Reviews (page 12 of 14)
Ne paše mi ovo, a bome ni žanr. Dala sam šansu, ali ne ide. 2/5, 3/10
So there is an appreciation here for the artistry - something I never noticed before as I have zero experience with this genre after about 1991. That said language is too harsh (esp N word) to make this enjoyable and every track sounds like the last. Points for effort. Not something I’d listen to again. 2/5
2.5
Just not for me
I feel like I've really given modern rap a go with an open mind. But I just can't for the life of me get into it. On the contrary I don't have any issues with 90s or early 2000s rap. Is it all rose-tinted glasses combined with nostalgia? Doesn't feel like it should be such a big difference. Anyways.... The beats don't do much for me. While it's cool that it's a lots of gospel and jazz, I find them really uninteresting and unmemorable. The album is praised for its lyrical content, and frankly I wasn't paying too much attention so that might be why it doesn't hit home very well.
Limp
I dont get him. Just sounds like any other modern hip hop. Nout remarkable or groundbreaking about it I dont get how hes a genius when he wont shutup and his dick being free and yams. Maybe im not cool enough
3/10
I can respect that this album is creative, richly sourced, thoughtfully crafted, and Kendrick Lamar has lots to say. I liked the conversations at the end of the last two tracks -- reflective, open. But if this is the cream of '10's hip-hop, then I just can't get into this whole genre, period.
Skjønne ikkje.. E ikkje han en av de største artistene i verden atm?
Det her vekke rare følelsa. Æ prøve så hardt, og har så lyst å forstå det, men må bare være ærlig med mæ sjøl; æ e sykt hvit og forstår ingenting.
Først og fremst en plate med en del hits fra ungdommen som er gøy å høre igjen. Ellers er plata litt lang, og ganske kjedelig.
Not really my thing!
Starting out strong with some fun grooves that make me want to move, boo boo. Really interesting arrangements, definitely different than other rap albums I’ve listened to on this list. Fav track: ‘i’ Lyrics are delivered emphatically and feel important, but sadly most are lost on me upon first and second listen. Doesn’t always detract from enjoying the ride and feeling the vibe. “shit don’t change until you get up and wash your ass” … uhhh, sure? Vocals get on my nerves a little, I think it’s the tone of his voice and the delivery – and maybe that’s ThE wHoLe PoInT. Especially on ‘u’, ‘For Sale?’, ‘Momma’, and ‘Hood Politics’. Chaotic jazz instrumentals and whiney slam poetry vocals on ‘For Free?’ is interesting, but no… I’m out.
Great production, funky tunes, so much potential, but the lyrics push me away, what a shame
I have no opinion on this, other than PLEASE STOP MAKING ALBUMS THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE CAPACITY OF A COMPACT DISC.
Not for me.
I was interested in hearing this, given my Kendrick experience is solely Drake-beef adjacent. I liked King Kunta, Alright, How Much A Dollar Cost and i (though that track mostly because I love the track it samples - I lost interest in the talky bit). And that was about it. I recognise how massively influential this was, and continues to be. Its blend of styles is admirable, and interesting, but just not enjoyable to my ears. I do like quite a lot of hip-hop (it's one of my top rated genres on the generator after about 10 months of rating) but it's tended to be the older stuff that I enjoy rather than more modern experimental stuff. And then it ended with another 12 minute track that was mostly a chat... Judging by this album, Kendrick isn't for me.
Not my scene, but sounded okay
Don’t understand the love for this. I don’t like the beats, the rhymes, his voice or his cadence.
Liked some songs but I wasn't able to listen to this whole album.
The dude can rhyme, and he’s got something on his mind. But there’s no real music here.
Overrated
Überraschende Arhythmik reißt einen regelmäßig aus einem klassischen Hip-Hip Erlebnis raus. Keine einprägsamen Beats, kein Timing, viel zu lang
A prog hip-hop album with so really well constructed jazz and funk influenced backing tracks. Nice soulful harmonies too although I still don't care much for the spoken word performances even if the lyrics have some depth. That said the album contains an interesting mix of styles.
Einhversstaðar heyrði ég að þetta væri kallað djassrapp. Mér finnst djass skemmtilegur og mér finnst þetta ekki vera djass. Þetta er bara rosalega leiðinlegt án þess að vera lélegt
Meh. I can recognise how good this is but also it really isn't a pleasurable listening experience. I liked it more at the start but i just found this to drag on and on
Not my vibe atm
A few standouts but overall just a little too long for my cracker ass
So now I know who Kendrick Lamar is... Big whoop. Not my style. Musical stylings good, and they change, but I agree with Allison. The whole thing makes me uncomfortable. Like the only way I (white middle-aged male) could TRY to groove on this would be on headphones. Alone. Isolated in the spare room.
I really don’t like rap. This album has good instrumentals and the background music and vocals hit hard, I just don’t like the rapping. Every line needs to have a swear for some reason and I just can’t enjoy this album. Each song would start and I would think that it’s about to be a baller song, and then the rapping starts and I lose all faith in it.
This was a challenging album for me. Some of it was simply uncomfortable to listen to. And I realize that his album wasn't made for me, but lines like "this dick ain't free" just made me embarrassed. Needless to say I'm not playing this album where anyone else can hear ever again... While I'm not really a fan of Lamar's voice I do think that the musical styling, especially in the beginning are phenomenal. Wesley's Theory was unique and then followed up by a slam poetry interlude For Free?. King Kunta is one of my favorites on this album, it has great beats and less grating vocals, plus real clever lyrics. Institutionalized and These Walls also have unique stylings with the latter having an almost 70s funk feel. u and i is where I think the lyrics really shine and is overall just a solid song. Still, I found the album dragged, especially from Alright to Complexion. There's some decent lyrics in there but the vocals are too stilted and the beats are underwhelming. The Blacker the Berry is pretty good, but I wanted more of that. This project has made me realize how much I dislike double albums. I think if you are a die hard fan of a certain artist they're great, but as a new listener it's just hard to get into. Die I need to hear this before I die? Yeah, I'd say so.
