It's incredibly hard to compare them imo as TPAB/GKMC and now DAMN are all different albums. UU is probably the closest to TPAB in some way, given the jazzy/soul arrangements.
Music Kendrick Lamar
- Thread starter ArmchairCritic
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It's incredibly hard to compare them imo as TPAB/GKMC and now DAMN are all different albums. UU is probably the closest to TPAB in some way, given the jazzy/soul arrangements.
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Yeah I like the jazz/soul arrangment on UU. Probably GKMC is my other favorite, judging by what I've added to one of my playlists.
Get the f*ck outta here...
I reckon he'd been watching Fargo when he wrote that.No second album
YAH has really grown on me, can't stop listening to it. It's stuck in my head.
Nah, I'm good.
Listened to Damn now and as it stands, would say I prefer HNDRXX and More Life over it.
Really? More Life I especially thought was a bit meh and I'm usually a Drake fan. Damn sounds damn good to me.
More Life marginally. Didn't think it's Drake's best work, but still thought it was good. Will have to listen to DAMN again as I've only heard it once and I only end up rating albums more once I listen to them a few times. Can't think of many albums I've listened to for the first time and felt blown away.
My review:
DNA is so fecking good
One of the best things about Kendrick is how he is a reflection of the complete spectrum of rap music, there is no misplaced elitism akin to much of the discussion that surrounds him and the analysis of his music. Like when he pulls for Juvenile's Ha cadence on the 3rd verse of Element or when he nods towards Beanie Sigel's Die on the 2nd verse of Fear or when he maybe references Chief Keef with the 'Laughin to the bank like aha.... Flex on swole like aha' line on God. I definitely hear Future, Young Thug and Lil Uzi influences on Love and God too. The Kid Capri drops as well, it's beautiful.
It really does get so much better the more you listen. I was away all weekend and didn't really get a chance to have a proper listen but now it's growing on me. I love DNA like everyone else. The beat switch is insane.
Element is brilliant. Really good beat and that hook! Lust when the beat starts to kick in is superb. Love is the most un-Kendrick song but it's lovely, and Zacari's voice is like silk. Feel and Fear have grown on me massively and are great tracks, really enjoying them. Yah is also growing on me loads. XXX I need to have a couple more listens but that'll definitely grow.
I think the only two I'm still lukewarm on are God and Loyalty. The hook on Loyalty (just saying it three times) is pretty basic and seems very pop/mainstream. God I'm just not sure about at all.
Pride sounds like a Tame Impala song so I'm not sure what to feel with that one. Duckworth a great end to the album.
Element is brilliant. Really good beat and that hook! Lust when the beat starts to kick in is superb. Love is the most un-Kendrick song but it's lovely, and Zacari's voice is like silk. Feel and Fear have grown on me massively and are great tracks, really enjoying them. Yah is also growing on me loads. XXX I need to have a couple more listens but that'll definitely grow.
I think the only two I'm still lukewarm on are God and Loyalty. The hook on Loyalty (just saying it three times) is pretty basic and seems very pop/mainstream. God I'm just not sure about at all.
Pride sounds like a Tame Impala song so I'm not sure what to feel with that one. Duckworth a great end to the album.
Had to relisten to Pride to see what you meant - good shout.
I really like Loyalty, the beat is impeccable. Perfect summer song. I agree about GOD, feels like the most forgettable track on an otherwise near flawless album.
Gone back and listened to his old stuff again. Poe Mans Dreams is just ...
The fecking world wide web got me ready for another album drop yesterday though. Do we assume all those coincidences were just that?
Gone back and listened to his old stuff again. Poe Mans Dreams is just ...
The fecking world wide web got me ready for another album drop yesterday though. Do we assume all those coincidences were just that?
I will probably will not love Damn as much as I loved To Pimp a Butterfly but, still really good.
Music is subjective and all that but this seems proper nutty to me.
Meh, I'm usually not big on Future, but I liked that one. As I say, will have to listen to Damn again, but I was not as blown away as some people with the first listen.
Kendrick is my favourite artist of all time and it's taken me a few listens for it all to start to click so I'd say that's pretty normal. Definitely go back and re-listen to Section 80, GKMC and TPOB though, GKMC is incredible.
Any reason why? I can still listen to HiiPower, ADHD, Keisha' song, Ronald Reagan Era and still enjoy them. I'll give Damn another go at some point this week, as I feel many who aren't feeling it like me have stated its a bit of a grower album.
I will do. Even some of my favorite albums, on the first listen, I've not been too big on. I'm sure he's rated highly for a reason, but not really sure I've never really listened to him much until recently.
Well GKMC is an absolute classic in many people's eyes. Any reason you were disappointed in it?
Imo the sound of it is brilliant. It has those old school west coast vibes but with a modern feel. Songs like Maad City, Sing About Me, Money Trees, The Art Of Peer Pressure etc... are all brilliant. And then TPOB is just a masterful piece of work in my eyes. So many different elements fused together to sound so good. Blacker The Berry, King Kunta, Institutionalised, Alright, HMADC, etc.. Would struggle to see how somebody who liked Kendrick would either of these albums disappointing.
Love Kendrick but Section .80 still his best work for me. Masterpiece.
Really liking this. DNA, PRIDE, HUMBLE, FEAR and XXX are highlights for me. DNA is naturally a banger, I actually wasn't enthralled with Humble when it was first released but it grew on me a lot.
Not a bad track on the album. YAH, DNA and LUST are brilliant.
I should rephrase that. I guess I'm curious as to what hip-hop albums you enjoy playing fr start to finish.
Loyalty is probably my least favourite Kendrick track in a while. Such a snoozefest. I like everything else though, a lot.
Good album. Think I prefer the Rick Ross album though.
It bewilders me that someone could have this opinion.
GOD has really grown on me. Feels like I wake up wanting to listen to one track all day.
Why? If everyone had the same opinion the world would be a poor place. I personally found Rick Ross album more fun. Lyrically it isn't on the same level but not every album has to be a complex one.
Feel exactly the same.
Recent or all time? I've been a Hip Hop fan for over 20 years so could name things back from early 90s. My favourite Hip Hop artists consist of Tupac, Big L, Nas, Bone Thugs (Krayzie and Bizzy solo included), Joe Budden, Royce da 5'9", DMX, Jay, Chino XL, Canibus - Majority of all their catalogs (minus Canibus's the most) I can listen to from start to finish. More recently, I guess it would be J Cole but his last effort was incredibly boring. But I am looking forward to Joyner Lucas's efforts as I feel lyrically he could out-rap any rapper currently.
I didn't dislike GKMC, but I came away thinking it did little for me after the first couple of listens. I still listen to Black Boy Fly though. Disappointment may have been a tad harsh, but the problem I have with his albums post Section 80 is replay value. To Pimp a Butterfly had zero replay value for me outside of Blacker the Berry. But probably going by my favourite Hip Hop artists I have very little West Coast in there. Always preferred the East Coast or Midwest sound.
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Don fecking Cheadle!
I really wanted the BLOOD monologue to segue in. It makes the beat drop so much stronger.
Wonder if the Chinese outfit got something more to it.
Apart from the Kung Fu Kenny that is.
Apart from the Kung Fu Kenny that is.
Another great video. Like others have mentioned Loyalty is the lowlight, could have done with a few more TDE features (imagine Q just jumped straight into a verse at the end of DNA video...overdrive).
Love pretty much everything else, had it playing pretty much non-stop since the drop.
Love pretty much everything else, had it playing pretty much non-stop since the drop.