Reviews (page 5 of 14)
Come on
I think i still prefer this one to TPAB because it's easier listening without sacrificing any artistry. The beats bang, incredible storytelling, the features all kill it, 'Real' is the only weak spot on the whole thing and even that isn't too bad. Kendrick just pulls together the best of everything hip-hop on this, i'm glad it got the recognition it deserves.
Definitely somewhere in my personal top 50. An absolute classic of the genre and probably top 5 rap records of its era. Incredible storytelling arc, melodies, bars, flow, beats, characters...all of it executed masterfully.
If Kendrick can't right a wrong until he writes it down, I'm glad to be honest. Another incredible album of him exorcising a whole lot, and I think it might be even better than the last one. Once again got me glued to the lyrics, all so so interesting with twists in points of view which all point back to him in the end. I'm just in awe. I think my love for this man's music might be the best thing to come from the entire albumfest
A near perfect album from the greatest man in hip hop.
One of the best rap albums of all time. So many good songs and features on this album with fantastic production and lyricism by Kendrick. Maybe not as impactful as TPAB but definitely more enjoyable. The replay value on this album is some of the best. I’ve listened to this album dozens of times and will listen to it forever. 10/10 can’t top it rap wise.
"It's way too vulgar and he talks about sex and murder too much" - Person who watched Whiplash and thought it was about self improvement. God fucking damn, this is a masterpiece. I'm kind of split on "To Pimp a Butterfly" (too bloated, some really obnoxious parts), but this one is as good as everybody says it is. Can't really put it any better than the current top review, so I'll just say that I don't think we're getting another Kendrick/Drake collab anytime soon.
So good, could listen to it everyday, right mood for alone or downtime
One of the best ever
Major label debut album and second studio album by Compton born rapper Kendrick Lamar. A record that continues on the themes present in his debut album but in a more profound way. Though not considered his magnum opus , it's is a very capable record in it's own . Framed around the build of a short film , it employs the use of skits and very vivd storytelling to push it's story and boy dose it do this emphatically. From the stories on tracks such "Sherane " and "The art of peer pressure" , the themes on "Bitch don't kill my vibe " , "Poetic Justice" and the star of the show "Sing About me am Dying of thirst" , the album is able to keep your attention and the production is clearly a high priority . A lot can be said that can't be contained in this short of a review but it is considered on e of the best hip hop and rap albums to date and will for a long time.
Amazing concept album which really showcases the emotional ups and downs of having a life of crime whilst your intentions are good. Feels like you're watching a film when listening to it
Better than to pimp a butterfly
an undisputed classic in my eyes. brilliantly executed concept album about kendrick’s life up until that point in time, i’ll never get tired of this album.
In my top 20 albums I reckon
Good kid, m.A.A.d respect for this one
Almost as good as a grand dont come for free. Also a lot like a grand dont come for free in that you remove one track (real) and it's pretty much perfect.. 9/0 Still in the hood
ABSOULUTE CINEMA
Bruh 12/10
this is geniunely one of the best rap albums of all time, there’s no skips, the way it follows through with each song is beautiful, the storyline to it is perfect, the theme is achieved perfectly, you really can get to understand what he’s rapping about easily and he does it with ease, 10/10
why is there a mason jar full of piss on the cover 10/10
JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA <3 <3 <3 KLAR 5/5! elsker det her album, helt oppe og (næsten) nå tpab-niveau også synes jeg. Jeg elsker virkelig det her album.
Originalmente le puse 4 estrellas, pero tras salirme posteriormente "To Pimp a Butterfly" y descubrir del todo el genio creativo y musical que es Kendrick Lamar, decidí volver a darle otra vuelta a este álbum. Efectivamente, este es uno de los mejores de la lista y lo llegaría a poner al nivel de To Pimp a Butterfly. Muchas gracias al señor de esta lista por hacerme oír hiphop, algo que la verdad que nunca había hecho antes.
