His feature on Wat's Wrong was incredible too.
Music Kendrick Lamar
- Thread starter ArmchairCritic
- Start date
I'm still here for his verse on No More Parties In LA as verse of the year.
Oh yeah HK was a great lyrical verse, but the song aggravates me before I even get to Kendrick's verse.
Kanye x Kendrick x Madlib production? The whole song is flames.
I personally don't go out of my way to listen to tracks like Holy Key or even Control - while I recognise & appreciate the lyrical genius, if it comes on, on my phone or while I'm in my car i'll skip them every time. Not because I don't like the song, it's just not an enjoyable listen unless i'm in the mood for it. Plus I like to rap along to the lyrics when i'm driving or at the gym.
I don't see how NMPIL could've been better, Kanye snapped on it - his best verses in years, Kendrick set the tone and snapped like he always does, and the Madlib production was so smooth I could listen to it all day. It's so much better than Real Friends, lyrically and audibly imo.
Ab-Soul confirmed a Kendrick & J.Cole album is being worked on... cannot wait. Hopefully we get it early next year.
Recently went back & listened to Section.80 - fantastic album. Kendrick is a genius.
Recently went back & listened to Section.80 - fantastic album. Kendrick is a genius.
Been listening to Sidewalks with The Weeknd the last few days. Talent.
It's been almost 2 years since he released TPAB. I thought it a boring album at the time and, having just re-listened to it, I've not changed my mind. It's the musical equivalent of a Charlie Kaufman film that tries too hard to prove its own cleverness. I certainly wouldn't rank it amongst the all time great albums.
At the time, posters here were really positive about the album. Has anyone changed their mind? I'd be surprised if people still listen to it regularly. GKMC gets a lot more listens from me, I have to admit.
At the time, posters here were really positive about the album. Has anyone changed their mind? I'd be surprised if people still listen to it regularly. GKMC gets a lot more listens from me, I have to admit.
I'd listen to certain tracks from the album but I can't remember the last time I listened through it whole.
It's still as incredible as it was at the time for me.
I'd have GKMC ever so slightly ahead of it but they're both absolutely brilliant albums. Nothing has come close to being better than To Pimp A Butterfly since it's release for me.
i wasn't blown away at first but it grew on me tremendously. it's a work of art and i still regularly play it
I agree, thoroughly.
To me, it reeks of a record created as a concept designed to fill a political 'opportunity', rather than an organically created piece of work borne of true passion, or even true integrity. D'Angelo's 'Black Messiah' is, for me, the record that TPAB wanted to be.
I would question whether producers and label bosses had more to do with the record than K.L himself.
But whatever, I don't rate Lamar too highly in general. Taylor Swift collabs, Drake guest spots? Cmon, man, what're you doin'!?
His tone is good, but it's bitten off of Q-Tip, and his flow never feels quite natural to me, it's too stunted and in my view, too affected.
Who do you rate highly, out of interest.
I like lots of different stuff, and am always open to being swayed this way or that - for example, I'll defo give K.L's next release a listen and I'll hope to like it - so can't really give an 'all-time' fave list without missing lots of stuff out.
But a few long term fave records that don't really drop in my opinion...
MF Doom/Madlib - Madvillainy
Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders and Low End Theory
Public Enemy - Fear Of A Black Planet
Common - Resurrection
Slum Village - Fantastic 2
The Streets - Original Pirate Material
Outkast - most of their work
More recent stuff I like bit and pieces from Danny Brown, Stormzy (his first mixtapes), Skepta, Frank Ocean, Giggs (his first XL records stuff), D'Angelo, and even some naff meme stuff like the odd Yung Lean track that isn't cool to admit, but it's subjective.
I've spent so long trying to get into Kendrick music, I really want to like it but this part in bold is bit I struggle with. I really don't get his flow, there just isn't one there, to me anyway.
Oh I wasn't talking historically, I think the best days of hip-hop are unfortunately in the past. (great list btw)
Just that you mentioned you don't rate K.Dot highly, so I was wondering who you rate highly among the current artists.
Danny Brown, Stormzy & Skepta you rate higher than Kendrick?