Too erratic. Not a lot of flow with the beats and delivery. It’s jangled and tough to follow
Not for me
2.5/5
Did not like it. Didn't finish it.
Not my thing
Greit nok, noe kult innimellom men ikke så altfor mye som fester seg. Kommer nok ikke sette det på igjen
Heilt greitt. Ræpp er ikkje heilt mi greie trur eg, men til tider bra.
366/1089 - Wow! It's been one year doing this listening project. I'm enjoying it so far. To be honest, I don't like Kendrick's voice or beats and I remember listening to this album a few times and disliking it in the past. I'll give it another try and see if my opinion has changed: The production is impeccable and there are some really cool instrumentals like Institutionalized and Alright. I'm not a fan of the Funkadelic/Thundercat sounds but that's more a personal taste thing and nothing against the album itself. The main problem with the instrumentals is how repetitive they are. I also liked "i" but by "liked" i I mean I liked "That Lady" by the Isley Brothers and was trying to ignore the rest of the sounds which brings me to my main problem with Kendrick Lamar: his vocals. I still think Kendrick's vocal timbre sounds like Spongebob if his balls dropped and he had throat cancer. I just can't really get into his music for whatever reason.
Not his best at all
again-another album that I just don't get the hype. musically it's interesting. vocals go between some introspection & reflection.....and objectifying women/overuse of certain words (which makes them less effective). just way too long
Hip hop is not for me but I gave it a go. Too long, too same. Vocal and orchestral arrangements with jazz influences were interesting. I appreciate the words, the intent, the vibe; and I get a Prince influence here and there, so there's that. Listened before? N Saved tracks? N Favorite tracks? How Much a Dollar Cost ⭐⭐ Didn't hate it. Didn't like it. I can only try to really relate to most of it
One of the top contenders for most overrated record. No particular voice, hectic rapping, what's the fuss - that he's gay? I couldn't care less.
Not for me.
Really not my cup of tea, only made it through 3 tracks
Musically this has some interesting elements. There's lots of experimentation, and the sound is quite rich; there's never really just one element to it - parts of it even lean into psychedelia. That aside, this is fundamentally rap, and as such, lyrics are important... the issue is that these lyrics don't resonate with me in the slightest. I can appreciate some of the skill in putting together the rhyming structure, but there's also a hell of a lot of pure cringe. I also really don't understand the hype around the social commentary aspect; the vast majority of this album is about sex (with a wildly misogynistic slant). I feel like rapping about your dick, nutting, painting all women as gold-diggers etc. etc. etc. somewhat takes away from any attempt at making astute observations on how society functions beyond "racism exists". Is including some random spoken word sections between tracks really all it takes to elevate this particular rap album to "art" status above all others? None of this was close to making me take my headphones off, and it was an interesting experience, but I'm clearly not the target audience and I wouldn't listen to more outside of this list.
It was urgent to hear which music he’s making, because I never had the need to. And now I can say, that I tried and it’s definitely not my taste; soooo… but thanks, now I know what he’s doing. But actually there was something… the song “for free” was a shocker (the lyric combined with a jazzy vibe). Lovely! Also I couldn’t hear the whole album, because there was nothing catching and my attention wasn’t there anymore.
N Künstler dessen Kunst ich anscheinend nicht verstehe
A couple of these rap tunes are bearable but for the most part I'd be more inclined to keep clicking next and fast forward rather than listen to each song through to the end 2 stars
I don't feel like listening to Kendrick Lamar. So so much misogyny and sex. Not even in a cute, clever way. I genuinely hate this shit. Another 2/5 for KL. There are other artists i like better.
Definitely not for me.
Interesting. Not collectively my style but I do like many of the individual components drawn from other genres you hear in each song.
Bra gung i King Kunta och the blacker the Berry, övrigt är det rätt sömnigt. Jag hänger inte med i Kendricks texter och tycker inte hans flow är tillräckligt kul.
I was really looking forward to this one but it just wouldn't click for me. Am I realistically going to listen to sex noises? Am I realistically going to listen to some of the themes of this album? It just didnt connect with me at all and I love elements of jazz rap, but not for me this one!
2.5 (78:51, 16 tracks, 2015, 3rd album) Hip-Hop ("Gangsta Rap done right"?) IMPORTANT NOTE: If you're not familiar with Kendrick or a hip-hop fan I highly recommend you start at track 13 (The Blacker the Berry) and loop through 14, 15, and 16. This is the best part of the album and Mortal Man (the spoken word parts) will help a lot understand what Kendrick is attempting. I still don't get it but I really wish someone had given me this advice as by track 12 I had all but checked out. Almost universal acclaim, I must not get it? I salute Lamar confronting racism but too many distractions. I don't hate the music but Lamar's vocalization style is annoying (U is just awful). Talking about boo-boo and all the sexual references just seems immature and doesn't add anything. Either do Gangsta Rap (Ice-T's O.G.) or do a political statement (Public Enemy's It takes a nation . .. well except for Flavor but you know his role is to be everyone's loveable but retarded little cousin.) Album was too long, too immature, not political enough (and/or not gansta enough), it wasn't catchy. Personally I think Lamar was riding a wave of good sentiment from the previous two. Not a terrible album for the community (obviously many love this stuff) but not a great album. Best track - The Blacker the Berry Best parts of the album - all spoken word 1. Wesley's Theory 4:47 2. For Free? (Interlude) 2:10 3. "King Kunta" 3:54 4. "Institutionalized" 4:31 5. "These Walls" 5:00 6. "U" 4:28 7. "Alright" 3:39 8. "For Sale? (Interlude)" 4:51 9. "Momma" 4:43 10. "Hood Politics" 4:52 11. "How Much a Dollar Cost" 4:21 12. "Complexion (A Zulu Love)" 4:23 13. "The Blacker the Berry" 5:28 14. "You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said)" 4:01 15. "I" 5:36 16. "Mortal Man" 12:07
Parts of this album feel just a little too experimental for my tastes. King Kunta is great, as These Walls and Alright. The rest of the album though, I just don't fuck with.
