of other people or culture or something but I don’t know where to make that distinction so that frustrated me. I appreciate what I’ve heard his commentary is supposed to be, I just don’t understand where to take his word at face value and where not to. I could see myself looking back on this and feeling completely different but this is where I’m at now.
For a small suburb of Los Angeles, Compton has produced a disproportionately large amount of Gangsta Rap albums. Ok, I get it, it’s one of the most deprived areas of the USA, and I can’t imagine how tough it must have been to grow up there as a young black man, but I really think I’ve listened to enough albums like this now. This one is probably one of the better ones, unusually featuring a Christian conversion prayer alongside the usual m— f—in n— words, but enough already.
At first this album didn't trigger anything particular for me; it's OK I guess, but no more. Then The Art of Peer Pressure started, and I really liked everything from this: the atmosphere, the flow, the storytelling... And it goes on: overall it's not memorable but here and there there are really interesting songs. More of this would have been better.
El disco es de los mejores que he escuchado de rap, pero escuchándolo con más atención es menos de la concepción que yo tenía. Los temas top top son 3 o 4.
No doubt he's a super talented lyricist with some very interesting ideas and collaborating here with some solid producers, but every time he says bitch or nigger my soul takes on more water. Great pacing to this album, but ultimately this music is inside baseball to the extreme, made for people other than me.
It seems somehow appropriate that we'd get a Kendrick Lamar album after his Super Bowl halftime show (not sure how I feel about having two Kendrick Lamar albums in this collection, though). Interesting that Drake coexists quite happily in this album (but not so interesting that I have any desire to understand the beef/diss between both of them). Also interesting that this album doesn't really hew to old-school West Coast style (aside from the unfortunately ubiquitous expletives and misogyny), and I liked it that there's plenty of ambiguity in the too-long and somewhat tedious coming-of-age story on this album. His singles seem like the highlights of the album, and the accompanying videos are compelling even while they're also uncomfortable and offensive at times (but why does the video for "B**ch, don't kill my vibe" end with a brief "Death to Molly" message?). Most of all, though, I enjoyed this album more than I expected to, largely because of the strong storytelling and how he sidesteps the seemingly required sledgehammer of bragging and glamorizing that characterizes so much of 21st century hip-hop (or at least my impression of it). I was really tempted to give it four stars, but the too-long runtime and the super-annoying chorus voice that was on too many of the tracks downgraded it by a star. Sorry, Kendrick!
enjoyed the music more than I enjoyed the lyrics or Lamar's voice.
Well this is where a lot of songs that I’ve heard but never listened to came from. Definitely grooves but I’ve had too much caffeine today for it
Не ми е дошъл още акълът за тоя явно
Started off ok but I soon got bored by the lack of any sort of tune or melody. I much prefer old skool hip hop which is actually fun to listen to!
I thought it was pretty good
Ok Kendrik, de brüder woni erst minimst gstreifft han. Aber au weiss dass de lill noah big up hömie vom bre kndrk isch. Da fallt mir ih, haarscharf isch de noah am ne täättoo verbigschlüderet in quito. Heiligsverdiene wär das öpis gsi. Da wäred d platzspitznadle fast iversüchtig wurde. Also ich ha na nie kendrik album glosst. Ersti track hed mi vor de tramhaltestell krass abgholt, es 4i, denn biz weniger und denn wieder uf es 4i zue und natürli mit money trees straight 5er banger track. Ha mich denn gfragt isch das es 4er oder 3er album und nach langem hani mi entschiede das set es 4i si. Aber bürstlis, Ich bin immer na am wiiterlose gsi, und denn isch e gfüllti 2minute jesus preach stell cho. Und aso bitte, was hed das uf dem album z sueche? Und rechtfertigt das denn na es 3.5er album uf es 4i z lüpfe mit so nöd muskalischem nöd inhalt? Und wett mir generell em ne album wo jesus so fest promoted 4 sternlis geh oder heds nöd mind 0.5pünkt abzug verdient? Dilema dilema Und witer führt min gedanke, curtis mayfield album (5sternlis) hed e jesus lovesong drinne gha. Heds mi gstört, nei nöd mega. Was isch de unterschied denn? Erstens in musik verpackt, und zweitens vu 1970, das sind na anderi ziite gsi. Und ez weissi nöd wasi sell mache. Cooli superbowl show btw.
I think this album is better than the last one. 3.
Not bad
I can see why he's so well thought of. I like the storytelling aspect but I'm too white and too woman to enjoy this very much.
