good kid, m.A.A.d city

The first two tracks here made me feel quite strongly that this was going to be an awful album. There were a lot of things I didn't like here, starting with some weird Jesus chanting, then some very electronic-sounding synth-beats, electronic drums, and chipmunk rap about pussy and crack. But then something clicked and I found myself liking this, then really liking it, to the point where I couldn't tear myself away until the album was done. I hadn't even heard of Kendrik Lamar before and the fact this came out in 2012 made me assume this would fall into the category of the almost universally bad hip-hop that didn't come out of the "golden age" of the late 80s and early to mid 90s. I'm now a fan and I'm even finding myself comparing this to Illmatic or other classics. I'm going to slap a full 5 stars on this album. I still think the worst of the album is the beginning and it gets way better before dipping slightly again at the end. However, as a journey/ story, it all starts to make sense when viewed as a complete narrative.

This album speaks for itself. Incredible album with incredible style, lyrics, and production.

A modern classic in the truest definition. Great for both listening all the way through to experience the story and listening to individual songs. Accessible with enough to dig your teeth into. Reading hip hop reviews is one of my favorite activities on here because you can tell who didn’t actually listen to the album and decided to give it a poor review anyway.

De grosses influences de la West Coast, on retrouve du snoop (Gfunk), du The Game, quelques sonorités Outkast. Un album qui offre plein de sonorités nouvelles via les batteries electroniques, la présence de la basse. Des morceaux très organiques, vivants, atmosphériques. Tout fait très spontané, naturel (backseat freestyle). Un mélange entre espoir et fatalisme.

9/10

Mean as concept album. Telling the story of kendrick growing up in Compton. Easily a classic

Classic

Amazing hip-hop album.

A classic that will always remain a favorite. I initially didn't fuck with Kendrick back when this album came out, couldn't stand his flow but then I thought about Ornette Coleman. He had an ability to weave in and out of music because he had a mastery of the saxophone and I realized Kendrick Lamar had a similar mastery of his voice. I know have a deep appreciation for how he manipulates his voice, its refreshing.

Possibly the greatest narrative rap album ever made. The pinnacle of the hip-hop genre (yet still Kendrick’s third best)

Peak early Kendrick with fantastic lyrics and music beds.

Conosco già l'album ma non l'ho nei salvati quindi forse non l'ho ancora ascoltato integralmente. - backseat freestyle <3 non so perché - money trees capisco perché sia così famosa. gli ultimi due feat mi hanno sorpresa in positivo. Bellissimo album.

i'd been meaning to listen to this for a while!! i've listened to damn and to pimp a butterfly a bunch and the vocals and production on this one do not disappoint. the strings!!

had a 2-3 week period a few years back where i only opened spotify to listen to sing about me im dying of thirst. measured my commute time by 4 Sing About Me Im Dying of Thirsts

kendrick lamar has always been a storyteller and this album is one of the prime examples of how he uses this ability of narrative in his lyrics. i feel like he approaches music making the way a director does. his albums all have a narrative and a cinematic feel to them. faves: good kid, compton, bitch dont kill my vibe, backseet freestyle,

An hour of insane and beautiful storytelling. The songs, the skits, man!! I do think that the last track is slightly underwhelming- it was always my least favorite and that hasn't changed. Isn't it crazy that this lost out to Macklemore at the Grammys. Life is wild. So grateful we get to enjoy music together

Absolute storytelling masterpiece. From start to finish, Kendrick weaves an endearing tale that touches on the disparate expanses of a young, black man's experience growing up in Compton. The instrumentals and the lyrics both grip the listener, daring them to look away from a vignette that is equal parts beauty and despair.

one of the better albums released in my lifetime, so many standout tracks and skits add to the album.

good kendrick, mad album

good stuff

Influente pra caraaaalho

This album is incredible. Kendrick is a poet in both lyrics and flow. The production is incredible, the features are all on point. M.a.a.d city is probably one of my favorite rap songs of all time.

One of my favorite albums of all time. Kendrick is a master of story telling and deserving of all the critical acclaim this record has received. The use of 'skits' on this album gives it a feel and depth unlike so many others. You get a brief glance into the life of Kdot, and the reflections of a wiser man. If you didn't pay attention to the story being told I'd recommend going back, or watching a YT video, and focus on it with the lyrics of accompanying songs. The production on the album is another high point. While sounding good, it has another layer of matching the lyrics and almost serving as a background painting for the story being told. 'sherane' feels like a laid back story with it's loose feel. 'The art of peer pressure' feels like a young confused man riding around a hazy day in LA. And 'swimming pools' drowns the listener with Kdot. Lyrically Kendrick is a modern master. He hides so many powerful words in his songs you won't get everything on one listen. "Sing about me/dying of thirst" gave me shivers the first time I listened to it when this album was released, and when the gun shot comes, or the lady fades aways in the second verse, I still get them. I could go on about this album forever, but I feel like there are plenty more breakdowns far better than this. Fav songs: pretty much all of them since I listen to this album all the way through every time I put it on. Money trees, sing about/dying of thirst, good kid mad city, Compton are what is choose this time around though.

If Prius and crips all got a long…we’d probably be a happier society. Absolute classic. Top to bottom. Money Trees is 6 starts. Backstreet freestyle… chefs kiss* Swimming pools when he changes to his inner monologue 🥲 The dominos Just incredible. Still incredibly pissed this album lost to Macklemore for Rap album of the year.

If I know most of the lyrics and songs off a rap album, it has a lasting cultural impact. Idk if it could get better. So catchy and memorable

I've had the whole album in my rotation since I first heard it. This is why Kendric is the GOAT. I kinda like Section 80 slightly better than this, but this is still one of the greatest Hip Hop albums of all time. Easily a Strong 5/5

I love the vibe. Gives me nostalgia from 2015-2016. Relaxing and i love the plot twist on the first song. Swimming pools is one of my fav songs

One of the best hiphop albums of all time

No notes needed for this album. Be serious.

perfect

All bangers. Perfect record. No Notes.

I'm instantly snapped back to 2012. I just graduated college and started working a lame office job building reports for a mid-sized family business. I passed the time listening to episodes of "WTF" and "You Made It Weird" and jamming any album I could find. This was on constant repeat. The only thing keeping me from singing along right now is that my kids are in the other room. One of my all time favorite albums. I think the cultural impact and artistic depth of "To Pimp a Butterfly" is higher, but this project is so much tighter and more enjoyable. "Backstreet Freestyle" is on so many of my headphone only playlists. This is such a perfect album experience though. It tells such a compelling story from front to back of a lifestyle I'll never know. There's not a single skip. It's been years since I've given this a full listen and it's still great. Dark and depressing, but such a hopeful end. Love it.

I mean, did we expect this to get less than a 5?

It’s been a long time since I just sat down and listened to this album straight through and it still hits as hard as it did a decade ago

One of my all time favorites.

