Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West are such legendary hip-hop artists that their back catalog still sells better than most rap albums that dropped this year. But it’s astounding that the former’s 2012 classic is still selling more than one of the latter’s most recent projects, and certainly one of 2024’s most talked-about and consumed releases. Moreover, good kid, m.A.A.d. city reportedly became the eighth best-selling hip-hop album in the United States by total units in 2024, zooming by Ye and Ty Dolla $ign’s VULTURES 1. Considering that GKMC is still relatively high on the Billboard 200 and even cracked its top 20 earlier this year, maybe we shouldn’t express so much shock.
Also, it’s not like VULTURES 1 was a particularly beloved or replayed album from Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign. Of course, the LP performed very well commercially and tracks like “CARNIVAL” and “BURN” were enduring standouts throughout the year, for better or worse. Maybe the collaborative effort’s legacy will change further down the road and establish a more solid foundation, but with the championship year that K.Dot’s enjoying right now, it seems like a futile effort.
Kendrick Lamar’s Vault Is Out-Selling Kanye West’s Premieres
Kendrick Lamar’s “good kid m.A.A.d city” is now the 8th best selling rap album in the US by total units in 2024, surpassing Kanye West’s & Ty Dolla $ign’s “VULTURES 1”. pic.twitter.com/fmW2JHa4YE
Kendrick Lamar dropped GNX this year to massive commercial success (or at least, the best-case scenario a surprise drop can give you) and to much fan acclaim. This was after an explosive beef with Drake, “killing the party,” and building anticipation for his Super Bowl halftime show next February, so it was one heck of a cherry on top. But we’re sure some of Kanye West’s charting classics, like Graduation or My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, could outshine that new record sales-wise in a regular calendar year with ease.
Meanwhile, Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar do have one thing in common: seemingly complicated relationships with J. Cole. In Kendrick’s case, though, we really have no idea what things look like between him and Cole these days. But the Dreamville boss has a hesitant admiration for Ye that he doesn’t really seem to reciprocate. If he had funneled that energy into a more cogent album than VULTURES 1, then maybe he would have sold more than GKMC this year.
Kendrick Lamar’s new album GNX is an absolute smash hit, and now that the shock is dying down, we can appreciate some of the project’s finer details. Fortunately, this caused many Kendrick fans to take a closer look at the collaborators that he enlisted for this LP. One of the standouts is a 20-year-old Mexican-American rapper by the name of Peysoh, one of a few lesser-known California MCs who appear on the record. He appears specifically on the title track – a posse cut with Hitta J3 and YoungThreat – and recently spoke to Brown Bag Mornings about how the link-up came about.
“And then, I did my verse in, like, five, ten minutes,” Peysoh recalled of one of his various sessions with Kendrick Lamar for GNX and eventually its title track. “Yeah, we definitely chopped it up. We chopped it up and s**t. Yeah, [he’s been listening to me] since “6 Block,” since the first one. He knew some of the lyrics, he knew about some of the story.
“I was telling [a friend] when we got home, ‘What the f**k? Like, if he’s hearing it, like, who else is hearing it?’” Peysoh continued of the Kendrick Lamar feature. “And it really be a matter of time before they embrace you. And I’ve always been, like, understanding of that. Like, you got to reach a certain cap before you break through it, and then it just takes that one embracement. It just takes one domino piece, you feel me? Like, that’s all it takes. Hell yeah.”
The show’s hosts asked Peysoh whether or not he and Kendrick Lamar got straight to work or if they were able to talk with each other casually beforehand, which is what he usually does according to what fellow GNX collaborator Lefty Gunplay told the hosts. By the way, Lefty recently claimed in another podcast that a GNX deluxe is coming. In addition, Brown Bag Mornings asked Peysoh about whether or not he’s going to work with Tyler, The Creator now that K.Dot gave him this big boost. “Man, y’all just got to see that,” he cheekily answered with a laugh, which prompted the same from everyone else.