Generally not keen on this style of rap, but some of the tracks I did enjoy (particularly the ones with a more 90s hip-hop beat). Kendrick’s voice is very annoying, would probably give an extra star if it was good. However, the concept and story of the album is interesting and well done.
The topics blended together (sex, gang life, poverty, etc.) and got redundant after a while. I did like the beats which helped bring up the rating.
#471. Not great, not terrible, not much. 3/5: fine
me when bitch don't kill my vibe comes on and i realize i'm accidentally listening to the clean version... thankfully it was only track 2! i fw Kendrick but same thing that i said about NWA, i do not rock with the misogyny. However, i like the style of this album better for sure I like his more recent stuff better but this was a good gym album
5/10 I don't get it. a me problem I'm sure. 1-13-2025
Interesting listen. I very much went into it expecting to hate it. However, there's a lot of interesting things happening in this album. It took me on a journey into a culture I know nothing about, and it's intriguing. Musically, it's very good. I'm not one to usually listen to lyrics, but with this I definitely listened some and I feel like it was an eye-opening experience. Saying that, I absolutely hate the mysogynist nature of a lot of the lyrics, and would be horrified if my children heard me listen to it or were listening themselves. So musically, really liked this, conceptually really liked this, but have to definitely take points off for making me feel uncomfortable listening to the language. 2,5 stars from me, rounded up because of the journey it took me on, but please don't make me listen to it again. Now where my dominos at?!
3.5
Kendrick's always been an interesting case for me. As someone who really loves a lot of hip hop, I appreciate his talent as a rapper, and I think he does do some kind of interesting stuff with the genre. However, it's never gonna be my favorite style of hip hop. He really relies on that laid back west coast sound most of the time (albeit with a modern twist), and I've always preferred the grittiness and energy of east coast hip-hop. I think he adds some funkier, more upbeat stuff on TPAB ("King Kunta" is the best example) that are kind of missing for me here. 3.5 stars.
There are good moments on this but not enough of them. Generous 3.
Enjoyed this a lot more that To Pimp A Butterfly. High 3*
Rap not really my thing. Certainly not gangsta rap. But this albums got a decent sound to it. Wonder how it would feel with different lyrics. Most of the stuff on this album sounds like the wild fantasies of a teenage boy. This will be a once and done album.
This wasn't completely for me, and that's fine. I hadn't really heard anything from Kendrick other than 'Humble' and 'Swimming Pools (Drank)' so this was interesting. I saved about half the songs to my library. Usually because of a combination of samples and production. The lyrics weren't always...an easy listen, I'll admit that. I'm not sure if this is THE most accessible rap album ever made, but it's worth a try, just once.
I think it is good. Just not my jam.
VERY solid album with a few bangers, will probably listen to it every once in a while.
Mumble rap takes centre stage and with that obtuse moralising.
Really good flow and production, but dubious content.
My first experience of Kendrick Lamar and I will be back for more - an aging rocker did not know what he was missing - top stuff
Belle découverte. C'est typiquement pas le genre d'album que j'écouterais par moi même, même si j'en avais pas mal entendu parler, et j'ai été agréablement surpris au cours de l'écoute. Maintenant, c'était un peu "ça passe ou ça casse" en terme de chansons. J'ai réussi à rentrer dans l'ambiance pour la plupart, mais certaines (Bith don't kill my vibe, m.A.A.d city) m'ont totalement sorti de l'ambiance. Clairement un album dont la note pourrait augmenter si je le réécoutais avec les paroles sous les yeux, ça s'entend que le texte est super bien pensé mais c'est impossible d'en voir toutes les subtilités en une écoute. Donc c'est un 3 pour l'instant, mais qui pourrait assez facilement se transformer en 4.
Un album assez difficile à juger dans son ensemble tant selon les différents titres mon avis change du tout au tout. Beaucoup d'entre eux ne me plaisent absolument pas, au point que j'ai eu du mal a écouter l'album en entier et a lutter contre mon envie de skip certaine des musiques. Et puis, il y a "The Art of Peer Pressure", ce titre a lui seul redore l'image que j'ai de l'album. Quelques chose en plus de singulier, d'indescriptible, d'adictif. Au global, un album qui le laisse une impression mitigée. De trop nombreuses musiques comme "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" auxquels je n'ai absolument pas pu accrocher pour seulement quelques musiques avec une vibe pas désagréable et une seule vraiment au dessus du lot. Ce sera donc une note de 2,5
I can see the appeal, but so much of this dragged on and on long after it was interesting. I got bored with about half of it
mid tbh
I half-enjoyed this as a story of drugs and guns and violence, but I struggle to relate to those themes, and I found it a bit repetitive after a while.