ебать. переслушал значится базу от ламара. раньше смотрел на этот альбом как на ретроспективу от лютого гэнгста и на то, что явно лучше горгорода, ведь Слава на баттле сказал "если уже есть гуд кид мд сити, нахуя мне горгород в плеере?". но сейчас это просто ахуй. в середине альбома я сидел с мокрыми глазами, рассматриваю эту историю через призму своей. когда я слушал впервые, мне явно ещё не хватало жизненного опыта, но вот сейчас, пережив этот "The Art of Peer Pressure", я проникся альбомом полностью, представляю какого это слушать, если ты вырос в тех же условиях что и Кендрик, в каком нибудь чёрном американском гетто. это очень по взрослому рассказанная подростковая история. это пиздец как чувственно. одно лишь это томное me and the homies меня просто убивает. по сути то это идеальный концептуальный альбом своего жанра, хотя я не главный его фанат. тут и разъебаться можно и поплакать. блять тут трек на 12 минут слушается как на 4, сука он просто читает буквы нахуй каким образом так получается. я просто в ахуе, сижу на эмоциях. обложка тоже чётко попадает в настроение, эта херня прям давит на тебя, я вот почувствовал себя во всей этой дискомфортной обстановке. по хорошему этот альбом бы понять всей такой гулящей молодёжи, да только мне кажется что не пройдя через что то подобное, ты ни хрена и не поймёшь. а так, звучит шикарно, Кендрик великолепно отыгрывает голосом, все вставки идеально вписываются, иногда до мурашек. короче лютый ахуй спустя года оценка - 9,5/10

One of the best hip hop albums of all time.

Zo ontzettend veel bangers op 1 album vind ik gewoon goed

Just fantastic

Excellent album

Goddammit Kendrick save some talent for the rest of us

good beats, many clever and catchy lines. really really good.

Fire

Kendrick Lamar is my favorite rapper right now. “Rapper” isn’t a good enough word to describe him. He’s an artist.

Lush, emotional, entertaining autobiography of an artist at the top of his game.

The album that made everyone ask if Kendrick Lamar is the greatest rapper of all time. It's basically perfect. My only complaint is that the features on this aren't anywhere near as good as Kendrick himself, but even still every track is great both as separate pieces and together. I hope Kendrick's next three albums are on this list too.

best storytelling ever, Kendrick is an absolute talent at everything he does, the beats are perfect and some are so smoothful with nice Rhodes and guitars (something that will be even more incredible on his next album). The reviews saying this album is offensive have no respect for black history and culture

This entire album smells like chiefing blunts in my college apartment's bathroom with the homies. 5 stars.

A personal favorite. I’m biased towards albums with a narrative, and Lamar’s talent as a storyteller is apparent right from the start of the record. I come back to this album often and it’s probably my favorite from his catalog.

goat

5/5

Listened to this one plenty of times, my favourite Kendrick album and I think his best. Make sure M.a.a.d city is played on a subwoofer, the 808s are impossible to hear on normal speakers It's well written, even though he uses a lot of voice manipulation it doesn't feel too goofy, the beats are sick, the stories are honest; all in all a fantastic album. The features a great too, maybe not as much Mary Blige on now or never, but the rest are great. GOATed album

Quality throughout, no weak links. Big range of style/feel between tracks, all the way from classic street focussed to more introspective. Personal favourite would be 'Sing about me, I'm dying of thirst'.

greak kendrick

yack

Impressive

HL: "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe", "Money Trees", "Poetic Justice", "m.A.A.d city", "Swimming Pools", "I'm Dying of Thirst" not 1st listen, which is good. I definitely misunderstood it the first listen (in 2022), since Kendrick's detachment as the narrator meant I didn't realize how autobiographical GKMC really is. I always did appreciate the cinematic structure though, and the build-up to the title tracks (especially "m.A.A.d city") is as chilling as ever. Both this and TPAB have a song that sounded awful to me the first listen, but they have only continued to rise in stature. Those would be "For Free?" and "Backseat Freestyle" On that note, GKMC is a 5 star that probably wouldn’t have been, had I been introduced to it today November 6th, 2023

Lamar took home a Pulitzer for DAMN, but i still contend this is his best album. The narrative arc, the storytelling, and the character development would make this a masterpiece if you just took the lyrical work by kendrick, but add in the production work (headed up by Dre) providing a setting that is instantly recognizable, and this album feels like a three act play. The teenage "goddamn i got bitches" bravado weaves through greed, addiction, vengeance and death, before folding to the albums culminating wisdom, none of that shit made me real. "real is responsibility. real is taking care of your family, real is god."

masterpiece

embarrassingly overplayed but goated

12/10

heard

Top tier rap album. Kendrick is awesome

Kendrick’s lyricism and story telling serve as a glimpse behind the curtain of a way of life that’s incredibly far removed from my own; a lifestyle that I’ve always respected, but rarely understood. This album feels like I’m being taken for a ride-along through the neighborhoods that shaped Kendrick’s adolescence; able to point to individual street corners, refer to characters I’ve never met by first name, and still see of the nuance and impact that each experience had. As often as Kendrick is able to reminisce about bonding memories with friends, you get a sense of his resentment and eagerness to leave those people behind. His stories aren’t told from a place of pride, but as a matter of fact retelling of a difficult existence. There’s an overarching tone of criticism in living an unsustainable life in a balancing act; caught between earning masculine respect through acts of violence, and grieving for the friends and family lost along the way.

Another Kendrick Lamar masterpiece. While I don’t believe this record is as good as TPAB, it is very close. GKMC is an album with masterful storytelling and a lot of replayability.

Damn good album, new school old school hiphop

top notch K Dot

An all timer. Probably still Kendrick’s best album in that I think it’s the best combination of both artistry and accessibility.

Pretty much as good as storytelling rap can possibly get

yeah this was pretty great. his flow is pretty unmatched and you can tell the amount of effort he puts into his craft, it really pays off. the production on this album was also great. dr. dre has still got it. overall, a very enjoyable listen. i can see why this album is so highly regarded.

I think what's more interesting than the story that this album tells is the story that is told in the reviews for this album. After I finished listening to this again, I went through and had a look at the reviews that other people had written. You all are telling on yourselves! I think it's really interesting that every single one of the reviews that is one star for this have the stodgiest old white man music up as their top 10, five favorite best artist, etc. I don't like the fucking doors but I'm still going to listen to it and appreciate it in the context that it's given to me in. Everyone who got on high horses saying, 'how can you listen to 'my dick get big as the Eiffel Tower' and be like that's a good lyric". What? It's a fantastic lyric. of course it's braggadocio. Course it's offensive. It's supposed to be from the perspective of a juvenile person who doesn't know how to act and has learned how to live from an ill-conceived popular notion that is negatively impacting their life. That's the point of this album. And it absolutely slaps while it's having that conversation. Everyone who gave this one star missed the point Thanks for coming to my ted talk. P.S. this is one of the best albums of the 2010s

❤️

Love love love it. One of my faves!

what a way to kick off. Incredible album. Great memories. If pirus and crips all for along. They’d probably gun me down by the end of this song.

good kid, m.A.A.d city wird immer eines der besten Alben bleiben.

Classic K dot.

Really great album especially the latter half-it gets even more personal talking about alcoholism, peer pressure, and the death of loved ones.

It's a good album. I don't think Kendrick Lamar can disappoint me ever.