I still listen to most of the songs on TPAB often but I listen to GKMC more as a whole. For me his albums are:
1. GKMC
2. Section.80
3. TPAB
But they're all superb.
1. GKMC
2. Section.80
3. TPAB
But they're all superb.
I still listen to TPAB regularly, it's brilliant.
Hello mate, sorry for the slow reply...
First off, it's subjective isn't it - I prefer Bob Dylan to Mozart, and Nirvana over Elvis, but others would disagree.
With TPAB, I first heard the lead songs 'I' and 'Blacker The Berry', and I loved them both. I saw 'I' live on some U.S chat show and I was just really impressed by his new swagger and the energy of the performance. Then 'Blacker The Berry' I heard the audio when it was released and I was seriously, seriously impressed. I thought it was the best new thing I'd heard in ages.
So my standards for the album were really high, and I just think, for me, it just didn't hit the level I was expecting. I don't like the Tupac conversation thing, at all. It's the kind of idea I can imagine someone at a record company coming up with.
And then the guest apps he made straight after the album really fecking bummed me out. I don't like Taylor Swift or Drake, at all. And although it might be a bit unfair, I just found myself liking him less as a whole after that.
I think the record for me, in the grand scheme of every great rap record ever dropped, would be like 6.5.
The Blacker The Berry, as a track, would be a 10.
So, no, I don't like any Danny Brown, Skepta or Stormzy track as much as that, but as a whole, I probably prefer the irreverence of D.Brown to K.L. And Skepta, as a whole, I do prefer over K.L (I am English though).
I heard Cartoons & Cereal for the first time the other day. How have I not heard it before? It's awesome.
cartoons and cereal is probably my favourite KL track, along with wesleys theory
have to say i'm gobsmacked at those doubting his flow. the guys as natural as they come for me. That he's able to use so many different tempos and structures, often switching up mid verse is a testament to his skill surely. So many rappers, including some of the greats, have one style regardless of the track, KL's strength is his versatility imo
obviously the taylor swift track can feck off but then again 'at first i did love you but now i just wanna fcuk'
have to say i'm gobsmacked at those doubting his flow. the guys as natural as they come for me. That he's able to use so many different tempos and structures, often switching up mid verse is a testament to his skill surely. So many rappers, including some of the greats, have one style regardless of the track, KL's strength is his versatility imo
obviously the taylor swift track can feck off but then again 'at first i did love you but now i just wanna fcuk'
I've really grown into TPAB butbI still don't think it was the best album released that year, let alone one of the best ever.
Even if we were to talk last 5 years then Freddie Gibbs and Madlibs Pinata would be way out ahead of it IMO.
Even if we were to talk last 5 years then Freddie Gibbs and Madlibs Pinata would be way out ahead of it IMO.
TPAB is great. I don't actively go out of my way to listen but when I have my music on schuffle or I feel like listening to Kendrick for the day I'll listen to it without fail. It definitely has elements of critic bait, but I don't think that should influence anybody's view on how solid the entire body of work is, really. Somewhat similar to Frank Ocean and Blonde (with Channel Orange and GKMC being the better debut album for both).
As for best K.Dot tracks... I'll say something like this is my top five. No particular order:
Cartoons and Cereal
U
Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst
HiiPower
Money Trees
As for best K.Dot tracks... I'll say something like this is my top five. No particular order:
Cartoons and Cereal
U
Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst
HiiPower
Money Trees
This is easily my favourite Kendrick song. It's immense.
Danny Brown over Kendrick all day long.
He has quite an annoying voice.
This, I can't comment too much on Brown as a lyricist but his voice instantly puts me off his music, same with Chance The Rapper
Took me a while to get into Chance and I preferred him on features but I've finally started to really like Coloring Book now.
I struggled with Isaiah Rashad's voice at first too. Thought he was too mumbly but now I love The Sun's Tirade.
Danny Brown's voice is like marbles in a blender though, can barely get through 30 seconds of his songs because his voice is so annoying.
There's some Chance stuff I like and I prefer his voice in most cases to Danny Brown, Danny still has some good stuff though.
I don't like Chance that much either. Same reason too.
Sometimes you get used to it and actually learn to like it like I did with Isiah Rashad, Schoolboy Q, Flatbush Zombies and the Underachievers.
