DTS if we did.... but I went into last weekend hearing people praise a dude I liked, but thought the hype machine was in full effect. Hate all you want, but I've felt like O_E, while hyperbolific (I know it's not a word) isn't far off the mark. He is fresh, and he's better than a lot of what else is out there, but the way people are riding for GKMC, I just have never seen or heard this album y'all did. The beats are nice, but nothing snapped with me. The lyrics are on point, and are Kendrick's strong points. He is that good. And I'll love to hear what he has coming next. But them voices are corny. I've heard people defend them, but I just can't get there.
Point I was trying to get to was, this SNL performance.... I'll play into the cliche but that live backing and that lack of dumb vocal renderings.... this kid could do an Unplugged and take over the world right now.
1. "I feel the exact opposite.." In response to Reply # 0
I think he's an amazing recording artist; however, his live performance still misses the mark for me. It felt like his voice was getting drowned out by the band. Also, he played the two songs I wish he wouldn't have played on live tv.
2. "agreed, his TV live performances haven't hit the mark for me" In response to Reply # 1
but I've been lucky enough to actually see his real show out here in LA a few times so I know what he's capable of doing.
Song selection is a big part of the issue but what I've actually seen him do with two-turn-tables-and-a-mic at The Troubadour, The Paladium & Club Nokia (along with his TDE cameos at Shoolboy Q & Ab-Soul shows) have me sold on Kendrick as a live artist.
He takes meticulous care on that end like he does every other aspect.
Give him another album to really figure out how to work with a band on his own headling tour & he'll be cool.
9. "I think this is why I liked it" In response to Reply # 1
>It felt like his >voice was getting drowned out by the band.
Jokes. I get what you're saying though. I think that would frustrate me if I was a fan coming into it. I just thought the band sounded good, without doing too many of those over the top flourishes that backing bands love to do with live hip hop. Definitely agree with the below poster about "Poetic Justice" being the better of the two though.
11. "RE: I think this is why I liked it" In response to Reply # 9
Yeah, to be fair, I've never seen him live live. Just on TV.
And as a TV audience member, I just hoped it would be that much better.. because for a lot of people, this would have been their first exposure to him as an artist. His recordings are what won me over. I just don't feel like that SNL performance was capable of that.
8. "I only saw "Swimming Pools" not "Poetic Justice"" In response to Reply # 0
I honestly was kind of let down. I didn't feel like there was any energy there, many times it seemed like he had no breath control and couldn't finish is lines, and the song itself doesn't translate well live due to voice of his conscience.
I'll have to checkout the performance of "Poetic Justice" since the person above me said it was better. Was Drake with him to perform?
Printer-friendly copy 
Email this topic to a friend
The Lesson
#/media/File:Firefly.png)
