Let's try this again.

Talk about the album. What you like, don't like, etc. Not other people's reactions or potential reactions to it. It's that simple.

Thank you!


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

i would have preferred the studio version much like i did with common's "the food" and i'll probably just replace it when i put it to the ipod for the car.

Gonna give it a second spin later today.

from what I'm hearing it was just some epic miscommunication - someone will prob get fired for it.

but the sad thing is, this morning I saw on FB that the album dropped on iTunes
went to iTunes for the instant cop...only to find the pre-order
had to have it for the morning commute so i hit a torrent instead
so unless I found the album to be genuinely exceptional (i didn't), I'm not going back to make the purchase purely for support (which i actually do believe it or not - i can't ignore leaks because i'm impatient, but i still support the shit i love @ release)

which is all to say - there are real consequences of flubbing a digital rollout

there are some records that i can't wait to begin unpacking after a single listen
this one has a ton to unpack, but its not really enticing me to do so for some reason

I don't know if thats because of how meandering it is sonically
or if its not as verse-heavy as i wanted it to be

but I feel like the process of getting to know this record is going to feel like more of a task than a pleasure.

as i said before, i think its one of the most well-made albums I've heard that has the least amount of replay value. its easy to hear many of these really lush tracks and when its over say "ok i get it" rather than "whoa, what did i miss??"

muthafucka if you did then Killer Mike would be platinum."

Bam!

It's been said already but FlyLo's hands are all over this album even though he only produced the first track. It's basically a continuation of You're Dead! production-wise. I don't see this being as successful as the last album commercially but I'm diggin' the hell out of it. He pulled a DP Blowout Comb Pro-Black type of LP for his second major label release.

>It's been said already but FlyLo's hands are all over this
>album even though he only produced the first track. It's
>basically a continuation of You're Dead! production-wise.

Never Catch Me sounds great as a bonus track/epilogue for the album.

I wanted a "harder" sound. Not gangsta or anything, and I'm glad he's expanding or whatever but sometime I wish the more talented rappers would so quickly tire of just rapping over dope beats.

Which is why the shock reaction. The outro from Blacker the Berry was more representative than anyone could've imagined.

I wonder what will become of the track from the Beats commercial.

I don't think "harder" is the issue


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

nm

█▆▇▅▇█▇▆▄▁▃
Big PEMFin H & z's
"I ain't no entertainer, and ain't trying to be one. I am 1 thing, a musician." � Miles

"When the music stops he falls back in the abyss."

that corny "interview" or whatever it was at the end of mortal man
live version of i sounds out of place
i like james fauntleroy, but i kinda wish ronald isley was doing all of the singing on how much a dollar cost


outside of those three things, i love this album

The live version of "i" does feel outta place. I like the instrumentation a lot and the stronger background vocals but... I'd rather have an "updated" studio version.
I'm with you though. I'm really digging this album.

super let down. i like maybe 4 tracks max.

I've excluded those on which I am lukewarm and the ones (one) that are unquestionable fire, which of these do you not like.

King Kunta

Institutionalized

These Walls

u

Alright

Hood Politics

How Much a Dollar Cost

Complexion

institutionalized
dollar
hood politics
wesley theory
blacker berry

them the only joints i really like. the rest im cold on or flat out dislike. he really whiffed with this one.

No message

No message

No message

The production so far is so nice! You can tell Terrace Martin was involved. I don't understand how people don't like this album. I get it if you are a mainstream type of person but if you love hip hop this album is a present.

i really liked that influence on the Colbert track
but for some reason it doesn't feel as balanced or fitting throughout the album as it did on that track alone

I'm reading these reactions thinkin, "yall niggas must not have liked The Low End Theory"

smfh

this has absolutely nothing in common with LET

My point was:
Kendrick is being criticized here for going from an album with more structured songs (GKMC, People's Instinctive Travels) to following it up with an album that's more of a meandering, jazzy vibe record (like The Low End Theory). Fair criticism...but it's just a bit ironic to me.

I don't care enough about the Golden Age Canon to place this in it. I'm just seeing a parallel that I find interesting.

See also: Brown Sugar/Voodoo.

And I love TLET, but please, let's not try to pretend that "Excursions", "Buggin' Out", "Rap Promoter", "Vibes & Stuff", "Infamous Date Rape", "Jazz", "Skypager", and "What?" are these well structured SONGS that we're accusing TPaB of being devoid of.

Keep shaking that head, player.

Their debut album was far more esoteric, bugged-out and in some ways jazzily meandering than Low End Theory.

People's had a couple almost 'novelty hits' in Bonita Applebaum & Left My Wallet In El Segundo, with I believe 'Can I Kick It?' being the key album cut fan favorite eventually released as a single or considered one.

But the rest of the album wasn't one that the general rap audience was bumping heavy front to back like that.

The album was long as fuck plus got pretty weird at the end.

People's Instinctive Travel was also not hailed as a major masterwork of the genre that the group would have a hard time following.

It was a cool little record of a newer, younger Native Tongue group that was critically not viewed on the level of 3 Feet High & Rising or even Sex Packets while commercially not on the level of Black Sheep's debut a year or two later.

Low End Theory was Tip growing up a bit in life while gaining some experience in the studio, taking cues from what really worked on the first, streamlining the songs into palatable stand-alone cuts all between about 2:30 to 4 minutes long (Description of a Fool was like 6 minutes & I dare you to give me 2-4 bars of it off the top of your head) but still sharing a cohesive thread/feel for a full album with a run time of 45-48 minutes rather than 65-68, compensating for the jazziness of the samples by cranking up the bass thump & drum crack to then-unprecedented heights which allowed the streets (in the peak of the beepers-and-car-stereo age) to 'boomitandyaboomitandyaboomitinyajeep' at a level that signified you were there half a mile before you arrived.

Low End Theory was actually Tribe putting their bid in to compete as one of the major rap groups of the era along with your PEs, NWAs, De Las, Naughtys, etc......they weren't quite viewed as such yet in 90/91.

Unless you count the "sgt peppers"-esque repetition of the "Push it along"-groove throughout the album, I don't see much difference in terms of *structure*. There are actually several songs on "LET" that lacks hooks in the conventional sense and seems to rely more on subtle *musical* hooks (those songs are undeniably more effective to me on LET than on Peoples... where it's the poppy songs that are the standouts) than "song-type" ones.

However, I agree with you 100% that the aesthetitc ATCQ projected on "Peoples..." was one of a more bohemian/"alternative rap" whimsy than the more "pure" Hip-Hop one on "LET", I just don't think structure has anything to do with it; they are both quite conventional in that regards.

And BTW, the resaon the jazz-elements on "LET" works so well compared with the more time-typical jazz-rap style is that the infusion of jazz-samples aren't there to project a bohemian/"alternative" aesthetic but rather seems to be used for the exact same reason people sampled James Brown (or fucking Mountain or anything for that matter) earlier which is where all those Dream Warriors/(early)Galliano/Us3/first Digable Planets etc. type records failed...

EDIT:And on vinyl, the time-difference isn't too notable; the cd (and possibly tape)-version of Peoples added a bunch of bonus-tracks which I guess make it appear weirder than it really was (yes, in 1990, I think it's fair to use the vinyl as the norm)

>Unless you count the "sgt peppers"-esque repetition of the
>"Push it along"-groove throughout the album, I don't see much
>difference in terms of *structure*. There are actually several
>songs on "LET" that lacks hooks in the conventional sense and
>seems to rely more on subtle *musical* hooks (those songs are
>undeniably more effective to me on LET than on Peoples...
>where it's the poppy songs that are the standouts) than
>"song-type" ones.
>
>However, I agree with you 100% that the aesthetitc ATCQ
>projected on "Peoples..." was one of a more
>bohemian/"alternative rap" whimsy than the more "pure" Hip-Hop
>one on "LET", I just don't think structure has anything to do
>with it; they are both quite conventional in that regards.
>
eh, People's had all those Jarobi call-and-response interludes, the songs were longer, there's musical vamps in spots long after the rhyming stops (See "Description of a Fool" which goes on for like 3-4 minutes after Tip's done or the fade-out/call-back of the beat on "Youthful Expression"), there were samples (think Jimi's "Rainy Day, Dream Away" before "Go Ahead In The Rain" or the baby crying bit before "Push It Along") that introduced or became a coda (beat switch/return for a bit on "Fool", the EWF "Brazian Rhyme" open/close on "Mr Muhammad") on songs that weren't actually a part of the principal part of the cut, etc.

I'd venture to guess there's easily more bars rapped on Low End Theory than on People's despite a nearly 20 minute difference in running time.

People's was a bit more in that '89/90 'sonic collage' production approach like 3 Feet or Nation before evolving trends, money and the Gilbert O'Sullivan/Biz lawsuit changed the course of the genre right around the time Low End was dropping.

>And BTW, the resaon the jazz-elements on "LET" works so well
>compared with the more time-typical jazz-rap style is that the
>infusion of jazz-samples aren't there to project a
>bohemian/"alternative" aesthetic but rather seems to be used
>for the exact same reason people sampled James Brown (or
>fucking Mountain or anything for that matter) earlier which is
>where all those Dream Warriors/(early)Galliano/Us3/first
>Digable Planets etc. type records failed...
>
Agreed wholeheartedly.....but the fact that Tip, Bob Power and whoever else really elevated things from a bass/drum level can't be discounted either.

>EDIT:And on vinyl, the time-difference isn't too notable; the
>cd (and possibly tape)-version of Peoples added a bunch of
>bonus-tracks which I guess make it appear weirder than it
>really was (yes, in 1990, I think it's fair to use the vinyl
>as the norm)

Vinyl was never the norm for American kids at the time unless you were a DJ, at least on a consumer 'what-are-the-kids-listening-to' level.

That was the height of the Walkman, Boombox and car tapedeck era.

Vinyl in the U.S. was being phased out by then, many of the biggest music-retail stores stopped carrying much vinyl by this point.

I'd say People's was in the final stretch of the cassette era in its prime, I had People's on cassette so can't recall what got cut from the vinyl version.....I think the CD was the same length as the tape (though I recall 'De La Soul Is Dead' & 'The Cactus Album' had extra tracks from the cassette versions I owned)>

>I'd say People's was in the final stretch of the cassette era
>in its prime, I had People's on cassette so can't recall what
>got cut from the album version.
>

Description of a fool, Pubic Enemy and Go ahead in the rain are the bonus(?)-tracks on the cd. Remove those songs and the difference in length is probably only a few minutes.

I didn't buy cds until '92 in any genre of music and while I played lots of cassettes due to the whole "local tapetrading"-thing with others in my school, vinyl was pretty much it because cassettes started to sound like shit after you played them a lot and you couldn't move the needle to the song you wanted to hear and so on-since I bought a lot of used vinyl cheap, that was important-I don't think they even sold used cassettes here except in flea-markets and shit; I still think it's a bullshit format and I find the nostalgia retarded. I think everyone into music in my class and school primarily used vinyl even if tapes of course were important for the dubbing-thing as I said.

Anyway, I always viewed those extra-tracks on cd as "bonus-tracks" so that the record-company could sell in the then still relatively fresh format and edge out vinyl; I never viewed them as part of the album unless songs were removed for time-constraint reason which might have been the case here. Whatever...

>>I'd say People's was in the final stretch of the cassette
>era
>>in its prime, I had People's on cassette so can't recall
>what
>>got cut from the album version.
>>
>
>Description of a fool, Pubic Enemy and Go ahead in the rain
>are the bonus(?)-tracks on the cd. Remove those songs and the
>difference in length is probably only a few minutes.
>
They were on the cassette too though, I'd venture to guess that most stateside people old enough to remember that dropping would consider those three songs to definitely be part of the album.

And really, none were essential at all.

>I didn't buy cds until '92 in any genre of music and while I
>played lots of cassettes due to the whole "local
>tapetrading"-thing with others in my school, vinyl was pretty
>much it because cassettes started to sound like shit after you
>played them a lot and you couldn't move the needle to the song
>you wanted to hear
True.

And '92 was about the same for me, a Sony boombox with a tape/CD combo was my first CD player and Prince Sign O'The Times was the first CD player, both came I believe that Christmas.

Sign O'The Times (a two-CD set, which I believe would have been just one by the end of that decade) was the first album I owned in that format.

My old man still had a turntable for our family system but for our generation it was really more boombox, car deck for those old enough to drive and Walkmans.

And you did have auto-reverse in Walkmans (not sure if they were selling those in Sweden but in the U.S. they were as prominent as at least the height of iPods before the iPhone came into play) so the sides flipped for you while you were walking around without having to take it out.

Home stereos often had the connected dual-decks for 'high-speed dubbing' so you could copy/trade albums that you could make copies of in about 10 minutes an album.

Plus you could light press on the ffwd or otherwise adjust speeds to try to hear for the absences of sound in between tracks and count.

Also, growing up with my public school and parents' house in Jersey less than two blocks from the PATCO train that could put me at the 8th & Market station in Philadelphia where you could buy counterfeit tapes or bootlegs for $3-5 a pop if you didn't have the money for the official version or didn't wanna risk it on potentially questionable material.

Mind you, I don't miss any of that now.

>and so on-since I bought a lot of used
>vinyl cheap,
I didn't really start doing that until I got to college and could go copping old vinyl from places like Newbury Street in Boston.

The records I played as a child were generally me digging around my father's stash then maybe a few early albums I received for birthdays (Thriller comes to mind).

But by then, CDs were the only format you were really buying as new music.

>that was important-I don't think they even sold
>used cassettes here except in flea-markets and shit; I still
>think it's a bullshit format and I find the nostalgia
>retarded.

Agreed on not having any nostalgia for the format, I just noticed that was even a thing on a trip to San Francisco last year.

Two different artsy type females had full wall displays of old cassette tapes hanging up.

Felt like it was more for some kitschy aesthetic than for actual, practical listening use.

But I realize I've got hundreds of tapes in boxes in my parents' basement though that I should prolly use to take advantage of it but that sounds like more trouble than it's worth.

I was, however, neither an audiophile or one whom considered long-term usage of things I purchased or acquired at the age of 12-15.

