the good kid takes over a mAAd industry- Hail King Kendrick

HairyKats,


I come to you with great excitement on the day of the release of Kendrick Lamar's debut album good kid, m.A.A.d city. Kendrick hails from the city of Compton, California home to some of the most legendary hip-hop artists, his label head Dr. Dre and The Game to name a few.


Kendrick with his mixtapes and with this album has not only single handled earned himself the honor of the best rapper out of the West coast since Tupac, I would also like go on record to state that he is the best rapper in the game right now. Good kid, m.A.A.d city is the greatest representation of hip-hop I could think of from a new (mainstream) artist.

  While everyone else is out stating the obvious in their songs (drugs for sale, hoes on a pole, blah blah blah) he draws his listeners in with the lyrical soliloquies of his life and the lives of many people I know from Los Angeles and further more from every hood in every part of the world. The Game has remarkably given us a tour of his life growing up in Compton as well. But Kendrick's perspective comes from a place of attempting to go against the grain of becoming a product of his enviornment; While The Game's perspective is that of succumbing to life in the streets., Kendrick raps, "I'm like Tre, that's Cuba Gooding"( Tre? Boyz in the Hood? Strict Daddy? School boy?...I get it if you didn't LOL.) If we compare The Game's take on his life in Compton in a Boyz in the Hood sort of way vs. Kendrick, Game would hands down be Doughboy!

With good kid, m.A.A.d city deemed "a short film by Kendrick Lamar" I imagine tracks such as the 12 minute long Sing About Me I'm Dying of Thirst, and Real to be his monologue moments of truth of hurt, of pain, of thoughts, and of reality of OUR world.

I always get worried when rappers that make their ranks through the realms of the mixtape world that start their careers very concious in their lyrics and (by concious I mean thoughtful of their delivery and their subject matter, side eyes Wale still love ya!) are going to become mainstream artist and conform to what's popular. Its refreshing to hear Kendrick execute the task of maintaining his thought provoking lyrics while creating mass appeal music so gracefully in songs like Poetic Justice ft. Drake and the single Swimming Pools (Drank).

I enjoyed the intimacy on the album. The voicemails from his parents, searching for Dominoes, and the Van to meet food stamp appointments, to being checked outside of Sherane's house by the local gangbangers. good kid m.A.A.d city tells a story that I feel like anyone could relate to.

I definetly felt so L.A. in every essence of the phrase while listening to this album. Standing ovation to Kendrick Lamar! I humbly thank you. You have made it real that hip-hop still lives



Check out one of my favorite tracks from the album : Backseat Freestyle