Well, after one of the most dominant years for any rapper in recent memory, Kendrick Lamar closed it out by suprise-dropping his new album GNX the week before Thanksgiving… Much to be thankful for, indeed. It’s 12 tracks and 44 minutes long, and for the sake of not spoiling anything, you won’t find any info on sonic pallets, lyrical mentions, and the like here. Of course, there’s a lot to get into and fans are already going wild with theories and such, but the important thing is that what we waited for is finally here. We can only guess at the discourse that will follow…
Of course, this new album came just a few minutes after Kendrick Lamar shocked fans and dropped a trailer for the project on YouTube. At the time, we had no idea what it was about or what it could lead to, but we’re so happy that said skepticism only lasted for all of 30 minutes. “GNX” was a pretty dramatic sound with some tight rapping and a pretty modular progression as well, all qualities that have defined him throughout his whole career.
Also, Kendrick Lamar’s new album GNX arrives amid a pretty interesting time for his other 2024 narratives, of which there are two big interconnected ones. First up is the obvious Drake battle that roped in a whole lot of other rappers and artists, some of which are seemingly pedaling back their initial sentiments. Future and Metro Boomin recently spoke to GQ about their regrets and reservations about the whole thing, and this follows a lot of other discussion around the small feuds that emerged as a result of the main showdown. It seems like the only ones who still stand by their runs are K.Dot and Drizzy, which is what it was always about.
On the other hand, we have to think about Kendrick Lamar’s upcoming Super Bowl halftime show, and the controversy it caused. This is because folks felt like it should’ve gone to Lil Wayne, but a lot of debate on the subject reveals a lot of grey area for both arguments. But none of that matters now: The album is here!
Kendrick Lamar allegedly left a lot of Easter eggs in his 2022 album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers that fans still haven’t discovered, or at least, that’s what one of its mixers Manny Marroquin thinks. But there are also plenty of details that didn’t end up manifesting, and many different ideas that were swapped out for others. For example, we now have a look at some more outtake pictures from Mr. Morale‘s cover shoot from photographer Renell Medrano, the same session that gave us the official artwork. In them, K.Dot holds his son Enoch (in a weirdly warped and pic-combining edit), stands over his partner Whitney and the little one, and also holds a shotgun while standing behind Whitney and their two kids on the couch.
Maybe this last one was too heavy or tonally clashed for the final cut. Nevertheless, it’s still interesting to see what other creative ideas were floating around the “Not Like Us” MC’s head, and what his team was bringing to the table. Medrano showed off these newly unearthed pictures from the Kendrick Lamar Mr. Morale shoot at a New York City exhibition.
Elsewhere, though, Kendrick Lamar is focused on the future rather than his past work, and wants to cement his recent releases into the history books… Well, more than they already are, anyway. He recently submitted both “Not Like Us” and his Future and Metro Boomin collab “Like That” for consideration at the 2025 Grammys in various categories. These are Record/Song of the Year and Best Rap Song/Performance, with the former also up for consideration as a Best Music Video nominee. However, just because he submitted these picks doesn’t mean that the Grammys will actually give him the nominations.
Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar will probably spend a lot of time preparing for his Super Bowl halftime show performance next year. Maybe this comes along with an album or new release at some point, but at press time, that’s only for fans to speculate. We don’t actually have any concrete information on what will happen next. But these old snapshots of the Mr. Morale days made us wonder as to what other curious diversions, alternate takes, and scrapped ideas are within this discography.
Some folks may already be feeling “Not Like Us” fatigue, but that certainly isn’t the case in Kendrick Lamar’s hometown of Compton, Los Angeles, California. The city has always been proud of K.Dot and vice versa, and with a stellar year for him so far, it’s only natural that Compton’s artists would want to pay tribute. Moreover, a new mural dedicated to the former TDE lyricist recently made some waves online, which depicts him receiving the Key to the City of Compton in 2016 on one side of a portrait and him winning the Best Rap Album award at the 2023 Grammys for Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers on the other.
As far as rap artists, though, many of them have commented on Kendrick Lamar’s explosive beef with Drake, with the latest take coming from Latto in a new interview. “I ain’t going to lie: I liked it!” she remarked. “I liked the back-and-forth, I thought it was healthy for the culture. It just felt nostalgic. I don’t think our generation has even seen a rivalry like that, I f***ed with it. I feel like it’s two n***as that’s killing this s**t and they both so talented, and they both on they high horse flexing their talent and capabilities. They both still that n***as, they both still the GOAT. That s**t fire for the culture.”
