good kid, m.A.A.d city

Great

good album but i don't need this relgious stuff on the album

Listened before this

The most carefully constructed hip-hop record encountered in this project, and the one that addresses the recurring friction points most directly. The voicemails, skits, and interludes that derailed OutKast and others earn their place here — they’re serving a narrative rather than interrupting one. good kid, m.A.A.d city is a coming-of-age story set in Compton, told with cinematic precision and emotional honesty that gives the album a coherence most rap records never attempt. Kendrick’s delivery is the other distinction. Where Common’s flow faded into the background and became texture rather than presence, Kendrick commands attention throughout — varied, emotionally present, and shifting registers in ways that match the story’s emotional arc. “Money Trees” in particular shows a storytelling gift that operates at a different level from almost anything else in the genre, and “Swimming Pools (Drank)” demonstrates how to make something genuinely complex work as pure pop simultaneously. The Compton geography connects this directly to NWA — same streets, completely different artistic approach. Where Straight Outta Compton documented with rage, this excavates with empathy, which is the harder and ultimately more lasting achievement. A five for a lot of people, and the craft absolutely justifies that reaction. For this particular listener, very good stops just short of irreplaceable — which is an honest four rather than a manufactured five.

Mad at myself for sleeping on this!

Notables: - Backseat Freestyle - m.A.A.d city - Swimming Pools

It's really good actually. Stand-outs - Sherane a.k.a Master Splinter's Daughter - The Art of Peer Pressure - Money Trees

I definitely don't think this is Kendrick's best, but it's still pretty good Favorite Song: Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe

este álbum tiene puro banger, 4.5

Album #171 Kendrick Lamar: good kid, m.A.A.d city How many different ways can Kendrick say bitch: The Album. I’m far from the first person to feel out of place amongst their generation, and to some extent, I’m sure that we all feel like an outsider to some degree. It is a peculiar feeling, however, when the group of people who grew up at the same time as you, experienced the same things at the same age, and presumably matured alongside you, think nothing like you. Obviously, that is inevitable since we are all individuals; however, sometimes there are phenomena which are so universally beloved amongst your generation, that there really must be something wrong with you for being the exception. When it comes to music, it seems as though my generation has awarded Kendrick Lamar with the title of king. On one hand, growing up, rap was the prevailing genre of music in school, and therefore most people’s listening habits centred around it, including Kendrick since he was one of the biggest artists at the time. But then again, Drake and Lil Pump were also just as popular, yet they don’t share the same critical evaluation that Kendrick received. So not only was everyone around me listening to Kendrick, but he was also receiving the plaudits from music nerds to support his quality. There was even a period where I succumbed to the pressure and participated in the celebration of his music. I was around 8 years old when this album came out, and once the song Swimming Pools was included in GTA V and my friend Seth showed it to me, I decreed it my favourite song and Kendrick my favourite rapper (surpassing the only other one I knew, Eminem). However, that appreciation was built upon sticks, and existed entirely within Seth’s bedroom; once returning home, I can’t say I ever listened to a single Kendrick song, or really any song for that matter. Eventually I came of age and started listening to music, and it wasn’t long after I decided rap, or really anything after the 80s, wasn’t for me. So I suppose, to some extent, I’ve just been existing in a state of feeling like I don’t get the Kendrick love, without actually listening to Kendrick since I don’t like rap. I guess it’s like me saying that hot dogs are overrated, despite never trying one because I don’t like sandwiches. Well, it was about time that I finally sat down and listened to the supposed GOAT of our generation. At this point, I have become more exposed to hip-hop thanks to this list and my friends showing me some albums, and I have even found some albums which I genuinely enjoyed; so I think I can actually assess this one fairly. And to my legitimate surprise, this is actually really good. Like I wouldn’t have been that surprised if I didn’t hate it, or liked it, but I actually thoroughly enjoyed almost every song here. I feel like sometimes I think I’m enjoying an album, then I hear another better album and realize what true enjoyment feels like; I have ‘enjoyed’ some rap albums previously, but I can’t say that I’ve ever actually thought one was as good as this. Maybe it’s because I’ve been listening to a lot of indie music from the 80s, and not mainstream, highly produced indie music like The Smiths, but genuinely terrible production from small bands (which I’ve grown to love); but the production of this album blew me away. It sounds like the embodiment of luxury. I think this is a theme I’ve realized about myself: that I consistently am surprised by the production of newer albums, since I’m so used to listening to old music; something that may seem normal for many, sounds incredibly novel and impressive for me, so I could be overrating the production here. Lyricism is something which normally holds me back for rap albums, since they are often focused on hyper-specific storytelling about themselves, which I often find unrelatable, and usually cringe. However, I think this album being a loose concept helps me follow along with the storytelling and appreciate it more. Though there are certain word choices that I find come off tacky, and Kendrick often blurs the line between introspective and corny, I think that overall he balances it well. Honestly, even his goofy high-pitched voice at times didn’t really bother me by the end. I did find it funny, however, looking back that Drake was on a Kendrick song rapping about loving black women; I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to take that song seriously. The only other songs that I can really see being more of a negative than a positive are the last two, if not simply for the fact that ending the album at Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst would have been perfect, and probably resulted in the album getting a 10. GKMC is probably the best rap album that I’ve ever heard, and it manages to combine a mainstream sound with some actual worthwhile themes and ideas. After listening to the album, I come away with two conclusions: one that I’m really not as unique as I thought I was, and I yearn for Kendrick just as much as everyone else, and two, I probably shouldn’t have gone around calling Kendrick the most overrated artist of all time. Best Songs: Swimming Pools, m.A.A.d city, Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst Worst Song: Compton Score out of 10: 9.5

amazing rap album

Buen hiphop

Ироничное пасмурное лето. Кабриолет , пальмы, томный долгий взгляд на сдержанный шторм океана. Солнце пробирается сквозь пышные тучи, видно пучки лучей обнимающие деликатные волны. Данный альбом - пластилин настроения. Хочешь вспомнить каждый больной шаг или попредвкушать свои будущие победы, забыться в обволакивающей грусти или насладится распирающей радостью - получится все. Речитатив настолько яркий и живой, что кажется до него можно дотронуться. Бэк-вокал естественен и лаконичен, если быть в движении при прослушиванию невозможно не осмотреться - где они все, они явно прямо тут! После композиции good kid. Шторм становится штормом. Непонимание, нарастание чуждой для этого альбома агрессии, нас за шиворот уводят с прекрасного заката в лучший провинциальный клуб этого вымышленного города. Swiming pool - ты в клубе на побережье, зачем тебе там быть если ночью ничего не видно и луна не вышла ? Этот праздник отчуждения нужен тебе и твоим друзьям. Стоп а они друзья ? А эти прекрасные дамы с которыми я был близок секунду назад разве не дороги мне ? Это странная чувство внушает именно swimming pool. Пошлая и прямолинейная композиция. На протяжении всего прослушивания она нас готовит к чему-то но пока ты не понимаешь к чему. Тут полный провал памяти ты находишься в трансе до самого конца пока тебе в душу не передают определенность и знания вместе с тягучим и приятным голосом женщины в конце песни ты молишься вместе с теми отщепенцами. (Только сейчас осознал, что альбом начинается в точности с этой самобытной молитвы, а может этот альбом - прекрасный обыгрыш мысли о цикличности жизни?) Ты - бог, бог это ты. Ты здесь и это твоя жизнь. Песня real - наконец-то ты можешь ощутить тепло от солнце, ветер принес к тебе капельки воды и ты не просто это ощущаешь ты есть это тепло, ветер и вода. Припевные повторения утверждают это все твёрже и твёрже показывают. Долгожданное осознание себя, может не навсегда но точно сейчас. Естественно испытав это чувство хочется просто расплыться в наслаждении, и Кендрик даёт это нам и по факту завершает свой альбом. Сложно оценивать что-либо в системе оценок например 10/10. С точки зрения истории которую я описал и в которой находился и ощущал этот альбом то естественно не возможно поставить что-то кроме 10. Если оторваться от цельного альбома, то каждая отдельная песня, в моем случае кроме money tree - обычная отлично технически реализованная композиция, которую скорее всего сложно пропустить в плейлисте. Что касается лично моего вкуса то оценю этот альбом на 3,75/5 не умоляя того удовольствия с каким он был прослушан! Добавлю, что моим антифаворитом стал backseat freestyle

Was ready to give this a 1 after the first three songs. Thankfully from peer pressure onwards this was a solid 4.

