Review Summary: The best album in the industry presented by an amazing artist from the west coast. This album will be viewed as a classic down the road.
Kendrick Lamar has made a name for himself. A real image not a front that is presented that he can’t live up to, but one that has him nearing the top of the hip-hop world.
Growing up in Compton California Kendrick has made it through a lot of things that most couldn’t even imagine. He saw family members die and had to treat everyone as if they were an enemy. Although his family had very little to no money Kendrick succeeded in school and was a very intelligent behaving kid. He went to school everyday and was a dedicated writer throughout his years attending. He was never a part of a gang but often found himself in awful situations due to the setting.
Seeing his uncles dealing on the corner and watching many of his friends take bullets Kendrick knew that Compton wasn’t for him, he needed to make it out. That is when he started to really do something with his God-given talent writing. Although his family was hardly around they encouraged him and were great support. Kendrick says many times that he couldn’t have done it without his mother, which is a very important figure to him. She always wanted him to get out and knew that he could so she pushed him until he was.
In his debut album Good Kid M.A.A.D City Kendrick shows his unbelievable talent and flawless flow with words to describe growing up in his hometown of Compton California. Kendrick was ultimately a good kid in a mad city (Compton) surrounded by demons and death.
Songs such as “Black Boy Fly” show how determined he was to make it but also how intimidating the situation of others succeeding and getting out of Compton was. To really get the feelings and image to you he gives you visuals and relatable topics such as basketball.
The West Coast has needed an artist like Kendrick to put them back on the map (They haven’t had one since the Game). Kendrick has done a whole lot more then that in this album with his lyrical ability and his way of relating to everyone. By telling stories of his childhood and how hard it was to live growing up in Compton it really makes you wonder how anyone could achieve the things that he has coming from such a harsh environment.
Rap has needed a true artist like Kendrick to describe the real issues that face common people. Unlike most artists he doesn’t just talk about getting b*tches and money, he speaks about wanting to be remembered and shows that it takes true dedication to get what you want.
None of Kendricks songs in this album are meaningless, they all have a story to tell and are very thought out. It takes a true artist to put life memories into music and that is exactly what Kendrick is. From talking about drug deals going bad to prostitution he showed every aspect of Compton and the issues that its people face. With Kendrick not being in a gang he could also speak freely about creating peace and questioning the deaths due to gang violence.
Kendrick among other things is a storyteller. In this album he shows his ability lyrically by telling touching stories of not only his past but also everyday life in Compton. The song “B*tch don’t kill my vibe” is a song where Kendrick discusses his faults but also points that he is doing what he wants to do and nothing will stop him. This shows the will power that Kendrick possesses, with everything against him he still found a way to succeed and knows that it took a lot of hard work to get where he is. And it will continue to take even harder work to better himself and his music.
Dre a West Coast Legend has also contributed to the album and has made it feel even more like a classic then it already did. With the old-school flare that he brought to the table he helped Kendrick present to a much larger group then his previous mixtapes. He has made a masterpiece into something that will be recognized for many years to come and will be viewed as one of hip-hops true classic albums.
The song that sticks out the most to listeners that haven’t been following Kendrick until recently is “Swimming Pools (drank)”. This song is the song that got Kendrick out there, his breakout single. Although this song is know by many I would have to argue that it is not the best song on the album. If you enjoyed “Swimming Pools” and played it over and over as I did, I would suggest to instantly purchase this Album. It is only the start of Kendrick’s true genius.
“Poetic Justice” is a masterpiece of a song produced with Canadian star Drake. Both artists are at their finest and go perfectly together. The slowed tempo of the beat allows them to go at a comfortable pace and say everything that needs to be put across to listeners. This song is one of the strongest songs on the album and is a must listen.
Good Kid M.A.A.D City is an album that every listener will enjoy. If you are a true hip-hop fan you will be listening to it over and over again and won’t be able to stop yourself from loving it. There is too much that Kendrick has to offer to not be at the top of the game. If he continues to present us with this classic material he could be considered one of the all time greats next to fellow rapper Dr. Dre.