Meh, I don’t get it.
It was ok but I didn’t really get it
It is interesting and probably the most unique rap album ive heard but i really cant listen to most of those songs. I like „i” though. Not my cup of tea overall
there was a cool song but i didnt finish it, boring to me
Skip, skip, skip, ... Just skip. Not bad per se, but totally not my type.
didn’t like that
Firstly it is not terrible, in terms of whatever it is supposed to be. I've been intrigued by the carry on about AI producing music and yet this Frankenstein is ok? I've never understood the 324 different songwriters thing that goes on with this stuff, and what exactly Kendrick has been doing on this? Singing, yes, but then he's "production". I mean who is playing an instrument here, is it just sampling and sequencing, putting together noise in an interesting way, which is in effect what AI is doing. So I'm not anti it as art I just don't get it. It does not move me. I put Neil Finn's Try Whistling This on straight after this and was swept up in it all, having been stultified by this.
If I listened to it a few times I might like this one, but not feeling it
good songs, not my personal taste in music
Good singles, bad album.
This revolution cannot be televised, because every fourth word is fuck, nigger, dick, or shit. Pity, because this album is Gil Scott Heron with incredible production value. Check out the last two songs. But after 20 minutes, it’s just tiring and pathetically stereotypical.
It was ok. Really long. I knew and liked Alright, but I’m just not a huge fan of Kendrick Lamar. I don’t get the hype.
I can see how this is kind of different, just not for me.
As far as hip hop goes, it was only OK. There are much better artists and much better albums, but this wasn't horrible, just bland.
Ei omalle korvalle mikää räpin riemuvoitto ainakaa ekalla kuuntelulla.
I really want to like it, but it's just dull and adolescent and ultimately kinda boring? It's like being beaten with a pool noodle: frustrating and leaves no lasting impact, despite all the energy put into it.
Definitely not my thing
4 - BAD
I should love this but I don't. DAMN is better.
Just not my genre
Favourite track: King Kunta
I found most of the music on this album plodding and the vocals delivery clunky. Not as much misogyny as much hiphop on this list but that is damning with faint praise. Is this just a trial balloon by the recording industry to see whether they can convince us that a mediocre artist is good? This reminds me of the bad (Andre 3000) parts of Outkast without any of the good (Big Boi) stuff. No one to save you from my true feelings here Kendrick.
Not really my style of rap. I don't really know how to explain it fully but the flow just isn't satisfying to me and the lyrics are too much bitches, drugs and gangbanging Standouts - 2/5
Der US-amerikanische Rapper Kendrick Lamar nahm To Pimp A Butterfly (2015) an mehreren Orten auf, unter anderem Chalice Recording Studios (Hollywood), No Excuses Studios (Santa Monica) und House Studios (Washington, D.C.). Stilistisch ordnet sich das Album dem Hip-Hop / Jazz-Rap mit deutlichen Funk- und Soul-Einflüssen zu. Bekannt gewordene Stücke sind „King Kunta“, „Alright“ und „The Blacker the Berry“. Inhaltlich behandelt Lamar Themen wie Identität, Rassismus und gesellschaftliche Verantwortung; sprachlich arbeitet er dabei mit dichter Bildsprache und prägnanter Erzählhaltung. Musikalisch verbindet das Album komplexe Rhythmen, Bläserarrangements und Passagen mit Sprechgesang zu einem konsistenten Ganzen. Kurze Bewertung: ein inhaltlich fokussiertes, musikalisch durchdachtes Album, das seine thematischen Absichten klar verfolgt.
Ok
Another album that didn't really stand out to me for any real reason.
I was disappointed by this album. For all the hype it gets, I found it lacking something, but I'm not sure what.
I’m sure it’s a masterpiece but not for me.
An interesting experimental hip hop jazz/soul-ish album that I found hard to relate to & a little too long at almost 80 minutes. It certainly outstays it's welcome. Trimmed to 40 minutes this album would have gotten a higher grade at least from me. Nothing all that bad to say about this album and some of the music is incredible but a lot more is just really boring. It likely deserves more than the two stars I'm giving it but seeing how I'm unlikely to ever hear it again that's as high as I can go.
Wesley's Theory
Ehhhh some songs were decent but I did not really like it overall
Not quite complete rubbish. Lamar clearly has some talent as a rapper but, god, it's pompous and overblown.
I've tried to get Kendrick from the start, but I must be genetically deficient. On relisten, I did like this one better than expected so I may be warming up.
I enjoyed 1 song, but had to stop listening after 4. It was just a collection of noise that hurt my brain, especially when the beat was off. It was also too jazzy for me. Maybe I'm too white for this album
For an album which is high-concept, calls on several different music styles across it's 78-minute running time and is generally regarded as one of the best albums of the past decade or so, this isn't half a disappointing listen. Sorry to say, it doesn't do much for me. It is all so one-note. Lyrically dense, ideas run into one another, genres and beats collide but the dynamics rarely seem to change from one section to another. The result is, so far as I can discern, vastly overrated and musically pretty uninteresting, for the most part managing to make jazz, soul and funk ingredients come off like run-of-the-mill chart R 'n' B.
Rap's not my thing.
Do not particular like KL's delivery - the song with Snoop really highlighted this for me - it just leaves me cold. Musically there as a lot going on (too much) and it just feels over produced and makes me yearn for simpler times.