Even rock bands are joining the praise of Kendrick Lamar and Drake, although one of these MCs definitely has gotten it in more of a backhanded manner. For example, the Red Hot Chili Peppers recently did some shows in Toronto. As a thank-you message to their fans in the city on Instagram, they posted a picture of Kendrick waving goodbye in the “Not Like Us” music video. Pretty cheeky, no?
Meanwhile, there’s even a “Not Like Us” video game out now, so pretty much every corner of pop culture seems to be loving Kendrick Lamar right now. We can’t blame them; we just wish that we would get more music outside of this whole Drake thing. If all is fair and just, then both MCs would drop even better material later this year that has nothing to do with each other. Both of their cities and fanbases are ready for it, and they deserve to be great without it being at the other’s expense.
Kendrick Lamar is winning 2024. The rapper has been crowned the victor in the highly-publicized battle between him and Drake (rightfully so). He scored his second solo number one with “Not Like Us,” and he also secured number three and six hits with his other Drizzy disses. It gets better. Lamar’s iconic victory has inspired fans to dig back into his catalog and stream his albums at a rate they haven’t been streamed in years. The proof is in the numbers. The rapper’s seminal 2012 debut, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, is selling like a new album.
DJ Akademiks, the man who championed Drake throughout the battle, ceded Lamar’s dominance. He pointed out the rapper’s debut was on pace to sell 26K copies the week of May 12. To put this staggering number into perspective, the album’s first week of sales (with a hit single) was 242K. This means Lamar has amassed over 10% of his original first week sales without doing any sort of promo or repackaging. It all stems from the quality of the music. The 26K in sales will be enough to push Good Kid, M.A.A.D City into the top 20 of the Billboard 200. Another staggering achivement for an album that’s over a decade old.
Kendrick Lamar ‘GOOD Kid, M.A.A.D City’ on pace to sell 26K this week which will catapult the 12 year old album into the top 20 albums this week on billboard.
The irony of Good Kid, M.A.A.D City doing so well in 2024 is that Drake is featured on one of the album’s biggest songs. “Poetic Justice,” the album’s fourth single, peaked at 26 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also peaked at number eight on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, eventually going 2x Platinum. The rest of Lamar’s catalog has also seen a sharp spike in popularity. Billboard reported that streaming for Lamar’s music went up a staggering 49% from May 3-6. By comparison, Drake’s numbers were down 5%.
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City has also maintained its critical standing. Many cite it as the greatest hip-hop debut of all time, and one of the genre’s greatest albums, period. It’s frequently been compared to the likes of Illmatic and Ready to Die. It currently has a Metacritic score of 91, which is his second-highest behind To Pimp a Butterfly. Drake’s highest Metacritic score, by comparison, is Nothing Was the Same with a 79. K. Dot fans stay winning.
During J. Cole’s appearance on Lil Yachty and Mitch’s A Safe Place podcast, they talked about a lot of stuff. They discussed Cole’s first number one hit and how he “almost” regrets it, his features policy, and plenty of other compelling and interesting topics. It’s great to hear the North Carolina MC and the Atlanta artist chop it up about life and their careers, and they got to discuss one of 2010s hip-hop’s most persistent requests. When addressing his rumored collab album with Kendrick Lamar, the Dreamville boss gave some very interesting and revealing reasons as to why it hasn’t happened… and probably won’t, unfortunately.
“In a nutshell, [Kendrick Lamar] had pulled up on me at No I.D.’s spot,” J. Cole began. “We was already building this relationship, and I had these beats at the time and I was playing them for him. Was that our first time linking? ‘HiiiPoWeR,’ one of them beats? There’s a few beats, a gang of beats that I did, I gave him. Some of them like, maybe had a hook on them, a verse- this, that, and the third.
“So he took them and, you know, in that moment, we talked about, ‘Yo, bro, we should do a project,’” J. Cole continued. “At that time he’s not on like that, but I’m f***in’ with him. At one point, it was a real thing. But bro, time and life, we ain’t ever got the chance to go in and do it correctly, because that would take time. For us to do something that’s full of our potential, that meets our real potential, you’re gonna need time. At least a year.