I think everyone into music in my class and school
>primarily used vinyl even if tapes of course were important
>for the dubbing-thing as I said.
>
Gotcha.

>Anyway, I always viewed those extra-tracks on cd as
>"bonus-tracks" so that the record-company could sell in the
>then still relatively fresh format and edge out vinyl; I never
>viewed them as part of the album unless songs were removed for
>time-constraint reason which might have been the case here.
>Whatever...

True, in the case of the two albums that I mentioned that came to mind (Is Dead & Cactus) they were more tossaway skit type of songs or in later cases maybe a remix.

On my third listen: im off for a few days so ill be sitting with it indefinitely while I do fun stuff like laundry and going to the bank, lol.

Cons:
I haven't heard a good hip-hop skit since the 90's. The songs are strong enough to fly without an esoteric skit setting them up/beating the themes over your head with them.

The 'live' version of I.

Pros:

As I love my synthed out 809 bass lines, hyperactive hi-hats and the darkness of Yeezus/Deathgrips aggro production, I love how he had the balls to go so live and soulful with the instrumentation and pull it off.

Like tracks like "How Much A Dollar Costs?"

http://puu.sh/glqhh.gif


>Let's try this again.
>
>Talk about the album. What you like, don't like, etc. Not
>other people's reactions or potential reactions to it. It's
>that simple.

Album is dingy butt cheekery

Still buying, tho

Gonna give it some long listens, pause

Maybe my sense will change

GKMC was great to me on listen 1, and fell off

Maybe this one will grow on me

----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

no real BANGERS on this album.. just some 70s funk beats that dont really vibe with his voice. I actually hate this album on the first few listens. Its sad because Ive loved every album (last 3) that hes put out from jump.

.

Kendrick went all Freestyle Fellowship/Electric Circus and people act like we have to applaud him for being political. Where the songs tho?

"The Black The Berry", "I", and "King Kunta" are the only real songs. And the latter sounds like a DJ Quik knockoff, no thanks.
______________________________________________________________
http://twitter.com/Gedi

"This is your world. Shape it or someone else will." - Gary Lew

Kendrick delivered.
Who else is doing the jazz/funk/p-funk/g-funk hybrid sound in (mainstream) Hiphop right now? And who else (other than Lupe) released an album this 'political'? it's very refreshing.

98 percent of Y'all lames anyway.

Fix this, aggressively

----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

Gonna be in my coast rotation for 2015


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

Bwahahahahaahahahahahaah


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

It's a given he'll use all these same producers and will end it with an interview with a Dragonball Z character.

You should too

If you could dance

That you can't is part of the reason hip-hop sucks now


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

>and will end it with an interview with a Dragonball Z character.

Shine. This the time of lame shit that has turned me into an occasional lurker

Or "To Pimp a Butterfly" more?

To Pimp a Butterfly is better IMO. I dig ... and then you shoot your cousin more now than upon release after I accepted the lack of BT and looked at it as a producers LP. It's on point from that view.

you can't even compare those two albums.

unlike a clown like, say, Wale who fell flat on his first with his first record and had to be completely repackaged at his label's desperate insistence, Kendrick delivered arguably the greatest debut since Illmatic and in turn built the equity to do something like this.

Trouble is, a little guidance from an experienced voice would've helped. I mean there's no way Dre was involved. There's no way TDE brought Jimmy in for a weekend. Are those guys old and maybe a little jaded at this point? Sure, but between the two of them they've fostered the early careers of Bruce Springsteen, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Tom Petty to name a few.

Some critics and online voices will like this album, but commercially it will flounder. I mean they ALREADY can't figure out how to sell it logistically, much less even started attempting to spin it creatively. There aren't any stirring songs, much less a clear cut single.

The biggest shame is that his intentions were earnest and he really did try to deliver the record we need for these times. But it's just not focused. The messaging goes ten different directions, and that's sometimes ok if the soundscapes underneath are organized (for example, take Kweli's "Get By" - a case of a guy clumsily trying to be everything to everybody, but ultimately succeeding because of a great beat and hook.) In Kendrick's case, the beats just drift along, lost at sea and unable to buoy his ramblings.

In short, he meant well and missed. He was at least cognizant of the current climate and the immense spotlight on him, he just didn't deliver. Unfortunately there will be repercussions. He could've ascended to another level on an Eminem-like trajectory, instead he's now on pace to be Nas - a truly fine and respectable career, but not a rock star. Additionally, Drake just put out what is arguably his best record and, whether you like it or not, is now officially your new king.

But Drake is too deliberate and, let's be honest, chicken shit to ever take this risk. To Pimp a Butterfly isn't good, and Kendrick's star will lose luster because it isn't good. But he should at least be commended for trying to do something so bold.

He could've ascended to another level on an
>Eminem-like trajectory, instead he's now on pace to be Nas - a
>truly fine and respectable career, but not a rock star.

There are no black rappers with Eminem's star, zero

Eminem is a rock star because he is white, as Eminem
has several horrible albums with awful beats and aimless
shouting and white people buy it anyway

So I'll defend Kendrick there

And as far as Nas? LOL -- if Kendrick ends up with that kind
of career, he'll be ecstatic.

But all this "king" shit isn't relevant


Its just a bad record


Let's leave it at that


>But Drake is too deliberate and, let's be honest, chicken shit
>to ever take this risk. To Pimp a Butterfly isn't good, and
>Kendrick's star will lose luster because it isn't good. But he
>should at least be commended for trying to do something so
>bold.

Ok



----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

I think there was a time when Kanye and Lil Wayne were both as popular as Eminem was circa Eminem Show/Lose Yourself. But that's neither here nor there.

The reason I included that is because I WANTED that out of Kendrick. He represented something special, what Kanye used to represent - the notion that our biggest stars also had consciences. The idea of the biggest rapper in the world rapping about real issues was exciting to me. Alas, he won't realize that.

And I do agree, he should be thrilled to become Nas should that happen.

neither here nor there.
>
>The reason I included that is because I WANTED that out of
>Kendrick. He represented something special, what Kanye used to
>represent - the notion that our biggest stars also had
>consciences. The idea of the biggest rapper in the world
>rapping about real issues was exciting to me. Alas, he won't
>realize that.

Stop worrying about what someone "represents" and just listen
to/make the music, form your opinion based on how it
sounds, and ride with that

These people don't actually have to compete...like, Drake has
nothing to do with this album. Neither does Cole.

Kendrick stepped into the booth and decided to make this
dogshit album

I have nothing to do say about this in relation to the
other rappers, and how it affects his "standing" shouldn't
matter

The reason Hip-Hop originally worked is that its artists were
too busy being creative to think about their place and context,
etc

It's why Jay-Z and Nas' work got *terrible* when they were
competing for "King" status

It doesn't work

And surprise, surprise: Nas made a good record again when
he was distracted by his divorce and decided to feel shit

It's why Lupe just released 2015's best album: realized he's
done with being relevant to a generation of Chief Keef fans,
and released a near masterpiece

In my opinion, Hip-Hop isn't really the music for creatives
anymore...occasionally we'll get a Run the Jewels, but those
are fleeting

So in the meantime, I get in where I fit in....I like good
shit

----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

>The reason Hip-Hop originally worked is that its artists were
>
>too busy being creative to think about their place and
>context,
>etc
>
>It's why Jay-Z and Nas' work got *terrible* when they were
>competing for "King" status

Everybody wanted (and sincerely though they were) number one. And arguably the top of Jay's career (and what re-energized Nas) was their 'beef"

>
>Everybody wanted (and sincerely though they were) number one.
>And arguably the top of Jay's career (and what re-energized
>Nas) was their 'beef"

Jay made several of his worst songs ever in that span

'Super Ugly' was one of the worst songs ever made

And Blueprint 2 was horrendous

So nah

both of them mae their best album in years when they got over it (Blueprint, God's Son).


~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

>Kendrick delivered arguably
>the greatest debut since Illmatic and in turn built the equity
>to do something like this.

agreed. I had to warm to the album, though, unlike TPAB, which I liked immediately.

>Trouble is, a little guidance from an experienced voice
>would've helped. I mean there's no way Dre was involved.
>There's no way TDE brought Jimmy in for a weekend. Are those
>guys old and maybe a little jaded at this point? Sure, but
>between the two of them they've fostered the early careers of
>Bruce Springsteen, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Tom Petty to name a
>few.

I actually love the fact that it *appears* the big guys had no input. my assumption is that they did, given the multi-millions flying around for a project with this much attention.

>Some critics and online voices will like this album, but
>commercially it will flounder. I mean they ALREADY can't
>figure out how to sell it logistically, much less even started
>attempting to spin it creatively. There aren't any stirring
>songs, much less a clear cut single.

I think it'll do well, just because it's Kendrick and just because of the anticipation. It probably won't be a taylor swift-level blockbuster, but it won't flop. and speaking of t-swift, if this gets her endorsement, it'll do very well--she's a very public Kendrick stan. and the critical praise--or even controversy--it'll attract will at the very least keep things afloat until he delivers a blockbuster...think: "paul's boutique" and then what came afterwards. and fuck that, I still think "I" was a nod to MCA. and with how artsy-fartsy this record is, my feelings about how "I" is a tribute are now even furthered!!!

>The biggest shame is that his intentions were earnest and he
>really did try to deliver the record we need for these times.
>But it's just not focused. The messaging goes ten different
>directions, and that's sometimes ok if the soundscapes
>underneath are organized

I got some of the overall themes right away, which revolve around can't-go-back-home-success/survivor-guilt, self-doubt, dealing with fame, etc. and in that light, I can understand the chaotic soundscape.

>In short, he meant well and missed. He was at least cognizant
>of the current climate and the immense spotlight on him, he
>just didn't deliver. Unfortunately there will be
>repercussions. He could've ascended to another level on an
>Eminem-like trajectory, instead he's now on pace to be Nas - a
>truly fine and respectable career, but not a rock star.
>Additionally, Drake just put out what is arguably his best
>record and, whether you like it or not, is now officially your
>new king.

I thought he delivered, artistically at least, and I think he'll still be at that em-level. but regarding Eminem, on my second listen, TPAB really reminded me of MMLP, mostly cuz em and Kendrick were in similar places with respect to their careers. but whereas em lashed out and got really defensive ("way I am" "real slim shady" and even "stan" a little bit), Kendrick gave us a more soulful, inward-looking response. on the surface there's really nothing to pity ("ooh poor me, I'm a wealthy star now, but with problems I didn't ask for!!!"), but a lot of it is relatable on a human level.

>But Drake is too deliberate and, let's be honest, chicken shit
>to ever take this risk.

haha! I agree.

>To Pimp a Butterfly isn't good, and
>Kendrick's star will lose luster because it isn't good. But he
>should at least be commended for trying to do something so
>bold.

again, i think the album is VERY good, maybe even great (time will tell), and I think his star will shine just fine.

But good review

what makes you think Kendrick Lamar wants to be a rock star or "king" of anything? (dont mention Control, you'll sound dumb and have your argument quickly killed)

it seems like he wants to speak for Black America with a progressive message that doesnt compromise his musical vision, that's it

and I'm loving it on my first listen.

need to digest it more.

https://twitter.com/dangerookipawaa/status/577504528771063808

that is just based off first listen. I am still listening though. I enjoy more of this jazz/funk take instead of hard hitting beats but I am a funk hippy in a way so it resonates with me. Overall, I can't break it down yet since it is still early off of first listen. My favorite track so far is These Walls.

TPAB was more accessible to my ears right off the bat. i had to work to like the production on GKMC.

apparently I'm in the minority, looking at some of these posts and my twitter feed!

and really good traditional hip-hop production at that, and this is like freeform jazz/funk fusion spewing off into 47 different directions, yeah I'd say you're in the minority when it comes to what you find more "accessible" lol.

That's to say nothing of the quality of the album. I've only listened once so far, and then a couple tracks got a quick second listen. I have no idea what my opinion of it is right now. But "accessible" would not be very high on the list of words I'd use to describe it.

rather than "accessible".

haha yeah, i guess I'm find chaotic shit going in 72 directions "pleasing".

and on GKMC, i thought the production was more "contemporary" than "traditional", and that's what took some getting used to. when i think the latter, i think of the marley-into-premier/pete rock era. or yella-era dre. GKMC was too...clean. pharrell-level sterile. yes, very well produced, but just not warm to me.

a conventional drum beat, samples, verse-chorus-verse format for the most part.

It was obviously more contemporary than a Marley Marl beat in 2012 lol. But yeah I understand if you like this better than GKMC, it's certainly more ambitious, and that's saying a lot.

>a conventional drum beat, samples, verse-chorus-verse format
>for the most part.

Gotcha. And yes, done very immaculately.

>It was obviously more contemporary than a Marley Marl beat in
>2012 lol. But yeah I understand if you like this better than
>GKMC, it's certainly more ambitious, and that's saying a lot.

Most definitely. And it's crazy cuz GKMC was very ambitious too! I can only imagine what the next project will sound like if he keeps upping the bar.

the big dick talk is kind of distracting but I love the production (and like seeing people compare it to Blowout Comb, one of my favorite albums period) and appreciate Kendrick having a lot to say.

I do think he's trying too hard but this is going great with the first 80 degree day of the year and an MLB The Show marathon. Taking these Phillies to task while Kendrick and some dude deliver a dialogue about preparing to murder me and my family and friends.

Reminding me of how I felt about Kendrick circa 2010, O.D. mixtape days. A lot of raw potential but an almost brutal lack of focus. Time and experience has smoothed out the rough edges on the latter but it's still a very meandering, sometimes way too transparently obtuse listen. I like the sound of Kendrick's voice and disagree with someone who said it doesn't fit with these beats, and I like what he's saying from moment to moment, but this album doesn't have the pop attraction Section.80 did nor the cohesiveness GKMC did.

I'm real interested to find out what my final thoughts on this will be through the week.

~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

...some shit. Then they be talkin' 'bout that black righteous space. Man, fuck them. I ain't fuckin' with them no mo'.