4/10 It's so depressing to think you're near the end of an album, only to look and see you're less than halfway through. How is this possible!? Musically, it's alright. Dense and (relatively) inventive, but it's still vulgar and nasty. If this is your Dylan, ok, but we're gonna have to agree to disagree. I did quite like "I" though - a bit of bounce to that one until it goes into a diatribe for 2mins. Ho hum. And of course the last track is over 12mins long. Screw you, Kendrick
Ashamed to say I found this pretty boring.
Музыка: 6/10 Разнообразие: 7/10 Тематика и вайб: 5/10 Цепляемость (отдельные песни зашли): 3/10 Реиграбельность (можно ли рандомно врубить на фон): 3/10 Итог: 4.8
Some of the production is interesting and unique but overall this isn’t something for me.
Hip-hop still isn't my genre of music.
Did not like it
j’aime pas le hip-hop. mais je respecte les thèmes j’aime bien le début de i
Nope, did not finish - it just wasn't my thing.
2 Stars (5/15)
Never really listened to Kendrick besides a couple of really popular singles. Those were always just okay for me and this album was about the same.
No. Sorry, it's definitely a good stuff, but it's just not the direction I'm moving in my music journey.
First half ok Second half not Too many slots Too self indulgent
By all accounts, this is one of the best albums ever made. Fuck, I'm out of touch.
Gave this album a good listen much of it while reading along with the lyrics. Plenty of politically charged commentary of life in America as a person of color. Musically did not stir me, however, and not worth a re-listen for me.
not something id listen to. not my genre.
I think by objective metrics it's an excellent album. Does a lot of interesting things, quite experimental, has a lot to say. That being said it's just not speaking to me, that experimentalism feels self indulgent a lot of the time and it's just not working for me. Undeniably great music, but not for me.
Started promisingly then fell away with plenty of tiresome language that was off putting. More moderation might have been better served.
Bryder mig ikke synderligt om den.
I know this is a hugely popular album but it does absolutely nothing forme. Thundercat input was great, but I just don't get any joy out of the vocals. Track 2 in particular felt like I was stuck in the back booth of a jazz club sandwiched between two meth addicts crashing out.
j’aime pas trop le rap désolé…..
Massively overrated. Also his fans are the corniest people in the world.
- hm. not the worst , but not the best ?
Unimpressed by swear words and foul language. Not for me!!
Better than most hip hop, but still not enough to earn a 3 from me.
2/5.
Not a fan, but preferred this to KL’s more recent output. He sounds less like a cartoon character. Production crisper.
The music is a 3, the vocals/lyrics are a 1, so I think a 2 is fair. Also, unlike Scott Walker, it has something about it. I don’t know / understand what that is, but I feel like that’s my problem.
People adore this guy??
No idea what he's on about
Just not for me
Not as good as Damn but I don’t think anything he has done is as good as damn some choice bits some experimentation but same old same old lyrics, profane but without innovation.
Okay
He's obviously talented and there's a lot of depth to this album but I am definitely not the target audience for this. The message is lost on me
I know this album is considered one of the best from the last 10(ish) years, but it was lost on me.
I’m just gonna play the middle aged white British male card, and say this is totally lyrically impenetrable to me. I tried Kendrick, I really did, but I felt like a learned more from the last track than the whole album before that. The production didn’t do anything for me either, only ‘how much a dollar’ and ‘the blacker the berry’ grabbed my attention, and I think that’s because stylistically they were quite different from the overly smooth majority.
Just ok for me.
I felt old listening to this album. I know he is probably the biggest star in hip hop to today's audience but listening to this just didn't do much for me compared to other rap albums on the list. Maybe this is a modern classic and I'm out of touch but I feel like in 20 years 36 chambers will still be a classic and wonder if people will still be listening to this.
I don’t understand how people can praise albums like this, Kendrick’s voice is so monotonous. Yet another album where all the songs blend together because they sound practically the same. And that long podcast-like conversation at the end, what the hell is that? Maybe I just don’t like rap, maybe I don’t get the art behind it. It’s just not my taste. Standout Songs: King Kunta Institutionalized Momma How Much A Dollar Cost
I can't review hip hop nor rap. It was okay, but too much N-words, C-words, B-words, D-words, S-words, etc. But it did try to be smart? I think?
It's a pity CDs can accommodate 78 minutes - a capacity this album abuses. It's just dreadfully dull and boring.
is halt nix für mich
4/10 - I didn’t love most of it. The last few songs had parts I liked but overall not my favorite
This is not for me. Two stars but still better than anything by Oasis.
I wish I got it. Maybe I'm too old. What am I missing because “this dick ain’t for free” wasn’t telling me a story.
I liked #3 but its a total rip off of DJ Quik/ Sugafree Idk hes fine but I have a hard time with his lack of originality
Nope. Too spitfire lyrics
I like it more than 'good kid', but what is it with these endless albums, bro? I don't wanna listen to the same thing for 90 minutes unless the quality is pristine.
I just can't get onboard the KL train. I find his acclaimed lyrical "mastery" lacking and a bit dull. His delivery and voice are annoying. This album was better than mAAd City, slicker production with the jazz and funk influence. "King Kunta" and "How Much a Dollar Cost" I did enjoy but the rest of the album dragged. I did not like the repeat return to a psychotic breakdown in a hotel room...Lucy sure did a number on 'em. I think we may get one more from Kenny and fortunately it is his best. For all the pimpin' and scrimpin' on this album...2.47 stars.
look I just don’t like it ok
I have tried many times now to “get” the much lauded Kendrick Lamar but with little success. I find his voice slightly irritating and the stream of consciousness lyrics are hard to follow. I was however very impressed with his Glastonbury performance a few year ago and that’s why I have persevered. But alas I’m stil just not into him I’m afraid!
Chill rap. 2/5
This just doesn’t resonate with me. It’s not a rap thing. I like Biggie, Tupac, Em, and on and on. I don’t know if it’s the sound of his voice or the choppiness.