Better in second half
This made me sad. Respect for the conceptual thrust. Very intense, and (for my middle-class white ass) pretty rough. I see why people are praising Kendrick Lamar. Interesting.
The jazzy instrumentation is cool and influential for 2010s hip hop. Not a fan of his lyrics though
I find it hard to get into this genre, probably because I never got much exposure to it. That being said, I liked this and in particular, the song "Good Kid".
After all the talk about how genius these KL albums are I was so disappointed. Everything about it felt very generic. 2.5/5
First listen through. Solid outing.
Very solid
Another Hip-Hop album.
Liked the album overall, will probably listen to certain songs again, just didn't love it, not my favorite genre
mt bom, mas tem mts músicas que eu fico "que?" não é meu estilo favorito, então não tenho mt o que falar
Okay
Honest, raw, exposed, honest. I get the love for Kendrick Lamar, now.
Musically I like it, and kudos for being catchy. As long as I don't listen to all the lyrics. Comparing MLK's dream to having sex with the entire world with an Eiffel Tower-sized appendage? Sacrilegiously portraying baptism? Not sure it's as poignant as it's supposed to be.
Well that was a pleasant surprise. I read the reviews beforehand and thought we'd have another puerile doggystyle album on our hands. Alas no, while there is some of that, it's not gratuitous, it's less in your face and a lot of the music is beautifully crafted and enjoyable. The lyrics don't distract from the songwriting. Some of it is quite reflective (Art of peer pressure), although not the one about the penis being as big as the Eiffel tower so he can fuck the world. Wouldn't turn it off in future, even quite enjoyed it, might return in the future, though it really isn't music I tend to enjoy.
3.4 1x
This guy is talked about as one of the all time greats even being new/current but I found this quite generic. The content was pretty standard too, so while technically impressive it’s hardly unique and a bit of a disappointment. Picked up towards the end though.
Första hiphopen. Inte min favorit bland Kendrick Lamar men tjänligt vibe
I've tried this album in the past, and this was easily my favorite time listening to it. The skits feel additive in a way many don't for a bunch of rap albums. And there are some killer tracks. Even the ones that are pretty long still seem to justify their length. I didn't purely enjoy this in a bunch of moments, but I appreciated it a lot more than I have before.
I liked this much better than I thought I would. It won't go in my Tidal collection, as I'm no big fan of rap music, and I probably won't ever listen to it again, but my journey through the tracks was pleasant enough to warrant three stars, rather than the one or two I expected to give up before I listened to it.
always a fine time but i'm too close to my last listen to really enjoy 6/10
3.5/5. Could've been way bettter, But Kendrick had to go with the mainstream modern rap route. Could've hit SO hard. Maybe it's just my tastes. But it felt, tacky, or like, too polished and new for what it's about. But I liked the concept. Some songs I liked, most I didn't. Rap now seems almost too shallow, too much 'fucking bitches' and whatever, when this album had the potential to be heartbreaking. 'To Pimp A Butterfly' was good, along with 'Sherane', 'Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst' and 'The Art of Peer Pressure'. Maybe there were more but I can't remember them.
En ehkä aivan päässyt tähän sisään. Muutaman viisun olin kuullut aikaisemmin. Oon ehkä enemmän ysäriräpin ystävä niin tää yleisesti vaatii totuttelua. 3/5
This was good but not something I'd listen to again
good album, m.A.A.d. rapper. Kendrick has a very distinct flow. You can hear the influence of Outkast, not just his rhyming, the music too. I could do without the phone call sketches. Kendrick is super horny. This is going to date this review, but Kendrick and Drake on the same track is crazy. Poetic Justice is a great song. I know hip hop doesn't really do covers, but this about as close as you can come of a cover of Anytime, Anyplace by Janet Jackson as you're going to get from two MCs. His rhymes are amazing, I'm less thrilled with the beats. Several of these songs are made up of what seems like multiple songs, complete changes in beats. Swimming Pools (Drank) sounds like being drunk, good song. Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst might be the longest rap song I've ever heard....a 12 minute song is not easy to pull off. He writes amazing lyrics but the beats leave something to be desired. I did not like this album as much as I thought I would.