Amazing, classic, dynamic.

I was waiting for that one track that would just blow me away. That never came, but the ride otherwise was enjoyable. A more relaxed vibe than I was expecting. A couple of tracks rang familiar and overall I thought it was a very good album.

Musically and lyrically dense, there are a lot of layers to unpack in this album. It's got a variety of voices and perspectives and some catchy hooks. I'm well-taken with it.

I started off pessimistic about this… and as I started listening I started dreading the hour+ runtime. But as this went on I found myself liking this more and more. Nice variety of music, I liked the laid back tracks. Really good.

already internalized this bad boy

more like uhhhh good album

perfect

Absolute peak storytelling and lyricism. One of the greatest albums ever made. Every single song is masterfully crafted. "I hope the universe love you today" "Consequences from evil will make your past haunt ya" "The streets sure to release the worst side of my best"

Essential Tracks: All of them m.A.A.d. City (Added to playlist)

A fantastic album. The concept and the story are well-made without dominating, but more than anything the songs are just really strong. Kendrick on the top of his game. Best song: Money Trees

Absolutely classic

CERTIFIED BANGER

This is definitely in my top 5 most played albums ever. I went through a period after its release where I was listening to it on a cycle for every drive / walk to class. I don't think I've ever tired of it. This album is the second "mature" release from Kendrick, following up lesser known Section 80. This album picks up where its predecessor left off with more wide-eyed and reflective tales of the struggles and impediments that plague poor black communities; however, rather than approach obliquely, this album puts us on ground level with a conceptual narrative through the eyes of Kendrick himself as a young teen. Throughout the runtime, Kendrick puts a raw lens on seduction, peer pressure, religion, gang violence, and more. All of these he explores effectively and with music that ranges from boom-bap (Backseat Freestyle, m.A.A.d city), to soul (Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe) and beyond. I can't give enough praise for this album. Concept is well executed and tied together start to finish. I love every song on here and think the sequencing is fantastic. Only odd-point is Compton, but it fits with the overall story arc he is trying to convey. This is his glittering "I made it" anthem. I did find it highly ironic, however, that Swimming Pools (a song about the pervading toxic mindset of drowning oneself in alcohol) became a party anthem after this came out in 2012. Oh well... 5 / 5

Some classic raps albums these past couple weeks! I'm not gonna write a song by song review cuz I blasted this in the car today and had already heard it dozens and dozens of times. Pretty much every song on this album is a banger. Love the transitions from song to song with skits at the end. Money Trees is one of my favorite hype songs. GANG SIGNS OUT THE WINDOW YA BISH. HOPING ALL OF EM OFFEND YOU YA BISH. What a fuckin G. Another one of my favorites that's not even technically on the album (but was the first single?) is The Recipe. Women Weed n Weather. Kung Fu Kenny's breakout will go down as a classic for years to come. Bring on TPAB next.

Not all my style but surprised me with how much a liked it. Very well written

Fantastic album - really an enjoyable listen from start to finish with so many standout tracks. Also such a varied album with a range of different songs.

My favourite Kendrick album by FAR. Like the Deluxe version the most

One of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. A gangster concept album that doesn’t glorify but condemns such a lifestyle. Kendrick is a master of observation and his powerful and poignant lyrics reflect this, it’s an incredible commentary on the Afro-American experience with themes ranging from drug abuse, alcoholism, sex, gang violence, toxic masculinity and police brutality.

Very goooood

In his breakthrough album, Kendrick sets a new standard for 2010s hip-hop. He takes conventional pop rap sounds and basic samples, and essentially shows everyone how it's truly done. It's simple yet catchy, full of highly memorable hits. Even though one could argue there are a couple weak songs on here, you could not argue any of them are by any means forgettable. The greatest strength of this record is its coherency and focus. It offers a lot of diversity and creative techniques like sudden bridges, and yet it still emphasizes Kendrick's skilled flow and lyricism, telling emotional personal stories about his youth and the corrupt, scary world he grew up in. The track ordering is almost perfect, but "Poetic Justice" is in a weird spot with its chill, optimistic sound between two really depressing ones, and the ending felt a bit dissatisfying; probably could've changed "Sing About Me I'm Dying of Thirst" to be a more fitting closer. Due to its accessibility, replayability and the countless hits, ingenuity, creative production, coherency in sound and story, and fantastic flow and lyrics, I give it full points. It's not as mind-blowing as To Pimp a Butterfly, but it does what it does nearly perfectly, and serves as a great introduction to get people into hip hop.

10/10

Nezt

Another long hip hop album. Reminded me of outkast a bit. I am aware Ken is stratospherically popular amongst the young’ns but I tried not to let that cloud my judgement. I thought the horny and misogynistic lyrics showed hip hop probably hasn’t moved on much in 30 years, however it felt a bit deeper than some of the other newer shit I’ve heard and I found myself enjoying it. It did feel like a special album with some interesting sounds. Worthy of a 5/5 probably.

I don’t know if it’s controversial to say but while To Pimp A Butterfly is KDot’s quality wise best, this is my personal favorite of his. A GREAT bridge between Section .80 Kendrick and what we now have as Kendrick. I could listen to this album everyday and not get tired of it.

Banger

Its kendrick

Excellent

4.8

kendrickão da massa

Probably my favourite rap album of all time

Amazing.

One of my biggest concert regrets is not going to see Kendrick Lamar at a small show in Sweden just when good kid, m.A.A.d city was released. Ah well, live and learn. Anyway, this album is surprisingly dark ("The Art of Peer Pressure" and "Sing About me, I'm dying of thirst" to name a few. I've listened to most of it at different times but never from start to finish. I'm impressed by the heavy topic while still never feeling preachy or pretentious. The lyrics are really the main draw with Kendrick's vivid storytelling about life growing up in Compton. Interspersed between the stories are the "hits" which still deliver a punch. Doing both a heavy topical album as well as containing multiple hit singles is impressive. Sure, the skits are ok the first listen but get old quite fast, it is also a bit too long and there are a few dud tracks. I still think it deserves a 5 though just for being such an experience. I've been listening to this all weekend which is a good indication in it self.

Good good!

One of the most consistent back to front rap albums in existence

Why personal favorite from Kendrick

10/10

I've waited long and hard for you. B*tch.

This an old subway footlong

amazing, one of my favorites.

Incredible album. This is very reminiscent of my freshman year of college.

I can't lie, Kendrick is a great artist. But personally, nothing jumps out at me.

I only knew one track already.

Love Kendrick - listened to most of these tracks before but never as an album

Kendrick’s over here just throwing out Shakespearean level bars. GKMC kicks off a pretty unbeatable three-album run that’s just in its own league. What I appreciate a lot about Lamar’s writing is his ability to tell an intricate story across the whole album. You’re drawn in on every verse just based on the story alone, but also in appreciation for the wordsmithing.

One of the greatest major label debuts of all time from THE greatest rapper of all time.

Master class in storytelling. Compton finest

some true modern classics sprinkled in here. top notch production and track cohesion. hard af yet chill. can’t find a single flaw.