I was expecting big things cause I love the song King Kunta. But this is fucking awful 😖. How is this one of the biggest rappers in the world? This is shit. Nothing catchy at all. Shoite. Stand out song by a billion miles - King Kunta
Found out that I can not bare hip-hop more than 10 minutes
He should write a novel and quit making this far too long records! The fact that it is hip hop makes it even worse for me! most listenable: "I" 1,5
Ok background noise. Not really my thing. The best parts of each song were when he stopped talking at the end
This became a chore to complete, just something to check off and make it to the next day. I wish I appreciated hip hop more than I do.
Couldn’t get through that
God, this album is hard work. It's very dense and obviously has a lot to say, and doesn't care how long it takes to say it. It's an hour and 20 minutes long. That's too long. That's two albums long. The "interludes" on this are longer than other artists' regular tracks. And look, here's something I pulled off Wikipedia about These Walls: "pondering sex and existence in equal measure; it's a yoni metaphor about the power of peace, with sugar walls being escape and real walls being obstacles." OK, cool, but that's a pretty heavy metaphor, right? What I'm saying is, I am sure this album is good, even great, I can hear that it's a tour de force. But also I did not enjoy it on an emotional level at all.
Not a huge fan of Kendrick but glad to listen.
Not a big fan
what I'm listening to? Supaboring
It was ok
I'm so sick of everyone riding this guy's dick. This shit sucks.
point5.
How much a dollar cost was ok.
fine
I did not use a private spotify session for this one. Absurd, over-the-top , uncomfortable amount of the use of N word. This was not made for me and I am fine with that. More profanity than I care for in general. As far as the music some its that strip club music, bass heavy with a lot of moaning and grunting. Credit to Kendrick for making something so explicit and then later doing the halftime at the SuperB owl. If there was any doubt I was losing my edge and getting out of touch with the cool kids there shouldn't be anymore.
This is pretty good for me as a rap album.
nähädu tack. aint doing it for me
Still very much not my sort of music but this has more interesting things going on and less of the actively aversive things (though I did fall asleep before the end of the album).
Not in my wheelhouse but I enjoyed "King Kunta" and "i" so I'll go with 2 stars
Maybe I am just too old but I cannot understand the appeal of this. 2 stars or D for me.
Better than the snoop dogg record, but I'm just too old to see how "n***a wipe your ass" gets you a Pulitzer.
Production sound is fantastic. Production as far as restraint is another story. Many of the songs feel way too long. Many of the songs feel too packed full of extraneous elements.
Less impressive than I though it would be, likely too because I couldn't help but compare this one to other records that in my opinion just took certain aspects to the next level. I liked the incorporation of jazzy elements(but for example, lackluster considering acts like digible planets or common) and other genres and even some guitarwork, which I liked. On the other hand some it felt over the top, which is why I'm not a fan of the first track, which in my opinion should set the tone for the rest of the record and thus is crucial, wesleys theorem left some more to wish for. But overall I can't say too many bad things, it was a good record, just not my style of hiphop I suppose, nonetheless there were some great sounds and lyrics on this album and it has a lasting impact on modern rap, which can't be overlooked. Favorite track: Momma. Overall score: 5/10
This is not my cup of tea. Not a fan of constant profanity. Would not seek out
I liked reading the lyrics as poetry but did not like listening to this as music. BUT it led me to his Damn album, which I liked.
Some good songs but album isn't together.
Two only, not my thing
About the only word I could understand was nigger. Some of the music was creative.
Music was good, lyrics were crap
Not my thing. Nice instrumentals, but not my thing. Two out of five.
boring. some great songs but probably wouldn't listen again.
I did not enjoy this.
I have tried SO hard to get into Kendrick, and I truly never can. Personally there’s no denying that his lyrics are actually passing into relevancy, opposed to many of his opposing stars, but his voice is just truthfully hard to listen to and his flow I can’t seem to get behind no matter how hard I try. I understand his influence and I respect that.
Immediately better than his previous ("...m a.a.d city"). Strong and overly-obvious PFunk influence which is great, even starring George Clinton on the opening track. I do love the afrofunk style on many of the songs, that's definitely in my wheelhouse. Where I can't get into it is... Kendrick himself. His style improved since the last album but i just don't know if I like his voice or style. Actually I *do* know ... and I do not. For his style and art he's undeniably talented but it's just too many words crammed in for me to not get distracted and then annoyed. And when the rhythm is off or non-existent in the rapping...I start to hate it. Also this mix is awful. The exaggerated compression killing me in headphones - pump pump pump. Take a dramamine to get through an hour or more. Another negative: I hate skits or these little wordplay interludes. Kills the vibe for me. TL;DR: Yeah this is a big album for a reason - it's super ambitious but it's too exhausting for me to listen to. I've little idea what to mark this - most of the music is pretty great which is almost all I care about. I think this one (as they all should, I suppose...) comes down to preference. I'm just not a fan of his vocal style - it's not bad, just not what gets to me - and the mix is so distracting that listening to the entire album was tough. Feels like I should give it a 3 for reaching for the moon but I won't listen again - if this had a less dense mix and a different vocalist (the whining style on e.g. "Hood Politics" is where it all falls off the rails for me) .... eh, I guess it'd be someone else. :P 5/10 2 stars
Just not my jam.
Hip hop and rap never really achieves to touch me emotinally like rock or jazz can. I can hear that this is quality, I guess. It is more up beat and playfull than other hip hop, that I’ve tried to avoid in the past, so that is positive.
Do not particular like KL's delivery - the song with Snoop really highlighted this for me - it just leaves me cold. Musically there as a lot going on (too much) and it just feels over produced and makes me yearn for simpler times. Lyrically I'm not the target audience so find it hard to appreciate.
I don't like trap, at all
Vervelende Rap
This album gets so much praise, but I just don't get it. The production is pretty good but that is about it for me.
Not my cup of tea
not my cup of tea
I won't be aiming to listen to this again. I don't understand the hype for this at all.