Instant classic. Love so many of these.
bitch don't kill my vibe
Drake is dead
I was a sophomore in college when this came out, very active on r/hiphopheads, and, at the time, a guy. I’ve loved this album since the day it leaked. I’ve long argued this is his best album, and relistening in full for the first time in maybe 5ish years, I’m even more convinced that I’m right. Start to finish, no skips. It’s lyrical and deep, but it’s also hard and catchy. I’d argue it’s maybe even a party record, or at least, obviously, a driving record. It’s referential and reverent, but it’s also explicitly personal. You could point to a song and say “ah that’s the hit,” or “oh that’s the deep song,” but I think every track here has an element of each style to it. It’s a dense record, but it’s never so dense that it’s exhausting. Actually, it’s an incredibly easy listen for a hip-hop album this layered. Even the goddamn bonus tracks are incredible!! King Kendrick 👑
Timeless. Always an adept storyteller in the genre of hip-hop/rap, Kendrick Lamar tells a coming of age story in the streets of Compton through his eyes and carries the west coast hip-hop torch well. Like his albums before and after, "good kid, m.A.A.d city" is a concept album and thus flows along effortlessly. There isn't a wasted moment throughout, including the voicemail and dialogue snippets as both serve as transitions into the proceeding tracks. Heck, even the album itself seems to come of age with each passing track. The storytelling matures in real-time as the album transitions into a more introspective tone near the end. To top things off, the album loops pretty well for repeated listens.
That's a definite 5.
KEDRICK LAMAR 🐐🐐🐐SWIMMING POOLS
This album reminds me of when I first moved to SF and had it on repeat.
Classic breakout album. Vibe was the song of a summer.
One of the best albums of all time. The lyrics and storytelling, the concept, the beats, the delivery from Kendrick, everything is perfect.
Already a stone-cold classic. The first of two -- *damn*, no, *four*--consecutive masterpieces from Kendrick Lamar, still the best mainstream rapper in the game in 2024--as stellar on a technical standpoint as he is inspired by the muses on a lyrical and topical one. *good kid, m.A.A.d city* swarms with incredible ideas. Its overall narrative, told in a, complex, out-of-order fashion, explores the psyche of the titular "good kid" living in hellish Compton in ways that had never been touched upon before. And the album's team of producers (almost a different one for each track) provides Kendrick with the perfect musical backdrop for each of those memorable cuts. People far younger than I am still idolize this artist more than a decade after this official debut came out, and deservedly so. But Kendrick is also important for hip hop fans of my own generation. For decades, the hip hop world had indeed been divided between "conscious" rappers and gangster rappers. With this stellar debut, Kendrick splits the difference at last, proving that there were ways to explore that gang world while conveying sensibilty, lucidity and even empathy--in spite of how harsh that reality is. Or actually *because* it's a harsh world, and you've got to make sense out of this mayhem somehow. Even the way Kendrick's parents are portrayed in this yarn about how a young man had to find his own way so as to survive Compton--through a thread of skits when they repeatedly appear--is multi-layered. Just like their son, they're neither role models nor totally devoid of a moral compass. They're just *human*, making the best out of the circumstances they've been thrown in. The album tells things as they are. It's how it becomes raw *and* endearing. The autobiographical input K-Dot uses here also help him avoid two pitfalls: a "moralist" take that would fall flat on its face for his intended audience, and a dumb "celebration" of the gang world that would bring nothing relevant to the table twenty years after the gangster rap subgenre surged. That people on this app fail to see how brilliantly ambitious Kendrick Lamar's lyrics are, and how moving they can be, is evidence enough that the sort of "profiling" dealt with in some of those songs is still very much in effect. Those--let's face it, probably white--dudes "project" the gangster rap stereotype over this record all too easily. Whereas it's not your usual, run-of-the-mill gangster rap album. It's either that those folks can't help "profiling" the music and lyrics. Or that they are just illiterate. Take your pick. This is not to say that people who don't like rap should automatically fall in love with this LP. If it's a sort of music they can't appreciate, so be it. But for people who *do* like hip hop, this record is a mandatory listen for sure. Because it's as groundbreaking as it's potent. Lamar would even take things further with *To Pimp A Butterfly*, an even more complex and sprawling affair also harboring its fair share of gems and killer cuts. But *that* is a story for another time, kiddies. Three types of songs populate *good kid, m.A.A.d city*. The first group is made out of a few shorter tracks that primarily serve to advance the album's overall "plot"--like moody