I played the song with 1.5 Billion listens and although it's actually quite chilled and laid back it's really not that special? Surely I'm missing something? Not able to distinguish a truly momentous classic from a generic clone track? Giving this *** because I don't hate it.
Not really my thing, but I can see why he is popular.
Nerds love puddy too
Not at the link
Slightly better than his first album, still not my thing though
This was my first time listening to any Kendrick Lamar (to my knowledge). Honestly, I mildly dreaded listening to this album--I didn't think I would enjoy it and wasn't in the mood to take it on. I finally listened to it while working out/driving/sitting in my car. It was kind of a roller coaster of reactions. I know I'm far from the target demographic, and sure enough, there were plenty of moments early in the album where I was like, "Nah, not into this, not for me." I noticed that several songs I found the chorus annoying. So I started with thinking to give 3 stars, then dipped down to 2.5 for a while, then I started finding little things to appreciate, and I rose to 3.5. The last several songs of the album, I was able to sit and focus more while listening, and I found that it was slowly growing on me. I enjoyed the guests, I feel like overall he's a good lyricist with a good delivery (except for some of the choruses which sounded juvenile and repetitive at times), and the production was good. Some of the beats/production stood out as being pretty different from what I've heard before elsewhere, which I appreciated. The lyrical subject matter was kind of grim, but sometimes touching. Mathematically, I don't know whether to give this a three or four. I guess I'll go with three-point-something and round down, curmudgeon that I am.
I liked how this album sounded and I was glad to hear that Kendrick does not solely do the triplet note pattern rap and does not seem to overuse autotune on his voice. These things are so prevalent now in hip hop. So for a young guy I was glad to see him take a different direction from that. There's parts of this that sound like 'traditional' hip hop. At the same time though maybe my ears are just conditioned to associate hip hop with creative sampling from older music (Jay Z sampling the Doors's 5 to 1 for instance). A lot today's hip hop tends to have a glossy machine produced sound (like this album) that is ok, but I still think hip hop's golden era came between 1989 and 1997 or so. Kendrick is a talented guy with interesting things to say. I'll definitely revisit this album.
Not bad.
I get the point: the character in this concept album evolves/changes over each track. But Kendrick Lamar didn't quite manage to pull that off. I didn't see/hear enough change in the central character. "Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst" is great track, though.
Interesting contrast between this album (which is early in Kendrick's career, and talks a lot more about growing up in a rough neighborhood, with aspirations to be rich) versus the last one we heard (which is much later in his career and almost shows guilt for having succeeded as much as he did). The music and rapping is fine but it's still just not my thing.
Decent rap album. I was starting to feel it on the second go around, but it feels like a mixed bag.
I think I liked this a bit more than To Pimp a Butterfly.
Its ok....do we really need all of the answering machine messages?
Some catchy sounds and decent tracks but not a lot of standouts or gamechangers for me. I wanted to like this more...
Man, I had always heard good things about Kendrick Lamar. And I was interested in hearing this. But honestly I didn't care for it too much. Don't care for his voice. Lots of repetitiveness. Long drawn out.
The opener and all the religious interludes were blasts from my past. I'm the son of a Southern Baptist minister, so The Sinner's Prayer and all its variants was played more often than the radio during my childhood. Musically the album started a little weak. The first few tracks felt very haphazard and the vocal was weirdly out of time. Constantly missing the beat in the most awkward ways. A LOT of hiphop is written in the studio behind the microphone and then edited into something coherent after the fact, and the first couple of tracks had that feeling, like it was being improvised in the worst way, without ANY eye for going back and revising it into something more sizzling and precise. I usually have the same thought about Stephen King and Anne Rice novels. And yet, my strongest note about the album is that it felt constantly injected with humanity. It wasn't polished to perfection. I can't imagine there wasn't pitch correction, but even the vocal left room for "mistakes", and in the end, that was the most charming aspect of the album. The songwriting and performances got stronger and stronger until by the closing track I was in full on bop mode. The vocal delivery was precise, the lyrics were clever and concise, and every song on the last half (to my memory) contained a memorable chorus. This album didn't quite do it for me the way a Jay-Z album would, but I get the hype now about Kendrick and will be excited to listen to more from him.
Some really good tracks on here, but not as good of a whole album as D.A.M.N. Three and one-half stars. Extra half-star for the Jay-Z verse on the remix of "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe."