I liked good kid maad city better. I'm sure I would appreciate this album more if I had time to research the background and listen through it again, but at first impression it was mostly just jarring.
Experimental jazz rap. Sounds like noise and word salad. I’m not the audience for this.
I just don't see the appeal. Great production value, but the lyrics are often nonsensical, and there's just not enough to it.
Not my style of music. Nice harmony but I don't really enjoy
.
Favorite tracks: u, Alright, For Sale?, Momma, i, Mortal Man. I like how the tracks connect and flow into each other, and I respect the chaos of the different styles, instrumentation, etc. I really liked the "conversation" with Tupac at the end of Mortal Man. But overall, I'd say this isn't really for me (nor was it ever meant for me). It felt too long, but this seems like an album where the tracks shouldn't be separated or skipped. I also think maybe I don't like Kendrick's vocals? Ah idk. Going with 2.5 stars on this one, noting again that I am not the audience for this.
Not my bag, but the wash your ass refrain had me laughing.
I tried to like it, but I can get myself to enjoy this kind of music. It just feels flat and repetitive, musically uninteresting. 3/10
Did not listen to the full album, not my thang...
Me gusta la producción (es excelente), varias de las músicas detrás de la voz, en especial cuando son instrumentos reales o suenan como eso. Más allá de eso, me cuesta escuchar el album. No me gusta para nada la voz, que es típica del rap. No le gustan nada las canciones que hasta la música es digital y no suena como ningún instumento. Me pasó varias veces pensar que me gustaría poder eliminar la pista de la voz principal para poder disfrutar mejor del resto. Me da la impresión como si Kendrick Lamar se hubiese rodeado de músicos y productores excelentes pero que él no es realmente tan excelente y esa es la parte que no me gusta. Probablemente muy erróneo, pero así lo siento.
It's a tad better than its predecessor, but I still don't understand how this is getting such high rates.
Huch Kendrick Ich han zwei mal i verschiednige gechillte setups probiert mit dem album warm z werde. Aber es hed mich null abgholt und has beides mal ahstrengend und unentspannt gfunde. Sorry Noah Nix für mich
Ah nigga... i did not enjyo this album
This was, frankly, very much not my jam. I'm not a fan of Kendrick's lyrics, and while I can understand the topics and flow may be very worthy of praise I find myself just deeply turned off by the whole product. The instrumentation was good, and probably the main reason this gets the second star, but it's all over the place stylistically which makes for very disjointed listening, and (on a personal level) his voice is just really grating! Also, I don't understand why he chose to make us listen to a secret podcast at the end. Sorry to all the (admittedly millions of) Kendrick fans out there, but I'm not becoming one of you.
Was fine
I still don’t get why this one means so much to so many people. Boring, boring beats. Endlessly long. Rhyming over abstract jazz isn’t new by any means, and it just seems to go on and on with no energy, no propulsion. The lyrics are just depressing, bordering on whiny. The interstitial poem which links all the tracks is self-indulgent and dull. Sooooo much talking. Some tracks on here are mildly exciting, and I guess I can appreciate his attempts to incorporate a variety of styles, but the results aren’t there.
For rap, this wasn't the worst I've heard. Not at all my thing, but I made it through. 2/5
Not my scene
More like Kendrick Lame
I really wanted to like this album. I like at least some hip-hop (I gave NWA a 5*), because I like the music or (very often) for its significance, or both. And Kendrick Lamar is supposed to be "the man" currently when it comes to quality hip-hop. Wins all the awards. Unfortunately, and I tried hard, I don't see it. It doesn't appeal to me musically as much as some other hip-hop and the lyrics, while meaningful, are not very poetic and still full of "nigga", "dick" and "pussy". OK in the 1980's but by now I hoped people had moved on. I'm going to listen to some more Lamar albums and hope I "get it" one day but for now, I don't.
I was a little taken aback when first seeing that this record ran 40 minutes in length with only four songs. Right from the jump I could see why “Chameleon” is one of Herbie Hancock’s most popular works. The whole song is built on an infectious groove with a variety of keyboard improv galore. I was disappointed a bit that there was no guitars to be found on the album at all. Seems to be more of a passive listen. The songs display cream of the crop jazz-fusion musicianship, but as with buy and large instrumental compositions, a lot of it is not necessarily memorable to non-jazz enthusiasts, including myself. Sly was my favorite track.
I wasn't sure how it feel about this album going into it. When it comes to rap, there's a specific type that I like and Kendrick is usually not in that bubble, but this album exceeded my expectations honestly. I was expecting to have my review being along the lines of "I don't like it, but I respect it" but I genuinely enjoyed this listen. His lyricism and The smooth way in which she addresses tough subject matter is just flawless. To be honest, it takes a couple songs into the record to get what he is going for, but once it reaches track for or 5, it all starts to click and you can really just sit back and be immersed in the story he is trying to tell. Great lyricism, catchy instrumentals, addicting hooks. Just a great record that I would definitely listen to again. Definitely a nine out of 10
One or two tracks were ok
I prefer old school hip hop. This is just not my thing, might have tolerated it better if it was shorter, but at 1hour and 19 mins I found it to be a chore. This review bucks the trend of popular opinion and makes me feel like an old grumpy man.
This was tough to get through and so long! At no point could I guess what was going to happen next - maybe for some that is innovative and exciting, but for me it felt frustrating and inconsistent. I seem to be one of the few who doesn't get the Lamar hype, but I just couldn't get into this at all
Rap bof
I have some friends that just love this guy but I can't get into him.
The Good: There were actually several songs where I thoroughly enjoyed the beat. The Bad: Please tell me all about social (in)justice. The Ugly: Forced. I don't have any issues with people wanting to express their viewpoints on this that and the other thing... but I am sick and tired of having to listen to the same (c)rap since the '80s pointing fingers to all but the own damn community--sorry, this is supposed to be about music, not about politics, but this, for me, is a political album and I am tired of politics. Would have been 3*
2 out of 5. This was kind of a hard album to listen to and I kept getting distracted throughout. I like the jazz but at times the music felt disjointed. That being said These Walls was the standout track for me.