and nightly opener "Sherane", acting as an ominous *in media res* overture as it frames parts of the narrative ; or "Poetic Justice", probably the weaker cut, also plagued by a Drake featuring ; or closer "Compton", actually the first track Lamar recorded with this album, and marking the day he met (and collaborated with) Dr Dré--it's a rather classical "west coast rap song" ironically symbolizing that Lamar was out of the gang world at last and entering the music business at the end of the narrative. It's not the strongest cut, but the destination is less important than the journey for this record, as we are about to see later... Then there are the instantly memorable rap hits: "Swimming Pool" and its adequate gurgling synth sounds evoking gang members' binge drinking "prowess"--once again not a "moral" take on the issue, but clearly a way to emphasize how "peer pressure" further that unhealthy habit (but more on that later). And there's also "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe" and "Backseat Freestyle", drawing from recent trap aesthetics in ways that are both infectious and efficient. In that vein, finally, you have the insanely gorgeous "Money Trees" and its mesmerizing guitar loop and its sly sing-along (Lamar is actually a great singer too, making the best out of his croaking, high pitched timbre) The last group of songs is what makes this record the masterpiece that it is though. It's all those cuts displaying a thick and cinematic atmosphere on a musical level, and equally thick and cinematic lyricism--filled with all sorts of genius details I wouldn't be able to properly single out as a non-native English speaker. It's rare that awesome music and awesome music can go hand in hand so cohesively, and this in *any* genre. And yet those songs pull it off efortlessly. They are the hypnotic and topically heavy "The Art of Peer Pressure"--about how gang members intuitively encourage each other to take the wrong way--the titular double-feature "good kid" and "m.A.A.d city", exploring further that theme, and most of all, that other absolute, devastating, heartbreaking "double-program" that "Sing About Me, Dying Of Thirst" is (here gathered on a single track in CD and streaming versions--it's impossible to skip one of those two cuts anyway). In "Sing About Me", Kendrick takes the part of two "doomed" characters who crossed his path (one gang member and one hooker), and if that song can't move you, I don't know what to tell you. And I won't go into details about *Dying Of Thirst", a tale about finding redemption in the darkest places. You just need to listen to it. So yes, this "double-track" is one of the top five rap songs in the 21st century, period. And the album it's from is easily in the top ten rap albums list from the same century. Number of albums left to review: more than 200, approximately - I've temporarily lost count here. Number of albums I'll include in my own list: half so far, approximately. (including this one) Number of albums I *might* include: a quarter, approximately Number of albums I'll never include: another quarter, or just a little more (many other albums are more important to me)
wow, this album is pretty heavy. a big theme of this album is reflecting on your life and leaving a legacy... there's a lot of pondering in these tracks and a big part of the lyrics i heavily relate to. i don't know what will happen. and every day i think about a lot of things about my life... i might not get the answer but at least i have music like this that expresses these feelings. i initially wasn't too interested in this album but as time went on? wow.
4.5
I dare you to add more stars.
The cover of this album says, "A short film by Kendrick Lamar." In a lot of cases I think it's eye rolling to talk about music as cinematic, but here it's totally justified. It's remarkable how well this album paints a picture of a world, draws you into it, and gives the people in it meaning. The use of skits to set up and flesh out narratives in the songs; the largely laid back and trap-influenced beats to evoke rough, clear-skied California neighborhoods; Kendrick's evocative lyrics and ability to convey emotion through his voice and flow. It feels like he approached this album as though he was directing (and writing and starring in) a non-linear film and pulled it off.
This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Love it
Another of the great records of this century. Fantano says it’s the normie Kendrick choice but it’s just because it’s so perfect. It has the total vibe of those end of the century west coast records but is also timeless and futuristic, has an incredible range of emotions, flows and sounds that only him and Kanye have reached during these past couple of decades. The imagery, the narrative, the story telling and the beats are just excellent. Yes Kendrick has doubled down in all of those fronts with subsequent records but this one is the one that has it all at the same time. One of the greatest debuts of all time as well. To me, this album cannot be fully understood without The Recipe, so I hope everyone doing this list goes for the extended edition. You really have to listen to this before you die.
