It's been a while since a rapper's debut album has made a significant amount of buzz. Better yet, it's been a while since a rap ALBUM has made an impact in the game. Yeah I said it! Hip hop has been in hibernation for a while and this radio friendly gangsta pop has took its place. But along comes Kendrick Lamar, the up and coming phenomenon that woke the sleeping bear and has got the competition petrified.
good kid, mA.A.d city is the critically acclaimed big label debut from Kendrick Lamar. Many say that it's one of the best rap albums of the decade but I believe that it is one of the GOATs. That's right, one of the Greatest of All Time. It's better than Ready to Die, better than Reasonable Doubt, it's even better than Illmatic! YES! I've been waiting for an album to come along for me to rightfully say that.
GKMC is a concept album. Which already sets it apart from the rest. On the album cover it says "a short film" and that's exactly how it feels. From the tape recorder playing in the beginning, the prayer of the homies, and the haunting woos with the bass hums. An atmosphere is already set and listeners know that KDot is gonna take us for a ride.
In track 1 we find Kendrick encountering Sherane, a love interest with dangerous gang connections that leads to the conflict in the story. At the songs end we here the voice mail messages from Kendrick's parents and his dad transitions us to the soothing Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe. A commentary on the rap game of today . The story picks up at Backseat Freestyle in which Kendrick is a young teen immersed in the culture around him. The Art of Peer Pressure is a special song because of its minute prelude with a nostalgic beat and the pimp whistle ftw. I would go on with this, but you can hear the album for yourself.
I could say that this album is Straight Outta Compton for the new generation but that can be considered disrespectful. This album is pure gold, it's an hour and eight minutes of something we haven't heard before and it is definitely one tough act to follow
GKMC reminds me alot of a Woody Allen movie, the way that the artist pays such a loving homage to his hometown is very admirable. This album is as much of an I Love You to Compton as it is a long Thank You letter. Thank You Compton for introducing me to gang violence, police brutality, and thug life recklessness. Thank you for the endless nights of peer pressure induced adventures with the homies, thank you for big booty hoodrats, thank you for West coast hip hop, NWA, Tupac, Dre.
Thank you Kendrick for showing us the good bad and ugly of the notorious city. Thanks for waking the sleeping bear and being the Luke Skywalker of Hip Hop.
A friend asked me what I think the next album title is going to be, my first guess is good kid, mA.A.d world but Kendrick doesn't linger on the same project. Always gives us something fresh. I'm going to be bumping this album for a long time.
And that's why I love you- good kid, mA.A.d city
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