“When you got two successful artists with lives and families, that’s hard to do,” he concluded. “We put it to bed years ago. But at one point in time, it was a real conversation, for sure. It’s not like it’s a ton of songs. It’s not like it’s some album sitting on the shelf somewhere.” For more news and the latest updates on J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, come back to HNHH.
Kendrick Lamar is a mainstay at huge festivals these days, performing at Governors Ball, Bonnaroo, and now Lollapalooza. Moreover, he wrapped up Day Two (Friday August 4) of the Chicago festival at the T-Mobile stage in Grant Park. Of course, the Compton rap titan came through with a collection of some of his greatest and most successful hits. All the way from his breakout album Section.80 to the recent Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, everyone had something to latch onto during his set. What’s more is that this was his first time performing at Lollapalooza in ten years, making for a very special moment.
Furthermore, the pgLang MC recognized it as such during various points of the show. “Is anybody alive right now?” Kendrick Lamar asked the crowd after performing “The Heart Part 5,” “N95,” and “ELEMENT.” “Chitown, how are you feeling tonight? Make some noise. It’s a special night in a special city. It’s always special when we come out here, it’s always love. I want to make sure you have a good time from start to finish.” “Until next time Chicago, I will be back,” he expressed as he closed the night out with the incomparable “Alright” after going ten minutes over his set time.
Since he started about 15 minutes late, there was not a soul who complained about his extended stay. With such a high-quality and versatile slew of excellent songs, who in their right mind would? Kendrick Lamar brought the wooziness of “A.D.H.D.,” the boasting on “Backseat Freestyle,” the funk of “King Kunta,” the smoothness of “LOYALTY.,” and the tension on “Count Me Out,” among many others. In addition, his live band and dancers elevated the show and made the experience much more unique than your typical festival headliner.
Meanwhile, amid teases of new music, these performances add to the 36-year-old’s mystique. We saw him a lot on the festival circuit, but it begs some curiosity as to whether there’s a deeper reason to do so. Maybe he’s gearing up for something big, or is just enjoying his time on the road with fans. Either way, fans are always very excited for more from one of the best to ever do it, whether on wax or on stage. On that note, come back to HNHH for the latest news and updates on Kendrick Lamar.
Back in 2017, Kendrick Lamar remarked on his track “The Heart Part 4” that there’s “a difference between accomplishments and astonishments.” To no one’s surprise, one of the greatest artists of the past fifteen years continues to do both. Moreover, the Compton MC’s 2022 album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers has spent a full year on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Chart Data reported the accolade and specified that the project currently sits at No. 110. Interestingly enough, his previous LP (2017’s DAMN.) is currently at No. 41.
Of course, such an achievement is expected from a body of work that has garnered such widespread and agreed-upon acclaim amid hip-hop heads, casual listeners, and the wider pop culture sphere. Kendrick Lamar’s latest full-length work won Best Rap Album at the 2023 Grammys, and provoked deep conversations around its themes. Across its nineteen tracks, the former TDE artist delves into spirituality, family, generational trauma, talent, responsibility, social change, and much more. In fact, it’s quite the feat to have such a dense album contain as many accessible bangers as it does emotive breathers.
Still, that’s Kung Fu Kenny for you, who continued his streak of record-breaking and awe-inspiring moves. For example, his tour for the project, supported by Baby Keef and Tanna Leone, became the highest-grossing headlining trek by a rapper in history. With that milestone, he surpassed the likes of Kanye West, Drake, Lil Wayne, Travis Scott, and many other insane concert series. Especially these days, it can seem tough to find artists in the game who break artistic ground as much as they break commercial records. But those talented MCs are always there, and Kendrick Lamar is currently leading the charge.
However, rap fans are also excited to see who will reach similar heights of crossover appeal and creative amazement. That’s not to say that they’ve become less hungry for new offerings from the 35-year-old, not by a long shot. His leaks garner a lot of attention online, whether for the potential displays or by their quality as they stand. For at least ten years, he’s been at the top of the game, and it’s been crazy to see him hold onto that spot no matter how long he takes to drop. For more updates and the latest news on Kendrick Lamar, log back into HNHH.