Don't EVEN compare this bullshit to Aquemini.

but if you can't draw a line between these 2 records, you're just being obtuse

It's funny how history repeats itself. I wonder how an album like ATLiens would have been received if there was an internet in 1996.

GKMC didn't sound like Southerplayerlistic

And this doesn't sound like Atliens

This sounds more like Stankonia (doesn't at all) if
anything

In which case that "First they was some pimps" shit
doesn't apply

Album just ain't good

----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

I see your criticisms of his points as valid, but his view still works IMO.

it's really only a couple of folk who don't like.

stop being emo

I haven't listened yet, but I'm excited by the love and hate

sounds like y'all are saying he went from Resurrection to EC, or ATliens to Stankonia

Definitely understand the comparison musically/producer-wise though.

It really is a very traditional sounding album if you listen to it today. Probably more traditional than To Pimp A Butterfly.

n/m

----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

That beginning portion of the album (especially with 'Soul Power' & 'Age of Aquarius') was Comm going harder than anything on his "return to real hip-hop" album Be, which is vastly overrated in retrospect.

..."Soul Power" is that joint...

And Stankonia was great. Little bloated, and it wasn't on the level of ATLiens or Aquemini but, what is? Very few albums are that good.


And Aquemini had tracks like SpottieOttie and Liberation from which one could probably draw a line directly to a lot of the stuff on this Kendrick record.

he skipped that middle album from folks reactions.

no Aquemini or ODIAMS or LWFC, Kendrick went from standard hip hop classic to the experiment album

My bad.

and Aquemini the one that balanced the best part of both records?

Kinda tips me off to how people really feel

----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

And for the record, I haven't even heard the album yet. Waiting on the physical.

Reading through these threads, though, I'm trying to figure out why you are so angry.

We get it...you don't like the album. You are a fair listener. You keep it real. You aren't a hipster. You haven't mentioned Lupe.

All of that. We get it.

But why are you in here with the most replies calling everyone out who likes it?

Why do you feel the need to come and revisit a thread about an album you hate?

When most of us don't like something, we make one...maybe two posts and keep it moving.

I think you've made your point.

That's all.

I'm here for you if you need emotional support tho

I gotta be hatin' harder.

If this wasn't an anchored post.
If it didn't have any replies.
There would no O_E replies.

Love fuels dissent, dissent fuels defense, defense fuels more dissent.

In O_E's eyes, he/she's doing a service.

He/she's the truth police.

Macheteing through a forest of invalid opinions.

You can't tell him/her to get off his horse.

Because that just means there are more people's ears who need saving.

You're enjoying yourselves wrong.

You're opinions aren't based in reality, they're based in self-defense. We're defending something we really don't like.

We're all delusional, afflicted with a wicked case of the pleas, and O_E is here to keep his/her beacon of "realness" alive.

On my second listen now and I think it's going to have more replay value than most of you think. It's just a shock to the system because it's so different than what was expected.

however, given the guidelines of this post I'll refrain.

----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

when I realized it linked & already had ordered the pre-order so iTunes put it on my phone and didn't take it back......I thought it was gonna take a bit of time for me to even fix my voice to say it was his best work but I'm pretty much already there after 24 hours.

And that's certainly not because it's done in a manner that's supposed to hit you immediately either, that's for sure.

The amount of care & big swings taken here along with the unifying vision thru a variety of disparate tracks is enough to sell the whole thing front to back for me on day one and it's gonna keep improving each listen for awhile.

wow

i don't think that was his intention but it did end up a bit like that.
i'm enjoying it so far but it's a tad "dated" in the sense that it does sound like when hip-hop flirted with jazz cliches and briefly it was the considered the height of innovation. but it did not quite stand the test of time. we ain't bumping US3 or jazzmatazz or "cool like that" too tough.

but it str8 up some jazz shit...but not as dated as that other stuff was.

Like somebody said above, FlyLo. But also fusion jazz/outkast/mps-era george duke....it's a LOT going on here. I can't even really get into the lyrics yet

I gotta digest it

----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

it's scattered...kinda sloppy, nowhere near as cohesive as his first one (but there is a theme there i'm still pulling out).

But it's FAR FAR from noise

Somebody was high as FUCK making this one though.

I'm going to give this the SAME depth of listen as
I did Danny Brown, and the Nehru Doom, and every album

I don't make excuses to listen to some records more than
others, because that's not fair to the artists

They all get multiple spins...ALL

If I need to listen 714 times over two years to like it,
sorry

There are dozens of other hard working artists who deserve
a CHANCE at least


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

which is why i gave up on d'angelo post brown sugar, lol

There's plenty on this one that I really like to live with for a minute.

Hey man, did you ever write an official for Lupe for someplace other than this message board? I think that album's better than this one, but they seem to be hugely different approaches to a genre that most people under analyze.

>
>I'm going to give this the SAME depth of listen as
>I did Danny Brown, and the Nehru Doom, and every album
>
>I don't make excuses to listen to some records more than
>others, because that's not fair to the artists
>
>They all get multiple spins...ALL
>
>If I need to listen 714 times over two years to like it,
>sorry
>
>There are dozens of other hard working artists who deserve
>a CHANCE at least
>
>
>----------------------------
>
>
>
>O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"
>
>
>
>
>"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."
>
>(C)Keith Murray, "

Actually? No! you're not a fair listener...if you were? you would've used a q-tip to clean not only your ears out but your brain out....

Here's your problem, you can't recognize the NEXT because you ain't open to it..

Don't worry, you'll come back and congratulate this one later

on this board...

It's not enough for him to dislike someone's music (movies) but he has to *convince* others why THEY don't like said music too

And if they do. It's because they're either "hipsters" or aren't smart enough to decide if they like the art for themselves...


>>I'm going to give this the SAME depth of listen as
>>I did Danny Brown, and the Nehru Doom, and every album
>>
>>I don't make excuses to listen to some records more than
>>others, because that's not fair to the artists
>>
>>They all get multiple spins...ALL
>>
>>If I need to listen 714 times over two years to like it,
>>sorry
>>
>>There are dozens of other hard working artists who deserve
>>a CHANCE at least
>>
>>
>>----------------------------
>>
>>
>>
>>O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."
>>
>>(C)Keith Murray, "
>
>Actually? No! you're not a fair listener...if you were? you
>would've used a q-tip to clean not only your ears out but your
>brain out....
>
>Here's your problem, you can't recognize the NEXT because you
>ain't open to it..
>
>Don't worry, you'll come back and congratulate this one later
>

Need new internet friends after OKS abandoned you?

Lulz

I'm a SOLOIST anyway, my "nig"...I don't want friends here...that way I can maintain my objectivity when calling each and anyone of yous out on your bullshit...like I'm doing to you now

And my posts in OKS seem to be doing aight last I checked...

Still, none of that changes the fact that you're obviously intellectually insecure that you have to try and convince everyone else why this is not a good record and why THEY don't or shouldn't like this record...only because YOU don't like it.

And judging from the replies in this post and elsewhere you're in the small minority abt Kendrick's new cd


>Need new internet friends after OKS abandoned you?
>
>Lulz

.

like it or not, that will probably shade how i view the whole album once i get it

it definitely fits the context of the album more than a stand alone track

I can think of 15 other MCs id rather hear over them tho.

nice to see taz/sa-ra get love
no 'turn up' on here
boo-boo!

***************************************
rosemary's babydaddy
***************************************

Cause I'd rather filter out all the negativity cause this album is pretty much perfect to me. My only issue is that it's a tad long. Can't wait for the vinyl so I can take a intermission.

and I like the live version as well. But even the studio version now sounds better to me for some reason.

Way more than the studio joint. I get into it and get to grooving where as on the original I just listened until the very end when I started to groove. Glad he went this way on the album. It fits so well. I'll come back with my thoughts on the whole piece maybe later on this week. Wanna digest it proper like.

I always got angry when it came on the radio. It never felt good to me, I just wanted it to go away and it had nothing to do with Kendrick, the song just SOUNDED bad.

It doesn't even sound that live, honestly, it sounds fake studio live, not like when it was obvious Common/Ye just lifted their Chappelle performance.

~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

Man this shit is beautiful. Outkast gotta feel proud like a dad seeing their kid go off to college.

full disclosure i only liked a few songs on gkmc but this is lovely. Interestingly it reminds me of a bigger budget version of the production on isiah rashads cilvia demo.

I really appreciate that letter to pac stuff and the album cover and the whole concept but the are almost no good songs here. Most of this stuff sounds like a forced attempt at making good music.

No bangers and nothing that connects other than Complexion imo.

>


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
instagram:
http://instagram.com/0kayndc

"There is much temptation to use what has worked before,
even when it may exceed its effective scope."

"Roll me further bitch"

I like a few songs in particular, but gkmc was much better

this shit is THE antiturnup album of the year so far

Funny typing that...knew it would happen in due time
This should wake 3stacks up but it will probably push him farther away from making music.
Big Boi is prob proud though!!

anywhere outside my house and without a pair of expensive headphones. this is audio porn for my ears. he touched almost all my favorite genres: jazz, fusion, funk, g-funk, dillaesque/tribe beats...

i still think it could've benefited from a couple more hard hitting records like blacker the berry...but hey, we're in a trap era..there's already more than enough of that out there.

Oh and Terrace martin will get a fat ass check for all the work he's put in this album. really proud of dude.

comment of the day i read on the kanyetothe forum: this album should be priced 50$

http://i.imgur.com/KESlu6m.jpg ?

https://youtu.be/wY3i3rpxudQ

https://youtu.be/G84-CEkIZfM

Mature beyond his years. This isn't just a good album it is an album that is needed right now. K Dot is positioning himself as the opposite of what was expected and many times what was WANTED. To me that is a pure and undeniable sign of artistry. This album, and by extension Kendrick's whole career, represents a departure that is similar only to the Native Tongues and their entre into hiphop, that I can remember at least.

I'll accept whatever ill comes my way but Drake doesnt make music like this because IMHO he can't. Even if he tried.
Same goes for Wayne, Trinidad, J Cole etc etc. etc.

The formula:

Experimental, Heavy Jazz Funk, Lyrics, Concept all on point and cohesive as a coherent package that reminds me of very few in HipHop. It becomes even more apparent on subsequent listens to this album.
I hear a pleasantly surprising "product" that extends to an excellent Mix, Song Arrangement and Master.
This is a REAL GROWN MAN's hip hop album. Emphasis on the "Album" aspect.

Song by song, I don't know if the individual tracks move me in a way listening to it in one sitting does.

But when I judge it as a whole and, as HipHop as Art...
I'm glad an artist with the stature Kenddrick Lamar has made THIS album.
Right Now.
It's what's needed.

!!!

in parts, but not so much as a whole. There are some really brilliant moments on this album, but then there's others that are just conceptual noodling. It plays better when broken up into song cycles than it does as a whole, or as individual songs.
As far as his rapping is concerned, he's really doing some incredible things with tone and structure. You can tell he puts a lot of thought into the way he approaches the songs, and for that I'm pretty thankful regardless of how I feel about said verses at any time.
It's funny that it reminds me of a less focused version of Joey Badass' album, but with a bigger budget. I think what makes the great parts so great is that this seems to be the album he actually wanted to make the first time out, at least in spirit.
The producers (especially Taz Arnold and Pharrell) did some really diverse but sonically cohesive work, but there's something missing for me. I don't think it's a "it needs more ____ and less ____" thing but it's something I can't put my finger on.
Also, you almost have to lose points for having Pete Rock on your album and not getting a beat in the deal.

"It's funny that it reminds me of a less focused version of Joey Badass' album, but with a bigger budget."

But its pretty unacceptable for a 19 y/o kid to have put
out a more mature sound than either Kendrick or J. Cole



----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

and it's a shame because that record is really special. None of these guys we have now were doing anything that forward thinking and properly grounded at that age (much less now).

So they didn't even BOTHER TO LISTEN

Notice how I ALWAYS give shit a fair shake

ALWAYS


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

dude most of the joey bada$$ post is positive, sure there are some who didn't like that, but that happens with every post

the joey bada$$ album is great, I happen to believe this new kendrick album is better, but yes, the joey bada$$ album was great

http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=5&topic_id=2916521&mesg_id=2916521&listing_type=search

considering it came out the same day...

folks probably forgot about it...I think B4DA$$ is dope...

what hip hop tastemakers havent cosigned Joey Badass?

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

the 2000s were the WORST time for major label hip-hop.

there were a good number of classics, mostly by artists who debuted in the decade prior

but as the decade turn there was hope.... and then SHIT.

the hip-hop bubble burst because they marginalized the shit out of it, and fuckhead tastemakers were celebrating the most ignorant, unwashed bullshit because it wasn't boom-bap.

I don't give a fuck about how many wack ass "club bangers" from tah time Bummer Dogg puts up, that shit was TRASH

hearing albums like Joey, Kendrick, Lupe,
J-Cole et al after the debacle of the '00s is like watching someone dump a bucket of piss on the head of the attractive but annoying as fuck girl at the peak of her obnoxiousness (think, a Fox News anchor)

last few years have rekindled my interest and are holding it.

the vets coming with heat, the next generation coming with heat
people are self-censoring less and expressing more
more honest albums are coming out. artists are more or less doing WTF they want and taking risks.

the '90s will never be back but I'm good with this kind of music if it can be sustained

>I've said it before and I'll say it again.
>
>the 2000s were the WORST time for major label hip-hop.
>
>there were a good number of classics, mostly by artists who
>debuted in the decade prior
>
>but as the decade turn there was hope.... and then SHIT.
>
>the hip-hop bubble burst because they marginalized the shit
>out of it, and fuckhead tastemakers were celebrating the most
>ignorant, unwashed bullshit because it wasn't boom-bap.
>
>I don't give a fuck about how many wack ass "club bangers"
>from tah time Bummer Dogg puts up, that shit was TRASH
>
>hearing albums like Joey, Kendrick, Lupe,
>J-Cole et al after the debacle of the '00s is like watching
>someone dump a bucket of piss on the head of the attractive
>but annoying as fuck girl at the peak of her obnoxiousness
>(think, a Fox News anchor)
>
>last few years have rekindled my interest and are holding it.
>
>the vets coming with heat, the next generation coming with
>heat
>people are self-censoring less and expressing more
>more honest albums are coming out. artists are more or less
>doing WTF they want and taking risks.
>
>the '90s will never be back but I'm good with this kind of
>music if it can be sustained

in the past five years via the young generation now that the money is almost gone from it (similar to before the big money came into it during the 88/89 era).

