Album Rating: 4.5

Imagine coming onto a thread for a universally acclaimed album, claiming it’s overrated, and then telling people they don’t know anything about rap because you can’t handle the fact that people disagree with your hot take

I mean that’s not what I did but ok bud

Album Rating: 4.5

Imagine digging through someone's ratings, finding 14 examples of ratings you disagree with, listing them all, and then using that to claim they don't have the "correct opinion"



I swear people who only listen to rap are like this 99% of the time too lmao

Album Rating: 5.0

DaHound, I see exactly what you're saying about people wanting to talk about hip hop and rating damn near "objectively" great albums so low. That being said, I think this record is one of the GOATs.



To me it's very much an underground album that a popular rapper just happened to make. There are way too many visionary and unique stylistic blends and artistic choices to say that this isn't special. And in what world is The Game better? Not saying he isn't ever good, but like damn. They do very different things too, but I ultimately prefer what Kendrick does a good deal better.

Album Rating: 4.5

There are no objectively great albums

Album Rating: 5.0

Hence the quotations.



Edit: But consensus isn't a nonfactor, either.

Album Rating: 4.5

So if you acknowledge there's no objectively great albums, why does people "wanting to talk about hiphop" bother you if they rate those albums low? Makes no sense

Album Rating: 5.0

My edit just said that consensus matters and I'll repeat that. Also, I just mean that if someone says they like a genre and then proceeds to hold one of the widely regarded classics in low favor, you begin to question the validity of their tastes.



Hypothetical statement: "I love movies or whatever, but Schindler's List, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and The Godfather all suck ass." I'm liable to laugh and proceed to regard that person's opinion less, y'know? Is that fair? Maybe not. They're entitled to their opinions, too, but I'm entitled to mine as well.

Album Rating: 4.5

Or maybe.... their taste is just as valid as yours, you just happen to have different taste

I don’t just listen to rap lol. And I picked those ratings because they are all recognized classics that they happened to rate low. They said my opinion was wrong so I rebutted. Maybe I could’ve gone about it better but it’s been done.

It’s really just frustrating to see people in general praise this album so highly when many many people haven’t gone back and heard the necessary albums from the past. In my experience this was a great intro to hip hop but over time it’s grown off of me. I had this 5’d years ago and it’s still good every now and then for a nostalgic listen but it’s down to a 3.5 for me. I see it as just a beginner kind of album.

I agree there are no objectively great albums but when you have the highly regarded albums of the past so low and overall there are relatively so few albums rated (this is assuming they have rated everything they have heard, could be wrong. I definitely don’t have everything rated on this account) it’s hard to see where they are coming from in terms of reference for why it is one of the best rap albums of all time

I really love The Game because he has consistently released superb albums since his debut in 2005. He has multiple different flows. awesome beat picking, varied topics, plentiful references. Dude’s just always been one of the best to me and especially in California we love Game. He represents the scene hard and maybe I’m biased but I’ve seen people all over praise Game for his whole catalogue including his lesser known releases like Jesus Piece, 1992, and The Documentary 2.

sucks

Album Rating: 4.5

Describing a universally beloved album as a “beginner album” when there’s plenty of diehard rap and music fans who love it is just so douchey. Literally like arguing pizza is overrated and anyone who likes it doesn’t know anything about food and hasn’t tried the “necessary foods.”

dahound making an ass of u and me itt

Album Rating: 4.5

DaHound just sees music on another level. He has transcended to a state of true hip hop enlightenment, unlike us beginners

we'll get there someday pal

is that lambs?

I’m not trying to be douchey if it comes off that way. I see what you mean I’m just speaking from experience. Again could’ve gone about it in a much better way.

I don’t think this album holds up compared to those that influenced it and I don’t find a lot of the lyrics very substantial, I don’t enjoy all the different inflections Kendrick does with his voice even though they are still impressive even if I don’t like how they sound. The beats and the guest appearances here are the best part for me

Album Rating: 5.0

I mean yeah, every take is as valid as the next. That doesn't mean I can't disagree with it. Or that there's no sort of "truth" to aim for in the discussion. Gatekeeping is dumb but I don't have to coddle people by agreeing with them all the time either.



DaHound, was this record your intro to hip hop? Idk, I feel that's a weird reference point that not many would share, if so. The Game's rap, again, is good. But it's more meat and potatoes in comparison to something like this. The concept, the funk and soul and jazz and r&b blends. The lavish and poured over production, the very dense and dynamic songwriting. The live performances by certain great musicians like Kamasi Washington and Thundercat. These are all huge pluses for me. I feel like it could be more of "music fan" album than just a "hip hop fan" record, but it's still hip hop through and through. Idk, nobody ever wrote songs like these before this album and no one has sense. It's impossible for me to see this as some run of the mill "good" album and leave it at that.

Album Rating: 5.0

way too cordial to be lambs

It was one of my introductions yeah. It was the first thing I checked beyond this one alternative/indie rap group.

I’m not trying to gatekeep

I’m just bad at articulating and have poor choice of words sometimes