Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city Album Review.

 Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city

 (DJ Twohands Review)

Sometimes a newish cat comes out and mutha fuckas be all like "he the new Rakim' or "Son, this cat be the dopest shit you gonna hear all your life'. So I am usually like 'yeah, OK'. People call me a hater. When you love something so much anything that defiles it or fucks it up will be met will derision. So, I am gonna listen to this new Kendrick Lamar album that people are fuckin losing their shit over. "good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe)"

Here are my reflections on my first listen;

01 Sherane a.k.a Master Splinter_s D

It's an erie start to the album, I keep expecting Devin da Dude to start rappin. He doesn't. It's Kendrick. He's handsome. The beat is mad smoothed out. The snares all pitched the fuck up is kinna cool. Kendrick's lazy off beat flow works well on this joint. There is a skit at the end of the track about dominos, I fast forwarded it but i realised it segues into the new track.

02 Bitch, Don_t Kill My Vibe

I am not a big fan of rappers singing unless they are Biz or ODB. The Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe hook is a bit annoying but undeniable catchy. I must remember not to sing it in front of my girl. More smooth beats. Chilled out smokin vibe. Kids are gonna love this shit. The high hat rollls are a bit rubbish. Gets mad orchestral cheesy at the end.

03 Backseat Freestyle

This sounds like a bit more bangy! Martin Luther King and Kendrick should not be mentioned in the same sentence, Kendrick wants an Eifel Tower size dick to fuck the whole world, I'm not sure but I think MLK had a different agenda. He switches up his flows in his verses which I like. He does a little Kanye impression in the middle of the song which was time to go. He has a problem with Coldplay, BIATCH!

04 The Art of Peer Pressure

The piano and the summertime high pitched pad makes me feel this one when the beat starts. Then fools start singing like bitches. Oh Shit! Then it does a little Dubstep bassline break down and turns into a fresh beat with a dope flow. Ever since Ice T I have been a big fan of those silly sick bass lines. This beat works really well, Fresh. Skit at the end is a bit confusing but it has the best lyric of the album so far. "Nigga shut your dumb ass back down"

05 Money Trees (feat. Jay Rock)

Money Trees. I think I might not like this one. You Bish! Is that what rappers call bitches these days. I am so fuckin dated. Or is it short for bishop? For my Priests and my Bishes! It's getting a bit wack now. I forward to hear a young girl rapping badly. Hmmmm. It might be aa 11 year old dukie from The Wire. There is another guy now. He seems to like Kendrick's flow, it sounds similar. Not as good though. Next!

06 Poetic Justice (feat. Drake)

I hate Drake. I have from the first time I heard that little pussyole. I am gonna listen to this. Watch me! The vocal sample is nice, sounds a bit like  Minnie Riperton. I will describe this one as nondescript. But wack might be a better description. Drakes flow stumbles somewhat. Must I listen to all of this? I thought Poetic Justice was a movie. I listened to all of Drakes verse, well done me. That's enough though.

07 good kid

This is a title track. I like the beat, it builds nicely. The 'Roy Ayres -We Live In Brooklyn Baby' flip on the intro hook is fresh too. Nice. Each verse goes up for about 8 bars and then resolves again it works nicely.

08 m.A.A.d city (feat. MC Eiht)

G'yeah! I love MC Eiht. Kendrick drops more flows on this beat. Different, I like. At about 2:30 the beat switches up and gets some hard ass snares in there. "Fresh outta school coz I was a high school grad" shout to Ice Cube is nice intro to the verse. The rest of the verse is all right. Kendrick has versatility for sure. MC Eiht has said G'yeah about 5 times in the first 8 bars. That's a good thing.

09 Swimming Pools (Drank) [Extended]

I heard this before. I kinna liked it then. Let's see how it works now. I can relate to the lyrics a lot. I don't drank so I am kinna feelin this. I assume most kids think it's a drinkin song. Drank! Too many high hat rolls again but the tune is nice.

10 Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirs

I like the drums. A bit too singy singy for my tastes. just sayin, not really hating. I am not mad for Kendricks flow but he does have a variety of flows and in truth some of them I am really feelin. So, I am kinna contradicting myself. Nothin new there. The song changes at about 7mins. The secong has a breathy tart singing in it, it works though. There is some religious skit at the end. I forwarded it. Sorry.

11 Real (feat. Anna Wise)

I hate that voice. Shhh. Please.  This is a skipable track.

12 Compton (feat. Dr. Dre)

Dre. This is King Kendrick Lamar. The flow on this track is sick. Dre is OK too! The Compton hook is a bit wack.

13 The Recipe (feat. Dr. Dre) [Bonus]

I really like this one. The first time I heard it I was like, OK I need to check this Kendrick prick out. The sample refix is fresh. This is a repeatable track if you have not heard it too much already.

14 Black Boy Fly (Bonus Track)

More smoked out smooth beats and subtle flow from KL, I feel I can call him KL now as I am getting to know him.

15 Now or Never (feat. Mary J. Blige)

This might be the dance track. I just said that coz it has Mary J Blige. She still smacks it. The lyrics in the hook are quite awful. This track is not as good as most of the rest of the album.

16 Collect Calls (Bonus Track)

This is a bit darker than the rest of the album and I like dark. Kendrick flows over the drums and it's a dope cadence. The synth is moody and creepy. 'Men lie, women lie'. That's a revelation. This shit is fresh.

So, over all I was thinking I was gonna find this a bit shit. I feel too much hype about an album makes me skeptical automatically. As an album it is really well crafted. The style in undeniable KL's flows are many and fresh. The beats are smooth and moody. There are not many bangers on here but I don't think that is what KL is tryin to do. He has made an album in the classic sense. It works well together and should be listened to as an album. Time will tell if it becomes a classic. If you hate the hype about Kendrick Lamar or you find his style annoying. Give the album a listen. Peace.