Then you've had the creme de la creme of the vets who have now been permitted to age a bit more gracefully like the late-60s/early-70s classic-rock artists rather than the marginalized founding fathers (late-50s/early-60s founding fathers of rock & roll, 80s 'old-school' earlier rap royalty).

Also, the dedication to the live element is growing again (the mid-90s was like the hip-hop live music nadir and continued into 50 Cent doing arena shows in '04 when he never learned how to even rock a club) because that's the era where loot & longevity now stem from.

Regardless of whatever happens for the rest of 2015, 2011-2015 easily outpaces the five-year block of 2006-2010 and/or 2001-2005.

Will it ever be like the prime 'Golden Era's that we think of as old-heads in '88 or '94 explosions?

Nah, prolly not.....however I loved Prodigy's album he put out last year than anything Mobb Deep had made in 10-15 years.

I love Kendrick as a rap artist more than anyone who debuted since the late 90's.

So for that, I'm thankful that as a lifelong (or at least since hearing 'Jam On It' or 'The Show' as a 6-8 year-old) fan of rap music, I'm glad it's still producing relevant songs/albums/artists/movements because as also a lifelong aficianado of rock music I can tell you that rock is deadeder than a motherfucka.......I cannot for the life of me think of anything resembling a Kendrick Lamar in rock music.

>Will it ever be like the prime 'Golden Era's that we think of
>as old-heads in '88 or '94 explosions?
>
>Nah, prolly not.....however I loved Prodigy's album he put out
>last year than anything Mobb Deep had made in 10-15 years.

and that's all we want to hear. Prodigy learned, after years of going off the beaten path. Albert Einstein stayed in the deck

...major label hip-hop. Most of the good major label releases were Wu-affiliated, or by guys like The Roots, Jay-Z, Nas, Scarface, Kanye, and Clipse (with the occasional Cam'Ron or Beastie Boys or Killer Mike or, yes, Jeezy in the mix).

2010 was a "bounce back year" for major label hip-hop, particularly Def Jam (HIGO, Apollo Kids, Distant Relatives, Sir Lucious Left Foot, MBTDF, and even Teflon Don). And like bomb said, 2011 through has been damn near a return to greatness for hip-hop of almost all stripes.

great blend of the avant-garde and commercial worlds

probably the album most designed to please the older generation (45 and older) since Stankonia

...as a 79-minute piece. i don't feel like it meanders. it's just sprawling. so once i really get a lay of the land, so to speak, i'll be really good with this.

i'm 4 spins in, all more or less interrupted by this and that. i have no doubt i'll get to the point i'm talking about, because the pleasure of hearing this was immediate, more so than gkmc, both on beats and rhymes. it's so much in the present right now; haven't yet been able to absorb the music in the context of the songs that pass and the songs that are to come. eventually.

i think this s*** is so good. smh.

it's so well produced.

when pac's voice comes in...

"how much a dollar cost" into "complexion" into "the blacker the berry" hit me pretty good today.

will probs be back with more thoughts later

dude may be only credited for the "production" of one song, but his influence just seems to be all over this record; for example, that random short change in the beat in "hood politics" sounds like something that would be at home in "youre dead!". In fact, various things here sound like they could maybe fit into "youre dead!" at times. Also Thundercat is all over this record as well, which again, screams Flying Lotus

some badly organized thoughts:

I strongly disagree with pretty much most of the criticisms that have been said in this thread, despite the fact that I see where they are coming from; many of them seem to be a bit reactionary to the fact that this is a gigantic leap stylistically away from GKMC; a move many were not expecting. To each his own though, I can see how this could turn some fans off, but I still think there is something to be said about the fact that an album by one of the most popular rappers right now seems to not live by any of the rules of popular rap today. I wasn't expecting anything this funky/jazzy either, despite the fact that on GKMC the Kast' influence was obvious, now it is even more apparent. Anyway I love this album; I dig every single track except for "i", which I think is only ok, thank god they used the live version though, because it sounds much better (less corny) than the original studio recording. This shit is so good I can't every choose what my favorite song is, so many instrumental/lyrical highlights for me...stuff like the bass on "Wesley's Theory" (thundercat killed it); the way the sax playing contributes to the dark atmoshpere in the first half of "u". Lyrically Kendrick absolutely destroys it and again it is an album which features him using a number of flows/vocal styles, "Hood Politics" is addicting. "Mortal Man" is a fantastic closer (much better than "real"). "You Ain't Gotta Lie" is mad Kast-ish (second half he channels 3k a little).

This is a great time for rap, Joey Bada$$, Lupe and now this. To be honest this is probably my favorite one out of the 3 (already).

!

(some of this repeats what I said earlier just in a better organized manner)


Here is a probably poor attempt to describe the sound/influences I'm getting from this album: essentially, it is like this equation:

Kendrick Lamar: Who has not regressed one step lyrically since GKMC, who is more political, who has managed to craft an album that is so much unlike the album which brought him fame, that it has the possibility to turn off some of his fans and possibly gain him some new ones. As in GKMC Kendrick has a variety of flows/voices that he uses to get his point across; at times ridiculously aggressive ("The Blacker The Berry") and at other times completely broken and emotional ("U"). I don't think I can overstate how much it means to me that one of the most popular black rappers is releasing music that does not play by the rules of popular rap in 2015. I never thought Kendrick Lamar would sound like he was a member of the Freestyle Fellowship on a major label album; he does on the odd "For Free" (I got this reference from this OKP post; it was spot on kayru99). Just the fact that I just typed that sentence is ridiculous in itself. It is an album that seems to make no compromises, besides "i", a song that was clearly made to be a single, but at least the live version is better than the bland studio recording. I have to say though, the release/no-release weird Interscope vs. Top Dawg saga this album went through in 12 hours was kind of mind boggling; I don't think I've ever seen a release of this magnitude (crazy hype, one of the most popular rappers) be handled so weirdly/poorly, but who cares if the music is dope

+

Flying Lotus: Mostly "You're Dead" era FlyLo of course, despite the fact he is only credited as a "producer" on one track, his influence on this album is pretty blatant. I haven't looked at the exact credits, so I am not sure, but sounds like Thundercat is doing more here than the two tracks he is "featured" on, which is another thing that just screams Flying Lotus. Check the beginning of "u", the short lived beat change in the middle of "Hood Politics"; these (and various other parts of this album) sound like moments which would be at home on the dark "You're Dead!".

+

OutKast: Since GKMC the OutKast influence on Kendrick has been obvious and sonically at least seems to be more apparent than his west coast influences. At times on GKMC and on this album as well, one could say he sounds extremely similar to Andre 3000 vocally and flow wise; peep the second half of "You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said). Many of these powerful, soulfully sung hooks could be said to be similar to hooks heard on Aquemini or ATLiens. Honestly GKMC and this album are the best things to me (as an OutKast fan, not in music in general) since Stankonia. Yep.

+

Jazz/Funk (in general): This also deals with the Flying Lotus part, but considering the musicians who contributed to this release (Robert Glasper, George Clinton, Terrance Martin) etc. and the fact that at times this album boasts instrumentation that would have felt somewhat at home in the 70s (Funk; "Wesley's Theory") and the 60s (Jazz; listen to the backing instrumentation during Kendrick/Pac's conversation on "Mortal Man"), this should go without saying. The instrumentation on this album is beautiful.

= A damn great album IMHO

(also fucking congrats to Rapsody for being one of two rappers featured on this thing!)

well thought out.

Good good drawing out that Outkast sound on You Ain't Gotta Lie. On first listen that track stuck out to me as one of my favorites... And I'm a huge Kast fan... Somehow I didn't put that together though.
It's definitely very Kasty.

Also I didn't catch that on the first listen either, because even though some of the comparison has to do with the instrumentation, in that second verse the flow/voice is mad Kast-ish and in the first listen I was so blown back by the instrumentation (because I didn't expect it to be like it was at all) that I missed a lot of things lyrically/flow wise (and probably still am; I've only heard it like 2 times). This album was a lot less "immediate" than GKMC (on the first listen) for me in that regard, probably because GKMC was more "traditional". I know everyone loves to do comparisons, but tbh despite the fact that I currently like GKMC marginally more (I love that album as well), I firmily believe that this is on the same level of quality

...but I cosign yours, because it is exactly how I feel, word for word.

Simply an outstanding and avant-garde album across all music genres.

Reviews like "He deserved to make this album"... This is his "Electric Circus"...

I'm really wondering if you the type of guys that would've hated on Band of Gypsys, too... (Hendrix)

You're really disappointed he didn't make an album that sounds like GKMC Pt. 2... or "traditional hip hop"?

I'm one full listen in and it felt like it just got better as I listened... Once again, Kendrick didn't cave and give the label (and possibly most of his fan base) what they wanted with some extra commercial shit... From the content to the music... Terrace Martin deserves so much credit for the sound... Love the jazz influence... These Walls, Alright, and Blacker the Berry are the main standouts to me...

He now has five projects out and none of them sound the same... We really need to appreciate that... OD to GKMC was impressive 3 album run... But I think Section80 to TPAB is even better...


I added the song from Colbert to the end...


EDIT: And how smooth did Snoop sound? great feature...

I was thinking of doing something similar

It doesn't hit you right away like Good Kid, MAAD City. Takes some time to digest, but its worth it. Hell, its not as good as GKMC, but damn if this kid isn't making something that really matters and defies all the bullshit.

>It doesn't hit you right away like Good Kid, MAAD City. Takes
>some time to digest, but its worth it. Hell, its not as good
>as GKMC, but damn if this kid isn't making something that
>really matters and defies all the bullshit.

I am contradicting myself. I think it is better than GKMC

>>It doesn't hit you right away like Good Kid, MAAD City.
>Takes
>>some time to digest, but its worth it. Hell, its not as good
>>as GKMC, but damn if this kid isn't making something that
>>really matters and defies all the bullshit.
>
>I am contradicting myself. I think it is better than GKMC


I feel you... I was jumping back and forth after the first couple of listens... But this album is truly like a book that you can't get enough of... It's better than GKMC...

My first listen was on the subway. And initially it sounded really nice and exciting production wise but the transitions felt really abrupt and disjointed.

It sounded like he was doing too much at once and trying to sneak into too many elements and nod at too many influences and styles.

BUT I was really excited to get home and listen with the lyrics......

"Do you listen to music or do you just skim through it?" (c)

If you came here looking for hits or a crossover single....man I feel so disappointed for you. Not because they aren't there but because literally you are pimping the butterfly.

To see this project and the depths Kendrick went into to explain this very personal narrative about how he's found himself in this industry and how he felt in compromising his music and himself and his vices and EVERYTHING in between....yo this shit is masterful. Yall looking for singles?!? He gave you an ALBUM.

One thing I appreciate about Lupe and Kendrick's albums this season is that in giving no fucks about the "label formula" for making a hit and just doing them to the max, they have both cranked out their best works. Yall are hating on this for its expansive ambitiousness and dexterity? Do you even listen bro? (c) He literally said on a song to make room for mistakes and depression: this dude is going through it, drunkenly screaming in a hotel room and yall are like "but where's the hits tho?"

As of now, this album is a masterpiece. Standalone masterpiece. Commercially viable? Who knows and who cares? Sincerely. You gonna pimp a butterfly and tell him to change up his formula so he can appeal to masses that have no appeal? The people that get it will love it. And the ones that don't well it isn't for them. If you want commercially appealing rap then play "Fancy". I appreciate artists taking this trend of not trying to be the "best" or "king" of rap, but rather THEIR best. It is literally the difference between a Kendrick and a Lil Wayne at their respective peaks.

As great as GKMC is I felt like it was his most compromised album. Within that whole narrative I could not figure out how Drake ended up in his Mama's van in 2002 or whenever. This album tho? No compromises. And once you get over your expectations for what you wanted him to do and just listen to what he did......man.

Good shit Kendrick. I'm not choosing this over Testuo. They both are costarring right now. Lupe has a better collection of individual songs, but Kendrick made an album that is essentially a single song, with all it's different movements. These 2 albums will have me stuck for a good while.

I get it, too. Great post, bruh!! Sh*t was so riveting and in the end, nicely packaged. I figured where he was going by the time the middle of the album came. CRAZY!!!! The Pac sh*t at the end....CRAZY!!!



>My first listen was on the subway. And initially it sounded
>really nice and exciting production wise but the transitions
>felt really abrupt and disjointed.
>
>It sounded like he was doing too much at once and trying to
>sneak into too many elements and nod at too many influences
>and styles.
>
>BUT I was really excited to get home and listen with the
>lyrics......
>
>"Do you listen to music or do you just skim through it?" (c)
>
>If you came here looking for hits or a crossover single....man
>I feel so disappointed for you. Not because they aren't there
>but because literally you are pimping the butterfly.
>
>To see this project and the depths Kendrick went into to
>explain this very personal narrative about how he's found
>himself in this industry and how he felt in compromising his
>music and himself and his vices and EVERYTHING in
>between....yo this shit is masterful. Yall looking for
>singles?!? He gave you an ALBUM.
>
>One thing I appreciate about Lupe and Kendrick's albums this
>season is that in giving no fucks about the "label formula"
>for making a hit and just doing them to the max, they have
>both cranked out their best works. Yall are hating on this for
>its expansive ambitiousness and dexterity? Do you even listen
>bro? (c) He literally said on a song to make room for mistakes
>and depression: this dude is going through it, drunkenly
>screaming in a hotel room and yall are like "but where's the
>hits tho?"
>
>As of now, this album is a masterpiece. Standalone
>masterpiece. Commercially viable? Who knows and who cares?
>Sincerely. You gonna pimp a butterfly and tell him to change
>up his formula so he can appeal to masses that have no appeal?
>The people that get it will love it. And the ones that don't
>well it isn't for them. If you want commercially appealing rap
>then play "Fancy". I appreciate artists taking this trend of
>not trying to be the "best" or "king" of rap, but rather THEIR
>best. It is literally the difference between a Kendrick and a
>Lil Wayne at their respective peaks.
>
>As great as GKMC is I felt like it was his most compromised
>album. Within that whole narrative I could not figure out how
>Drake ended up in his Mama's van in 2002 or whenever. This
>album tho? No compromises. And once you get over your
>expectations for what you wanted him to do and just listen to
>what he did......man.
>
>Good shit Kendrick. I'm not choosing this over Testuo. They
>both are costarring right now. Lupe has a better collection of
>individual songs, but Kendrick made an album that is
>essentially a single song, with all it's different movements.
>These 2 albums will have me stuck for a good while.