A masterpiece

See everydaytunez

My original thought is 4, but I’m not sure what keeps it from a 5. Narratively excellent and well produced. Pacing and beat go when they need to and compliment the narrative. If anything the knock is that you pretty much need to listen to the whole thing to appreciate fully

Highlights: Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe, Money Trees, Poetic Justice, m.A.A.d. city, Swimming Pools, Leave Em's: Real Overall Thoughts: When asking my generation who the best rapper of all time is, and what albums are included in their top five, this is the answer you will get. I have spent tons of time listening and researching this album. Every time you listen to it you get a better sense of the story that Kendrick is telling. The fact that he is able to combine massive anthems with an extremely raw and impactful story is amazing. The lyricism is second to none, and this is one of many projects that makes us appreciate Kendrick Lamar and give him his flowers while we have a chance. Score Breakdown: 4.683 & 5 -> 4.842

A great entry from Mr Lamar. This album is tragic, personal and heartbreaking, but also extremely hype. I remember some of these songs being played at every party/festival I attended in the 2010s, an interesting juxtaposition to hear them in this context. That is the beauty of a great songwriter though, the songs can reach a wide audience, yet contain multitudes. Excellent album. Fav Tracks: Backseat Freestyle, Swimming Pools, Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst

Near Perfect in every aspect. Amazing storytelling through its runtime while every track sounds stands in its own, in the background or while picking apart at it in detail. 9/10

Excellent

Almost gave it a 4 because of “dieing of thirst”

THIS IS SOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOD. I'm at work and can't type out a full review but godDAMN. I know my standards are pretty soft when it comes to lyrically-driven/story-centered music--I understand that some say this work is not as sonically impressive as Kendrick's future work--but what's here is magnificent. Shoutout to Money Trees, Swimming Pools (Drank), and the absolute masterpiece that is Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst.

Probably one of the three best albums of the 2010s decade

K dot. This was the first album I heard of his. Great album.

Work of art

Listened on previous list. I thought this was excellent. Not going to become something I listen to regularly, but I can see why this is on so many lists.

manchmal anstrengend, aber verdient trotzdem 5 sterne

Top 5 rap albums ever. Every song is a fucking banger.

Fantastic album, it makes me very nostalgic for my early 20s. One of the best rap albums ever made. Maad City is one of the best rap bangers ever and Sing About Me is a classic rap epic. FS: Money Trees, Drank, Maad City, Sing About Me, Now or Never

literally one of my favorite albums ever 100/100

Yeah it's not gonna get better than this album

Not often you get a "no skip" hip-hop album. You don't here either but it's damn close. 8 straight tracks of absolute fire.

Peak story telling in hip hop, one of my fav hip hop albums ever

I listened to this album last week for the first time all the way through before it even came up on here. I absolutely loved it. I’ve had sing about me I’m dying of thirst on repeat since then. So good, lots of hits, still cohesive. Better than TPAB :)

We are spoiled with riches with Kendrick albums, and this one’s only sin is that it’s not my *favorite* Kendrick album, that it’s eclipsed by the artist that he would eventually become. Still, you see absolutely everything in this album that will stay with Kendrick… his eye for drama, his sly way of turning what sounds like a sleeper song into something that never leaves your head, his lyricism, his insistence, the mood. All there. And some of the most influential records of the 2010s! No way this isn’t 5. We are too spoiled when it comes to Kendrick. 5/5

Kendrick is king. Absolutely killer album.

Dit album draai ik regelmatig voor m'n plezier. Dan is het al gauw een 5 waard, ondanks dat het album skits bevat. Als je goed luistert of meeleest met de teksten dan is het album een haast cinematografisch conceptalbum van het hoogste niveau, maar eerlijk gezegd is die laag van genialiteit iets te hoog gegrepen voor me. Ik vind de muziek, de stijl en de flow gewoon heerlijk. Hier staan enorm veel nummers op die ik op elk moment van de dag zou kunnen luisteren. Er is variatie, ook al is het allemaal rap/hiphop. Fantastisch album.

Amazing album 10/10

Great album, absolutely crammed with story, sentiment, and great beats.

Such a classic. So many great songs

listened

Uno de los mejores disco sque escuché en mi vida, me pondría a escribir 10 horas sobre esto, pero la realidad es que no hace falta. el disco se sustenta por si solo, desde las bases, las letras, hasta lo que se trata, lo concepual y las referencias. Tiene todo UN DISCO COMPLETISIMO 10/10.

Masterpiece

"good kid, m.A.A.d. city" is second studio album and major label debut by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was recorded in California, Miami and Atlanta, used 15 different producers including Dr. Dre, Pharrell Williams and Just Blaze and had guest appearances from Drake, Dre, Jay Rock, MC Eint and Ann Wise . It is a concept album following Lamar's teenage experience in his native gang and drug infested Compton. The album received high critical acclaim and also had big commercial success hitting #2 in US and #16 in UK. Prayers, an eerie organ and whispering open "Sherane a.k.a Master's Splinter's Daughter." This transitions to "Bitch, Don't Kill my Vibe." Slower, laid back, smooth. Female baking vocals. Originally that was to be Lady Gaga but her parts were due to timing issues. She later released the original version of the song. Alright, we got bells and different beats in "Backseat Freestyle." Here's where you start to hear the brilliance of Lamar's lyrics as he juxtaposes an MLK speech with current rappers and their obsession with material things while he's riding in the backseat. "Poetic Justice" has Lamar and Drake rapping about partying, love and essentially you get what you put into it. In "Swimming Pools (Drank)" he describes the inherent alcoholism in his family and culture. Swirling music into kicking beats. "Sit up! Drank! Wake up! Drank! Pass out! Drank." The highlight of the album just may be the 12-minute epic "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst." It jazzy hinting at where he would go on future albums. Two separate stories, one involving a friend admiring his work, but could never do it and the other, a woman telling him off about a song on his first album about her sister and her lifestyles. Different samples including a Bill Withers' song. The music on the album is unique for the gansta category - laid back, chill and electronic. It reminds me a lot of 90's era Outkast. He's telling compelling stories using different rap voices and rappers. There's every indication here of the massive succes he would continue to have on future albums.

Best Song: Backseat Freestyle. In an album of great tracks, this one has an elevated intensity that makes it stand just above the others. Honorable mention to Money Trees and Poetic Justice. Worst Song: Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe - Remix. Jay-Z adds nothing transformative to this already great song. Overall: Such an incredible, wide-ranging album. This might be Kendrick at his best. It is amazing to see how he is able to transition from a lean-back, apathetic anthem like "Swimming Pools (Drank)" directly a meandering story telling track like "Sing About Me, I'm Dying". Every track feels iconic, most every feature feels like it brings a complementary energy. Even the skits serve to fit the theme and elevate the surrounding tracks.

Kendrick does it again! He surely cannot top this one Favorite Tracks: The Art of Peer Pressure; m.A.A.d city; Swimming Pools (Drank); Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst 4.5-5/5

good kid, m.A.A.d city was already in my top 10 albums of all time before finding this site. It remains cemented there, for now. I am an absolute sucker of stories told over an album, a trait that many of my favorites share.