Day 5 - actually really enjoyed this album. Every now and again you get a real banger. Also enjoyed the narrative around gang violence, life in Compton etc. Also a bit of filth, quite tongue in cheek, I enjoyed. 8/10 for meeeee

3.75 ⭐️

Some bars here, of course. Solid production. If you're into Kendrick, it's your bag.

One tends to roll into a record like this - insufferably vulgar, pee pee obsessed misogyny - rolling ones eyes and yearning to get pancaked by a bus. And at some point being drawn in to the decent headphone cinematic sound design, engaging human interaction interludes, and a surreal Silver Soul sample from Beach House. FFS bish, take my damn money!

Great but slightly too long

Overall: 8/10 I used to like this one a lot more, but I think it actually loses some steam by the end. Kendrick is one of the best voices in hip hop in the last 20 years and this one is really special. I love this man's brain so much. I just prefer where he went after this one. Fav Song: Backseat Freestyle

My favourite of Kendrick's and maybe my favourite rap album. The musical arrangements are quality and he uses such a range of them on this

A heavy narrative delivered with world-class lyrics

Such a good mix of vibes

I like Kendrick Lamar just fine, but the world seems to adore his work. I can't quite get there with him, and he feels like one of those artists you have to hang in there with until it clicks and you "get it". Like I said, I like him alright, but this "click" hasn't happened yet for me. This record hasn't done it for me, though I like it ok. It seems like he works on a "concept record" sort of level, which I can appreciate. I'm not quite sure what I'm missing with him. Maybe I'll get there one day, but today isn't it. So, this has aggravated me enough to look into it more...which is usually one of the first stages before I really connect with a record. So, maybe today is the day after all. Anyway, I'm kind starting to get a sense for the storyline, and I appreciate that it isn't really told in a chronological order (I read somewhere that Kendrick was influenced a bit by Tarantino's Pulp Fiction). I'm re-listening to the record, which means it's captivated me at least a little. I think what I'm figuring out is that Kendrick is more of a storyteller than he is concentrating on being a hit maker, which I actually prefer, although I do like it when those things overlap. 8/10

Really really good, 4.5 but can’t reasonably give a 5 with how I’m not a fan of all the skits/calls filling the time

It's a good record, Kendrick Lamar is a game changer, but Butterfly and/or Damn are the ones to hear, and really, just Butterfly.

This might be a bit of a hot take but DAMN. is Kendrick Lamar's best album. This one and Butterfly are both pretty great as well.

eu me sinto um real nego malandro, você me sente?

Impressionnant pour un album de 2012, il n'a pas vieilli et regorge de classiques de Kendrick Lamar. Aucun titre n'est réellement skipable et peuvent chacun marquer à leur manière !

Good very summer and the uglier part of the city type of urban very very chill and hand-me-down cars but not necessarily w friends more introspective and reflective rather than just floating in the moment we’re detached and studying it

Il y a des sons beaucoup plus vifs et vulgaires et certains autres ont des mélodies superbes avec des vibes très chill et des vraies instrumentales peu écoutés dans le monde du rap (swimming pool gros cup de cœur). Je trouve que Lamar là-dessus propose une nouvelle dynamique pour le rap US en proposant des sons plus travaillés avec des mélodies qui dénotent du rap traditionnel. L'album est un concept innovant se présentant comme un court métrage, il suit l'histoire de l'adolescence de Lamar dans les rues infestées de drogues

so i did like this actually, not just cause i already knew it pretty thoughtful and i liked the visual aid and story

Like this - definitely hear things that are gonna be great in to pimp a butterfly. I'll never look at the eiffel tower the same way again.

own

Drake is lame

If pyros and crips all got along I’d probably bust a move by the end of this song

does he do all these drugs he mentions??

Obviously Lamar is better than Drake. Not into this genre, but really enjoyed this one. Also Money Trees has 2.2 freaking billion listens on Spotify. Even at 1cent per listen that's.... a lot of money.

Pretty killer, some filler. Closer to a 3 than a 5.

Man, I apparently didn’t listen to enough Kendrick Lamar. This was very enjoyable. Loved the kick and the beats. Usually the skits annoy me but I didn’t mind these ones (where’s my dominos!). Rhymes are quite great too. Sing About Me stood out to me. 4.25

Great album! Such a good rap album! Love Kendrick Lamar!

1972. Known for its wide stylistic range and the strong influence of Delta blues, gospel music, and country rock.

It’s so good to come across a Kendrick album. This hits hard—no surprise, he always delivers.

Класика!

Banger album.

I've been meaning to listen to this again anyway. I remember hearing "Swimming Pools (Drank)" on All Songs Considered forever ago. I was in front of Delta Sonic, either biking or walking. What was I doing up there? Maybe driving and I was getting gas... A lot of this reminds me of "A Life In the Day Of Benjamin Andre" in good ways.

Kendrick Lamar é genial! Hip Hop maravilhoso. QKZxHBB.

oh yea i know this one, pretty well. mmmm the bass on sherane.. tasty. very very high highs, few shallow lows. like real doesn’t need to be nearly as long as it is. but goddamn good album. watched requiem for a dream last night. waking up with this. hit a hell of a lot harder, damn.

It's hard to rate and review an album that's so all over the place. This is obviously a quintessential 2010s album, in the sense that it features both the best and the worst of that era's hip hop. The good : An obvious talent for storytelling with grounded lyrics, and a welcome departure from the 2000s obsession with bling. A lot of stylistic experimentations and diversity – contrary to some rappers that will give you 12 similar songs in a row, Kendrick tries his hand at everything. Some amazing songs, like the quiet and sober Sherane, Good Kid with its almost Cypress Hill vibe, or mAAd city, great club music that suddenly turns into a ghetto anthem halfway through. The bad : Too much R&B influences for my taste. Too much drum machine. A very trendy, very 2010s-sounding “lazy syncopated flow” in some songs, something I can’t stand. Kendrick’s attempts at R&B / pop-rap are efficient, but really not my jam (I absolutely hated Bitch Don’t Cramp My Style). Some less inspired songs (Backseat Freestyle and Money Trees were annoying). This duality makes for an uneven album – I loved half the tracks, and was bored by the other half. Overall I understand where the hype comes from, and I won’t deny that Kendrick Lamar is talented. However, I still think he's a bit overrated - a good chunk of his fame comes from the fact that he's marketable to a wide demographic thanks to his versatile style. It's not necessarily a bad thing per se, but it can sometimes feel like pandering. Subjectively it’s a 3+ for me, since I doubt I'll listen again ; but I'll add bonus points for creativity and originality. As often with rap music on this generator, the thinly-veiled prejudices and hypocrisy of some of the reviewers also tend to make me more sympathetic towards this record. 6+1/10

This is almost 15 years old already. The guy helped put some respect back on US rap while we were busy diving into grit and flow killing autotune in France. Great flow, fun and creative lyrics deeply rooted in the hood, and a vibe that fits the whole. For me, a great album.

heerlijk album, low-key en muzikaal, echter was ik vergeten hoe matig ik bitch don't kill my vibe en backseat freestyle vind

A few good songs in there but ultimately not my style

considere 4 estrelas e meio

Zapamiętałem ten album po jego świetnych singlach, czy pojedynczych utworach, które słyszałem, overall nie sprawił mi tyle przyjemności co słuchanie np. maad City, swimming pools czy money trees. Nie bardzo mnie obchodzą niesnaski społeczeństwa amerykańskiego, więc może to do mnie nie dociera, ale niektóre bujają i od lat mam na playliście.

daxter type beats

I prefer Butterfly and some of the lyrics here are questionable to say the least, can’t help wondering if it will age badly or will be forgiven. But regardless I do love his flow and it’s an album that’s been crafted and is unusually serious for a rap album

Terrific narrative album that proves the test of time, however its sound is also slightly dated, it is clear this is a 2012 album by production. In some ways that can be a positive, but I think TPAB proves to be a more resonant and timeless album, whose sound exists outside of the era in which it was created.