Kendrick Lamar’s status as one of the greatest MCs of our time is undisputed. Growing up listening to West-Coast icons such as Snoop Dogg or 2Pac, he has solidified himself as an icon of our generation. The mastermind is more than just a musician. He architected the explosion of Top Dog Entertainment (TDE) as a minority owner, and has collaborated with a variety of film or clothing brands over the past five years.
Growing up in Compton, Lamar never subscribed to the traditional lifestyle of those around him. Achieving straight A’s in high school, his friends described him as a recluse that often spent time in alone. The creative icon clearly had a vision, one that began with a series of mixtapes which he began releasing at the age of 16. Signing with TDE at 17 years old, he was soon collaborating with fellow California MCs such as Jay Rock. Co-signed by Lil Wayne, he released debut ‘Kendrick Lamar EP’ in 2009. Lamar would jump leaps and bounds between every project, unwavering in his psychedelic blends of R&B and rap.
The Compton-born rapper would go on to release a number of Grammy-nominated classics, from the banger-heavy ‘Good Kid M.A.A.D City” to the socially conscious ‘Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers.’ So, how do you organize his records into ranked list? It certainly wasn’t easy, and there isn’t one right answer. Similar to the likes of Tyler, the Creator or Kanye West, everyone is going to have a different opinion. However, we did our best to rank Kendrick Lamar’s albums from worst to best.
8. ‘The Kendrick Lamar EP’
Kendrick Lamar’s first official release, the self-titled EP is an engaging listen for fans who want to hear how his sound and lyricism has progressed over the years. Featuring fellow West-Coast MCs like Schoolboy Q and BJ The Chicago Kid, the timid personality is boastful on the mixtape. Referencing the Grammy’s multiple times, there was a clear path to fame that the 21-year old was pursuing.
However, it’s far more than a traditionally boastful or trap-inherent record. Surprisingly mature for his age, he has intricate takes on being raised in the violent streets of Compton. Talking about his Uncle Tony or his tumultuous home life, many of the topics referenced would be discussed in more detail on ‘Good Kidd Maad City.’ In addition, he doesn’t shy away from more melodic tracks that would be more fully-fledged out on ‘Section 80.’
Lamar isn’t commanding beats and switching up his flows like he would on future projects. However, his ambition is apparent and attractive as a listener. Straining for start to finish, it’s an admirable project that would set the groundwork for the remainder of his career. The record’s final track concludes with external voices saying “Who are you? What are you trying to say? What are you trying to accomplish?” These are all questions he’s still navigating, which explains the half-baked nature of the mixtape’s sound and lyricism.
7. ‘Overly Dedicated’
At 23 years old, ‘Overly Dedicated’ comes from a rapper who’s still trying to figure out his sound. Often impersonating the likes of Lil Wayne or Eminem, Lamar is still “in the dungeon” in terms of drilling his own voice. However, he’s taken noticeable leaps from his debut mixtape. Lamar doesn’t constantly sound out of breath or lagging on a beat. In addition, the record sees him dramatically grow from a songwriting perspective, which is especially noticeable on tracks such as “The Heart Pt. 2.”
More abstract than ever on the production end, the attempt, similar to his self-titled EP, is hit or miss. Jhene Aiko makes an appearance on the lead track, delivering fleeting background vocals amidst a lofi R&B beat. Again, Lamar recruits his fellow So-Cal MCs such as Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul. All of it sounds more in control and calculated. Lamar doesn’t know where he’s going to end up, but he finally knows where he’s going. Darting from smooth melodies to aggressive verses, ‘Overly Dedicated’ represents a steadfast improvement from his messy mixtape.
6. ‘Untitled, Unmastered’
It’s not uncommon for hallmark artists to release mixtapes or projects that exclusively feature lost tracks. Of course, these projects are almost always met with lowered expectations. After all, these are songs that weren’t quality enough to make an official release. However, ‘Untitled, Unmastered’ is shockingly great. Is it messy and sloppy? Sure, but the ideas here make it a worthwhile listen for any Kendrick Lamar fan.
‘Untitled, Unmastered’ is just as much an intricate piece of commentary as it is a piece of music. Songs randomly depart into spoken-word sections, or off-kilter audio recordings. For example, ‘Untitled 07’ starts off as a grimy banger, featuring wonky synths as Lamar yells out “levitate!” The track then diverts into a recording session amongst Kendrick and his friends. What does it mean from a conceptual perspective? There’s plenty of loose-ends left up to the interpretation of the listener, which is a consistent theme throughout the record.