This was better than I expected it to be and I gave it a fair listen without skipping. Even though, going in I knew it was not for me since I believed it to be way outside of my cultural experience. I am completely unfamiliar with this genre and themes but I can see how it was so apparently influential. There were some rhythms and samples that were pretty good and included much more styles from RnB than I expected. I'm glad to have heard it but I know I'm not revisiting this.
I was looking forward to this one but just disappointed at how rappers instantly go for the cliche racist/misogynistic lyrics. I want a rap album that's just quality and not padded when there's nothing else to rap about. Hard to give a rap album 5* for this reason.
Not a big KL fan, but this was alright.
Ouain, là on revient sur Terre avec le genre de rap que j’aime le moins. Par contre, j’aime bien aimer les petits bouts narratifs et les enregistrements de conversations, ça rajoutait beaucoup, donc ça le sauve de justesse d’un 2
Not for me. I didn't like all of the interludes between songs.
To Pimp a Butterfly was a way better album by my estimation. This one was good....just didn't hit me the same way.
Solid. First Lamar stuff I heard was during the Drake Beef. Not like Us is pretty great, came to this album looking for more like that. Album was pretty good
Better than I expected. A concept album with a consistent atmosphere, for better and for worse. A lot of long tracks that feel very similar. Definitely some good lyrics here and there.
Definitely some cool things but not my type of album felt really disjointed I think I'm the wrong demographic
Too many damn skits
It’s brilliant but also deeply offensive and misogynistic in lyrics. So I just can’t listen to it.
This is one I need to listen to many times to get the full effect. There is artistry here that I don't think you can uncover in one casual listen
Not a huge Kendrick guy. Some bangers
That's not my taste in musik. But ok. Nice songs
Lyricism is on point, but I don't really like Kendricks rapping voice.
Really enjoyed but feel I need to listen to further to really appreciate. Will revisit for sure.
Really don't get the hype, but three stars due to some of the ambition shown here. The skits in-between tracks made me impatient for more music.
Bitch, don't kill my vibe. Oops - too late. "I pray my dick gets big as the Eiffel Tower" - seriously? Do we need this shite? ⭐ ________________________________ 🎧 LPs reviewed: 56 🎧 LPs left to review: 945 🎧 LPs I found great/relevant enough to be mandatory listens (5): 12 🎧 LPs I *might* include in my own list (4): 17 🎧 LPs I will certainly *not* include in mine (1-2): 15
Nice beats. Not sure about everything else.
Pense que me iba a gustar más.
I have listened before, but not as the only point of focus. This time I listened on the way to work, and I have to say nothing really wowed me.
Interesting and varied, though I’m not a fan of Kendrick
Not as good as To Pimp a Butterfly. And honestly I just don’t vibe with most of this. Overall I’m not much of a hip hop fan. I can recognize that many of these lyrics are good and I really enjoy some of the melodies and beats he raps over. But there’s just as many misogynistic verses. And I just don’t enjoy hearing the N-word this often. But that’s me. This isn’t made for me. And that’s ok. 3/5
Highlights: Sherane, The Art of Peer Pressure, Sing About Me I'm Dying of Thirst. In a nutshell: hip-hop just got a shake-up. I'm a sucker for world building and storytelling in music. Kendrick does that well. It was great to listen to a rap/hip hop album without skits! Whatever that brassy drum noise (high hat? Snare?) was on Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe has earned my deep hate. It gave me a headache and was annoying. But that song does have a new favourite line: "even a small lighter can burn a bridge". Not my thing, but GKMC helped me appreciate the genre more. Overall: 5/10
This is Outkast. The love below vibes, but not as good
reading the lyrics helped me appreciate this album
The music bored me. The lyrics had meaning, but the delivery left me flat. I prefer more energy in my hip hop.
Albums like this are weird for me. It's supposed to be great. Apples top 100 list just came out and this is sitting at 7. I don't hear it. Stevie Wonder is sitting at 6 and I hear that. I know these things are subjective, and his rap game is really good, but I don't get all the praise when so much of it is derogatory towards women. I won't invest the time it would take to find it's greatness because of that.
cool to have some context of why Kendrick is so celebrated. not something I will listen to a lot though
The best modern rap I have heard but still just not my cup of tea. The biggest difference I noticed was that of the instrumental production. Other modern rap artists simply do not have enjoyable background instrumentals and this album did. Take that away and I don’t think it would be much different from the other artists. He raps about pretty much the same stuff others do and his style does differ slightly but not enough to be that notable. The Kat Williams voice consistently made me chuckle, I was just waiting for a pimp named slick back reference. Overall decent listen and I can now see why people like him so much. 6/10
It wasn’t bad but it also did not convince me to become a huge fan of his music.