>As great as GKMC is I felt like it was his most compromised
>album.

I agree with this too. I had to WORK to appreciate GKMC, mostly cuz I prefer more "challenging," dark, dense shit. but once I did, I realized just how good Kendrick is--he made a very accessible, popular album that was just as artistically dense. he made everyone happy, basically, on his "first" try.

but you're right, no compromises at all with TPAB. Kendrick with no filter or filler!!!

Agree 110%

live version of I


But the intro,
the interludes
alright!!
complexion
how much a dollar
motherfucking U
Mortal Man
Hood
You Ain't Gotta
These Walls
and Institutionalized

all FLAMES.


DAMN, I'm really surprised by the lack of enthusiasm from some of ya'll.


Ain't this The Roots album that they've wanted to / tried to /
and possibly failed at making since Game Theory?

Context adds a lot of perspective on this.

I was blown away without Genius
But when i put it on with it.....sheeeeeeeeeeeeit

There's a narrative. There are entirely conceptual songs. Songs about people from GKMC. He talks about several different things at once. More than one song is about the time he spent in Africa and how transformative that was for him.

If you haven't sat down with the music, you're doing it and yourselfan injustice.

Since the Lupe comparisons are already going around... this is similar in that you probably need to really sit down with it.

Wow.

lol it is crazy how this album is constructed. Agree 100%

And it gets better and better. I've got other things I want to listen to but I'm struggling to pull myself away from this.

in context the whole album is a convo w/PAC
hma$c is too ill, genius definitely confirmed my assumptions

I was reminded of one of my favorite albums, Buhloone Mindstate. Not sure why. But the vibe though! Frustrating album. but still.

Sonically, yeah - I see your comparison. But the "wait what the fuck this is the album" that I and it looks like most people initially felt.. brought me back to the first time hearing is dead. They went way left and confused everyone until they dug in more. Kendrick did that too, and I'm sure it will turn a lot of people off to the album, and a lot of people onto the album.

i could see that.. but to me the whole vibe, and the left turn sonically towards jazz gives me more of the buhloone vibe. plus like that album it seems less of a reaction towards fame and shit.. but more of a meditation of what it means to be relevant and not "go pop"... see the pac interview etc.

I started out saying it was De La Is Dead but that album had more "hits" so to speak and had a jokey, light hearted vibe.

BM was that album where they stripped down, did some art shit and basically said fuck the record sales.

I'll be honest, BM frustrated me and I didnt really like it.

I like TPAB but not as much as GKMC. I think GKMC had higher highs and lower lows and this new album is solid but its not as good as his last album... but I'm OK with that.

Its a brave album and its perfect for this climate.

Buhloone is actually my favorite de la album... and they've said its their least favorite in interviews... i feel like both these albums are challenging. i didnt get buhloone at all at first and kinda hated it but now i cant imagine feeling that way.. i dunno

Im definitely listening via Rap Genius tomorrow

and its way, way, waaaaay more comprehensive than I thought.

the second half is skrong as hell. LOVING that how much does a dollar cost.

And I'm digging all the influences in the album...I can hear everybody from freestyle fellowship to de la to kast to kanye to dilla to george duke to james brown to...

yeah. really really good album

>And I'm digging all the influences in the album...I can hear
>everybody from freestyle fellowship to de la to kast to kanye
>to dilla to george duke to james brown to...


^^^^^^^^

...kind of surprised by the lukewarm reactions to it. It's not perfect, but none of his albums have been. The production is grabbing me on the first couple of listens, and Kendrick is still spitting fire.

I will say the spoken word vibe and some of the interludes are annoying, and the only song I can't stand is 'u' at the moment, but everything else lends itself to be listened to in the context of the album. Very little skipping.

First half (up through Momma)is like organized insanity of his mind, packaged in a tasteful palatable presentation over a jazz/funk platform. When I listened to it...in order (Spotify made me shuffle it) I totally dug where he was going. OMG!!!

driven as far as the production goes moreso than 'Good Kid.." and it's unlike most records you here on the radio today which are mostly beat-driven

I've already picked out my favorite joint ("These Walls")

But it's several dope tracks on this record that are very dope

It's seems he's addressing more social issues on this record vs "Good Kid..." Which was more auto-biographical

It's not a genre redefining masterpiece and it's not trash. There's a lot of stuff to like, but there's stuff that's just dumb and tedious.

Stuff I liked:
-Wesley's Theory (best track on the album)
-King Kunta
-Institutionalized
-Hood Politics (well, the beat and the lyrics themselves. More on that later)
-Blacker the Berry
-Mortal Man
-The beats in general
-Most of Kendrick's lyrics

Stuff I didn't like:
-u
-For Free?
-The fake live "i". I'd rather they just put the non-live version on it. All the fake crowd interaction and talking was corny.
-The fake 2Pac interview. Overlong and pointless.

And mostly, for fuck's sake, enough with the funny fucking voices. They're annoying and the take away from the impact of the tracks themselves. I really liked a lot of "Hood Politics," but the weird voice shit almost derailed the track. I don't care of Andre 3000 did it back in 2000, he was really good at it. Kendrick is not.

So yeah, right now I got this album in B/B- range. Which is fine. I'll definitely give it more listens, but it's not a transformative album. And it doesn't need to be. But I was hoping for something that held together a little better.

I love the sound and feel of these songs. The blend of west coast funk and jazz is perfect for the hip hop template Kendrick is swimming in. It's more Sa-Ra than Flying Lotus, but both are part of what has defined westcoast "undergorund" over the past 8 years and I'm glad Kendrick tapped into the pulse.

the album is unapologetically Black, Los Angeles, and cerebral yet working towards "free".

"Institutionalized", "Alright" and "Momma" are early favorites. and King Kunta is perfect within the context of the album.

I hope he sells hella records with this album

>the album is unapologetically Black, Los Angeles, and cerebral
>yet working towards "free".


that's Kendrick Lamar('s rap persona) in a nutshell.
I felt the same way about GKMC but this takes it even further.

i still don't fuck with "i", could care less about the silly Tupac shit, and think "For Free' should've came later on the album, but that's the extent of my critiques

"how Much A Dollar Cost" "Hood Politics" "Complexion" Shieeeet

he knew what his folk needed. he ain't give two shits about the Drake drama, nor being king of "this rap shit"

took his time, 3 years, and DELIVERT

i really wish the first half of "Institutionalized" went longer, damn that shit cold.

The last album that was this demanding but still enjoyable to listen to was Kid A.

I have some gripes here and there with the long running time (I probably won't listen to the Pac interview ever again, for example) and I'd prefer if K. Lamar would utilize his regular voice more often, but there's so much right here. Him over this jazz/funk hip-hop/FlyLo/Sa-Ra/Outkast sound is too delicious for me.

It's not what I was expecting and I wouldn't have been mad at GKMC pt. 2, but it's a great album on its own merit. The journey from Overly Dedicated through TPAB is crazy impressive.


__
I don't like the beat anymore because its just a loop. ALC didn't FLIP IT ENOUGH!

Flip it enough? Flip these. Flip off. Go flip some f*cking burgers.(c)Kno

Allied State of the National Electric Beat Treaty Organization (NEBTO)

Favorites

Wesley's Theory
Complexion
These Walls
King Kunta
Mortal Man
The Blacker The Berry
Alright

I love the Jazz influence on this record...probably will be in my rotation for a while...

This album might get Album of the Year nods...

I been going through but I didn't know how much til I heard this song, it just gets me through. Love it!

gave it a full listen last night & did a complete 180.
i think my mistake was i was skimming through it looking for bangers.
i feel like more people were expecting bangers on this & didnt get that.
but this shit is amazing all the way through to me.
definitely hope they put this out on vinyl.

It's pretty disarming to pick out a random some like say, "U" and be like this Rocks!!

it actually flows perfectly right after the last track

Mostly because I was checking the album against GKMC. Did it have the message song? Bangers? Obvious commercial appeal?

I kinda gave up thinking I would like the album at 'Institutionalized', but then it kinda clicked that he was taking his fans on a tour of his life from Kendrick Lamar's music career until this point. Or basically a re-make of the first album, just with more skill, insight and messiness.

I kinda liked that appeal. Feeling that he was giving people what they wanted with the first album but also kind of as a f'you to the people thinking they were gonna get a more literal GKMC followup.

The Blowout Comb analogies are solid. Both albums take the themes of the first album and take them passed their reasonable limits, but make something poetic and truly reflective of their creative persona. I guess you could make an ATLiens comparison too. TPAB and ATLiens both feel like a broadside car accident on the way to a nice, sophisticated listening party for the followup for each act's career.

It's definitely got a sense of ADD, jumping around in ellipses from the beginning of the album where K.Dot is feeling himself, acting out for pleasure by sex and drugs and then slowly begins to move inward for reflection and understanding. Slightly absorbed in himself, but also a rare sense of introspection in rap music.

Like a poster above said, this album is as unapologetically black and and angst ridden and aggressive as you could expect from arguably the most high-profile musician / artist of his generation of any genre. Likely won't see an album this dark in his career again, but he earned the right to burn his appeal ala Joker in the Dark Knight.

Haven't listened to Lupe's album, but this Kendrick album seems alot like ...and then you shoot your cousin. TPAB is alot harder, but both are more thinkpieces and art records than 'tradtional'. Kendrick might have taken a page from ?uest by burning some of his old fans in the name of gaining new fans.

Feeling the jazz influences. Maybe like 60's rock was to Electric Circus, 70's jazz was to this. Both seem just a mark away from true greatness, but the attempt ought to be rewarded by fans.

Glad to see The Lesson being The Lesson. Shout out to Quez and Dr. Claw especially.

Don't always agree with the homie J.C. (though he is always fun to spar with on some musical discussion shit...)

But he sums up Lamar's album pretty much in the same way I would....Very brave, strong, challenging album....

Money quote: "Even though he memorably took on his hip-hop peers in 2013, on his verse on Big Sean’s “Control, ” the moments on this album in which he casts aspersions at other rappers feel unnecessary. That’s because “To Pimp a Butterfly” is bigger than any minor intra-rapper friction. An album that asks questions as big as this one does, and that will be heard by so many, is a huge taunt to Mr. Lamar’s peers — it’s a dare to ride along, a dare to be different, a dare to be great."

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/18/arts/music/kendrick-lamar-emboldened-but-burdened-by-success.html?_r=0

>"An album that asks questions as big as this one does, and that
>will be heard by so many, is a huge taunt to Mr. Lamar’s
>peers — it’s a dare to ride along, a dare to be different,
>a dare to be great."

^^^

i like it for the most part but not what i was expecting at all
pharrell gave him a recycled ross beat but so far alright is the best cut half way thru

Best Way 2 Fonky Quik vibe since.

█▆▇▅▇█▇▆▄▁▃
Big PEMFin H & z's
"I ain't no entertainer, and ain't trying to be one. I am 1 thing, a musician." � Miles

"When the music stops he falls back in the abyss."

>Best Way 2 Fonky Quik vibe since.

I was kind of laughing at how he was making DJ Quik "sounding" music with those lyrics

he really moves in and out of styles so much. Shit, even that pleading/crying shit seemed like a Ghostface homage.

>he really moves in and out of styles so much. Shit, even that
>pleading/crying shit seemed like a Ghostface homage.

Dang...I ain't think about Ghost showing vulnerabilities. That's one of the main reasons I dig cuh. Dot did an outstanding job of emoting that vulnerable mental status.

it's incredible

we got this and Tetsuo before the third month is over

rap is good

Legit getting to a point where I have to schedule listening.

I thought of Game on Dr's advocate doing the track speaking to Dre

like i don't like hearing you thinking about that shit. it's just a side of depression which i think he presents in such an honest way that it would feel less real without it. but at the same time it's always hard to hear.

it all feels honest. is this real life shit with him?

█▆▇▅▇█▇▆▄▁▃
Big PEMFin H & z's
"I ain't no entertainer, and ain't trying to be one. I am 1 thing, a musician." � Miles

"When the music stops he falls back in the abyss."

and then tells you why.....

Musically, I really enjoyed this, I love the jazzy touches and the few funky part are great too. I didn't really paid attention to the lyrics, from what I heard here and there it sounds pretty straight forward.

could be commercial suicide..but then again death can be beautiful

Damn. I'm still digesting and I love most of it after 5 listens. 11 tracks especially.

One of the greatest album covers ever.

I'm not going to be able to process anything else before I fully process Blacker the Berry, and that may take years.

sounds exactly like "pyramid song" to me (sorry if someone already brought this up)

alright>for sale?>momma is my favorite part of it (for sale? i've put on a loop)

FlyLo did "Wesley's Theory"

>alright>for sale?>momma is my favorite part of it (for sale?
>i've put on a loop)

this sequence has be stuck as well, lol

I'll be halfway through "for sale?" and be like nope, run it back from Alright.

I can see Oprah when he starts that song off. I love that joint.

but I will settle for the marching band playing it for Homecoming.

.

fucking fantastic.
_______________________________________
COYG

nm

i can't stop playing this fucking song.

People keep throwing out comparisons so here is mine

Ghostface progression from Iron Man to Supreme Clientele

Iron Man was dope as shit, had the big single with All I Got Is You
SC more abstract, left center, no defining single but pure excellence

That's how I feel with this at the moment anyways, Im only a spin and a half in.