This album was a pleasant surprise. It was fresh and inspiring. I am not the biggest hip hop/rap fan but an album like this could turn me into a big fan.

y'all bitches better not kill the vibe

9/10

4/5

este me gustó más, me gusta el arte que hace kendrick

I really like this album, I’d not listened to Kendrick before, I’ve downloaded several tracks that I need to listen to again.

this album feels like a project in the best way x

3,5

Great album. I love the understated paranoid beats. Somewhat let down by guests they should give another verse to Kendrick rather than lesser rappers like Drake and Jay Z.

love the linear yet non-linear set up of the album. hard-hitting lyrics and a good beat.

great album!!! had an interesting narrative

Kendrick voice is so powerful

3,5 Highlights: Good Kid, Compton

Not normally my type of music but I had actually heard a few of the songs before. Thought it was a good listen though probably a one and done for me

Good

Have listened many years ago but hadn’t gone back to in years. Enjoying the lyrics

wasn't rly my style but i did enjoy some of the music

I'm not really a hiphop listener, but I can appreciate it. And this is just an objectively good album

Muy bien

Quintessential Kendrick here. Probably tied for my favorite Kendrick record, along side Mr. Morale. Some heavy hitters on this project, not only for Kendrick's catalogue but for the rap game as a whole. Whether you like him or not, Mr. Lamar is one of the "Mount Rushmore" artists of the Modern rap/hip hop/music day and age. Listened to this one many times over in the past, and always jammed to it. I even forgot he had a Dr. Dre feature, which is just sick. Personal Ranking: 9/10 Favorite Tracks: Money Trees, Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe, Backseat Freestyle

Wauw, det var jeg ret tosset med.

uhhhhhh its been a really long time since i last heard this but i think it was pretty good. i like the one where he says please dont kill my wife.

Aunque había escuchado algunas puesas, nunca me había dado el tiempo de escuchar el álbum completo. Me gusta cómo tiene reminiscencias de su pasado y cómo lo plantea de una forma cruda y nostálgica, haciéndonos ver cada aspecto de su vida como si nosotros lo estuviéramos viviendo

Forgot how good the song m.A.A. city is. I think this is my favorite Kendrick album. 4/5

I don't pretend to begin to understand how to appreciate Kendrick Lamar, nor is he a go-to artist for me, but a compelling listen from beginning to end and gotta support the biggest LA artist we got going these days.

++: Sherane a.k.a. Master Splinter's Daughter, Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe, Backseat Freestyle, The Art of Peer Pressure, Poetic Justice, good kid, m.a.a.d city, Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst, Real, Compton +: Money Trees, Swimming Pools (Drank) 9,6/10

Loved this album, great vibe and reminds me of my youth.

Good one

This one is a certified heater. You can taste the beginnings of the idea of TPaB here, and though it doesn't quite square up to TPaB, this album is damn good. Each track flows well into the other, and they are really damn good while talking some really tough topics like gun violence, religion, and not getting your Domino's when your boy told you he was gonna pull through. My favorite track is either Money Trees or Backseat Freestyle.

I’m on a hot streak - more 4s and 5s than 2s and 3s lately, and this one is part of that. This might be the first Kendrick I listened to. A little alarming, being the white guy that I am, but my opinion of Kendrick being a modern-day poet who speaks volumes for his people still stands.

1. "Backseat Freestyle" 2. "Swimming Pools (Drank)" 3. "Real" (featuring Anna Wise)

Since I saw the artist and today's album cover I knew what kind of music I had to listen to. Don't take it the wrong way, I've never liked this genre very much, I felt that they were meaningless lyrics and that they were at the wrong time, it just didn't sound good. But after listening and reading the lyrics carefully I understood that it was something deeper than just letters and words. I really loved this album, there were new songs and some that I had heard before that I didn't even know were from the artist and much less that they were from this album. I got out of my comfort zone and it was good because I discovered that although sometimes it sountimely, I also like this kind of music.

wildly complex lyrics clearly presented in a range of styles paired with fairly sparse arrangements result in an album that's always very technically impressive but not necessarily always enjoyable to listen to.

Interesting. I quite enjoyed it

What a good album! I've always enjoyed Kendrick's music, it was amazing to see him at Osheaga in 2023, but I've mainly listened to his hits/singles. I really enjoyed listening through this one and I didn't know how many I knew from this album! Will be diving deeper into his discography!

Creo que he escuchado unas 2-3 de este álbum.

good

Liked the music! Listened to a few songs before but never the whole album

9 / 10

The last good hip-hop album?

Not bad at all. Don’t really listen to this genre much, so this was a pretty cool experience.

Kendrick's stuff doesn't always work for me - I have to be in the right mood - but when he hits he hits

Zieht sich, sind aber schon auch banger dabei

Really really good some bangers on here, love the Dre features he’s so smooth

Yeah I see why people say Kendrick is that good.

Good rap álbum, not much my type of music

Some fuckin bangers. And this goes for every rap song: Wouldn't have listened to it by itself if it weren't for this project. Slay.

My first time listening to a full rap record; feels unfair to dive into such a major genre via the sophomore album by the most acclaimed rap artist in history, but the truth is that, as a fairly privileged white woman from Dublin, I will just not have a deep understanding of American hip hop – it's a complex culture that I have zero experience with and never will. All I can do is let the music speak. With that said, Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City feels canonical. As an aspiring writer, I genuinely did sympathise with young Kendrick's ambition, his introspection, and his spiritual transformation. Truly immersed me into his Compton childhood, and actually fired quite a few gut-wrenching bullets into my back, but ends on a note that has turned out to be positive, seeing Kendrick's massive success. An honorary short film. Favourite tracks: "Poetic Justice", "Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst", "Real"

Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city is the rare “major‑label debut” that feels less like an introduction and more like a fully formed memoir set to subwoofer‑rattling beats. It’s a coming‑of‑age story disguised as a blockbuster rap album—equal parts cinematic, confessional, and casually brilliant. Kendrick threads teenage misadventures, moral dilemmas, and Compton’s gravitational pull into a narrative so tight it makes most concept albums look like loose scribbles. The production swings from woozy to thunderous, but his pen never wavers; every verse feels like it’s been pressure‑washed for clarity. It’s ambitious without being self‑serious, vulnerable without slipping into melodrama, and catchy without sacrificing depth. A rare album that rewards both deep listening and loud‑car‑speakers listening. If this is the “good kid,” you can only imagine what the grown man has in store.

Fave song good kid. 7.4

Classsic

Hey, I knew it was possible to have good hip-hop on this list.

great album

I'm so glad I asked my friend about this album, and they told me this was a concept album. the second time I listened to it, I got so much more out of it. This album was produced by Tha Bizness. They did a beautiful job. this album was fun to listen to. Kendrick had a weird almost Muppet voice, but his flow is so confident, it really works. I enjoyed this album a lot.

Highly conceptual and rooted in what seems to be authenticity, this is a great showcase of how hip hop can be a vehicle for social commentary, linguistic prowess and connection with others. While I don’t think this is quite as strong as ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’, primarily due to lessened variety in musical influences shown here, it’s still a great listen.