Genius
2nd best album oat
RAHHHH
No notes
I have already listened to this masterpiece
I love this album, the beats are excellent, but Kendrick has an absolutely mastery over the word, he paints a story with his music.
defining piece of work that gets richer the more you listen to it. stand out track "swimming pools" for sure
Legendary instant classic
Exceptional story telling woven through out catchy songs
hood classic
Very very very good- not quite perfect (I’ve never really got into Real) but close enough for a big enthusiastic 5
he’s good.
hello goat
While most were extremely positive, I just wanted to provide a response of sorts against some of the more critical reviews, to put it lightly. There are some who disapprove of the sex and violence Kendrick portrays on this record, as well as his frequent usage of “bitch”. I understand why they’re offended, and as a big rap fan, even though I’ve just had to accept it to a degree, it’s still very justifiably off putting to so many. However, while I can’t say for certain, seeing as most of the reviews seem to come from after a first listen, these complaints arise from a very surface-level understanding of the album. People hear guns, dick-measuring, and drug use and jump to conclusions about this album’s message and moral character. But that could not be further from the truth. good kid, mAAd city is a complete indictment of the gang violence, hypersexuality and addiction that he was surrounded by growing up in Compton. That’s the reason why all his friends die on the track mAAd city, why he mourns on Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst, and why he turns to Jesus to cleanse his sins. Real is the realization that being gangsta isn’t what should make him a man, but rather, being there for his loved ones and giving up on the greed and hatred that his peers pressured him into. Yes, this album is violent and misanthropic in its subject matter. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. At no point on this album does Kendrick talk down on his listeners or come off as preachy. Were this album just “gangs bad” or “drugs bad” without going into detail on exactly why, it would be extremely patronizing. Kendrick Lamar is better than that. And not to mention these beats are great, and Kendrick’s flow and lyricism are exactly on point. Absolutely one of the best rappers of today, if not of all time.
It's peak.
This album is a true masterpiece. Kendricks storytelling and word play is unmatched. Just a perfect album.
Probably my favorite rap album of all time. Such an amazing track list that tells a pretty incredible story. 5/5
fantastic piece of art. Very far removed from what I listened to. not at all a Genre I enjoy but the way the album was put together, the messages in it, the story telling. he managed to draw me in an I enjoyed this so much more than I was expecting to. one of the best albums I have listened to on this journey
I've listened to this album I don't know how many times. It came out much senior year of high school and I used to party to it. Listening to it 10 years later I still love it but I understand it's not a party anthem. Absolutely beautiful album put together so damn well.
Sherane a.k.a Master Splinter's Daughter: 9/10 Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe: 10/10 Backseat Freestyle: 9/10 The Art of Peer Pressure: 10/10 Money Trees (Ft. Jay Rock): 12/10 Poetic Justice (Ft. Drake): 10/10 good kid: 10/10 m.A.A.d city (Ft. MC Eiht): 11/10 Swimming Pools (Drank): 10/10 Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst: 11/10 Real (Ft. Anna Wise): 10/10 Compton (Ft. Dr. Dre): 9/10 Top 3: Money Trees m.A.A.d city ( Ft. MC Eiht) Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst I'm not a music critic, so I'll leave it at: I really enjoy the album and how it feels different Album Score: 10/10
good kid, m.A.A.d city -Kendrick Lamar 1-Sherane a.k.a Master Splinter's Daughter✅ 2-Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe✅ 3-Backseat Freestyle✅ 4- The Art of Peer Pressure✅ 5-Money Trees ✅👑✨ 6-Poetic Justice ✅👑 7-good kid ✅ 8-m.A.A.d city ✅👑 9-Swimming Pools (Drank) ✅ 10-Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst✅ 11-Real✅ 12-Compton✅👑 My top 3 1-Money Trees 2-m.A.A.d city 3- Compton Key: ✅ liked/added to playlist ❌ did not like/enjoy ✨ already known song/ already in my playlist 👑 mayhaps in my top 3
Great album
Kendrick <3
Sehr durchdachter HipHop
Engaging narrative flow, the voicemail interstitials set up, punctuate, and contrast the songs surrounding them. Contains a variety of bangers and pensive tunes. Excellent production. Singles that I didn't really like sound better in the context of the whole piece. An excellent album listening experience.