Lupe Fiasco is dropping a new album in 11 days btw, you guys should check it out this guy is great.
Makes sense, I think with an album like GKMC the expectations of the sophmore album were always going to be high, and I think it's clever that he changed the sound completely on TPAB purely because it can't be compared so easily to GKMC. It has to be looked at and analysed independently.
And to me TPAB some what of a combination of both Section .80 and GKMC, while applying it to the current political & racial state of affairs in America.
It's a great album but I can understand why it wouldn't be to everyone's taste.
I still firmly believe he's the best lyricist out of the 'new generation' but music taste is obviously subjective and his music isn't going to be as popular as others.
I still go back to TPAB. I applaud the ambition of the project in a singles dominated genre of music. What is underrated is Kendrick Lamar's mastery of verse delivery that is displayed on the album. Compare Momma to Hood Politics for example. You have the same person in different phases of life offering different perspectives. Contemplative to confrontational. And the flow is the lynchpin of all that. I could go on and on about the album (I did when it came out).
Wesley's Theory, Institutionalized, For Free, King Kunta, U, Alright, Momma, Hood Politics, How Much a Dollar Cost, I (the single version), Blacker the Berry and Complexion are my favorites.
Wesley's Theory, Institutionalized, For Free, King Kunta, U, Alright, Momma, Hood Politics, How Much a Dollar Cost, I (the single version), Blacker the Berry and Complexion are my favorites.
Hard to name only 5 songs in my top, i like pretty much every song he has made.
The ones that stuck to my mind the most is:
Kush & Corinthians
The Relevant
Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst
Uncle Bobby & Jason Keaton
Poe Mans Dreams
Keisha's Song
Black Boy Fly
Vanity Slaves
...and several others. The man is a genius.
I grew up listening to Tupac and even though it's difficult to admit, Kendrick is a level above lyrically and technically. Tupac was the best at putting emotion in his words though, no one will touch him on that.
I'm proud to be a gemini same as these two, even though it means nothing.
The ones that stuck to my mind the most is:
Kush & Corinthians
The Relevant
Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst
Uncle Bobby & Jason Keaton
Poe Mans Dreams
Keisha's Song
Black Boy Fly
Vanity Slaves
...and several others. The man is a genius.
I grew up listening to Tupac and even though it's difficult to admit, Kendrick is a level above lyrically and technically. Tupac was the best at putting emotion in his words though, no one will touch him on that.
I'm proud to be a gemini same as these two, even though it means nothing.
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Complexion is one of my favourite ever songs. Cartoons and Cereal is criminally underrated too, I couldn't narrow it down to a list of 5 i'd always be chopping and changing.
While we're on Kendrick, this video was shared to a hip-hop group im a part of on Facebook about rhyming structure.
I don't know how anyone can question just how uniquely talented you must be to be able to manipulate words, beats, structure, flow and cadence, just to be a complex lyricist, and do all this while making it rhyme and telling a story.
While we're on Kendrick, this video was shared to a hip-hop group im a part of on Facebook about rhyming structure.
I don't know how anyone can question just how uniquely talented you must be to be able to manipulate words, beats, structure, flow and cadence, just to be a complex lyricist, and do all this while making it rhyme and telling a story.
My top 5 is really tough and I'd always be changing it but right now I'd say:
Sing About Me
F*ck Your Ethnicity (I think one of the best songs he's ever done. Underrated.)
Cartoons & Cereal
Maad City
HiiPower
There's so many more I can think of though. Interesting no TPAB there but I love every song on it. King Kunta just got quite overplayed for me even though it's brilliant.
Sing About Me
F*ck Your Ethnicity (I think one of the best songs he's ever done. Underrated.)
Cartoons & Cereal
Maad City
HiiPower
There's so many more I can think of though. Interesting no TPAB there but I love every song on it. King Kunta just got quite overplayed for me even though it's brilliant.
Posted a IV on his Instagram. Much excite.
More importantly there's a goat emoji as the photo description. It'll be out in April lads, the goat is back.
Don't promise such things .
New song dropped
New album (supposedly) April 7th
New album (supposedly) April 7th