>
>And mostly, for fuck's sake, enough with the funny fucking
>voices. They're annoying and the take away from the impact of
>the tracks themselves.

Amen.

him and Danny Brown..have two of the worst rap voices out now.

…would definitely cop the instrumentals…amazing crew of producers/contributors….

TPAB...I've listened roughly 3 times front to back. These Walls, For Sale?, Complexion, Momma, Mortal Man, and several other songs...way more times than that.

I came into this album having heard only I. I was a big GKMC person. I made my mama listen to it and love it and I don't do that with just anything. I was down with Section.80 before that. Still, I had no crazy expectations for GKMC or TPAB. I'm also a huge UGK and Outkast fan. Common was my favorite rapper for a while after LWFC...that's how I ended up on OKP. 90-96 West Coast rap music is a fond part of my high schoolish years. I was in my late teens for the highs and deaths of Tupac and BIG. It affected me deeply to find that they had once been friends at some level before shit went sideways. I liked Jay more than Nas around 2001..I was in snob mode so if I thought your shit wasn't perfect, I was hatin. As a whole, I was prolly wrong..Nas is the better 'rapper' if I need one cat for one verse. Jay has still prolly had the better 'career' music-wise.

TPAB....

I hear the things that aren't 'perfect'. I get most of the critiques. However...

I like the hell out of this album. I like his self-awareness and how he's decided to address it for 79 minutes.

Sure, it 'sounds' like stuff I've heard before. Yes, I see/hear/get the parallels to this or that artist at given times in their careers. But that's all the more reason that I'm not thrown off or blown away by how it sounds. I'm just enjoying it. Head nodding, dancing old man jigs, pointing at the stereo, jamming, reaching for the volume to turn it up.

I like the rapping. It isn't just good for a bad rapper like some stuff we get now. It is good.

I like the west coast nods (Quik, Mauseberg, Suga Free, Snoop, 'general purpose hard west coast songs', etcetera).

I like the Common/Kweli/Tribe/Digable/whatever. I like the neosoulish Stevie-loving music on These Walls, For Sale?, and Complexion. I like the singing. Bilal. Anna Wise and them. And even Kendrick for the most part.

I like how he set Rapsody up to blow up the end of Complexion.

I like the TERRACE MARTIN (even with the 'THERE WILL BE BRASS, DAMNIT' nature of his stuff). He's the secret star of this for me. He's all over this damn album.

I like the poem/spoken word tying stuff together and expanding/continuing as the album goes on. I like the hell out of the end because why deny what and who you've paid attention to.

I love the drums that I've heard stolen at least a few times before on Ain't Gotta Lie. I like the heavy-handed pfunk at the beginning. I like most of the mid-song beat changes. I wanted him to rap on the start of Hood Politics..I had NO IDEA how that was gonna go.

I like how it doesn't sound overtly current. I'm old and shit but there's enough carbon copies of GP turnup music. This album has stuff that could be played..especially since planet earth is all over this album.

Mortal Man is a highly personal High Powered. I like that too.

Most of all, I like MOMMA. That 2nd verse makes me so damn happy. That's the mission statement of the whole thing for me. And I love it. It is those 'perfect' moments that happen from time to time with artists who have the capability to be special like Kendrick does. I keep listening to this genre and tolerating so many fleeting moments for the joy that comes over me when I hear stuff like that.

Jimaveli

i feel that he is gonna be that one cat that can tap into something for everyone without losing him. now of course i always look for a money track and i think his best is yet to come.

he is one of those cats that came from the west and he doesn't have to take a bullet for the west and can his music flag in all 4 time zones and be good. he is skilled and on time.

dig this album and where he is going.

Still digesting this…I dig the musicianship, definitely Kendrick had the right players contribute to the project…doesn't sound to me like duke could match the level of the talents around him though, two full listens through…still listening, let's see….

.

this album is fucking growing on me.. Hated it at first, but it really is an album you need to take an hour out and listen to the whole thing.. fuckfuckfuck.. bout to go eat some crow.

The album is amazing. I glossed over it at first.

But took a long drive and had it on, it's incredible.

Straight up. You like certain kinds of rap, but you don't like rap on the whole. You dabble in rap appreciation. I don't give a fuck about anything you say otherwise.

You like certain kinds of rappers.
Or beats.
Or eras.
Or subjects.
Or regions.

But you don't like rap itself.

No. I just don't like corny, pseudo-intellectual, emulation rap that takes itself far too serious. This shit ain't jamming to me and that's why I don't like it.

you must HATE everything outta NY between 93 and 96

Maybe your musical tastes don't line up. It's a bit far to say enjoying this album is a requirement for liking hiphop. I'm sure there are people who say illmatic is trash.

but at the same time, in my opinion at least, calling an album that is more than anything lyrically informed by the artist's life experiences "psuedo-intellectual" is an extremely lazy way to dismiss it. I'd like to read an explanation that is at least a sentence or two on why this album is "psuedo-intellectual".

....

unless you're AFKAP.

I'd really appreciate it...

. . something so powerful, so spirited with raw emotion, yet precise, metered, disciplined. This is more than just a rap record. To Pimp A Butterfly will have a place in the history of Black art. So its no wonder that many people will dislike it, and resist it, because its a very upsetting work of art. It might be the first Rap record in my life that moved me to tears.

Which track moved you to tears?

I think it was the whole culmination of the album, but that was the track that kinda killed me

except for when you said "this is more than just a rap record". I get the sentiment that you are getting across with that statement but I just hate when people say that. To couple that with the statement that follows it in your post implies that something has to be MORE than "just a rap record" to go down in the history of "black art", or art in general. From this one could imply that hip hop is some kind of inferior genre, which it isn't. This is a fucking amazing hip hop record, that will probably (I say probably because this shit just came out) go down in the history books.

I probably went a bit too far with my interpretation of what you just said, but thats how I feel generally whenever I see similar statements; no snark intended (seriously)

That is totally fair. I realize saying "more than a rap record" sounds hyperbolic, or seems to diminish the genre. Let me try to explain my train of thought:

For me its a reminder of how art, at the height of its powers, elevates to a place beyond the medium itself. And while we know this is what music often does, and that there are many classic Hip-Hop albums that do that, it is also a genre that carries a lot of baggage and gets in its own way and has expected customs that some others don't, like authenticity for example. As a rap record in 2015 it stands out with very little competition, in my opinion. (Admittedly, I am somewhat resigned from contemporary Hip-Hop lately, or at least as much as a former "true head" can be. ) That said, I'm listening to this record and thinking about other things happening in contemporary art at large. For better or worse I am very much involved in the art world and hearing this album at this moment is a reminder of why making art matters, why having integrity as an artist matters, regardless of the medium or genre. Maybe that seems obvious to The Lesson, a forum of listeners who once clasped to those values. But for this particular time and place, it feels like the perfect reminder for so many people out there who haven't seen too many examples of that.

And, despite being someone skeptical of art being a direct call to action, I feel this album challenges us right now. It finds the sweet spot of being absolutely urgent and provoking, without sounding overtly political or idealistic. Its a rare gem, there is something palpable about it. It makes me think poetry is alive.

So perhaps in saying its more than "a rap record" is the same as saying that every great rap record is more than that, that "Kind of Blue" is more than a Jazz record, and at the same time, a jazz record.

I understand that completely and agree with you. I particularity liked your point about honestly. I think that one word is one of the main things that makes this record so special; there is not a doubt in my mind that it is honest. I more or less keep up with hip hop yearly, nothing is even close to this right now in my opinion, this is even better than the new Lupe album (which is a lyrical clinic). I seriously doubt a better hip hop album (or album, period) will come out in 2015, but I can't speak in absolutes because it obviously is still quite early in the year. Haven't felt this way about a new album, especially a new mainstream hip hop album (it is really hard to believe this came out on a major in 2015) in a very long time.

it's almost like he doesn't want to embrace the idea of being a savior because people then look for a way to tear you down

Best hip hop album in 5 years. It's so beautiful. I still love HER

but I do think that unlike similar records of the recent past, it has a shot at being seriously lauded for what it is. Not that I care about public opinion in regards to art, but I do think artists deserve to have their spades called.

this is a good read
http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/704-on-kendrick-lamar-and-black-humanity/

Good read indeed

the way it's so...clean, with little details sprinkled on each bar. but then it's also obviously a bridge off of Thundercat's Apocalypse, and SA-RA's body of work, and DJ Quik, and 40, and Terrace Martin...


I've listened to it front to back probably 10 times now and I'm still not sure what to write about it. All I know is that the negatives no longer matter for the moment (they barely mattered to me from jump but still...). I can see why people are put off by "u", it's placed kind of oddly between the more hype, 'radio-ready' tracks on the album, but I think without it the album would seem like it lost something.


I also think the 'abrasiveness' of this album melts away the more familiar it gets, kind of similar to Yeezus. Like in a vacuum "These Walls", "Momma", "Hood Politics", Complexion", "King Kunta", none of these songs are really all that weird. They just have more richness to them than your average track, or most stuff we've heard from this team before.