I still remember my first summer job, installing fiberglass ceilings on a scissor lift with my dad and playing this album for him. He told me about what a concept album was. This would be a strong contender for album of the decade if Kendrick hadn’t eclipsed it himself three years later.
BOFFF
Wow
This album is a masterpiece, and I feel sorry for the people who mentioned that they gave up after 2 or 3 songs. The lyrics of Backstreet Freestyle are not meant to be taken seriously, they are there to set up the main character arc of the immature teenager who grows by the end of the album. I don't understand how some people will happily delve into complex layers of lyrics written by rock and folk musicians, but then they completely shut off that part of their brain when they hear a rap. The storytelling and flows on this album are some of the best I've heard from a hip hop artist. The run from Good Kid to Sing About Me is flawless. It improves on everything that the original gangsta rappers like NWA, Snoop, etc failed with, by offering a critique of the gangsta lifestyle, and describing the context behind it. Don't get me wrong, there are still some sexist lyrics here. But the difference is the narrative around them, IMO anyway. The only songs I ever skip are Poetic Justice and Real, apart from those I think this is close to a perfect album.
Top
My favourite hip hop album. Feels like you’re in the streets of Compton hanging out with Kendrick and his homie’s. The production is great, Kendrick’s rapping is on point and the flow of the album makes it feel like you’re listening to a movie.
Nice
Kendrick the goat
Amazing. Kendrick truly has one of the best flows. He conveys the stories with such rhythm you want to pay attention. A true artist.
This album has such incredible singles while maintaining a strong message and narrative. I do feel that TPAB is a better album, but it does that at the cost of individual hits like Swimming Pools and Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe. I think this walks the line between DAMN and TPAB in that way. Less high concept, but just as exciting to listen to. Incredible writing and delivery, with a stacked production. I still remember how shocked I was the first time I heard Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst.
Also hell yeah! Some of the songs aren’t fully my vibe, but Kendrick has a great voice and flow, and the emotional depth and variety of the album make it something pretty special.
Absolute classic. Wish I had time at home today to pull out the vinyl copy, but was just to busy. So had this as the soundtrack to my driving around instead. A lot of the 1 star reviews are showing who some people obviously are. Not surprised tho. Some people can't open their mind to other music and use the same choice tropes to crap on hip hop.
A masterpiece. An album I return to at least once a year. Always gives me something new to hear.
That’s an easy 5 stars.
One of my favorite hip hop albums of the 21st century.
I wasn't really expecting to like this album, but I enjoyed it very much! The word play and music was excellent. The interludes between the tracks isn't my thing, but it changes the pacing of the album and contributes to the listening experience.
Flawless, probably the greatest of the new generation in terms of storytelling and building a narrative over a whole album. Lyrically dense, with catchy beats and atmospheric production, and pretty much perfect. Anyone who hasn't seen it (or who has!) should definitely seek out his wonderful Glastonbury headline set!