It first I thought this was just another gangsta rap album as they all follow a fairly similar recipe. After a couple of listens, this one grew on me. I do wonder what the Gangsta Rap scene would be without 'Bitches and Ho's'
"pray my dick get big as the eiffel tower so i can fuck the world for 72 hours" veeeeeery 2012, but 'art of peer pressure', 'money trees' and 'sing about me' are all super good. love the use of interludes.
I just don't get hip-hop.
Yeah, good, but I didn't personally enjoy it that much. Very dense, a lot going on lyrically and verbally, music not outstanding.
Good album. Wonder when we'll get the next Kendrick/Drake collab?
I already have so many songs from this album in my regularly played playlists, so I’m pretty familiar but have never listened to the album in its entirety. Kendrick always has deep and relevant lyrics, and I’m drawn into the beats and bass of most songs, but I’m dropping some stars because there’s just too much narration going on in between songs that I end up having to skip. Listen again: yes Purchase for my collection: maybe Favourite Song: backseat freestyle
Musically creative with lyrics that unflinchingly paint an entire universe. Gets to the heart of what it's like just trying to come of age in such a dangerous space, as well as the ambivalence that comes with every choice. Conceptually, one of the best executed hip hop albums I have heard. Fave Songs: Good Kid, The Art of Peer Pressure, Swimming Pools (Drank), Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst, Real
I listened to this with my Gen Z son who assured me that's it's high end stuff. Could be, but it's hard for me to get past the constant vulgarity.
People rave about this but I don't really get it. To pimp a butterfly is waaaaaay better
I have tried several times to get into Kendrick given how iconic he has become in recent years, but he's just not for me. This album is generally heralded, but for me it's just okay. Standouts include Sherane, Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe, Good Kid, Mad City, Real, and Compton.
Swimming pools good, otherwise pretty chill started bad got better
Beats and flow = 4* Lyrics = mostly 2*. To me, the power of a track like “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst” is undercut by the total unseriousness of “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe,” and “Backseat Freestyle.”
A couple good songs a lot of language issues for me.
I will probably have to come back to this one. I think there is something more there but I don't know if I am in the mindset for it.
First album recommended that Tilly had heard of - she says it’s a 3* album.
The music was sick but lyrically it was pretty vulgar and misogynistic
He should try calling women ‘bitches’ less but the songs are good regardless
Great album , well produced, well done
Es gelingt dem Interpreten auf interessante Weise o-Töne von Anrufbeantwortern, Funksprüchen und anderen Aufnahmen in die Rap Stücke einzubringen. Darüberhinaus ist der Sänger verständlich und kombiniert Musik mit seinem Sprechgesang. Warum in Gottes Namer er ständig den Alltagsrassismus im kalifornischen Ghetto anprangert aber selber gefühlt über 100 x Bitch ruft wird wohl nur der Künstler selber wissen. Interessant ist das Stück „Bitch don‘t kill my vibes“.
Smooth, but the skits are irritating.
Not my favorite rapper
It would be impractical to have a dick the size of the Eiffel tower
Took the first half of the album to sink into but once I put on the headphones and made the transition the beats and lyrics were satisfying.
Kendrick Lamar is easily the best rapper of his generation, but enjoyment of music is so directly impacted by how you connect with it, and this white guy from the suburbs of the UK doesn't really relate to Kung-Fu Kenny, so I'm left a little cold by the objectively great album.
Kendrick Lamar is responsible for some of my favorite features, I’m a big fan of Dre and Aftermath, the production on this album is brilliant, the story telling is well done, but the vocals are atrocious.
This was better than I remembered but I cannot stand when he sounds like he’s crying/whining his verse
I don't get the hype.
good kid m.A.A.d city money tree poetic justice sing about me
Some amazing songs and some boring ones
Hip-hop. Ni fu ni fa.
Not for me…
It was good. Lots of good songs. Some not quite as good. Overall quite good. I enjoyed it. Goof sats the same
good listen. my son has him in his rotation regularly.
Not a big rap fan so didn't get crazy into it. Fun to recognize songs that I knew but didn't realize where they came from
3/5
Quite a bit of what the golly gosh is going on here filler on this album.
I've heard lots of good stuff about Kendrick, in fact a colleague of mine teaches his lyrics as a poetry unit. I, however, remain largely unenthused.
not really my thing, but the guy is crazy talented.