Just finished my first listen of Kendrick Lamar's full-length debut good Kid, m.A.A.d City and it is somewhere between damn good and outstanding. What makes it even better is that I took off my headphones knowing that this is one of those records that I will enjoy more and more with each listen.
Kendrick has found that perfect middle ground between pouring out hundreds of dense, intricate bars (which rap purists love) and making tracks with infectious hooks over complimentary beats (which causal listeners love). This is by no means an easy feat--some of my favorite rappers have never been able to put this together in their entire careers, let alone on their first LP.
Even more impressive is that this album doesn't succeed by playing it safe. On the contrary, good Kid, m.A.A.d. City succeeds by deftly executing risky decisions. Featuring story tracks about topics ranging from inner-turmoil and self-consciousness to murder and alcoholism, it never feels sluggish, despite the fact that many tracks last longer than five minutes. The production is superb, paying homage to the west-coat vets that paved the way while having a decidedly forward-thinking inclination. The bars are sharp and the lasting message of the album is poignant without being preachy. This LP is impressive in both scope and delivery. In short, it is a great freshman release.
Shit, it's just a great release--no modifiers needed.
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