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LTTP: Good Kid, M.A.A.D City

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P

Psychoward

Banned
kendrick-lamar-gkmc-deluxe.jpg

So let me start this thread off by saying I'm not a huge rap listener (like Saul Williams and occasionally listen to Lupe, Kanye and 90's stuff), I don't have anything against it, just prefer other genres. I downloaded this album a few months ago just because of the insane praise it got, and decided to give it a shot a few days ago. And let me just say, I was blown away. The lyrics are great, the concept is fantastic, narrative is awesome, I love Kendrick's voice/voice changes, beats are alright, features are great (dat Anna Wise/Jay Rock combo on Money Trees), it flows well. I just can't seem to praise it enough. It nailed the line between more serious downtempo songs and crazier songs. It has some awesome ideas conceptually - Swimming Pools (Drank) fronting as a party song actually being about substance abuse was genius for one. A bit disappointed that some of the beats were directly ripped from other songs, but what are you gonna do. This may just be the album that really gets me in to rap.
 
C

CountBlack

Member
And he didn't win a single grammy for it ;_;

For reals though, it is in my opinion a modern day #Classic. Upon the albums release I really doubted he'd be able to top Section.80 because that album was really good.. then Kendrick pretty much put it up another notch with GKMC.

Listening to the whole album from the start to finish is really an experience.

My favourite songs:
Money Trees
Sing About Me
m.A.A.d city
Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe

First time listening to Sing About Me had me like ;_;. That first verse.. them gunshots..

If you're just starting with Kendrick's music, check out: Kendrick Lamar EP -> Overly Dedicated -> Section.80. You can hear the growth in his music and how much of his ad-libs get cut by Section.80 and how much more serious he got with that project.
 
C

citizensyndrome

Neo Member
CountBlackule said:
And he didn't win a single grammy for it ;_;
Click to expand...

The award would've been nice to see, but I'm personally ok w/ Kendrick not gettting it. The award is really coming from a board or group of voters that are making decisions that devalue the art form itself.

Kendrick is the people's champ and the social media reaction to Macklemore being handed best rap album is an indicator of that.
 
R

RJT

Member
Now listen to Cartoon & Cereal (youtube link). It was meant to be on the album, but the samples weren't cleared. And be blown away that the album was that good even after losing one of the best songs.
 
C

citizensyndrome

Neo Member
CountBlackule said:
And he didn't win a single grammy for it ;_;

For reals though, it is in my opinion a modern day #Classic. Upon the albums release I really doubted he'd be able to top Section.80 because that album was really good.. then Kendrick pretty much put it up another notch with GKMC.

Listening to the whole album from the start to finish is really an experience.
Click to expand...

my feelings exactly. it's the modern representation of Boyz in the Hood/Menace II Society. and it has one of my favorite samples of the last several years in Silver Soul by Beach House. it takes something special to make a fantastic hip hop record using a Beach House sample (though R&B artist The Weeknd did the same thing a year earlier, in an equally impressive way).
 
X

Xion385

Member
My favorite songs:

m.A.A.d city
Money Trees
The Recipe
Poetic Justice

CountBlackule said:
And he didn't win a single grammy for it ;_;
Click to expand...

Take out Macklemore, he probably wins Best New Artist. Everything else, he was up against Yeezus. It was going to be difficult for him to win anything else.
 
D

Dreams-Visions

Member
Xion385 said:
My favorite songs:

m.A.A.d city
Money Trees
The Recipe
Poetic Justice
Click to expand...

Mine:

Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe
The Art of Peer Pressure
Money Trees
Poetic Justice
Swimming Pools
Sing About Me/Dying of Thirst
Compton
Now or Never

RJT said:
Now listen to Cartoon & Cereal (youtube link). It was meant to be on the album, but the samples weren't cleared. And be blown away that the album was that good even after losing one of the best songs.
Click to expand...

:O
 
R

RJT

Member
Since everybody is doing it (reminds me of the original thread):

M.a.a.d. City
Good Kid
Sing About me
Money Trees
Swimming Pools
 
M

MetalGuardian

Banned
I'm with the OP. Not a rap guy, but freaking love this album. It's incredible in so many ways. In fact, I ALMOST made a thread about it yesterday, but instead I'll just ask here...

what are some other albums I should check out that are as good as/in a similar vein to GKMC?
 
R

RJT

Member
MetalGuardian said:
I'm with the OP. Not a rap guy, but freaking love this album. It's incredible in so many ways. In fact, I ALMOST made a thread about it yesterday, but instead I'll just ask here...

what are some other albums I should check out that are as good as/in a similar vein to GKMC?
Click to expand...

It would help if you said what you particularly like about this album.
 
N

number11

Member
The more I listen to this album.. The more I believe this is the closest 'classic' hip hop album we've had in years
 
C

citizensyndrome

Neo Member
I was excited to see this thread go up. I've been having a lot of discussions re: Kendrick. Some heated, some not. One of the comments I made to a colleague of mine was that in my opinion GKMC is a better album than anything Pac had released.

Not a popular opinion, but I'm curious what you guys think.
 
T

TheOohChild

Member
I got countless spins out of this album. It is pretty great. I think the overarching narrative is overstated by some. I think it adds to the album, but it also feels like an after thought. There are also a few songs I dislike (Poetic Justice, Real, Compton). Also I really don't like the vocal inflection he used Maad City. But definitely one of the best albums I listened to last year. Sing About Me is easily my favorite track on the album
 
C

citizensyndrome

Neo Member
MetalGuardian said:
I'm with the OP. Not a rap guy, but freaking love this album. It's incredible in so many ways. In fact, I ALMOST made a thread about it yesterday, but instead I'll just ask here...

what are some other albums I should check out that are as good as/in a similar vein to GKMC?
Click to expand...