I doubt I’m going to like this one… I will say the jazz elements are interesting and stop this from getting a 1, and the instrumentals in general. However, there is nothing at all original about the lyrics. Excessive swearing, violence, bragging. Why do all these hip hop albums on this list talk about the same stuff?
Statins! Some people choose to take them. Some people need to take them. Some people just don’t need them in their life… Kendrick Lamar tracks! Some people…
I guess it’s ok for rap. But I hate rap.
I get why people like this but it’s not typically a choice I’d make
Gikk meg hus forbi. Varte lenge
Pretty awful
Na, don't like it.
I enjoyed the jazz very much. The rap didn’t catch my interest.
Some good beats and bass lines, terrible content.
Just not ma jizz man.
I don't understand it, some interesting samples choices but it's just not my thing. can't stand the vocals
It was OK as it went.
was interesting background as I cleaned, but nothing I'll seek to put on again.
Very much a poetry jam rap album. Nothing really stood out as a banger song that I would go back to. Best Song: Alright
Not my jam
It's frustrating, but at least there's some ambition here.
Good samples. He uses a ridiculous voice half the time and his rapping is exhausting half the time. When they're just talking, I tune out.
Not for me. Good to express views on society etc, but the excessive swearing is a big no for me, and meant that any interesting jazzy bits, etc, were lost to my wincing. Sorry. Just personal, not saying it's no good, in fact I get that it's eclectic and interesting.
Really don't like it
It was fine - I see how this album meant a lot to a lot of people and why it won a Pulitzer. It's still not my jam but I'm glad it exists
I like some of it. A bit more hip hip heavy than my usual fare.
Too artsy fartsy. Not enough bangers
Not really my genre of music. The rapping was fine, and some of the songs had some catchy grooves and were recorded well, but most of it just sounded like a mush of verbal diarrhea. Two stars.
Liked the jazzy tracks, the others not so much
Not really my bag
It was okay
Very disjointed
I just... don't know what to do with this. I tried, but maybe my mistake was in trying to make sense of the lyrics. I either found them incomprehensible, or somehow troubling (and not in a way that made me feel empathy for Kendrick). I think I could have enjoyed an instrumental version of this album, or at least made it more than halfway through a song before feeling an overwhelming urge to skip to the next song. He's exploring themes that seem intensely important to him, but I feel confused and bounced out instead of understanding the issues more deeply. My stars are going to the musicians and producers who layered up the jazz/funk/experimental arrangements. Sorry, K-dot, I don't seem to be your target audience for this one, and I'm having trouble seeing through the window into your world.
I wish I had more to say, but it's not an album that has grabbed me and I don't wish to work on it more. I have listened, and I can't find it in me to do more. It's probably really good in its own way, I just can't gell with this style or this message..
Me suena pero no conosco, otro disco de musica de la black people. Experimental i tot lo que vullgues pero prou mierdón. Es veu que tens que conectar en el mensaje o ser del rollo (nig*a) o viure en Brooklin o algo aixina pa que te resone per que vamos a mi plim. Raruno i parlan de pitos i xingal. 2/5
Куда уж нам, православным, до проблем черножопых.... Не понять нам этого.....
Lamar likes to play with a theme throughout an album, as an extended story. This was clear from m.a.a.d., which was a better album with songs that might linger. This one had none.
😴
Musically really ambitious and creative with solid production, but I'm not feeling it. Not a fan of Lamar's voice and tonally it's all over the place. You get a sense he's got something to say, but it's lost under all the details. Fave Songs: I, You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said), Wesley's Theory, These Walls
This album is a jazz rap fusion, It took me a while to get into, I can respect the work as a complete piece of poetry, but found it quite irritating..
Check ich nicht
This is not pleasing to listen to. When rappers purposefully make their voices weird just to be different is not something I’m in to. Is he talented? Yeah, I guess. I think I could make a similar album if I was given the tools to do so. Not impressed.
Please stop
Just not that inspiring. Better than some of the more drab RnB but it’s not as fun or exciting as the classic Hip Hop that’s been on the list so far. Don’t really understand why he’s considered as highly as he is. It was very average for me.
No me ha gustado mucho, no es malo, pero se me ha hecho largo y sin brillar en ningún punto. El rap de los 90/2000 me llamaba más que el que se ha ido haciendo después. Seré yo que me hago viejo.
Never listened to this album or much of Kendrick Lamar before. He is the only artist aside from classical and jazz artists to receive the Pulitzer prize for music, which is pretty amazing. I liked the lyrics and rap style but not a big fan of the backing music and hooks. This album is classed as jazz rap / neo soul and it's a bit too 'easy listening' for my taste and while it's pleasant to hear, I didn't really sit up and listen to most of the songs. King Kunta was my favourite song - more of a funk / west coast hip hop style than the rest of the album.
I don’t know… maybe I just don’t get it
It's not terrible, but it isn't the sort of hip-hop I personally like.
If I liked contemporary hip-hop, I'd like this.
I don't see what all the fuss is about. Then again, this is really not the type of music I normally listen to, so perhaps my opinion isn't relevant in this case.
I've tried listening to this album prior, because I know a lot of people that really like it. I gave it another shot and it's just not for me. It sounds they all have ADHD and waited for the meds to wear off to start recording. There's a couple songs that I find just okay, but the rest is a mess.
It got headbanging a couple of times but i just cant seem to get into hip hop/rap
Sorry, I just can’t. Maybe this would be better as a slim volume of poetry. Almost all of these do not seem like songs, melody-wise, to me. Also, way too long. However, nice Isley Brothers sample on “I”.
