>I do agree that Kendrick is on the level of the MCs you
>mentioned.
>
>I do like him to that degree.
>
>However, I don't think he's above making just good music.

Cool. I'll expand on where I was coming from with mentioning the other MCs

I think some of those dudes are making of have made great or in certain cases straight up amazing music. So when I put Kendrick on their level I'm saying he is as well, but he has been doing that consistently for 5 projects now (and most importantly for the sake of this conversation, released TPAB which you know my opinion on). Milo's So The Flies Don't Come is one of my favorite hip hop albums of the last I don't even know how many years. That new Aesop Rock album is literally probably going to end up being one of my favorite hip hop albums period. Elucid is making some great musically dissonant and passionate experimental hip hop etc. Don't even get me started on Run The Jewels lol.

I have never called anything classic before it has dropped, and yes, Aesop Rock is better lyrically than Kendrick Lamar IMO, but it's a radically different super abstract approach to lyricism that for obvious reasons connects with much fewer people so we are in the minority with that opinion (which isn't a bad thing per se, but it's definitely true).

Out of the overtly pop songs I really like "LOYALTY" - I guess I could see Drake on it, but "LOVE" (which is really Drake-ish) and "GOD" (which is more Kanye/Chance) are terrible.