Gold

A true modern hip-hop classic. Kendrick’s lyrics are street poems that show love to his neighborhood while starkly telling tales of what his experience and existence was and is. A top to bottom gem of contemporary hip-hop

Love it. One of the best albums ever made.

Not diggin modern hip-hop in general, but this one is damn good

Fajne

Great storytelling, very good album…… it’s like a 4.5 so I’ve rounded it up Fav tracks: Money Trees, Swimming Pools (Drank), Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst Least fav: Sherane a.k.a. Master Splinter’s Daughter

This is my favorite rap album. Top tracks include Backseat Freestyle, Money Trees, and The Art of Peer Pressure. There are no bad tracks, although some are meant to be listened to in the context of the album. 5/5, hands down

All you can say about this album is wow, what a story. What is truly amazing about this album is it is the record which catapulted Kendrick Lamar to superstardom despite the fact that it is so different from the popular rap music being released at the time. The story of the album is drastically impactful, even bringing tears to my eyes at times, that it can be understood and lauded by people that could never personally relate to the experience of a black man from Compton. An album that will never fade away. 10/10

Unbelievable. Sooooo intensely evocative and gritty and gorgeous. Overwhelmingly amazing. Love love love love!!!!

Modern hip hop doesn't get much better than this. I'd say it's about as good as TPAB honestly.

I'll need another listen to confirm that, but I think that's one of the best hip-hop album I've ever heard. The beats are insane, the delivery is unique. It's the third album I discover from Kendrick and I understand now why he's becoming a legend of our times. Nice feature by Dr. Dre, also!

Really enjoyed this, good combo of very good beats, good flow and lyrics.

Masterpiece

4.5

Insanely good front to back

Where's my damn dominoes!? Big fan of Kendrick. I only knew a few songs from this album, and enjoyed listening from start to finish.

This is one of the best rap albums I've heard. Kendrick is a genius lyricist and has excellent flow. It's a fascinating album that tells a story of himself as a teenager growing up in Compton, surrounded by the gang violence purported by the Crips, Pirus, and Blood gangs, but not participating in it. He grew up surrounded by pressures to get involved in crime and gang lifestyles, but stayed out of it, having the dream to make it big in the rap game, and he did just that. Tracks like The Art of the Peer Pressure and maad city (certified banger) give a detailed look into growing up around that violence and his tone and flow (especially on maad city) make you feel like you're in it too. Swimming Pools (Drank), a song that has likely played at thousands of clubs and has been danced to by millions of drunks, discusses the connections between peer pressure and alcoholism that Kendrick was surrounded by growing up. The closer track, Compton, has an awesome Dre feature. Musically wise this album is solid - excellent beats and samples throughout. But the real instrument on this album is Kendrick, his rapping is one of the best in the industry, and his socially conscious lyrics are what make really enjoy it - it's rap music that makes you sit down and think about what is being said. Not to disparage gangster rap, I just prefer lyrics that reflect on the real issues rather than "get money, hit em up, y'all gonna make me lose my mind" lyrics.

YA BISH! This album is perfect for getting your Nissan Sentra detailed up real good. Kendrick Lamar is one of the finest (and Realist) musicians of our time. A true artist and poet(ic justice). The album is so well thought out and took the listener on a transparent journey of his experiences growing up, from track to track. This is exampled by my favourite on the record, The Art of Peer Pressure. Which is just a badass title. What I love about his style is that he adjusts his voice to give the effect of multiple people singing on one track, when it’s just him. And he uses creative inflections and sound effects that ensures every track has a different feel and is as deep as a swimming pool. Couple things: the hook on Backseat Freestyle is elite. Plus, Bitch, Don’t Kill my Vibe is my new life mantra.

This album is pretty amazing. Kendrick is a great rapper, lyrics are great. I'm happy I sat on this one for a few days because it gets better with each listen. Only complaint is that I hate the trap snare on a couple songs but it's not very prevalent so I can deal. Excited to listen to more from his catalogue!

This just kept getting better and better. Iconic.

5.0 - Of Kendrick Lamar's incredible run of albums, this one stands out for its storytelling and the way he intermingles conversational interludes to immerse the listener into his past. I know I'll need dozens of listens to more fully ingest what's on here and I'm just so excited to add this album into my rotation. "Backbeat Freestyle" is an immediate standout.

Kendrick's run from this to Damn is one of the greatest of any artists ever. I need to revisit his latest album, I wasn't into it when it came out but maybe if I give it another shot I'll appreciate it more. good kid, m.A.A.d city is a total masterpiece, though

One of the best albums of all time.

Love this one, still my favourite Kendrick Lamar album

A classic of my post-college experience in NY. Even though this came out in the fall of 2012, I remember by the summer of 2013 this was playing on every speaker and headphone in the city. It had universal appeal. We played it at parties, we played hanging out with the homies, we played it with girlfriends, we played it and it never got played out. This is essential.

"Good Kid, m.A.A.d City" is a remarkable hip-hop album that cements Kendrick Lamar's status as one of the most talented and innovative rappers of his generation. The album is a masterful blend of personal storytelling, social commentary, and innovative production that sets a new standard for the genre. The album's opening track, "Sherane a.k.a. Master Splinter's Daughter," immediately sets the tone for the rest of the album, with its vivid and evocative storytelling that transports the listener into Lamar's world. From there, Lamar takes the listener on a journey through his upbringing in Compton, touching on themes such as gang violence, drug addiction, and family dynamics. One of the standout tracks on the album is "Swimming Pools (Drank)," which features an infectious beat and a catchy chorus that belies the song's deeper message about the dangers of alcoholism. Other standout tracks include "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe," which features a powerful and uplifting chorus, and "Money Trees," which features a memorable collaboration with Jay Rock. But what sets "Good Kid, m.A.A.d City" apart from other hip-hop albums is its thematic coherence and attention to detail. The album is structured as a narrative, with each track building upon the last to create a compelling and emotionally resonant story. The production is also noteworthy, with an innovative blend of classic and modern hip-hop elements that create a unique and cohesive sound. Overall, "Good Kid, m.A.A.d City" is a true masterpiece of hip-hop, and it deserves every bit of critical acclaim and commercial success it has received. Kendrick Lamar is a true visionary in the genre, and this album is a testament to his talent and artistry. Five stars, without a doubt.

mwah love you kenny

Y a pas à dire, Kendrick Lamar est exceptionnel, bien loin des carcans du ice cub hip-hop.

A smart, clever evolution of the G-Funk style with some killer storytelling. Modern classic. Best track: Backseat Freestyle

Obra maestra, cualquier cosa que escriba sobra.

Tenés que ser un genio para manejar los hilos narrativos de un álbum de la manera en que lo hace acá Kendrick. Es tan profunda la visión que lo guía, tan incrustada dentro de sí la historia que narra, que todo sonido parece la manifestación definitiva de una vida o un momento. Kendrick construye memoria, un nuevo testamento para su ciudad; después renacería ya muerto y bañado en snobismo. Y sin embargo, ya había realizado aquí una de las últimas expresiones comunales de un mayormente vil mainstream musical. Porque no es por su genialidad ni por su inventiva que Kendrick hizo grandes álbumes, sino por crearse una historia para sí y enraizarla en la de sus amigos, vecinos y pueblo.