Well, that was something. I kind of got into King Kunta, but then it lost me. These Walls was also interesting, with some cool instrumental licks. Alright is a BLM "rallying cry" song (which I learned from Wikipedia) and I understand why, even though it's not my kind of music. How Much a Dollar Cost was also interesting to me. The first half of the next-to-last track (i) was pretty fun - probably my favorite on the album. The last few minutes turned to social commentary that I appreciate, but took me out of my enjoyment.
Coming in I had no idea what to expect. I knew the name Kendrick Lamar but knew absolutely nothing about him. This album started out really rough for me and made me really considering just abandoning ship. I'm glad I didn't as tracks 11-16 were definitely the best part for me. Track reactions: 1 - Well... singing along is right now. Oh that's George Clinton. Love that funk. Ooof... this is difficult to listen to. There's a lot going on and I don't like much besides the beat. 2 - No comments on interludes unless I like them which I generally don't think they add much. Since this is a story-telling album I understand why they are here so I'm neutral on them unless otherwise mentioned. 3 - This one was OK. 4 - What the heeeeeellll is this? No thanks... 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 - I'm questioning whether I should bother continuing to listen... 10 - This actually seems like a track I could listen to. "Fine" is now a stand out track for me. 11 - Might be my favorite track so far? It's fine+ 13 - Another fine track. 14 - Forgettable 15 - New leader in the clubhouse? This one kinda slaps. Best song for sure but I could definitely lose the ending monologue. 16 - This has a good flow.
4.5/10 Highlights: The Blacker the Berry King Kunta
Not for me. Catchy but bothered by language.
Жизнь не поменяется, подмооооой жопу, нигга, говорит мне кендрик ламар на пару со снупдогом. Я знаю твои секреты, нигга!! Ну... ну как это оценивать, если я не чернокожий житель гетто? Трудно оценивать, вот правильный ответ. Рэп новой волны я не могу воспринимать. Да и вообще рэп это такой жанр, который надо читать (как его читают, впрочем, и сами исполнители) а не слушать. С музыкальной точки зрения альбом... ну норм. Но из-за того что он не про музыку -- я не могу. Не могу )
Nekak sam sam nezainteresiran bio za ovo. 2.5ish
I appreciate all of the intricacies involved in this truly thematic album. There are many swirling bells and whistles throughout that make it way more interesting and complex than most rap/hip hop I've listened to in the past. The constant nods to jazz throughout are the highlight for me. In the end though, I just don't completely connect with this genre. Favorite tracks: King Kunta, How Much a Dollar Cost, I.
Esta extensísima (80 minutos) colección de hip-hop, elevada por auténticos himnos soul, tiene un puñado de canciones que a mí, poco seguidor del estilo, me gustan y emocionan. Es el caso del arranque de "i" y "Momma", o del funk alternativo y subvertido de "The Blacker the Berry" ("Cuanto más negra es la baya, más dulce es el zumo").
Kuulemma uskomattomin konsepti ikinä... obama sano vuoden räp akti... Obaman lempi rappialbumille kuitenkin hankala tykätä,,,, varmaan pitäisi musta olla ymmärtäisi herran deep reflections of society... Materilism... DEEEEP.... changing yourself... wow...
not really my vibe but i can appreciate the mixing. 2/5
not for me
I hated this x
While I appreciate the artistic effort Kendrick exhibits, this album is partially unlistenable and mostly unenjoyable for me. It’s feels incredibly bizarre for me to even think that with how much I love Kendrick as a musician. It’s like I’m in an alternate reality where I’m listening to a different album from everyone who believes this to be his masterpiece. I may just not be getting the point, but most of this record feels like throwaway music that’s a novelty the first time, but too off kilter and unpleasant to go back to except for memes. When he gets a song well put together, it fantastic ie Alright and King Kunta but they’re so few and far between. The large swath of tracks on this record have great production but either have awful hooks or obnoxious vocal inflections from Kendrick that normally work, but work to his detriment here. I’m just confused. This album is so beloved by so many people, but Imma have to pass.
Uncohesive mashup; his voice is an acquired taste, collaborative songs are best.
Well, the backing music was creative
Some good instrumentation. Vulgar and hard to listen to.
Just don't like most of it. Did like King kunta though
ok, rap not really my thing some interesting beats and grooves
no me gustó
ehhh good rap just a lot of cussing
I want to give this 2.5 stars... Better then I was expecting. Vibes like a 1990's album, but released in 2015.
Not for me
Started listening at 6:30 am and just couldn't. First lines put me off at that time of day and I never got back to it.
Well done but just not my cup of tea!
Il y a une certaine variété dans les beats, mais je n'accroche pas à la voix de Lamar. Les titres sont assez peu mélodiques, ce que je préfère dans le rap.
We once bought a CD from a guy on the street. He was selling them outside of Comerica Park after a Detroit Tigers game. There were five songs . We listened to about 5 seconds of each song. We threw it out the window onto I-75. To Pimp A Butterfly is only slightly better than that.
When this came out there was sooo much hoopla around it. Listening then and now, the album is just \"okay\" to me.
Obviously very popular given the number of streams. There are some interesting turns of phrases, but not my thing at all.
King Kunta on klassikko mut muut ei noussut yhel kuuntelul. Paitsi ehkä Snoop ku Snoop on Snoop. Ihan kivaa fiilistelyy kuitenki. Loppu kohti parani.
Didn't really like it. I know it's won a ton of awards and is popular but I just didn't find any of the songs interesting.
As much as this music isn't really my thing this album Kendrick has a lot to say about how America and the oppression black people face.
Shit, I couldn't fucking get on board with it, bitch. I just couldn't bastard handle the cunting language. Musically unfucking appealling. So it can sit on my dick, but that ain't free, you twat. (still. Better than ZZ Top. Which was the worst album of all time)
Not my thing stylistically. Appreciate the message though