Listening to "good kid, m.A.A.d city" by Kendrick Lamar for the first time as a white person Sherane: Not much my taste in terms of lyrics and the topic, but I get it. The voice mail at the end had me sit back in my seat and set my drawing pen down and listen to it. I don't know why it hit me so much but it definitely made me pause until the next song started playing. Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe: "I am a sinner, whose probably gonna sin again." stuck with me despite the chorus. It sticks out since the beat and vibe give a frat-like atmosphere. And then it just mentions the "sins" of something like a frat party with how everyone commonly drink, smoke, have sex, etc. Backseat Freestyle: Well given the title it's assumed that it's supposed to imitate freestyling in the backseat of a car. Another one of those songs where the lyrics aren't really for me but again I can see where they might come from given we already learnt women and sex were the main things on Kendrick's mind when he was a teen. The Art of Peer Pressure: I like the groove at the beginning, I will admit that. The switch up definitely is a contrasting change that breaks it down. The lyrics that talk about Kendrick hitting a blunt despite him usually being drug-free, get the message of the title of the song across. It was all peer pressure, because he was with his homies. Money Trees: I'll probably have to listen this a few times, probably look up the lyrics as well. But it sounds really good and a vibe. The voice mail coming back around with Kendrick's mom sounding more impatient and just telling Kendrick to come back really paints the picture that the family only have the one car that belongs to the mom. Poetic Justice: Aight the first minute is good, I like it. It's got a certain vibe of it that feels like I would have a nice drink to. Drake in it tho :/ look I know this was in 2012, but listening to this in the big 2026. Even back then he sounds lowkey mid. Actually, the whole song is nice like that. But it really is that one Drake segment that takes a mark off. good kid: Immediately I fuck with the beat and opening. I think the lyrics are really good as well. I like the rhythm and rhyme. It's an overall vibe that I can see myself digging into. M.A.A.D. City: Okay when I heard the opening I did not realize that's where that old sound came from. Well, that's something new I learnt. But the contrast between "good kid" & "M.A.A.D. City" is really well done, especially with how they got back to back. The lyrics are another one that goes hard and fire despite how dark they are. I'm starting to see why people praise Kendrick so highly and how he kept on winning awards. The song switching half way is another thing I dig, not even mentioning the breakdown it goes into. Again, the lyrics are dark as all hell and kind of sobering. I never had to deal with gang violence because, like stated in the very beginning of this, I'm white. Not even in the US, I'm across the Atlantic Blue off in Europe. Yeah you hear quite a bit about drugs, and even on the very rare occasion gun violence. But it's definitely a lot more tamer than the US. I never once had to deal with gang or gun violence, but even my heart felt a bit heavy hearing Kendrick talk about that one part about shooting someone when he was 16. Swimming Pools: I can see how this might tie back to "The Art of Peer Pressure" with how it's the peer pressure to drink about "swimming pool full of liquor, and they dive in it". Constantly mentioning drinking, like you'd expect from a party like that. The final extended part of the song also really sobers about failure, the bottom of the bottle, and the gunshots that follow in the dialogue that someone's brother got shot and died. Sing About Me / I'm Dying of Thirst: Despite the beat and Hip Pop/ Rap, the lyrics really are sobering all over again. It's obvious it's about losing someone early. And the part about women and how they end up ruined due to the system they get put in, even if a bit crude and vulgar, it is a really ugly reality that sobers. That sometimes you gotta take off the rose tinted glasses and look yourself in the mirror. I think that's just how I would describe the entire album as: Sobering. I think the longer I sit here listening to this album, the more clearer my vision feels as I feel more sobered up despite me never even putting my mouth to the edge of an alcohol bottle in my life. And then Dying of Thirst kicks in and now it feels even more depressing and grounding almost. Makes me realize how much safer I actually am, that I never had to deal with losing someone in such a tragic way. How much I've taken a lot of things for granted. How lucky I actually am despite how unfortunate I might think of myself to be at times. Real: How do we go from sobering to god damn ecstasy. From Loss and Death, to Love and how it can hurt despite trying to be your real, true self. To open up and put your heart out there only for it just get cut and bruised. With the pace and how the lyrics go, it feels like thoughts that run through your mind in that moment of consciousness and clearness you have before it's gone just as quick and sudden as it appeared. Compton: Honestly after the entire album and the emotional ride it took me for, I was just slowly nodding and bobbing my head to the beat. And I think after going from the last few tracks, I like this ending. It's like embracing home and coming back to it, even if I've never in my life been to Compton, nor the US in general. The final lyrics of the track being: "Mom, I finna use the van real quick! Be back, 15 minutes!, looping back around to the beginning track of the album, it's a neat touch I really appreciate. Final Thought: I can see why this album is so well loved, I think I finally get why so many people adore Kendrick for his music, and it just might be a crime it took me so long to listen to this album. Or maybe it's not, maybe I just needed to wait for this album to come to me instead, to find me at the time when I might've been ready enough to listen to it, and actually understand it, even to what might've been my understanding of it (aka, something that probably wasn't quite right, but it got the spirit).

Thirty years after The Chronic, Kendrick’s chronicle of life in Compton is another solid album front to back, and one I would listen to in front of my kids without fear. Poetic Justice is a great song with a weak-ass Drake spot, but it’s nice that Kendrick got his revenge later.

J'ai pas écouté beaucoup de rap dans ma vie, but i'd wrap his music around my dick and fuck all night (ya feel me?) Nah sans joke bon album, agréablement surpris. Un peu trop de vulgarité par bouts, mais i guess que ça vient avec le genre, bitch. Il va falloir que je m'assois un bon jour et que j'écoute ses paroles avec plus d'attention, il semble avoir de bons textes. Chanson préférée : Sing About Me, I'm Dyin (lowkey des vibes jazzy de Nujabes, me likey) Mentions honorables : The Art of Peer Pressure et Money Trees (ya bich) Shoutout Drake 🗣️

Kdot es la cabra bro

Estaba good af

Pretty good

Great album. One of, if not, my favorite album from his discography. First song and last couple fall a bit flat, however, the meat of the album is so peak you overlook those pieces. Will continue to revisit this album for years I imagine.

I mean how could you not

classic

One star off because it isn’t as good as TPAB, but it’s still absolutely fantastic. Ending is especially good.

Lots of bangers and great mix overall.

Daft Punk, if it was daft.

Na primeira metade eu não tava tão na vibe do álbum, tava curtindo, mas não tanto, e quando tocou swimming pools (que eu acredito ser a música mais famosa do álbum) me pareceu q o álbum deu uma virada, talvez tenha sido só impressão mas fiquei muito imersa. Gostei muito

One of the best rap albums of the century

Some big hits and a cohesive sound. I hadn’t previously realized there was a story/concept for the album having not listened to the whole thing in one sitting. It’s a solid album but I prefer some of his others.

One of the goat rap albums

I was honestly kind of stalling when it came to listening to this. I ended up liking it a lot. The production on it is fantastic and the songs are super catchy. It's kind of funny that one of the songs has Drake on it.

Cool album

For the first couple of songs of this album, I didn't know what to make of it - Kendrick's voice seemed annoying and it didn't seem that ground-breaking - but as the album goes on, it just sucks you in to the world and the story. Some great beats, production, and lyrics.

A bit long but tells a story that enthralled me and the production is WAY better than I expected.

honestly don't think i'd ever heard the name of this album but I know like 90% of the songs...great stuff would probably give this 5 stars but i hate Backstreet Freestyle too much

That 12 minute song has good vibes

I don't think I've ever listened to much rap, maybe some Eminem, the music was pretty interesting, and honestly so were the lyrics (and special effects)

A classic—real, authentic, great story-telling that’s absolutely heartfelt.

Great musicality! Particularly in 'm.A.A.d city'.

Not fan of hip hop or rap music, but I must say this has one of the best storytellings in album I ever heard. Really impressed. Must check more of his work.

TAOPP - 3/5 BF - 1/5 BDKMV(IR/EV) - 4/5 SAMIDOT - 5/5

The first few songs had me worried. I don't love the way the songs talk about women. But the rest of the album improved from that point, so I think I'll give it a slight pass. The song where Kendrick speaks from a woman's POV was interesting. 4/5. P.S. I saw a review saying (to paraphrase) that when black hip-hop artists talk shit about women it's fine but when a white artist does it it's seen as misogynistic. Sweetie. I've heard white artists say MUCH worse things about women than Kendrick does here, especially on this list, and I see almost NO ONE else calling it out. But the second it's a black artist suddenly everyone is anti-misogyny. We as humans should be calling out ALL misogyny when we see it. But if you only pretend to care about women so that you have an "excuse" to be racist, then you can fuck right off.

Mui lindo

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

has some great tracks def a defining album of the 2010's wasnt really feeling the energy this listen though its been long time since ive listened but still good

I'll be a pedantic dork. I like this album a lot, but one of the reasons I like it is Now or Never. I remember driving into Chicago with my sister and the chorus felt so right with the night skyline. Now or Never is on the deluxe edition, however, and we are reviewing the standard. Without Now or Never: 4.5 With: easy 5 Other favorites: Poetic Justic Swimming Pools Compton

i love an introspective album, especially when the lyricism is as good as this one. while i don't like it as much as kendrick's later work (i think i prefer every subsequent album to this one), i can appreciate the gravitas of this album and i respect both the musicality and the storytelling, even if there are some songs ("Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe", I am so so so sorry) that I don't really like. i think "The Art of Peer Pressure" is fucking poetry, and "Poetic Justice" is such an earworm for me. it's a low four, but i guess it's still a four. i'm inclined to give it a 3, but when i like about other albums i've given a 3, i don't think i like them as much as this one. whatever. numbers are beginning to feel somewhat arbitrary.

Very nice, 8/10 kendrick

This is not my genre usually, but this was good. There was certainly stuff I didn’t particularly like, but the stuff I liked impressed me so much it jumped my rating up. It was cinematic, it was introspective, it was a concept album that was easily understandable and worked. Kendrick is a great lyricist. 4/5

This is where K.Dot gets very good at painting a picture with words.