I strongly recommend Earl Sweatshirt's album Doris. It's my favorite album of 2013
 
R

RJT

Member
citizensyndrome said:
I was excited to see this thread go up. I've been having a lot of discussions re: Kendrick. Some heated, some not. One of the comments I made to a colleague of mine was that in my opinion GKMC is a better album than anything Pac had released.

Not a popular opinion, but I'm curious what you guys think.
Click to expand...

Pac is a weird guy. No other rapper has better 15 songs than him, but all his albums have some amount of filler. So yeah, I agree with you.
 
T

TheOohChild

Member
citizensyndrome said:
I was excited to see this thread go up. I've been having a lot of discussions re: Kendrick. Some heated, some not. One of the comments I made to a colleague of mine was that in my opinion GKMC is a better album than anything Pac had released.

Not a popular opinion, but I'm curious what you guys think.
Click to expand...

Debatable, but I don't really have a problem with that statement. I think the Makaveli album is better though
 
K

Koozek

Member
Absolutly one of the best rap albums of the last years and definitely a modern classic that will be the "Ilmatic" of this decade, I'd say.
So conceptually tight and consistent in every aspect, be it lyrically or sonically.
 
C

citizensyndrome

Neo Member
RJT said:
Pac is a weird guy. No other rapper has better 15 songs than him, but all his albums have some amount of filler. So yeah, I agree with you.
Click to expand...

You nailed it, that's exactly how I feel about his work. His albums weren't capable of holding my interest like Ready to Die or Illmatic could, but he does indeed have a good volume of fantastic individual tracks
 
I

Imm0rt4l

Member
I don't really regard saul williams as a rapper, niggy tardust was cool though. Lupe fell off, and Kendrick is nice.
 
P

PhoenixDark

Banned
MetalGuardian said:
I'm with the OP. Not a rap guy, but freaking love this album. It's incredible in so many ways. In fact, I ALMOST made a thread about it yesterday, but instead I'll just ask here...

what are some other albums I should check out that are as good as/in a similar vein to GKMC?
Click to expand...

Danny Brown - XXX (More extreme voice alteration, which may turn folks off. But thematically it's similar to GKMC in terms of inner city strife and finding oneself. Not a strict concept album though)
 
P

Psychoward

Banned
YoungHav said:
Glorifies gang culture and will produce a new generation of thugs out of impressionable listeners.
Click to expand...
Almost got me.

Imm0rt4l said:
I don't really regard saul williams as a rapper, niggy tardust was cool though. Lupe fell off, and Kendrick is nice.
Click to expand...
Niggy Tardust and his self-titled were amazing, even if some of it isn't rap. And yeah, haven't listened to Food and Liquor 2 after Lasers, and don't have much desire to.
 
C

citizensyndrome

Neo Member
PhoenixDark said:
Danny Brown - XXX (More extreme voice alteration, which may turn folks off. But thematically it's similar to GKMC in terms of inner city strife and finding oneself. Not a strict concept album though)
Click to expand...

Danny Brown is a good recommendation. His new album Old is a solid listen also
 
T

Trey

Member
Money Trees is a perfect song, brehs. The beat is measured, capable of handling three different artists doing their own thing on the track. It sets a backdrop that wouldn't sound out of place any where there is hustling to be done. Kids are figuring out how to be men, and men are struggling to get paid.

We all understand these life situations, and Kendrick lays out his unique tale without filter. Although MT is a summary of all the events in the tracks prior, it adds something to the album by bringing it all together at once, allowing the events to stand next to each other under one cohesive roof, with no outros segmenting them.

Anna Wise delivers the break between rappers, but affirms the theme of the song with her own cadence. It serves as a brief change of pace, as well as punctuation for Kendrick's two stanzas.

Jay Rock brings a very solid verse which easily matches Kendrick's in authenticity. These men are telling you how it is for them, how it is for many living today. Comparing trapping and project residences to marching bands the garden of Eden may be ridiculous to many, but Jay Rock makes it seem an obvious connection.

The standout of the song, for my money, is the hook. It's simple enough, but effectual in its message. All elements of the song is distilled down to the hook (as it should), and nothing is lost in the reduction.

good kid, m.A.A.d city is one of the best albums I've ever heard, and Money Trees is my favorite joint on it.
 
C

citizensyndrome

Neo Member
Another young rapper I really enjoy is Joey Bada$$. He's a kid heavily influenced by his parents taste in early 90s east coast hip hop, i.e., De La Soul, Nas, A Tribe Called Quest. His lyricism is hit or miss, but I'm hopeful that he will improve his craft. Very bright future for this young man.
 
F

fader

Member
Pavaloo said:
instant classic



i'd say he tries to make gang culture out to look terrifying
Click to expand...

this.

if you think he is glorifying gang culture after listening to this album you ether have 0 critical thinking skills or just listening to the beat.
 
S

studyguy

Member
CountBlackule said:
And he didn't win a single grammy for it ;_;
.
Click to expand...

Gotta let that go man.
GKMC was absolutely the best album I've listen to in a good minute though. Really has the feel of one of those standby albums I kept in my car after they dropped and never left since I'd listen to cruising through the city year after year. Also as far as the glorification of gang culture, hell.. songs like the Art of Peer Pressure make him sound like a scared kid in too deep, but what is he going to do? He lays it out like it is, talking about the culture plainly and how it almost forces assimilation isn't glorifying it in my mind. Doesn't get more blatant than that track in particular.
 
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