Really dig the liberal use of Glasper and Martin throughout the album, helps give TDE a more Soulquarian / ONP vibe than I'd have ever expected from them.



~~~~~~~~~
"This is the streets, and I am the trap." � Jay Bilas
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/archive/contributor/517
Hip Hop Handbook: http://tinyurl.com/ll4kzz

I swear was just working out this same connection between the poem and the songs... then I went to genius that they had a (much) more fully fleshed out version of what I was putting together.

http://genius.com/Genius-an-exegetical-study-of-to-pimp-a-butterfly-lyrics



Kendrick Lamar's third studio album To Pimp A Butterfly was released this past Sunday, twenty years and one day after 2Pac dropped Me Against The World. The almost 80 minute epic is a celebration of music, black culture, and storytelling. The straightforward storyline chops of good kid, m.A.A.d city may not be evident, but the poetry exceeds its predecessor. Kendrick plays multiple characters as he navigates his way through fame, weaving extended metaphors through multiple songs to deliver his message. To Pimp A Butterfly can be read as a short story, visualised like a film, or listened to like a sermon a top of Sinai.

"Every Nigger Is A Star" are the first words we hear. Then it's Kendrick, fantasising about fame and fortune, followed by rhymes from the perspective of the "pimp" (Uncle Sam) on "Wesley's Theory". Themes of fame and exploitation continue in "For Free (Interlude)", where a woman (possibly Lucy) highlights the dissimilarity between Kendrick and a "baller ass, boss ass nigga". The two opening cuts describe Kendrick as the caterpillar whose only thoughts are consumption.

He continues on "King Kunta" - an unapologetic track that captures his vanity. Kendrick questions the loyalty of his closest friends, claiming to have risen from "a peasant to a prince to a motherfuckin' king" - when in reality he's getting "pimped," ready to become the next Wesley Snipes.

I remember you was conflicted, misusing your influence. Sometimes, I did the same

Vanity turns to vice throughout "Institutionalized" & "These Walls." Kendrick faces two of fames main vices: money & women, as well as the added temptation to use his influence for noxious means. The intro on "Institutionalized" : "I'm trapped inside the ghetto and I ain't proud to admit it / Institutionalized, I keep runnin' back for a visit" and Snoop Dogg's outro portray Kendrick in the "consumption" mindset. As he's trapped in the cocoon, things take a turn for the sinister during "These Walls". While Kendrick describes having sex with a woman in the first two verses, the third details she's the baby momma of the gangbanger who killed his homie in "Sing About Me" from good kid, m.A.A.d city.

Abusing my power full of resentment
Resentment that turned into a deep depression
Found myself screaming in a hotel room

He screams "loving you is complicated" - slipping into a deep, self loathing depression on "u" Kendrick comes to realise Lucy and Uncle Sam have trapped him in fame, and goes so far to suggest suicide, guilt stricken over his teenage sister becoming pregnant and the death of his friend Chad Keaton. He tries to find God on "Alright", yet still struggles, promising to either beat his depression or commit suicide: "I keep my head up high / I cross my heart and hope to die".

I didn't wanna self destruct
The evils of Lucy was all around me
So I went runnin' for answers

Immediately after seeking out God on "Alright", Lucy (Lucifer) comes to the forefront on "For Sale (Interlude).".Juxtaposing the earlier "For Free (Interlude)," Kendrick wrestles with Lucy as she tries to "pimp" him into guaranteed fame and success: "Lucy gone fill your pockets / Lucy gone move your mama out of Compton / Inside the gi-gantic mansion like I promised".

Until I came home

As he begins to remember who he was before the fame, Kendrick returns to Compton during "Momma" and "Hood Politics". In the third verse of "Momma" he goes home to Africa where he meets a boy who gives him an ultimatum, which he agrees to: "I can be your advocate / I can preach for you if you tell me what the matter is." After taking his vow, Kendrick soon realises on "Hood Politics" that the caterpillars continue to consume everything, and the plight of the caterpillar has a cause-effect relationship the ghettos (cocoons) internal struggle: "From Compton to Congress / Set trippin’ all around / Ain’t nothin' new but a flow of new DemoCrips and ReBloodlicans / Red state versus a blue state, which one you governin’?"

But that didn't stop survivors guilt
Going back and forth
Trying to convince my self the stripes I earned
Or maybe how A-1 my foundation was
But while my loved ones was fighting
A continuous war back in the city
I was entering a new one

Money, race, and violence are represented by the subsequent three tracks: "How Much a Dollar Cost", "Complexion (Zulu Love)" & "The Blacker The Berry." It's here Kendrick completes the evolution from caterpillar to butterfly and is free of Lucy & Uncle Sam. He attempts to unite his brothers and sisters against racism during "Complexion (Zulu Love)" , however becomes angry and frustrated by the hypocrisy of the ghetto in "The Blacker The Berry": "So why did I weep when Trayvon Martin was in the street? / When gang banging make me kill a nigga blacker than me? / Hypocrite!"

Kendrick's journey is a manifestation of his own experience. As he weaves through Compton (the cocoon) he gains wisdom - "The Blacker The Berry" is one approach, "i" is another. On the prelude to "i", "You Ain’t Gotta Lie (Momma Said)" - he explains to the caterpillars (people in Compton) they don't have to indulge in drugs, money & violence, and completes this advice with the penultimate track: a live version of "i". When a fight breaks out in the crowd, Kendrick begins to acapella. Slowly the fracas ceases and the crowd becomes mesmerised with their leader and his words: "NEGUS": "N-E-G-U-S definition: royalty; King royalty - wait listen / N-E-G-U-S description: Black emperor, King, ruler, now let me finish".

The caterpillar consumed, the cocoon institutionalised, and the butterfly flourished. Kendrick reflects on his journey and looks towards the future throughout "Mortal Man". Like Mandela, Malcolm X & Martin Luther King - Kendrick Lamar Duckworth requests unwavering loyalty from his fans: "generation X, will I ever be your X?" He wants everyone to join him.

To Pimp A Butterfly is a vicarious journey through K.Lamar. While the caterpillar and the butterfly are one in the same; the struggle, triumph and emotion are all experienced to ask one question: what's your perspective on that?

A war that was based on apartheid and discrimination
Made me wanna go back to the city and tell the homies what I learned
The word was respect
Just because you wore a different gang colour than mine's
Doesn’t mean I can’t respect you as a black man
Forgetting all the pain and hurt we caused each other in these streets
If I respect you, we unify and stop the enemy from killing us
But I don’t know, I’m no mortal man, maybe I’m just another nigga

I will add "Complexion" is hiiiigghhhllllyyyyy underrated. That story line is so ill. The Black field nigga taken picked cotton to make a trinket for massa's daughter (aka extend a hand in love) all the while she benefiting off his oppression just like her daddy......and THEN Rapsody comes im with the perfect response.

This album keeps giving.

and, yeah, this album is so dense. so much to unpack.

>"Every Nigger Is A Star" are the first words we hear. Then
>it's Kendrick, fantasising about fame and fortune, followed by
>rhymes from the perspective of the "pimp" (Uncle Sam) on
>"Wesley's Theory". Themes of fame and exploitation continue in
>"For Free (Interlude)", where a woman (possibly Lucy)
>highlights the dissimilarity between Kendrick and a "baller
>ass, boss ass nigga". The two opening cuts describe Kendrick
>as the caterpillar whose only thoughts are consumption.
>
>He continues on "King Kunta" - an unapologetic track that
>captures his vanity. Kendrick questions the loyalty of his
>closest friends, claiming to have risen from "a peasant to a
>prince to a motherfuckin' king" - when in reality he's getting
>"pimped," ready to become the next Wesley Snipes.
>

I read the first three tracks as setting up Kendrick as the allegorical black person in the united states, first juxtaposing his newfound economic prosperity with 1) the country's policy-based impulse to take new money back, and 2) people-with-new-money's impulse to spend new money unsustainably. the woman in "for free?" is u.s. society, which does not think Kendrick able to maintain his economic prosperity and psychologically disparages him. Kendrick's response in the interlude and into "king kunta" is a defiant rebuke. taking no losses.

>I read the first three tracks as setting up Kendrick as the
>allegorical black person in the united states, first
>juxtaposing his new found economic prosperity with 1) the
>country's policy-based impulse to take new money back, and 2)
>people-with-new-money's impulse to spend new money
>unsustainably. the woman in "for free?" is u.s. society,
>which does not think Kendrick able to maintain his economic
>prosperity and psychologically disparages him. Kendrick's
>response in the interlude and into "king kunta" is a defiant
>rebuke. taking no losses.

Yeah, the way I interpret those songs are like the "cocoon" phase, and how his fame was supposed to insulate him from those things. So the new found fortune came with new found loopholes and taxes (as in the fortune aint measuring up to the expenditure) to then transitioning to "for free?" being about this image that is supposed to be upheld as a top rapper, or even just a successful person being juxtaposed against the idea of Uncle Sam pimping my pockets when in reality to owe ME...to then the King Kunta where not having the fortune, and the fame not being enough, he built up his esteem with how the world was esteeming him............until then Macklemore became the darling and it turned into how fickle is this acceptance.

From there to both using his "fame" to pull a woman, to feeling gased from his celebrity, ultimately he crashes out cause none of it is making him happy ("u") which is later confirmed in "Momma" when he's like all the thing he counted as progress was really bullshit.

Also the whole 60's, 70's, 80's funk/jazz aesthetic plays on the idea of "pimp" and establishes that narrative of what he was both captivated by and what he's tryna escape from. The album does truly begin with "Institutionalized" but those 3 songs set up for a nice preface. My dick aint free = yall are cheating me out of what I produce and I'm the maker and owner of all of this.

No more FREE Randy (c)

Interesting. Like, who's off-brand?

Also, to go back to this eras of Black music (60s/70s/80s) and mixing that with the idea of Labels/Lucy and how the big 5 jumped in and bought up all the distribution channels to syndicate and monopolize the pipeline to "popular" music....Micheal Jackson went from Motown and R&B to Sony and the "King of Pop". They'll let us be the face of it, but the soul was taken out of it. Our music in the 60s and 70s had us ready to fight the power. In the 80s, with the crack either you were banging, using, or trying to get that Cosby prosperity and play 'Thriller' in your luxury car.

Our motives and morals all changed once we got snatched up at a music level. They got to assign images and morals to our Black brand, and then here we are where "Hip Hop" is molly rap and shoot em ups, but Katy Perry and Juicy J can do a song together so she can be lent his Black street cred.

Pimping the "Butterfly", usually a word for an Illuminati puppet. And the deal with Lucy to come out here and have to sacrifice your soul to get some money, that you aint even end up getting because of Uncle Sam. Most artist have fallen victim to it.

This album operates on so many levels, damn near flawlessly.

with that said stand out tracks for me Wesley's theory hood politics, alright, Blacker the berry, Mortal Man.

Estimated to get about $1 million in royalties from Spotify just on the first day.

http://www.newsweek.com/good-kid-csh-city-new-kendrick-lamar-album-rakes-over-900k-315498

Hip-hop wunderkind Kendrick Lamar unexpectedly released his second major-label album, To Pimp a Butterfly, on Spotify on Monday morning, a week ahead of its scheduled March 23 release date. By early Tuesday, Lamar had broken the record for most Spotify streams in a single day: 9.6 million times all the way through the album, according to a Spotify representative who spoke to the Los Angeles Times.

Then, on day two, Lamar broke his own record, with 9.8 million full listens for the album, reports The Fader. Previously, the record number of Spotify streams in 24 hours had been for crooner Michael Bublé’s 2011 Christmas album, reports Yahoo Tech. (Because Spotify’s subscriber base of was much smaller then, it’s unclear whether the figures would be comparable, and the streaming service chose not to disclose the Bublé album’s number.)

The next logical question is: With that many listens, what was the bottom line for Lamar? Lifestyle and culture site Hopes & Fears did the math to find out what the artist earned in Spotify royalties within the first 24 hours To Pimp a Butterfly was available online.

According to calculations based on Spotify’s formula for royalty payments, the site said Lamar raked in between $921,600 and $1,290,240 from the Spotify streams in a single day. It’s proof that artists can make serious money from Spotify, even though it has been critiqued by artists for providing paltry royalties.

Some popular artists, such as Taylor Swift, have opted to remove their catalogs from the streaming service altogether. And the funk band Vulfpeck last year went to an extreme in raking in about $20,000 in royalties and in the process tweaking Spotify: It created an entirely silent album and made a video urging fans to stream it on the service.

But given that streaming services beat out record sales for the first time in history in 2014, Spotify may be onto something.

lolz.

This shit is incredible.

It's quite strange, isn't it?

The crazy part is I can see how some folks who need that instant BAM! to get into a song or album would have a hard time getting through TPAB....This ain't "I'm In Love With The Coca"....U gotta sit with this joint, so because of this it's not going to hit u on that super BANGER level...

But the A-List comment was silly at best. Lamar is getting write ups in Time Magazine and just broke a Spotify record...I think he has his A-list card intact...

though i haven't had the chance to let the lyrics sink in, just the music. I also like Kendrick's vocal inflections. so far, this is sounding like a vastly superior album to GKMC, and that was a classic to me.

this is right there with Black Messiah as best album ive heard in a while

to it the other day for the first time in over a year and damn..it sounds like some amateur shit in comparison

>to it the other day for the first time in over a year and
>damn..it sounds like some amateur shit in comparison

Granted, I always thought it sounded a bit amateurish, but then again, I listen to alotta
great music from the past so 99% of what I hear today sounds amateurish. This is the
first album in a very long time that I feel falls in line with the tradition of The Black Pool of Genius.

this album wont eliminate any other project's classic status, but when I try to play old things I love they dont sound the same now

>this album wont eliminate any other project's classic status,
>but when I try to play old things I love they dont sound the
>same now

Are you saying that because of this album, you have problems listening to "old things" by other hip hop artists (or even Kendrick)?? ...because they sound so amateurish??

I hope we don't start looking down on albums just because they may be a bit more linear....

I think Butterfly is the best hip-hop album (hell, forget a genre...it's the best album) of the year....I love the fact that people are talking about such an ambitious album in glowing terms beyond the STANS....

But GKMC was insanely good as well. There's nothing wrong with albums that court the masses....Some of the best music ever created was omnipresent on radio (Superfly, Songs In The Key of Life, Blue, Thriller, Purple Rain, Raising Hell, Doggystyle, ect....)

I think To Pimp A Butterfly and GKMC have different aims and nails them effortlessly...Butterfly is def. more ambitious artistically....But I'm not going to poo-poo GKMC's impact....

>I hope we don't start looking down on albums just because they
>may be a bit more linear....


Nothing's changing about what I like.
I like what I feel is great music. TPAB reaches my standard.
I don't necessarily think it would be a bad thing if alotta ppl started to re-evaluate what
they think is great music though. Our legacy is worth preserving and too much trash
has been given a pass in the name of that legacy. I ain't afraid to say that. *shrugs*

>>I hope we don't start looking down on albums just because
>they
>>may be a bit more linear....
>
>
>Nothing's changing about what I like.
>I like what I feel is great music. TPAB reaches my standard.
>I don't necessarily think it would be a bad thing if alotta
>ppl started to re-evaluate what
>they think is great music though. Our legacy is worth
>preserving and too much trash
>has been given a pass in the name of that legacy. I ain't
>afraid to say that. *shrugs*

So now we are saying GKMC doesn't preserve "our" legacy?

I mean, I'm riding shotgun with u homie on To Pimp A Butterfly...It's worth the hype...It's kicking everybody's asses....

But saying that GKMC doesn't uphold some sort of legacy is, I don't know...a bit over-the-top....

That's just me, though....

man. The leap he made from there to GKMC was huge, and then from that album to this one... damn

My god

I passed judgment too soon.
I posted impulsively, and missed the point too early.
I'm wrong. This is a great, great album.

I think I wanted more bangers immediately. There's fewer bangers here.
This is far more nuanced, layered, not as accessible.

It's a new installment in a long list of sophomore albums that deal with the trappings of sudden fame and fortune:

- ATLiens
- Marshall Mathers LP
- Late Registration
- Take Care

The "oh shit, I actually DID get rich and famous" album. I get that now. How foolish of me, my bad gang.

Now it's still too long, it still drifts towards the end there until "Blacker the Berry" wakes you up. But those first seven songs man...woo.

And it's still a crime that somewhere out there is a studio version of that Colbert song and it isn't on this record.

Not that anyone or everyone has to like this album. If you don't like it, that's fine.
But.
I really believe that this album is amazing, but that people are thrown off by the direction, the sound, the lack of bangers... as other have been saying -- this is the anti-turnup album.

It's really one to sit and burn one with and I knew that from the first time I heard it.

happy that you took the time to actually listen to it

...where all the shit sounds the same







EDIT: But really, you voiced a view that I'm sure many felt upon their first listen...and 2nd and 3rd...

on the first few listens of an album since Game Theory.

This sh!t is 80 minutes long and I wouldn't cut a single thing. Not even to make room for the Colbert track, which I am also obsessed with.

On the surface, the only change I'd make is moving For Free later in the album....but reading some of the analysis above it makes sense where its at.