Rap isn’t really my genre but even I can recognize Kendrick is an absolute genius.

I don't love Rap. I dislike the current genre of mumble rap, trap and relevant nonsense. Kendrick is somehow different. Musically a bit more interesting in a flow sense, lyrically questionable. Enjoyed - maybe a weak 5 but a strong 4. Enjoyed BDKMV, money trees

Maad city a banger

Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe m.A.A.d city Swimming Pools

Pretty much a movie in album form. Kendrick's narration is dense and detailed, while listening to this album I feel like I live through the things he's rapping about. And the story is heavy - adolescence, drugs, peer pressure, crime, faith. Kendrick seems stuck between the idea of fitting in and escaping and he covers it in a deeply profound way. The album bounces between all these topics delivering anthemic bangers and heart wrenching introspection one after another. You get amazing hype bangers on the 2 title tracks that fit into the narrative of the album incredibly well, and they're balanced out by beautiful reflective songs like Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe. Poetic Justice has one of my fav beats here with that Janet sample and it's really fun to hear Kendrick and Drake on a song together. Money Trees is an amazing reflection on materialism, one of the biggest anthems here. The album climaxes with SAMIDOT, a gorgeous song that ties all of it together. I think the album should have ended here, but instead we get Real which is easily the weakest song of the bunch. Oh well. The album is still amazing and I'm glad it made it to the list.

M.a.a.d City great tune love the old.school beats which come in in the 2nd half of the tune. Have it in my running list. Generally there is some chilled hip hop tunes as well. Quite a bit of swearing for the younger listeners.

A modern classic of hip-hop! It’s a great concept album and showcases Kendrick vivid writing style with smooth but dense production. 4.2/5.0

High drama, chill beats, sad stories. Kendrick is so good.

Great storylines and some real bops, too. I like this iteration of Kendrick a lot.

Peak 4.5/5

Haven't heard a full Kendrick album before, songs are very good, enjoyed it a lot, and I thought the lyrics were funny in a few songs. So versatile and the album just rolls with it.

Really not bad at all

Hip hop from the LA Dr Dre school possibly the best in the field

perhaps one of the best modern hip hop albums

Not a big fan of Kendrick but this album is amazing. A few songs I dislike such as Backseat Freestyle but the rest are all good. Can’t give it a 5 as Drake is just better.

Surprisingly enjoyable given I generally don’t like hip hop

banger denne åg. Digge money trees og poetic justice og sing for me im dying of thirst. Beste sang: Money trees

I like👏👏👏

9/10

Sometimes artists can come along and burst through a genre sending it in another direction. Kendrick was a new direction for rap with this album. It’s a little bloated, but a new modern classic.

Really great listen. I’ve never heard a Kendrick album in full before, so I’m always glad to find rap albums that I really like that aren’t from the artists I usually listen to. I’ll say that I usually look out for the lyrics in rap albums, but I feel like I focused more on the backing tracks for this one, for better or worse, but they were really well done.

Qué album. Qué artista. El mejor de este siglo, por lejos, y por ahora. 8/10

Not my favorite record by him, but the last couple have raised its esteem. It is an interesting album to revisit.

The best Kendrick album, but why did he have to destroy what would've been one of the greatest hiphop songs ever by ending every sentence with an annoying "uh" at the second half of Sing About Me, Im Dying of Thirst?

OIII KENDRICK FAVS (top 3): money trees, m.A.A.d city, swimming pools mençoes honrosas: bitch, dont kill my vibe; backseat freestyle; the art of peer pressure; poetic justice; good kid; sing about me, im dying of thirst cheio de bangers, bem religioso mas eu amo as vezes e cabe bem bonito no album nota final: 4.5/5

I think the problem with rating scales like stars is that they make some of your takes look absolutely insane. Like no, I don't think A Rush of Blood to the Head by Coldplay is a better album perse, but I gave that a 5/5 and not this one. Not that this isn't close, I think it would be if it ended with SAMIDOT instead of Compton. Even Real would've been ok, but I think he had a really incredible ending and he kinda just blew past it. This is still a top tier album, really amazing stuff from him. Favorites: Backseat Freestyle, m.A.A.d city, Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst

It's been maybe 5 years since I last heard this project front to back. There's a few songs I didn't remember, but for the most part it inspired the same feelings. It starts off really strong, the skits all help add context and don't feel as excessive as they might have in a '90s project. Most importantly, replaying the album sheds light on the concept, because even though the project has the structure of a well told story, the lyrics for the entire project work together outside of their order to complete details that add texture to the message. It gives me goosebumps just to think about how everything connects. This isn't the gangster appreciation music a lot of similarly situated artists bring, it's on the conscious rap side. Incredibly, it achieves quality lyrics over sexy beats, aiming for mass appeal and succeeding. I talk about artists making their concept work or not, and this is a hip-hopera, a short film for the ears. Most of it feels raw, and some of it might sound excessive, but the story telling isn't sacrificed and it doesn't feel cliché. I believe this effort becomes stronger thanks to future albums. You start hearing repeated material, fallen brothers, sex addiction, and the moral dilemma of having murdered a human being, a sibling of skin. There's no evidence outside of the K.Dot musical universe, but rap snitch knishes. I remember it was hard for me to enjoy Kendrick's work at the beginning as someone who dislikes organized religion, because his messages feel very Christian. Again, future albums clear things up. Christianity is the common ground, for the masses, to understand the moral issues being presented. It's a cultural language that he's constantly using for the message of it, not to convert you. As far as debut efforts go, this is so ridiculously strong. Even the various pieces of album art integrate perfectly with the energy of this release. It does drag a little, I think we can blame the concept of music as film for the length of the effort. That and, well, it's a very complicated message with too many intricate details. It's hard to appreciate that lengthy listen the first time around, it detracts from the initial experiences. 4.4/5

It’s a good album, but there are some misses for me like the opening track. I prefer To Pimp a Butterfly

A bold, gripping debut that still feels a slight step below what Kendrick would go on to do.

Loads of production flair, loads of rhymes, loads of great stories

Once again I always fall for a concept album... tragic and deeply authentic. Not my typical genre but I was still hooked by the lyricism and storytelling. Highlights: Good Kid, Sing About Me, Don't Kill My Vibe

really good.. REALLY long

Superb album that sees Kendrick coming into his own as an artist. Like any good hip hop album, it's so densely layered with meaning and sounds that one listen hardly does it justice. I listened through twice today, and the second play definitely crystalized some things, as well as revealed an interesting feature of the album's narrative timeline (it's essentially an endless loop). As many of his projects do, this album sees Kendrick treading a careful balance of gritty gangsta bravado, cerebral introspection, and heady storytelling wrapped up in flawless production that blends live instrumentation and samples. The beats hit hard. I missed this album when it first came out, but have been a fan of a number of his other projects and I'm glad I finally made the leap. 4.5/5.

Felt like I was listening to a movie. Excellent storytelling and fire beats but it's so long :,)

Don’t love every song but it’s a banger of an album

3.8/5 okay sue me but rap / hiphop is reallllyynot my thing- i knew some songs, and i liked some songs and i liked the album its just so not me that i probably won’t listen to it again (sorry 😭), but i mean, good nonetheless

goes harddddd larguisima (pro y contra imo) clasikk

Kendrick to król, ale ten album się wolno rozkręcał. Momentami nie był do końca dokręcony, ale jak już bujało to do upadłego. 7/10.

DIOS PERDI EL RESTO DE TRACKS Y NO QUIERO ESCUCHAR TODO OTRA VEZ OK OK - en resumen de los primeros 7 tracks los mejores sin duda son los 4 y 7, muestra una crudeza q siento q es estrella en este album pero tristemente los primeros se quedan cortos frente a esta, a nivel de letras no podemos negar q kendrick es un escritor de primera pero retomo la idea de q en algunos tracks se queda un poco corto. La parte de la produccion se roba toda la atencion (como persona que prefiere un buen beat frente a una buena letra ok) se nota el nivel tan alto que manejan los productores de este album (sigo con good kid pq q buena cancion y esta super underrated) ya ok. speak a language we all know u think is an accent I live inside the belly of the rough compton usa made me an angel on angel dust what track 8: MAN DOWNN WHERE ARE U FROMMM, m gusta ns ese tono de superioridad ??, me recuerda un poco a humble, EL SEGUNDO BEAT ???, yawk yawk yawk, OLD HIP HOP STYLE OMGGGG, escuchen con audifonos uwu track 9: no tengo nada q decir, me gusta mucho esta cancion ok, d r a n k, no le hagan caso no esta bien tomar tanto ok, btw tmb me gusta la version de lloyd track 10: DURA 12 MIN, veo q la cancion va sobre el manejo de la fama track 11: REAL LIFE Y ES LA TRANSICION UWUWUUWUWU, im real, im real, im really really real, amo el beat bailable af, what love got to do with it when you don't love yourself?, strong and conscience, siento q el coro es una manera de recordarnos de lo q somos, tomar una consciencia sobre nuestra vida y lo que somos track 12: king king kendrick lamar, DAFT PUNK OMG q manera de cerrar un album sigo resaltando la produccion no entiendo la necesidad de sexualizar algunas cosas me gusta como kendrick incluye voces femeninas en casi cada track, se siente limpio, natural y fluye se siente como un abrazito al alma q incluya audios de su madre :3

Some bangers. Classic album, although not all songs landed for me.