A collection of leftovers from the ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ recording sessions, the 34-minute record still demonstrates far more power and originality than his most early works. Lines such as “See I’m living with anxiety, duck at the sobriety” prove that ‘Untitled, Unmastered’ is still an engaging record from a storytelling perspective, even if it’s jaded.
5. ‘Section 80’
In many people’s eyes, ‘Section 80’ is when the career of Kendrick Lamar really kicked off. The debut studio album from Kendrick Lamar, ‘Section 80’ is a fully realized version of ‘Overly Dedicated.’ Sampling the likes of Gil-Scott Heron and the Wu Tang Clan, he implements his childhood influences throughout the record. Kendrick essentials such as “A.D.H.D” and “HiiiPower” appear on an album that’s proven to be timeless.
Kendrick expresses his love through multi-faceted verses and soul-induced beats on ‘Section 80.’ His most somber listen yet, it’s a stark contrast to the bangers than would populate his next album. It’s his most summertime album yet, as he pitches down his voice and lays down catchy melodies on an album that isn’t as a feature heavy compared to his previous records. However, he still finds the space to include the likes of Ab-Soul and BJ the Chicago Kid.
Relentless and conceptual, the project attacks themes such as the 80s crack epidemic, racism, and complex love interests. ‘Section 80’ proved that the name Kendrick Lamar would be here to stay. While not quite as tight-knit or consistent as his later projects, it’s a generational album that propelled him onto the main stage of hip-hop.
4. ‘DAMN‘
Kendrick Lamar’s favorite album (up until Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers), ‘DAMN’ is the fourth studio album from Kung Fu Kenny. He was on-fire going into ‘DAMN,’ piggybacking off of the hype of his previous two records. Featuring a big-budget sound and a celebratory feature list, it’s undoubtedly his most mainstream record yet. However, this doesn’t mean that the record is wallpaper or repetitive. Kendrick attacks plenty of fresh territory on ‘DAMN,’ such as on the drop-dead gorgeous “LOVE.”
Touching on topics such as race relations in a post-Obama America and a deteriorating personal faith, Kendrick seems as unsure of himself as ever on ‘DAMN.’ It’s surprising considering his aforementioned success, but it’s presented in an eye-opening and engaging manner. His most successful commercial release to date, hit lead single “HUMBLE” is nearing 2 billion streams on Spotify. In addition, “DNA” is approaching 1 billion streams.
Somehow, Kendrick finds a way to re-invent himself on the 2017 release. His most scattered album yet, each song employs a completely left-field sound. Whether it be the oddball sample on “FEEL” or the explosive “DNA,” it’s certainly a mind-boggling first listen. In many ways, ‘DAMN’ blends the softer elements of ‘Section 80’ with the rap anthem aspects of ‘GKMC.’ While the album is missing the replay value of our top three records, Kendrick’s frankness about his flaws makes ‘DAMN’ a hell of a ride.
3. ‘Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers’
Kendrick Lamar’s most recent release, ‘Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers’ was his most introspective record to date. His sixth and last release for Top Dog Entertainment, the album symbolizes a new era for the elusive rapper. Purposefully taking himself out of the limelight over a two to three year span, he returned with a newfound perspective after having his second daughter with fiancé Whitney Alford. Featuring the likes of Sampha, Kodak Black, and Summer Walker, it was arguably his strongest feature album yet.
The record sees Kendrick fully tackle many of the personal demos that he hinted at on ‘DAMN.’ Finally at peace with the reality that he (just like all of us) is inherently flawed, he sheathes his ego in favor of a therapeutic 78-minute expression of sound. The two disks symbolize two sides of Kendrick. On the first disk, he’s at a darker place, coming from a place of anger rather than understanding. The second disk sees Kendrick overcome his trauma through therapy and reflection on difficult experiences. Menacing piano chords and dark commentary populate much of the record, generating a unique sound that aids to the narrative of the album.