This album tackles so much its insane. It's dense, honest, brave, diverse...important.

I really don't get the complaints. I think if you don't like this album you probably just don't like Kendrick, or are biased against the West/Pac, or have an agenda of some other kind.

The no bangers complaint?? First of all, I think if you grab an album and immediately look for bangers you view rap as a product/entertainment rather than art. Straight up.

And there are bangers on this thing anyway. King Kunta, Alright (?!?!?!??), Hood Politics, Blacker the Berry, etc.

The voices? Again, you just don't like Kendrick. Which is fine, to each his own. But I also think he uses his voices much better here than on GKMC.

All the comparisons make complete sense too. Outkast meets Westcoast meets Jazz meets Buhloone Mindstate meets Blowout Comb meets Flylo.

The concepts is so perfectly executed too, which is crazy that it held together for 80 minutes. I just wish I hadn't read about the Pac thing at the end before I played it. Still gave me chills, but damn I wish I would have been surprised.

It's like a great movie or novel you don't want to spoil.

Unreal. Props to him and everyone involved.

1) His reach exceeded his grasp. He was not able to fully realize his titanic ambitions. As a consequence, a fair amount of stuff doesn't work. Many of the neo soul/jazz/funk/whatever arrangements sound dated and sophomoric. Some of the conceits are forced. Basically, the whole album is a bit of a hot mess. There are only a few songs (King Kunta, Blacker the Berry) I can imagine listening to if I'm not listening to the whole album

2) As Nietzsche writes of Schoepenhauer, the mistakes of great men are worth more than the successes of his lessers. Kendrick has given us our first real hip hopera and an amazing linear narrative of the depths of his struggles since Good Kid MAAD City. He's able to pull it off because of his his jaw-dropping virtuosity with the pen and on the mic. Basically, the whole is so much greater than the parts. I cannot stop listening to it, and it demands my full attention every time I do.

This album is AMAZING. I will be listening to it and discovering new things about it for years.

You can hear the fly lo/SA ra influence heavy

I know taz did 2 joints
And fly lo did a couple


I love it

This is his best album by far

http://www.sharebeast.com/n3bze7iv9bk6

This album flows SIGNIFICANTLY better without the interludes. I know they add to the narrative or whatever but I don't feel like they make the album a better piece of music.

he's steadily working on it until he's done at the end of Mortal Man

Not only for the narrative, but because the lines that are repeated before the songs actually describe the songs pretty well. So I love how the poem and the songs tie together

Second listen: this is a really fucking good album

So weird how that happened. But man, this thing blows GKMC away and feels a lot like the album that Kendrick would be proud of. This guy really is the real deal.

355k with streams

Yep....The official release is March 23.....

but I got my physical copy on the 18th. Why wouldn't they count those numbers?

>but I got my physical copy on the 18th. Why wouldn't they
>count those numbers?


Yeah...I wasn't even aware the physical version came out on the 18th. I had to download my version because some the spots around my way didn't have it...Good shit...

He could have gotten higher if the physical copies were in the stores...

The best buy I went to had them in the back...not even on the shelves...so it's possible that stores had them and didn't bring them out...

So the majority of those numbers above were iTunes...with a few physical copies on the side...

I thought Lupe dropped the last lyrically dense and artistic album I would hear for a minute but this does it. It's like a build up, Drake gets no credit because his last album and mixtape to drop are still him talking about him.

I see a build up again, 2014 Forest Hills Dr, Tetsuo, and then this, and not to say TPAB is better than Lupes album, but in terms of delivery and sonics those three albums have the same theme to me and if Cole is the realization, then Lupe was the march and picket signs, and Kendrick is the riot.

And how long until another major label drops an album with these messages? Probably not long but I ain't holding my breath, and T.I. talking about going full trap-god on his next.

Excellent album, and Pilot Talk III will be my after-party.

between most of songs on an album....that is when you know that you got an amazing album on your hands IMO

this album does that for me

Wesley's Theory
King Kunta
These Walls
Institutionalized
Alright
Hood Politics
Blacker The Berry
Ain't Gotta Lie

It rotates between those.

>Wesley's Theory
>King Kunta
>These Walls
>Institutionalized
>Alright
>Hood Politics
>Blacker The Berry
>Ain't Gotta Lie
>
>It rotates between those.
>

THESE WALLS!

There's so much to like about this song on the surface. AKA the song 'jams'. And really, dudes generally love songs about getting some sex and handling up on it. Anna did her thing. Bilal showed just a piece of his greatness to come in on this after his turn as 'the cussing but well-meaning grandma' on the song before.

Digging deep in any direction is just so 'rewarding'. I know...rewarding is a word that gets thrown around so often on some artists, songs, and albums. But Kendrick is one where I find it fair. The moody 'everything isn't straight up here' breakdowns are where its at. And Kendrick plays his part in those mood changes well. And These Walls could EASILY be considered a nothing song about sex if you don't listen. Or if Kendrick and them didn't do more with the situation to move the narrative of both the song, the 'poem' and album along. So good.

Couldn't agree more!

Aside from the skits and 2-3 joints, nearly every song has been my favorite at some point smh

This reminds me of early De La albums as well in terms of the way it was structured. I think if you prefer listening to albums front to back this should really appeal to you. If you prefer listening to individual songs on shuffle, this might be harder to get into. But yeah so far my favs are Institutionalized, These Walls and Complexion, and I know a lot of people dislike 'u' but that track really spoke to me...I wouldn't say I've ever been depressed but there are definitely times when self-loathing was a frequent thing to do.

http://www.complex.com/music/2015/03/kendrick-lamar-untitled-song-colbert-terrace-martin

To Pimp A Butterfly producer Terrace Martin confirmed that Kendrick Lamar will not release the "Untitled" song that he premiered on the series finale of The Colbert Report back in December. According to Martin, who produced eight tracks on Kendrick's new album, there is no master recording of the song, which was written specifically for the live Colbert performance and intended to be "just a moment" rather than an official, commercial release. "It don't even exist nowhere in the world," Martin told Complex, "except on The Colbert Report."

maybe for the first time in a long time.

It's not an easy listen. It may not be welcoming or comforting. It's alienating in ways that most hip-hop albums are not. A quick scan of it will leave most kids or fans of Kendrick or mainstream hip-hop confused.

It forces us as listeners to pay full attention, to reject everything else going on around us and just listen.

There's a lot going on here. Some of it works, some of it doesn't. It's not perfect, but it's really fucking interesting.

I still haven't listened to it yet

but that's it.


I've played this album, and only this album, so much that I almost need a break, but I just don't want to take one.

I'm only asking because I've noticed a lot of people disliking Momma and I think its great. I like the Colbert joint too but I like Momma also.

>I'm only asking because I've noticed a lot of people
>disliking Momma and I think its great. I like the Colbert
>joint too but I like Momma also.
>
>

I have iTunes/Amazon/iPod classic/iPhone 5 as my main listening situation. And I rate my songs. Momma is a 5 star for me. It is heavy and awesome to me..especially in the context of the album. Having that song kick in after For Sale is an almost somber moment of clarity/realization. And the background vocals mixed with Terrace sneaking in on his Roger steez are special for me. I can listen to it over and over and over (like most songs on this album...the hook to Wesley is constantly in my head the last three days). To me, it a zoomed out summary of how this album came to be..like the situation for him after gkmc hit laid out in one song. I don't know how the album even works without that song on there.

Can't really pinpoint it, it just doesn't give me the same vibe every other song does, altho the ending of Momma is hella dope

It's a few other joints that have come out or are coming out, but I can't lend any space to take 'em all in. I'm still on TPAB status, HEAVY !! What a work of art! Masterpiece!!

Personally, I don't think its too early to say classic at all.

I haven't stop listening since I got it...I hear something new each time.

That's classic.

D

I didnt call Good Kid Maad City a classic 2 weeks after it dropped, it grew into one

To Pimp A Butterfly feels like it will be timeless though

production wise?


Like why did they have to take their discourse the way of classical / folksy....where Kendrick took it to a sort of rehashed soulquarians era moodiness... just a question.

I've seen his twitter/ig comments.
But I want the Questlove review of this album.

You just don't like hip hop no more if you like this album!

It's okay.

And I don't feed 'em....

Just a notice.

if you *dont* like...

Was typing too fast..lol

This is good money.

OKS gets one, because my inbox is full of requests

(I actually still have that Bada$$ one, but I'm
packaging it with an Earl review)

Somewhere you guys always read gets another one (or might
have already...)

Quickly: this is one of the most important albums
in a decade, and we needed it

The question is: why?

Lulz



----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

Serious question.

Serious answer.

Oh, and how's that new Action Bronson?

http://pitchfork.com/news/56530-pitchfork-seeks-editorial-interns-in-nyc/

http://radio.com/2015/01/27/iggy-azalea-dancers-tour-grammy-dress/


Btw, how's that new Action Bronson?

How's that Stereogum rejection letter?

Bwahahahaahhahaahhahhaahahahahahhahahahhahahah
hahahahahahhahahahaahhahahahahahhahahahahahahh
ahahhahahahaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha
ahahhahahahaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahhahahahaahhahahahahahhahahahahahahh
ahahhahahahaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha
ahahhahahahaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahhahahahaahhahahahahahhahahahahahahh
ahahhahahahaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha
ahahhahahahaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahhahahahaahhahahahahahhahahahahahahh
ahahhahahahaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha
ahahhahahahaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahhahahahaahhahahahahahhahahahahahahh
ahahhahahahaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha
ahahhahahahaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahhahahahaahhahahahahahhahahahahahahh
ahahhahahahaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha
ahahhahahahaahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha


I can see the pain it took for you to say that

That's the album you were looking forward to most
for three years, and it's fucking awful

Terrible

But I'm sure it works at your Thursday night games of
twister at the fraternity house

Just sing Bronson and not that *other* song you usually
sing, and we're fine


>How's that Stereogum rejection letter?

I can't find it underneath these letters from publishing
companies and editors : - (

When did you and your mailroom friends lick the envelope?

Cool that you lick envelopes at rap magazines...I might
be looking for a head envelope licker, inbox me, bro

It's cute that I have you desperately trying to prove your worth to me as a writer though. You're about to two seconds away from scanning and posting old high school essays, aren't you?

Serious question.

Oh, and hug, or naw?


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

Stop putting all your energy into the Lesson and more into your writing.

I didn't make the rules. I can't make people not like
me. If you have an issue, take it up with all the people
who like everything I do.

Same way I can't get Action Bronson to make a good
album.

So between people liking Orbit_Established and Action Bronson
making doo doo, not even biting Ghost properly, you are
certified sad


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/08/08/209957767/the-good-listener-how-do-you-break-into-music-journalism

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/opinion/sunday/how-depressed-people-use-the-internet.html

Let's talk about this.

We all can't be Orbit_Established.

Nothing wrong with that.


----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

which should be by the end of today.

A shitty Bronson album and a successful Orbit_Established
make a white hipster sad

Hugs?

----------------------------



O_E: "Acts like an asshole and posts with imperial disdain"




"I ORBITs the solar system, listenin..."

(C)Keith Murray, "

Looking forward to it actually.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkedvCA8330&index=7&list=WL

i have to admit that i wasnt a fan of KL, thought his voice was funny.

never listened to GKMC. i hate the drake comparisons too, but i will admit that i was a fan of drake since so far gone, except for his latest joint, which isnt directed at me.

im a 40+ year old rap fan and KL blew me away with this.

the creativity, consciousness, and love inside the music just exudes out the speakers.

also, i had heard I, blacker the berry and king kunta on a laptop....no comparison, you gotta hear the whole thing on a quality product.

i may not have any radio bangers but i think that its meant to be digested as a complete piece of work. it reminds me of a jazz album in that regard, there is a definitive journey and destination throughout this album

when i say its so Black, i dont mean its antiwhite, just its an *i love my people, good and bad* kind of vibe

also, i love how he builds on his poem each time until the very last track, didnt care that much for the convo at the end, but the caterpillar/butterfly piece was powerful

every black male from 14-34 needs a copy of this album, i really think we will remember this album in 20-30 years and hold it in a similar regard to Nation of Millions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRK7PVJFbS8

"it's a rare breed

and I usually speak with caution about this album but I generally believe that the reason why it is so rare is that it feels for the first time in ages, an album with "corporate/blog/etc" co-signing and what sounds like an actual budget that does not sound like it made concessions to a bottom line as much as it sounds like a concept executed from start to finish... without all the trappings of the "stuck in the critics' corner" (i.e. a wide, intended audience anticipated and ate it up).

this from an artist who did NOT exist in the 1990s.

hopefully, as time goes on, it's a harbinger for what eventually emerges.

but no genre has fallen further commercially (and with a vote of faith) than hip-hop IMO. the 2000s were essentially the "housing bubble" of its lifetime."

here we are in 2015.

are we there yet? I think we just might be. and here in the middle of it is Kendrick Lamar.

Should be either just barely gold or close

...it's not for the radio at all to me though....it's just a fun alternative trip

...some of it i wasn't in love with vocally, but concept wise and somically, it's really great....the Pac thing is the only part that threw me off....

Part of me feels a certain kinda way just "tacking" it on the album at all.

but tbh thats reaching; but I thought it would be cool having the album end w/ "WE DONT DIE, WE MULTIPLY" on some positive, awesome pro-black shit

i've thought about it a lot, because I love "untitled" but the truth is this album is so amazingly structured/sequenced that i feel adding a track is a disservice lmao...

It does fit on the end really well. He coulda made it a nice closure, but I see why it's left off.

Plus I'm sure Colbert paid plenty to have him perform that exclusively on his show.

Hopefully he adds it to his live set.

great song but I always feel strange trying to sequence something into an album that already exists as is with obviously a lot of thought to how it's paced.

before we heard anything else on the album (besides "i" studio version)... And Kendrick has stated there is no studio version and they did that song just for Colbert... Not sure if he meant for this to happen, but it was a great song that (in a way) previewed his album...

"Untitled" (IMO) really sets up the album... Listening to the verses, I interpret it as Kendrick hearing from all these different view points on how to live... Obviously, if you listen to the album, he definitely struggled with how to live once he got fame, and obviously before (GKMC)... While at the same time, the song is very pro-Black, just like the album... And then the actual music is another type of "intro" to the album... I definitely wasn't surprised by the jazz influence on this album after hearing "Untitled"...

"Untitled" and "Never Catch Me" off the Flying Lotus album are basically 2 songs that sum up the entire album...

http://www.sharebeast.com/n3bze7iv9bk6

http://www.24urban.com/news/kendrick-lamars-to-pimp-a-butterfly-goes-gold

www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/03/27/kendrick_lamar_s_to_pimp_a_butterfly_robert_glasper_on_what_it_was_like.html

Glasper sounds so casual on this description of Kendrick's flow and vocal presence, but it's so fucking spot on. Excerpt:

"...it’s in his flow, too. He reminds me of different instruments. Because on this album, I think this is the best album that shows how diverse he is. Because he doesn’t sound the same on every song. You know, some rappers, you know what they sound like, you know their cadence, and this is what it is, and you hear them on every song. But every song on this album, he sounds like a different person. And that’s so dope.

He literally sounds like different instruments to me. I really think sometimes he sounds like a trumpet and sometimes he sounds like a saxophone. In just the way he phrases. It’s really crazy. So it definitely gives me jazz. He’s very in the moment. He’s not playing the same thing over every song. He’s taking a solo."

Everytime I listen to this album it gets better and better. AOTY so far.

One where the music hits me this much in this way. From the tracks that grab me first and bring me back to re-listen, to the ones that don't speak to me at first but are glued so well to the others that they slowly reveal themselves.

Sorry to the fans who wanted to like this and can't. This time it's my turn, but be happy that you'll probably be safe until after 2020 before anything bothers you like this again.

For those who didn't want to like this either way, well, I would feel sorry for you but you got what you wanted so good for you.

Well done to him for wearing his heart on his sleeve this well. It's always going to be divisive. No-one can reveal all their inner voices to universal acclaim, when shit hits the fan you'll lose some fans. To know that and still put this out, it's courageous.

Nice to have an album like this that also speaks to me as a Christian.