Top 3: 1. good kid 2. Money Trees 3. Sherane a.k.a Master Splinters Daughter Very fluid with an interesting story to tell. I never took it upon myself to understand or even look for the meaning behind the album as a whole or even the individual songs when I heard it the year of its release.

JANUARY 3RD fave: The art of peer pressure

There's so many great songs on here..thats undeniable.. however some tracks felt so long, and I wasn't really vibing with the dialogue between songs

This is an incredible album

Not my favorite Kendrick, and I do think it has the most melodic/production moments that I would say border on annoying, but still.

I’m not a hip hop fan but this has a lot of musical elements that work great together.

🚐

Was a trip for sure, didn't like the first few but as it went on the story presented itself beautifully. Really piqued my interest, and even went back for some more, and stuck with me the next day pondering the album some more

No creo que este álbum necesite mucho más análisis del que ya tiene. Uno de los mejores sino el mejor álbum de Kendrick, no por nada está entre los artistas más aclamados hoy en día y hace 15 años. Personalmente ya había escuchado el álbum, no todas las canciones con mucha atención, pero totalmente de mi gusto. El álbum sigue la linea de Kendrick y se nota que desde sus inicios el tiene su estilo de música bien marcados. Para hacer la reseña un poco más dinámica, al ser un álbum que me gusta mucho diré las cosas que no me gustan o que no me terminan de convencer del todo: primero, si bien en general el álbum sigue una línea y se nota, en algunas canciones pierdo la esencia, no de Kendrick pero si de las pistas, en "sing about me, im dying of thirst" por ejemplo, adopta un estilo mas jazz/lofi que para mi sobra en el álbum, segundo, también en ciertas canciones siento muy forzada la inclusión de otros raperos, pero en ese sentido se puede entender ya que al ser de los primeros álbumes de Kendrick necesitaba ese "apoyo" quizás y por último, si bien el álbum se centra en las vivencias de Kendrick, como una autobiografía en música, en algún punto abusa del concepto pero no está mal, para mi solamente también puede sobrar en algunos momentos. Le doy un 4, muy buen álbum, muy de mi gusto. Cancion/es favorita/s: Money trees, m.A.A.d city

La mezcla de beats muy 90teros con canciones un poco experimentales con beats modernos hace que el álbum no se vuelva monótono a pesar de ser de un género que se caracteriza por un ritmo marcado y similar de bombo y caja. Punto adicional por contar una historia perfectamente hilada en el proyecto y por tener colaboraciones célebres como Dr Dre, Pharrel Williams, etc. Para algunos puede ser ofensivo, pero creo que lo crudo de las letras lo hace aún más valioso, a fin de cuentas está relatando lo que vivió y cómo se vive en los barrios de eeuu y probablemente los del mundo. Punto extra por traer la esencia del rap de vuelta, en una época donde los proyectos sin alma abundan Kendrick saca un proyecto que si le prestas atención te puede hacer reflexionar.

Muy buen disco, no me tiembla la mano al decir que es de los mejores álbumes en la historia del rap de uno de los mejores raperos de la historia. Good kid maad city es el segundo álbum de kendrick, probablemente el responsable de que me guste el rap y uno de mis artistas favoritos. Kendrick en cada álbum cuenta una historia, un capítulo de su vida, tiene una narrativa y una coherencia que no se ve en otros discos del género. En este, habla de su infancia y adolescencia en compton, cada canción es un día en la vida de un kendrick de 16 años donde va transitando en la dicotomía que significa vivir en un lugar donde las armas, drogas y la plata fácil son algo cotidiano y donde sobrevivir es algo que se busca día a día y por otro lado, la maduración de kendrick y como se va dando cuenta que ese camino probablemente lo llevaría a una vida vacía y a la muerte gracias a los consejos de su mamá y a su refugio en la religión. Este disco es como un radioteatro o una película, y en su portada lo dice “a short film by: kendrick lamar”. Sus increíbles letras son solo una pequeña muestra de lo que vendría después en sus discos siguientes. Este disco me hace sentir algo agridulce, algo de nostalgia, principalmente por los Beats y la forma de rapear de kendrick, yo creo que puede ser por qué siento que tiene sentimientos encontrados, por un lado compton significó una muy mala etapa de su vida, llena de violencia, sexo, bandas, lo superficial, el respeto, dinero y por otro lado el tremendo cariño que le tiene al lugar que lo vio nacer y crecer y que lo convirtieron en el artista y por sobre todo en la persona que es. El disco tiene una narrativa muy buena, como dije, es una película, contiene grabaciones de amigos de su banda, de su madre dándole consejos, de wnes de otras bandas, de la muerte de su amigo, etc que hacen muy buenos puentes entre canción y canción. Los Beats están buenos, pero sus letras y canciones se llevan los aplausos, por algo es ganador de un premio Pulitzer, kendrick lleva el rap en la sangre y transmite la poesía de la calle como ningún otro. El álbum es producido por mucha gente, pharell uno de los principales, pero eso para nada le quita mérito a la cabeza del proyecto. Para mí es un 4 bien puesto, y creo que esta un par de escalones sobre Be que escuchamos el otro día. Pensé en ponerle un 3 porque realmente kendrick tiene discos mejores que se ganan el 4 y se acercan al 5 pero no puedo ponerle menos Canción favorita: me gustan todas pero me quedaré con money trees y daré mención especial a sing about me, im dying of thirst que para mí esta infravalorada

this is the first album i’ve gotten that i’ve alr listened to before, but it’s been a long time. this used to be my favorite album oat, but i don’t listen to this kind of music anymore, this is still an amazing album tho, i love how it’s like listening to a movie, the story is great and still easy to follow. it’s truly sad the path that kendrick’s career went down, damn and everything after it is jst so much worse than his earlier stuff

he won a Nobel prize for a reason -1 star bc of drake

🌟🌟🌟🌟✨ lost faith for like 4 songs, but the rest are really good, 2 tiktok hits

4.6

I struggled to rate this one. I know it has an important place in music history, but, it also didn't really resonate with me. I think it's a 3.5 that I'll round up.

ICONIC! Such a great album. My favorite Kendrick album? No. Is it fun? Oh yeah. It is really good. Liked Songs: "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" , "Backseat Freestyle" , "The Art of Peer Pressure" , "Money Trees" , "Poetic Justic" , "good kid" , "m.A.A.d city" , "Swimming Pools (Drank)" , "Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst" , "Compton"

Bitch, Don't Kill my Vibe is classic. The Art of Peer Pressure is brilliant.

Kendrick raps about experience far from my own. His genius is undeniable, but this isn't ever going to be everyday listening for me. Even so, I think this is a near masterpiece. TPAB will come up at some point, and while I like the jazz influence on that record, this one feels more embedded in KL's personal life and the culture of the street.

Beaucoup de classiques, bonne production, bonne parole, génial.

listened at 930 pm 12/15/25

4/5 Fav: Swimming Pools (Drank), Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe, Backseat Freestyle Least fav: Poetic Justice

not the usual type of music i listen to but objectively just sooo good

Ett av de bättre rap-albumsen där ute, gör en otrolig blend av pop, hip-hop, långsammare, snabbare, partylåtar och några att gråta till.

The comments on this album were all over the place and there was a lot of discussion on lyrics. I won't comment on messages or lyrics since I only listened two times through, but I enjoyed this. I know some of his music, but only his biggest hits. Favorite song: Compton

Flipping burgers song spotted.