4.3 probably my 2nd or third favorite Kendrick Lamar album. No skips, great songs
Great album. Overshadowed by TPAB, but has aged very well
Starts well peaking at money trees, drops slightly but come back again. Would listen to again
Every time I listen to this album, I love it more. Fantastic storytelling and story progression throughout the album. And every song is banger after banger. And this is my second favorite Kendrick album! 5/5
lol, ich höre seit 2 Tagen durchgehend Kendrick Lamar. Ich kannte sehr lange Zeit nur seine TopTracks und habe bei denen kaum auf den Text geachtet. Das habe ich nun beim Hören von "good kid.m.A.A.d City" auch nicht in voller Gänze geschafft. Der Typ könnte ohne Beats ein Album rausbringen und alle an die Wand flowen. So ein unfassbarer Wiedererkennungswert. Liebe seine Mucke komplett, habe grundsätzlich einen Faible für guten Rap/Hip-Hop. Wenn dieses Album hier drin ist, MUSS noch mehr kommen. Aus meiner Sicht wurden seine Alben nur noch besser. "Money Trees" ist einer der geilsten Rap-Tracks ever aus meiner Sicht. "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe", "Swimming Pools" und "m.A.A.d City" finden seit 13 Jahren ihren Weg in meinen Playlists. "Poetic Justice" gibt mir (ähnlich wie das Album, welches am Wochenende kommt) ein ganz krassen Nostalgie-Kick. Mehr dazu dann am Samstag. Ich möchte mich nicht zu weit aus dem Fenster lehnen, bin aber der Meinung, dass er schon jetzt zu den größten Legenden seines Genres gehört. Für mich darf er schon heute einen Platz auf dem Mount Rushmore des Raps für sich beanspruchen. Dabei kenne ich nur einen Bruchteil seiner Mucke und habe kaum Infos zu ihm (Ich hoffe, dass es keine Skandale von ihm gibt, die jetzt auf mich zurückfallen).* Empfehlen kann ich euch das Konzert bei Amazon Prime. Zieht sich zu Beginn etwas, zeigt aber seine Kreativität und seinen Willen, mehr als Hip-Hop zu sein. Mit 5 von 5 reiht er sich bei mir bei "Nevermind" und "Rainbow" ein. Nun bleibt mir nur die Hoffnung, dass noch weitere Platten von ihm hier folgen. *Ich habe nun seinen Wikipedia-Artikel gelesen und bin begeistert, dass er nicht nur bei mir so gut ankommt!
- In meinen Augen das perfekte Hip-Hop (Konzept-)Album und eines der Besten aller Zeiten. - Dass Kendrick einer der krassesten Rapper dieses Jahrtausends ist, ist unbestritten. Mit diesem Album hat er das 2012 erstmalig unter Beweis gestellt. UND WIE!! - good kid, mAAd city ist einfach vollgestopft mit unfassbar vielen Hits: "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe", "Money Trees", "m.A.A.d. city", "Poetic Justice", oder meinem all-time-Kendrick-Favourite "Swimming Pools". - Vor Allem aber wird EINE zusammenhängende Geschichte erzählt, die sich durch jeden Song zieht und immer wieder ein anderes Kapitel darstellt. Wie ein Spielfilm bestehend aus 12 Sequenzen. Unfassbar. - Der Film erzählt größtenteils einen Tag aus dem Leben des jungen (und "dummen") Kendrick in Compton. - Das Intro beginnt mit mehreren Typen, die ein Gebet aufsagen (foreshadowing, später mehr dazu). Anschließend wird in einer Art Rückblick das erste Treffen mit Sherane geschildert, ein Mädchen, in das er sich sofort verliebt. Danach beginnt die chronologische Erzählung des bereits angesprochenen Tages: Er und seine Homeboys haben nichts zu tun, außer in der Gegend herumzufahren, dabei am freestylen, kiffen und trinken. Die Truppe, alle aus armen Verhältnissen Comptons, beschließt einen Nachbarn auszurauben. Gruppenzwang. Und irgendwie muss das Weed ja bezahlt werden. Gerade so gelingt die dramatische Flucht. Voller Adrenalin fährt Kendrick zu seinem Girl Sherane um mal wieder flachgelegt zu werden - leider wird daraus nix: Dort warten zwei miese Typen auf ihn und richten Kendrick übel zu. Erstmal lässt sich das gedemütigte und schwer verletzte Lyrische-Ich von seinen Homies aufbauen. Doch er will sich rächen. Als seine Crew auf die beiden Typen trifft, kommt es zu einer Schießerei, bei der ein Freund stirbt. Die Gang ist auf weitere Blutrache aus. Vor einer Kirche kann eine Frau besänftigend auf die die Jungs einwirken und sie zu Gott führen. Hier sind wir jetzt bei dem Gebet der Jungs vom Intro. Kendricks Mutter spricht ihm ebenfalls Mut zu und gibt ihm den Anstoß dazu, Rapper zu werden. Tada - und plötzlich sind wir in der Jetztzeit. Auftritt Kendrick! - Wie geil ist das?! Das ist ein Drama à la "City of God" nur in den Straßen von Compton. Und tägliche Lebensrealität von vielen vielen Menschen in den sozialen Brennpunkten in den USA. Und so schön meta und konzeptig alles! - Man spürt neben dem unglaublich genialen und authentischen Storytelling durchgehend die Sonne, die schwüle Hitze, die flimmernden Betonstraßen und den Geruch von abgefahrenen Gummi und Vorgarten-BBQs in dem Vorort von L.A. - Musikalisch und technisch über jeden Zweifel erhaben. Rating: 5/5