11/10. Es un antes y después, almenos en mi vida. Maad City fue el primer disco que escuché completo de kendrick a los 16. Back to back bangers, todo el disco en un disparo en la carrera del kdot, el primero con aftermath y aunque ya tenía notoriedad como independiente, este disco es el que lo da a conocer como el artista de la puta madre que es. Todo el disco habla de su vivencia como un pibe creciendo en compton y como eso lo curtio para ser la persona que es, y lo que no quiere ser en su vida. Muchos rapero tienden a "idolatrar" su vida como gangsters, kendrick le da una perspectiva de un pibe que tenía miedo, con todas sus inseguridades que tiene un adolescente de su edad combinados con la vida de alguien que pareciese que si no siguen la vida de las pandillas no iba a sobrevivir. El escribe como tupac en su época más aboliciónisya de la violencia en las calles, ve como eso no lleva a nada más que los excesos y la muerte por nada. Cada canción cuenta una historia y todo está muy cuidado para dar, desde mi opinión, unos delos mejores discos de su década. Must listen para cualquiera que quiera adentrarse en la discogria de kendrick( aunque todos en este grupo son lamares). Mi tema favorito es swimming pools, al filo con maad City y sing about me, im dying of thirst.

en mi opinion de los mejores discos de los 2010s incomparable desde cualquier punto de vista una obra de arte de la mano de uno de los mejores artistas del siglo 21 no hay ningun aspecto debil en todo el album

One of the best records of all time. Everything is on-point: the storytelling, the lyricism, the pacing, the beats, the themes...this is just impressive on every single level. "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" has always been one of my favorite rap songs of all time. This is an absolute, modern masterpiece. And TPAB is somehow even better!

Closer to my type o' genre! I love Kendrick. Would love to give it a 4.5 but going 5 because I did like it more than my 4 rated albums!

The way I was stoked to hear this one today daayyuummmm Such a powerful narrative, incredible collaborators, beats and samples Cannot wait to see him at Bonnaroo in June

Kendrick 5/5, sollte klar sein

Classic hip hop album. Has everything --- polished yet interesting hits, introspective cuts. Somehow simple and complex at the same time. Absolute classic.

Mastahpiece - 10/10, might be my absolute favorite rap album of all time. Bonus tracks or GTFO

Album is amazing front to back!

This album made me want better headphones. Really liked “sing about me, I’m dying of thirst” “backseat freestyle” and “real”. Was surprised by the amount of religious motifs but after a quick google search, everything made a lot more sense hahah. Enjoyed the variety of instruments! It may be that I’m listening to it at work and not really able to focus on the lyrics, but the production really shined over the lyrics on this album IMO. I would equate it to a book where the author does such a great job illustrating the scenery that you get lost in the description and pay less attention to the dialogue/plot. Not a bad thing just my personal experience with the album.

Man...I came close to giving this four stars, as some elements of the production scream 2012, and I think To Pimp a Butterfly is overall better. But damn. His flow is unreal here, even relatively early in his career. The songwriting, while not yet at its peak, is still really strong here. And "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" remains one of his best. Kung Fu Kenny is the best rapper of our generation, and this is our first piece of evidence.

This album of Kendrick's, especially, is responsible for expanding the hip-hop genre in a way that was desperately needed. The start of creating music of truth that transcended all genres. The influence of this album will be felt for, I don't know, but probably a long time, right? Lyrically, Mr. Lamar is one of the best in the game, ever. Production and structure is beautiful. I can't think of thing not to like about this album, it's so darn good. 5/5

Classic already heard it

Interesting to hear this immediately after Notorious B.I.G. Hip-hop just evolved so much; the sound and production here is incredible, almost Rundgren-esque in places, and I really like it. Such a unique voice, in both ways, as well.

Perfect concept album. The storytelling here is just so good.

Kendrick made me love hiphop, could listen to this any day.

Awesome8

One of the best hip hop albums ever made, standard edition is two tracks too long away from being perfect. Personal narrative makes this one more engaging than TPAB for me.

I mean, come on.

Hell yeah.

if you said this was better than TPAB I would not be mad at all. cohesive, brilliant, nearly flawless. I have nothing to add to the conversation about this album I just simply love it. best tracks: bitch don't kill my vibe, maad city, sing about me im dying of thirst

Es perfecto, la definición de un álbum perfecto, fácilmente dentro del top 5 álbumes de rap/hip hop de la historia.

Lyrical flow of someone with years of experience behind them. Consciousness in full flight. Bangers abound. Modern classic and then some

One of my all-time favorites

buen álbum

Fucking great album

Favorite album of all time.

Despite being a long album, it is exceptional. Kendrick never wastes our time, he's present, and everything he says seems important, seems worth saying. Confessional, true lyrics, and things that only he can say because they're so personal and particular to his experience, yet speak to something larger. Only a track or two that I wasn't into. I love how he has so many voices, taking on characters and throwing us off balance song-to-song, even within songs.

Absolute banger, the soundtrack of my 2011-2012 or whenever it came out.

Kendrick is one of the best when it comes to storytelling through his lyrics and flow. The tracks are cohesive and are kinda connected together due to the narrative which are told through the lyrics as well as the skits at the end of each song. I like the jazzy instrumentals in the songs and the female vocals from Anna Wise elevated the hooks and the verses. Overall, the album has a lot of bangers and practically no skips.

The first time I ever listened to this, I recognized it as a good album, perhaps the best of its time, but I was really in unknown territory, as I knew nothing about modern hip hop, Kendrick Lamar, or the tone of the album in general. Now, I find myself thinking this truly is one of the best albums of the 2010s, and only cements Kendrick's role in music as an essential part of its history. Nearly every song has some sort of hook that is instantly memorable, and the storytelling throughout this whole album is stronger than most other concept albums. The album doesn't pull its punches, giving you concepts to weigh yourself upon with each step, and its long length is hardly noticeable among its brilliant pacing. You'll find yourself at the home stretch without really thinking about it, and Compton as a finale, sonically, couldn't be a better fit, even if it makes the story a tad more streamlined. That sacrifice of storytelling to focus on the music is what rises K-Dot above the rest for me. This decision not only built more intrigue within the story, but shows that Kendrick isn't only an immaculate rap artist, but knows what makes music, music. Despite its leanings into the more downtempo, the album constantly feels like it could be the soundtrack to a party and to sitting at home in the dark, and to be able to bridge that gap so well is fantastic. My only slight gripe is that the album doesn't experiment as much as his later projects, and while that could feel more thought out as a result, I find it making it so no one song truly stands out above another. Again, more consistent, but fewer things to truly blow the listener away. I will note, however, that I heard this album nearly a decade after its initial release, and so I was plenty exposed to tracks like Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe, m.A.A.d city, and Swimming Pools years before a proper listen. If you can help, go in completely blind, it will do wonders for the writing, and will show already how on top of the world Kendrick was even on his second proper outing.