Funny I got this rec when I already wanted to get into more hip-hop, especially Kendrick Lamar. Overall I enjoyed it. I see myself going back to this record often.

Yes. It's awesome. But probably too hard for my typical listening.

always interesting listening to Kendrick

nostalgic

8.5/10

Only realised this guys genius over the last few years so more than happy to have another deep dive into his catalogue. Didn’t know it was a concept album. It’s one of those albums that has a great vibe to just be on in the background or in the car or you can pour over every line and still have more to find. Maybe less accessible than some of more recent singles/albums. It feels more conscious rap than pop charts and maybe has got that combo perfect now. And some of this clearly over my head too and doesn’t grab me as much as other tracks. Instantly listened a second time and felt more familiar and engaged. Doesn’t hit the same as recent albums but as I say, I think a fair bit probably over my head. He is genius, undoubtedly.

Enjoyed this one. 4/5

Songs: "Sherane" 8/10, "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe" 8/10, "Backseat Freestyle" 6.5/10, "The Art of Peer Pressure" 7.5/10, "Money Trees" 7.5/10, "Poetic Justice" 8/10, "Good Kid" 7/10, "M.a.a.d. City" 9/10, "Swimming Pools" 8/10, "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" 7.5/10, "Compton" 8/10 Thoughts: OG Kendrick has a really good flow and sound. Some pretty nostalgic songs and sounds. There is a reason he is considered one of the best. Every song has an outro, which I'm not necessarily a fan of. Funny to see Drake features in this album lol. The songs are a little long for my taste. Rating: 8/10

very very good! i wish i could give it a 5/5 but because i know what kendrick will continue to do this is a 4/5 for releasing 5/5 kendrick! i want to listen more :)

God-tier. Almost a perfect hip-hop album. Thing is, I'm not sure what I would cut. A pinnacle album that would lead to one of the most significant rap careers ever. And look: I get the bad reviews in here. Rap isn't for everyone. But this one is such a pure snapshot of a culture that seems so foreign to a lot of folks, but is so important. Also, that Halftime show was a work of art. Go Birds. 9/10, ya bish.

Really liked the production, the singles stood out, but the skits and interludes came close to, uhh, killing the vibe. But not quite.

Ba ouais nan les 3 premiers sons sa voix passe pas trop avec la musique , sinon le reste de l’album est superbe mais les 3 premiers sons arrrggghh

4.5

Adorei, o que mais gostei até agora!!!!

Not a big rap fan, but an enjoyable album to listen through. Some songs I was already familiar with, though I am not sure where I heard them before. Yes it is offensive at times, which reminds me of the more classic rap albums of the 90's. Which is a good thing in this case. Has it made me a bigger rap fan? No, that it definitely did not do. But was it one of the most enjoyable rap albums to listen through? Yes, sir it was. 4/5

Not surprisingly I don’t like my music to contain certain words ( yeah looking at you P and N words). But this album wasn’t written for an old white suburban woman and I really liked it anyway. I’ve already relistened which is the first album on this list to do that. Four stars.

I came back to this album after listening to some of the other hip hip / rap albums, which I enjoyed. After re-listening to this album I enjoyed it much more, and now I’m wondering why I didn’t like it in the first place

Goated

I’m a big fan of Kendrick, but I’ve always felt this album is a little bit After School Special. “I tried to have premarital sex but ended up smoking a weed cigarette but it was laced with something bad and I did crimes” I know it’s more complex than that, but that’s kind of the gist. It’s still a work of musical genius, but nothing is ever going to touch To Pimp a Butterfly.

Hip hop isn't my favorite genre, but I have always appreciated the poetry of it. Kendrick Lamar is a master of his craft.

Big up to Kendrick. I am not a huge fan of rap, but some of these songs were a vibe! Big ups to Kendrick!!

w album, the story telling is immaculate. although, it starts to get disinteresting almost at the 3/4 mark

Classic rap album: not quite as good as his follow-up To Pimp a Butterfly, but that's one of my top albums of all time.

Vibes: 4/5 Instruments: 4/5 Production: 5/5 Emotional Value: 3/5 Storytelling: 5/5 Stand Outs: Money Trees, Swimming Pool Overall Rating: 4.2

82/100 Could go higher on relisten 4 stars Sounds like some dreams i have Sometimes musically not super interesting Cool layers on some tracks Heavy Business so not an everyday listen Good Strings in a few songs, I love strings I like that it tells a story and that it is genuine and the self expression is good to see I was in the zone for a little where i went in the world so that’s probably more deserving than an 80. Obviously not the most relatable so it doesn’t hold a massive spot in my heart but the fact that it put me in the world for a little says somth

I went back and forth between a 4 and a 5 and landed on 4.5 rounded down because there were enough tracks that weren’t my favorite. But I added 5 to my faves list and REALLY like those!

8/10

My general apathy towards hip hop is well documented (I don't mind some experimental hip hop in the vein of Death Grips, JPEGMAFIA, clipping. etc.) but I've always found this to be far more interesting and dynamic than much of what I've been exposed to in the genre. There's some actual atmosphere and textural depth to the music - equally, when the album opts for an abrasive approach, it doesn't feel forced or tryhard. The beats are wide-ranging and fresh, and the lyricism is genuinely creative and intelligent. It's been an infrequent revisit for me since my initial discovery, but as a result, it never loses its sheen.

I found it a bit explicit for my liking. But, beyond the lyrics, there were some catchy beats and overall it was cool. 4 stars.

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

Nice

Sherane … - Not into the intro, really love the bassline, the story told, and the voicemail outro. Bitch … - Mellow, reminds me of time spent in Italy. Backseat … - Meh. Feels like early Kanye. The Art … - Meh. Money … - I like it, progressions and melodies gel well with my earholes.

Great record for sure. I was familiar with DAMN and I am surprised this one didn't land on my radar much sooner.

It’s a good kid. Isn’t it.

Not my fave because I'm not a fan of the genre but I have to admit it is very good

Love it, no TPAB but a classic all the same.

Highlight Song/s: Sherane, The Art Of Peer Pressure, good kid and Swimming Pools Haven't heard too many songs by Kendrick Lamar before. Having heard Money Trees and Swimming Pools in my Grand Theft Auto V play-through (ended less than a week ago as of review.) and I ended liking both of them, ESPECIALLY Swimming Pools. As well as the hit HUMBLE; so not TOO much of Kendrick. I also been meaning to listen to this in the past month (just like my previous album, Violent Femmes S/T) or so, but I just haven't found enough time to devote 70 minutes to, especially when the time I listen to an album is taken up by the generator's album a day. As a result of not listening to too much of Kendrick I haven't been exposed to his lyrics. But he is SUCH an amazing songwriter, so so introspective; the lyrics are just top-notch. I really like the usage of spoken word on this album, the way it is used is to tell a story which as I said, I appreciate it. Below is one or more things that I liked about the songs on the album. [Track 1/12] Love the build-up of tension in Sherane [Track 2/12] The verse flow in Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe is impeccable, it definitely gives the impression of a message he needs to convey urgently. [Track 3/12] I really like the Backseat Freestyle of the Jamaican patois-sounding sample, wish it was used more in the song, it sounds epic. [Track 4/12] The first minute is so serene on the track The Art of Peer Pressure, sounds like something straight off of Be (by Common.) [Track 5/12] Really like the chorus of Money Trees. [Track 6/12] I like like like, the soulful female singing, really lovely. [Track 7/12] The very middle-eastern-sounding melody, the frantic chorus, and the lovely post-chorus section are some of my favourite parts of the entire album so far. [Track 8/12] I have been quoting (probably wrong words, but similar sounds) the main part of song without ever knowing the song name, it is alas after all this time, m.A.A.d city. So my favourite parts is probably the beat, the menacing melody and the "Man down..." part. [Track 9/12] Everything about the song Swimming Pools, is PERFECT. Every aspect, every everything. [Track 10/12] Really like the relaxing beat on Sing About Me, I also enjoyed the second half of the song quite a lot (after the mid-song spoken word section.) [Track 11/12] The beat and the chorus are my favourite parts on Real. [Track 12/12] Of course a triumphant sound was bound to be used for closer on the album, and I - for the millionth time in this review - LIKE it.

This is pretty good but a tad inconsistent.