Even though ‘Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers’ is full of tearful ballads, that’s not to say that he doesn’t have any sort of fun. Teaming up with Baby Keem for electronic banger “N95,” rapid and wistful synths blend in with Kendrick’s menacing voice. “Die Hard” is a feel-good song through and through, as Kendrick takes a backseat to allow Blxst and Amanda Reifer to deliver gleeful vocal falsettos. “Rich Spirit” makes the listener feel as if they’re underwater, as the far-away vocals and snappy 808s aid to the relaxing, cerebral feel of the track.
‘Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers’ feels like the tight-knit, narratively conceptual project that ‘DAMN’ was meant to be. An emotional rollercoaster, Kendrick tackles his demons through transparent lyricism and experimental piano loops or synths. While Kendrick doesn’t quite match the vocal performances or consistency of our top 2 records, the Grammy-winning project was his “return of the king” moment.
2. ‘good Kid, m.A.A.d. city’
The quintessential coming of age rap album, ‘GKMC’ was Kendrick’s most banger-heavy record yet. Full of timeless rap anthems, it’s a conceptual callback to his Compton roots. Kendrick’s “we made it” record, the listener feels like he’s driving through Southern California in a Mercedes Benz with Kenny and his friends. Kendrick addresses many of the ills of growing up in Compton, from racial profiling to constant pressures to conform to the toxicity around him.
Releasing a mere year after ‘Section 80,’ ‘GKMC’ continued to solidify Kendrick as a socially aware lyricist, whose verses proved to be just as effective under a variety of genre-bending styles. However, this was undeniably his most hardcore hip-hop album to date. From “Money Trees” to “Swimming Pools,” he’s drowning in money, alcohol, and fame amidst trap beats. Many of the bangers act as smokescreens for his deep-rooted issues. “Swimming Pools” sounds like a simple banger that endorses alcohol on first listen. However, more listens make the nuance of Kendrick’s message about alcohol or drugs apparent.
Kendrick assumes a variety of alter-egos to symbolize his varying states of consciousness on the record. On “Backseat Freestyle,” he states “I pray my d**k get big as the Eiffel Tower” amidst a wind-chime sampled beat and a booming base. However, tracks such as “Real” reveal this ego to be un-founded, as it represents Kendrick behind drawn into the toxic life around him. “Sing About Me, Dying of Thirst” is commonly believed to be one of his best songs. A deeply religious track, Kendrick comes crashing down from the highs of fame and drug-use.
One of the greatest rap albums of the 2010s, the record was infamously snubbed for a Grammy by Macklemore’s ‘The Heist.’ However, it’s sound is un-paralleled. Kendrick is just a teenager trying to withhold the temptation to fall into the status quo of his surroundings, and the creative expression of that time in his life is beautiful.
1. ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’
At our number one spot, we have ‘To Pimp a Butterfly.’ Kendrick’s third studio album under TDE, he incorporates jazz, funk, and soul into a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The theatricality is the record is all-encompassing, as Kendrick embraces all that comes with his roots. His most textured and in-depth studio album, he negates the claims of a utopic black future that many associated with President Obama. ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ is theatrical, crushing, and electric all at once.
‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ spans the history of African-American music, as proven by the hints of jazz and funk throughout the album. A tribute to those who struggled before him, his message is unsurprisingly layered and meaningful. With the cover art featuring his friends and brothers from Compton, the group stands over a white judge with his eyes crossed out. Seemingly an expression of solidarity and African-American expression, it’s one of the more powerful album covers of all time.
Kendrick covers topics such as race, sex, and poverty through funky grooves. As personal as ever, he discusses not being there enough for his relatives, or for the death of his friend. Take “Wesley’s Theory,” where he raps as various alter-egos amongst wailing g-funk synthesizers. Portraying that success come with debts, we also get our bangers such as “King Kunta” and “Alright.” Alcohol is a common theme throughout the album. In fact, you can literally how the swishing of liquor amongst the background of numerous tracks, symbolizing how fame has equated with him feeling more out of touch.
‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ is Kendrick Lamar’s best album, both on the sonic and conceptual front. From Thundercat’s basslines to the somber horns on “How Much a Dollar Cost?,” it’s a polarizing record in the best way possible. His most daring and ambitious project, the record signified a definite end to the bling era of rap. Balancing the grim reality of tragedy with the hope for a better future, it’s one of the most lyrically dense records of all time.