- Ein wirklich unfassbar geiles Album. Bin bei Kendrick Lamar wirklich extrem late to the party. Hab mir dieses Album und To Pimp A Butterfly erst vor kurzem (halbes Jahr oder so) als Bildungsauftrag selbst auferlegt und war total begeistert. Wobei mir letzteres noch besser gefallen hat (Spoiler) - Dieser Flow, diese laid-back attitüde, diese beats harmonieren einfach so unglaublich gut aber das, was für mich extrem hereaussticht sind die Texte. Ich würde nach mehrfachem Durchhören des Albums jetzt sogar soweit gehen, dass Kendrick der wohl beste Hip-Hop Texter unserer Zeit ist. Alle Lines sind aus einem Guss, mit Leichtigkeit gereimt, überraschen einen regelmäßig und stecken voller inhaltlicher Tiefe. - Die Stimme ist eventuell Geschmackssache, ist für meinen Geschmack aber irgendwie etwas dünn - Tolles und kurzweiliges Album 4,5/5
Awesome as always.
I was pumped to see this up next. Not sure if you call it rap or hip hop but this album is awesome. I think I love it. It’s smarter than I thought it would be. Backseat Freestyle, m.A.A.d. city, Good Kid are favorites so far.
Instant classic. Best rapper alive. No cap. Highlights for me are Kendrick using multiple voices on the same track ala ‘Gimme The Loot.’ Overall great beats, skits that aren’t cringy, awesome hooks, and a depth that Kendrick brings together with amazing rhymes and storytelling. ‘Aw man, goddamn, all hell broke loose You killed my cousin back in '94, fuck yo' truce Now crawl your head in that noose You wind up dead on the news Ain't no peace treaty, just piecin' BGs up to pre-approve’
Surprise, hell yeah
yawk yawk yawk yawk
One of the best concept albums ever made. One of the most complex and complete narrative albums ever made. One of the best rap albums ever made. Inspiring in its ambition, breathtaking in its execution. Masterpiece.
Sick.
I'd give this ten stars if I could. Somehow, Kendrick instantly transports someone like me, who is the antithesis of a street-hardened teenage pseudo-gangster straight into his hometown. Without warning, I'm cruising the streets of Compton, having to decide between robbing a house to impress my friends or listening to the advice of my parents to rise above that lifestyle. I was going to list my favorite songs but then realized it's all of them. I do have to give a special shout out to "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" for the emotion it causes when I hear it. The sudden gunshots, along with the slowly fading "I'll Never Fade Away" sections really make me f e e l. Knowing he followed this up with "To Pimp a Butterfly" makes it an even better debut. Kendrick is King.
Five star album for sure. This is a storytelling masterpiece. It truly transported me to a different place and put me in someone else’s shoes.
This album highlights the power of lyrical storytelling. Lamar does a fantastic job of drawing the audience in with catchy beats and samples then proceeding to spit fire
Hard to put into words how great this album is. I remember hearing it when it first came out and instantly loving it. Front to back filled with bangers and thought provoking songs interchanging throughout.
One of the best albums and i do not care what people have to say about this. Its so sad that many people turn this off because off lyricism and stereotypes but dont do the same to their fav genre. So much perfection and construction. Makes me nostalgic and its crazy that its also over 10 years old... Still a great album with many good songs. The Pengame on Sing about me im dying of thirst still feels unmatched! for me an timeless album i mean theres money trees an generational song on it. jay rocks feature alonewashes half of the genre in 2012. somebody said dominoes???
Really started my love of newer hip hop rather than being stuck in the 90s. Incredible lyricism, storytelling, and just straight up rapping. I’ll play it once every year probably until I die
Amazing
amazing album, really enjoyed it
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.