This is a great album. Kendrick's flow, story telling, and beat and rhythm work are all top notch. I too wish I could fuck the world for 72 hours. m.a.a.d city does a great job of spinning an engrossing yarn of a terrifying existence, and then totally flipping the atmosphere less than halfway through. A story of violence, redemption, and retrospection. Wow.

No skips on this album! This is absolutely my favorite album of the 2010s. Masterpiece!

Not my style, but not bad at all

One of the greatest Albums of all time

This was a fantastic album. I was a bit worried in the opening 2 or 3 songs that it was going to be a bit too ambitious for its own good and outstay its welcome. But as soon as the album hits its stride with "The art of peer pressure" (My personal favourite) it doesn't let up. Enough has been said about how good Lamar is as a wordsmith and rapper that at this point its almost become a cliché. But its only talked about so much because its true, he seamlessly shifts between styles and tones with such mastery its very impressive. But to me the true genius is how he puts an album together and who he surrounds himself with to do it. A great example of the fantastic sound design on show is on the titular "m.A.A.d city" which starts with quite an aggressive gangsta style beat and gradually morphs into something that would be quite at home on DJ shadow's "Endtroducing" but does it so totally seamlessly and without sounding out of place. I could keep writing for ages about this and while it doesn't fit into my usual criteria for a 5 (being usually reserved for my all time favourites) I've decided to promote it for being so engaging it makes me excited to do the review.

It's GKMC, genuinely one of my fav albums ever and I'm buzzing I got to revisit it, just as good as I remember, easy 5 stars

This is a truly extraordinary album, Kendrick delivering a modern classic. Kendrick is peerless right now- nobody else can match him for style, lyricism, artistry and flow. It’s thrilling to listen to an artist have a concept in mind of sounds and themes and deliver so convincingly and boldly too - few rap artists would risk sounding so vulnerable, so minimal and catchy hook free. The maturity from such an early album, the intelligence and insight. Simply stunning.

Kendrick Lamar AKA Comptons human sacrifice

This albums awesome I love the whole connecting story deal going on. Even finding ways to make some of the not story driven tracks fit into it, very cool

The GOAT

I was so happy to see this album when I woke up this morning. I was in high school when it came out and I remember riding around my hometown or going to parties just banging this thing. Kendrick does so well at telling a story through the imagery of his lyrics and sound bits that pop in between songs. He also touches on a lot of relevant topics with blunt commentary that gives a good perspective to someone like me who hasn’t experience racism or gang culture. I love every minute of this record and hope I always will. 10/10

Classic

Siendo el segundo álbum, y su debut formando parte de una discográfica, este trabajo de Kendrick Lamar se puede considerar como su primer gran trabajo y su debut en la gran industria musical. Considerando al disco una historia de vida, vemos a "good kid, m.A.A.d city" como un retrato de lo que fue la adolescencia y vida de Kendrick, lidiando con pandillas, drogas y lo que se encontraba en su entorno en ese momento de su vida. En este álbum vamos a vernos absorbidos por las letras, las cuales van contando a modo de "cortometraje" (como bien se describe en la tapa del álbum) la historia de vida de Kendrick. A modo de catacumbas nos vamos hundiendo en la profundidad de beats y letras. Siendo los beats en un principio más trap superficial y terminando en canciones bien progresivas algo jazz, con una densidad más marcada. Pasa lo mismo con las letras, las cuales van de más livianas a más profundas. Poniendo en cuestionamiento varias situaciones, formas de vida y situaciones que pasan muchos jóvenes. Me parece interesante y alucinante la forma que tiene este gran rapero para transmitir y llegar con sus trabajos, superándose desde un primer momento y haciéndolo hasta el día de hoy. Sin dudas, la gran estrella del rap.

Fantastic album. It’s part concept album and part list of mega singles. I’ve always loved this album but I never gave it enough credit for how meaningful it was. It’s so personal and raw while also applying those feelings to larger societal issues (alcoholism, police brutality, etc). fantastic production and really tasteful non musical interludes. A five for sure

Every time I listen to good kid mAAd city it brings me back to the first time I heard it. It's like nothing before it and nothing since. Someone once described this album to me as a visual movie, and that's always stuck with me. It's a concept album executed perfectly, Kendrick's memoir. Beyond that, every single song has something amazing about it, and the density of great songs is higher than any project I've heard except for TPAB. As with any album I love, every time I listen I find a new song to appreciate even more. This time it was Compton, which makes sense as I've been on a bit of a Dre kick recently. Just excellent, the easiest 5 I've given on this list. I know taste differs, but I can't imagine anyone who actually listened to the entirety of this album rating it less than 4.

One of the greatest hip hop storytelling albums of all time. Brings back major memories from early high school. Wow what a breakout album for Kendrick. Instant classic.

Couldn't really think of any good reason not to give this 5 if I'm honest. One of the best around. Listened to this twice in full since it popped up on my list - couldn't fault it either time.

Ovo mi je u top 3 najbolja albuma 2010's - a bome ima jebačkih albuma u tom desetljeću. Konceptualno i ovako, jedan od najboljih hip hop albuma ikad.

Goated

Fucking banger

10/10 one of the best

10/10. Was not expecting to like this as much as I did. It takes everything I like about gangsta rap, which are somewhat few and far between, and puts them together into a very cohesive whole.

Lost to Macklemore at the Grammys. 10/10

This is the stuff that future Pulitzer Prizes are made of. Often hilarious, bleak and just plain exhilarating, good kid, m.A.A.d city sees King Kunta approach the genesis of his ascension to the top of the rap throne with all the confidence of his then youthful ability. Hard to believe that we are nearing ten years of listening to this m.A.A.d brilliance. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Did he put enough work in? Not just yes but there will be much more to come.

With such vivid imagery, structure, and a compelling story, listening to this album is so enveloping it feels like a piece of cinema. It tells the story of life growing up in Compton but not always from the perspective of Kendrick and not always in order or at the same age. Kendrick's songs never seem to have one angle, there are always multiple ways of interpreting his lyrics. This is an album that requires several listens, it can’t be understood in one pass. Unfortunately I don’t have the time to write about every song but my favorite on this album has to be the the very dark “Swimming Pools”. It is an exploration of alcoholism and in true Kendrick style it not only explores the darker sides of the struggles against inner thoughts and the devastation caused to lives, but also depicts the feeling of escape and release that comes from sating the cravings and giving in to the drink. At the time of this album Kendrick occupied that rare space where someone was properly pushing at the boundaries of their genre and yet still managing to appeal to the masses. I don't think any other artist has existed to the same extent for a long time before and since. 10 years later you can still here the influence in hip hop today on both sides of the atlantic. 5/5

Genius stuff. Has like 3 or 4 contenders for best rap songs of all time. I love it.

Epic album, what to say more?

I want to go to this ‘Maad’ city

Absoluter Klassiker. Seit 2013 unter meinen all time favorites!

This is Kendrick at his finest. The production and features pay homage to 90s classics as well as his peers. The storytelling side of Kendrick pushes itself to the forefront track after track. While the whole album is almost perfect, the standout song is Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst. Empathetic, brutal, and honest, it might be the Compton rapper’s magnum opus; a story of heartbreak told truthfully from many perspectives, perhaps even more poignant because of its ubiquity.

fire (fire fire)

Love the Story being told Here. Evers Song ist unique and great.