Gangster

Most of my favorite hip hop is from the 80s and 90s because I’m old. I don’t get into a lot of modern HH but Kendrick is an outlier, not just in this era but in any. His flow is great, but his lyrics are better. Outside of Nas in what is maybe the greatest hip hop record ever, Illmatic, few mcs have more eloquently captured life in their neighborhood that wasn’t a bunch of gangsta braggadocio. This one is his first, and I think To Pimp a Butterfly and Damn are both superior, but this is an insanely good debut. Again, up there with Illmatic in the debut category. If you love HH you already known Kendrick, and if you don’t then you won’t like him at all. But if you are HH curious, this might be a good place to start.

This is a great album and a breakthrough, but I need to leave some room for his future greatnesses even though I don't know if they'll be in the book or not.

Not as obviously political and socially conscious as later albums, but you can definitely hear the seeds developing. People who write this off as generic 'bitches and drugs' rap clearly did not listen very carefully. I forgot how great Poetic Justice is.

Rap is not my genre but this has a lot of hits and I would give it a three unless it was actually something that’s difficult for me and I still enjoyed it

Superb!

An album idea that is oft attempted yet seldom done well. This is an exception to that. Well-crafted storyline that allows Kendrick to showcase his lyrical proficiency.

Excellent album

Kendrick's flow and aura is wild. Backstreet Freestyle is so stripped down but sounds great. I feel like if I took more time on the lyrics this is more complex than it sounds.

han noni so viel vo kendrick lamar glost aber bin positiv überrascht - ned so an fan of misogyny though

pretty good. more complex and more of a coronation than i remember at the time

good kid and Art of Peer Pressure both really good revelations for me

I went into this only knowing one Kendrick song and came out of it a fan.

Jak nikt nie wie, co puścić w samochodzie, to puszczam Kendricka i zawsze działa.

Better than Coldplay

I love a good narrative concept album. And this is one cinematic record. Kendrick has so many gears in his delivery…..combine that with high level production and it’s hard to find fault with very much here. FOUR STARS

Kendrick is a great rapper and whilst some of the content may feel like stereotypical rap content it reflects where he has come from. Sing about me, i’m dying shows just how to make a long rap song listenable. Overall this is a really good album, but i dont think it’s his best

I had been meaning to listen to a full Kendrick album so this provided the perfect opportunity to do so. I was not disappointed.

The skits and god talk definitely take me out of it but if I cut all that fat out, it’s a really strong hip-hop album. 4 stars

Very cool album, nice instrumentals, Kendrick has a perfect flow, and the songs are very different from each other. I have my doubts about rating it a 3 or a 4.

sick

Kopfnicken Hip Hop, was will man mehr. Hat definitiv seinen Platz verdient!

Meilleur que je pensais

Great front to back, including the interlude skits.

Kendrick won a Pulitzer Prize award. Not for this album but you need to keep that in mind. He is an amazing lyricist just flat out one of the best hip-hop artists ever. When I first listen to a Kendrick album I listen to it first with headphones, then a second time with the lyrics. It's so dense and paints a picture that you feel. This is his second album and although he's not at the stage where people throw awards at him or he destroys other artists careers, you can see where he is going. You can see where he's coming from. I swear he wrote this album with his past in mind. It's a great album and I hope his other albums are on the list because the longer his career goes on the better he gets.

vibes. life. truth.

3.5

Great

Couple of bangers. Hadn’t listened to the whole thing I don’t think. Good listen overall.

One to revisit, not bad

No soy muy fan pero entiendo el revuelo con KL

Exceptional and leaving me wanting more.

Great album

I don't think anyone can in good conscience say that Kendrick's not at the top of his game. Is this my favorite music to listen to? No. Is every single song perfect? Also no. But his lyricism is just unmatched, and this album woks extremely well as a full package. Perhaps this is bold to say, but I think hip hop today has devolved with a lot of modern rappers, opting to boast about the easy topics. An album like this is right down the line of the original mission statement -- music for social change, to bring light to the dark corners of our underserved communities. Fave songs: - Backseat Freestyle - The Art of Peer Pressure - good kid - m.A.A.d city - Real - Compton

New era of Compton rap. A mixture poetry and jazz painting a picture of life in Compton.

Lukewarm, potentially cold take: I think Kendrick may legitimately be the GOAT. I am not a rap/hip-hop expert and will never claim to be, and I have heard considerably fewer albums in the genre than many people here. But across his catalog/career, I think he’s proven to be nothing short of otherworldly. His shifting vocal timbres and deliveries; his flow and technical prowess; his lyrics and everything they encompass (intelligence, emotional resonance, humor, cleverness, social awareness); his ability to craft both subtle master classes and undeniable bangers; his cultural impact; I struggle to think of too many artists who have excelled at/matched him on all of these levels. No one impresses me quite like he does. Hot take: although I think GKMC is clearly an absolute triumph from a thematic and storytelling angle, I don’t think it’s as strong on a song-by-song basis as some of his later works, and certainly not To Pimp a Butterfly. Honestly (and this may be an even hotter take), even though I like some of the earlier tracks, it doesn’t really get going for me until “m.A.A.d city”, which is the first track I truly love. Then, the three-song run of that, “Swimming Pools (Drank)”, and “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst” is one of the most impressive 5-star run of songs I’ve heard on any hip-hop album. Again, all of this should be taken with a grain of salt given my general stance on hip-hop (I enjoy it much more as a songs genre than an album genre, and acknowledging that “genre” is being used loosely here due to all of the eras/sub-genres that could be discussed), but for me personally, although I applaud the overall accomplishment of GKMC, I think he goes on to make better records. One of them, at least. 3.5/5

Chill, groovy and gritty; lyrical metric like no other.

It's good, but man I cannot stand Kendrick's voice, it is just way too nasally. When he is rapping it is fine, but any time he "sings" it is unbearable. Also there are some song on here that are just bad like Backseat Freestyle. Other than that there are some good beats. Low 4.

Great album not sure what the negative reviews are about

Struggled with the first 5 or 6 songs. Really redeemed itself in the second half. Loved Swimming Pool (Drank)!!!

8/10…west coast hip hop

I have a confession to make: this is not my favorite Kendrick album. It’s hard to go back and listen to this one, because you can see the little kernels that Kendrick expands upon in later albums, and you WANT it to expand now! And in some respects, it does expand. You hear the narrative throughout that Kendrick weaves, as he tells a beautiful and tragic story of growing up amid violence and poverty. But alas, we’re not at TPAB yet. It’s still a great album, but it doesn’t reach the heights of his later work.

good

I was pretty late to the Kendrick party. I tried damn when it came out and it kinda bored me. Going back its decent but for all the albums ive listened to by him its the worst. And this one here is somewhere in the middle I would say. Its pretty good but not mindblowing. A good crop of hit hit hiiiit songs thats for sure. But the b sides aren't that compelling to me. Still good but not as good as tpab or for me Mr moral. Unpopular but I like Mr moral quite a bit. But Kendrick is great and even his worst output is above average at this point at least. And this might be middle of the road for me if im doing a lame internet tier list but its still great. The hits hit and that carries it pretty damn far.

So NOT in the mood to listen to Kendrick Lamar this morning much less review one of his albums but here we are. It's a very good album of west coast hip hop if you know anything about west coast hip hop you likely have a pretty good idea what it sounds like. It's very good with little that makes it stand out from the pack. Not sure if I will ever hear it again much less add it to my library but no doubt about it- it's an exceptionally well produced album & Lamar has talent coming out of his ears. The man is good. Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe is a great track. A Five Star instant classic. OK maybe I will add the album to my collection. OK that's all I have. I like Run DMC better than any modern rap except Kanye West up to 2013.

Enjoyed this

74/1001 :: Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid M.A.D.D. City Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ✅ Rating: 8 Listen before you die: Yes Fav Songs: Money Trees, Backseat Freestyle, m.A.D.d. City I’ve heard songs off this (Bitch don’t Kill My Vibe, Drank, Etc..) but I can’t believe I’ve never heard this whole thing til today. And welp, the praise is fitting. Just an incredible Hip Hop album. First of all Kendrick rapping like he has something to prove and he did at that point. I also didn’t realize Dr Dre not only had a feature but was a major contributor as far as the production goes. This has a very West Coast vibe but done in such a new school and interesting modern way. Thought the Pharrell track was great. I didn’t really love the Drake track. Drake is good for he does but this felt off. Also didn’t like Real. But frankly I need more listens. My son has this on vinyl, maybe I’ll steal it…

Great rap album by Kendrick not much more you can say honestly