Great

Banger! Banger! Banger! Introspective exploration of gangland crime in black neighbourhoods...BANGER

An absolute classic

Preeety goood.

One of my all time favorite albums. The story telling and emotion on this album is some of the best I've seen. The beats go hard but don't get in the way of the lyrics at all.

One of the best rap albums ever. Kendrick’s story telling ability is unmatched which you can see throughout the narrative of this album and especially in songs like Sing about me. I feel that there are some similarities to illmatic but this represents the west coast perspective and the rapping is more evolved and technical. This album has some of his best hits like Backseat Freestyle, mad city, and money trees. The guest verses are all fantastic particularly Drake on Poetic Justice and Jay Rock on money trees with one of the best features of all time. And Jay Z on the bitch don’t kill my vibe remix with one of the best flexes ever “sitting next to Hillary smelling like dank”

An easy 5 stars. This album is simply stunning. Here Kendrick takes the seeds planted by Nas on Illmatic and grows them into an epic story of a night out with friends gone very wrong. From the moment we hear the beat drop on "Bitch Don't Kill my Vibe" we know we are in for something special, and the rest of the album does not disappoint. The lyricism is excellent, the beats underneath are dynamic, and the features are top tier (Jay rock's verse on "Money Trees" sums up the themes of most hip hop songs in 1 minute and is prefect). Additionally, these songs work well on their own, but combine into an epic rap opera with a rich narrative and well written characters (Kendrick rapping fro mthe perspective of3 different characters in "Sing about me" is always impressive. This is one of the best albums of all time.

Absolute banger. Fucking K. Dot making his mark after signing with Aftermath and Interscope. Stand out tracks: Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe, Backseat Freestyle, and Compton (with Dr. Dre).

Masterpiece of an album, amazing storytelling. Would be the best rap album of the 2010s if Kendrick didn't have himself to compete with

This is a high concept album that delivers on all fronts. Kendrick's bars embody the best of west coast hip hop and pays homage to the gangsta rappers who came before while embracing an introspectiveness that adds a certain degree of gravity to everything he says. The album is a series of stories from Kendrick's like that document his struggle to stay 'good' in the midst of a violent life stuck in survival mode. The album ends by circling back to the initial phone call which starts the album off, a statement of the cyclical nature of these stories. The music itself is phenomenal. That west coast synth sound, orchestrated strings, and trap hi-hats are all present here and are used perfectly. Kendrick is a student of hip hop, and the fact that he got to work with some of the greatest for this album shows that he is already on his way to becoming one of the greats.

please don’t kill my wife

Still just as good a listen as it was 10 years ago. Easily Kendrick’s strongest, most cogent album, from features, production and lyricism. Outside of a few exceptions, skits on hip hop albums are immediate skip material. But these are so integral to the story, Kendrick’s parents bickering on a voicemail, his friends rapping young jeezy lyrics, recreating a hit. The production is so varied and interesting. Highlights: Money Trees, Back seat freestyle, sing about me I’m dying for thirst

great story, lyrics, music.

Yuuuuuurrrrrrrpppppppp

love you Nathan I'm sorry you couldn't hear the new album i think you would have loved it I will never listen to kdot and not think of you thank you for the short time I got with you IVE GOT A BONE TO PICK!

Two A’s in a row? More likely than you’d think. As white as I may sound, Kendrick is the best rapper alive, and while his next album is more vital, this is a brilliant introduction to his craft if Butterfly is too dense for you. Incredible music all around. A

I read this album is no longer in the latest version of the book, this is an absolute travesty… one of the all time great rap albums the story telling through the album along with some huge bangers makes this a 5 star masterpiece.

Kendrick is the best. J'adore un 5 meme si c'est un de mes moins preferees

el mejor album de rap de la historia, album de historia que marca al rap y demostrando de lo que esta hecho kendrck,muchas emociones y album que marca en la vida

You already know I love this album. I remember listening to it in college. Bitch don't kill my vibe, backseat freestyle, swimming pools, poetic justice. Kendrick is a legend

Mind-blowing, while being, at best, his second best album (I need more time with the new one before making a final decision, but it's level with Damn in being second at the moment). Hard to pick a best track, Backseat Freestyle maybe. And the fact he goes full g-funk at one point is like he is literally taking Compton's crown from Dre.

Rating: 10/10

Awesome hip-hop album! Kendrick is a lyrical madman. Great beats, amazing flow, funny commentary/narrative throughout. Certainly worth a listen.

artist and storyteller.

Easy five starts. The storytelling is amazing. Lost of bangers came from this album.

Already listened

very good

what a fantastic album- one of my all time favorites. It has a compelling concept with great voice acting and songs that match the way the story goes. The lyrics, productions, and Kendrick's vocals are amazing. The features are just incredible with amazing performances from Dr. Dre, Jay Rock, and IMO one of the best verse of Drake's career on Poetic Justice. SAMIDOT is a top ten song of all time for me, B Don't Kill My Vibe is a fantastic song to chill out to, and m.A.A.d. city is such an exciting song. Amazing album 10/10 and the first album where Kendrick puts his name into GOAT conversation. P.S. he better drop some new music soon its been so long

Few people can rap so grippingly, driving you deep into a narrative like K dot can. He is one of the GOATs for sure.

Kicks balls and slaps titties. Hits for days, and its one of the rare albums where skit/field recordings add to the narrative.

An easy 5, the story told in this album has really stuck with me

One of the best debuts ever

NO SKIPS

Iconic album. Creative beats, lyrics, mood. Poet at heart.

Its hard choise just a favorite song

Kendrick’s storytelling is amazing and so incredibly immersive. The production is fantastic and so is the lyricism.

Amazing album from almost start to finish. Miss: Real Favorite:Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst

Beyond it's obvious objective greatness, this is also a personally important album to me. When I first became a music nerd, this was the first contemporary album I listened to around the time it dropped, or at least it was the first major one. What a way to start! Hip hop perfection, through and through.

banger

ooof The Art of Peer Pressure what a BANGER

I have never truly listened to Kendrick before and I enjoyed it a lot! Favs included: Backseat Freestyle, Money Trees, m.A.A.d city. I def just like more melodic stuff. Not sure if I'm saving my 5/5 for **the** perfect album or if I'm just too nit picky with my reviews but I think the genre, some songs, etc. made it not the perfect album so 4/5.

Love the intracate tunes.

Pretty crass but really funny. Lots of clever lyrics. Feels very "in the life of a horny teenager in a rough neighbourhood", which is captured well throughout all the songs. This music isn't my normal cup of tea but overall I enjoyed it and I see why it had the cultural impact it did. It's like watching a really good movie in a genre that you don't like; you probably won't watch it again but you recognize the work put into it and the quality of it.

top songs: Don't kill my vibe, Good kid, m.A.A.d city, Real

The more I listened the more I liked. All the talking or whatever in-between a lot of the tracks is just annoying AF though.

I think Kendrick is the best rapper out there right now. This is early stuff and great, but he got even better.

Kingfu keny