{"id":8344,"date":"2012-10-22T20:21:41","date_gmt":"2012-10-22T20:21:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/illsocietymag.com\/?p=8344"},"modified":"2012-11-03T08:27:09","modified_gmt":"2012-11-03T08:27:09","slug":"kendrick-lamar-good-kid-m-a-a-d-city-deluxe-edition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/illsocietymag.com\/?p=8344","title":{"rendered":"Kendrick Lamar: good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe Edition)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/center><\/p>\n

Album: good kid, m.A.A.d city (Deluxe Edition)
\nArtist: Kendrick Lamar
\nReleased: October 22nd, 2012<\/p>\n

Classic<\/strong>.
\nI wish I could just leave it at that. <\/p>\n

October 22nd , We\u2019ve been waiting on Kendrick<\/strong> like the 1st and the 15th! <\/p>\n

Kendrick Lamar<\/strong> places himself at the top of the chain with his much anticipated studio debut good kid, m.A.A.d city<\/strong>, under the Aftermath\/Interscope imprint. The Compton lyricist delivers an exceptional 17-track project from start to finish, where he receives contribution from beat makers T-Minus<\/strong>, Sounwave<\/strong>, THC<\/strong>, DJ Dahi<\/strong>, Tabu<\/strong>, Hit-Boy<\/strong>, Tha Bizness<\/strong>, Rahki<\/strong>, Jack Splash<\/strong>, Like of Pac Div<\/strong>, Skhye Hutch<\/strong>, Terrace Martin<\/strong>, Pharrell Williams<\/strong>, Scoop DeVille<\/strong>, and Just Blaze<\/strong>. Leaving features to a short minimum, with the likes of Jay Rock<\/strong>, Drake<\/strong>, MC Eiht<\/strong>, Anna Wise Of Sonnymoon<\/strong><\/strong>, Mary J. Blige<\/strong>, and Dr. Dre<\/strong>, Kendrick<\/strong> is able to showcase why \u201clyricist of the year\u201d is a fitting title. <\/p>\n

Good kid, m.A.A.d city<\/strong> is one of those rare offerings that from the first track down to the last, every single one sounds like a \u201chit\u201d. And it feels that way even more with it being K.Dot\u2018s lyricism; there isn\u2019t any specific track we can pin-point and say \u201cthis is THE hit\u201d or the \u201chighest peak\u201d of the album, in where any other track falls short. So, with that being stated, all I can offer you on my behalf is a breakdown of the tracks that hit close to heart. <\/p>\n

\u201cBitch, Dant Kill My Vibe\u201d<\/em> is gem, produced by Sounwave<\/strong>. The strings, snare, and minimal use of synthesizers adds a melancholic dream-like vibe to the track. Lamar\u2019s<\/strong> lyricism is all that more felt and relatable as he recites <\/p>\n

\u201cI am a sinner
\nwho\u2019s probably gonna sin again
\nLord, forgive me
\nLord, forgive me
\nThings I don\u2019t understand
\nSometimes, I need to be alone\u2026\u201d
\n<\/em>
\nThere is a sense of repent in his voice within those few lines that is very inviting. Probably, the most humble line on this album lies within this track, as Kendrick mentions:<\/p>\n

\u201cI can feel the changes
\nI can feel the new people around me just want to be famous
\nYou can see that my city found me, then put me on stages
\nTo me, that\u2019s amazing\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

It is a beautiful thing that when Kendrick drops a line like that it is felt by all his fans who\u2019ve been there to witness his progress up until this point. Even without it being clearly stated, this is a \u201cThank You\u201d to all the supporters who have contributed to his rise, placing him on hip hops pedestal, and allowing him to reach the entire world with his music from stage to stage. <\/p>\n

\u201cMartin had a dream\u2026 Martin had a dream\u2026 KENDRICK HAVE A DREAM!\u201d<\/em>
\nThe Hit-boy produced \u201cBackseat Freestyle\u201d<\/em> is, in my opinion, one of the hardest tracks to date offered by Kendrick<\/strong>. Lamar<\/strong> goes in \u201cbeast-mode\u201d on this cut, proving that he is not a force to be reckoned with. And K.Dot<\/strong> once again reminds us of this on \u201cM.A.A.D City\u201d<\/em> featuring MC Eiht<\/strong>. Sounwave<\/strong> & THC<\/strong> make this track an exceptional \u201cCompton collaboration\u201d, it\u2019s grimy, hood, and very late-80s, early-90s west coast gangsta rap reminiscent. <\/p>\n

Drake<\/strong> accompanies Kendrick<\/strong> on the Janet Jackson sampled, \u201cPoetic Justice\u201d<\/em>. Only Scoop Deville<\/strong> could have pulled such an exquisite production for this, as Janet\u2019s \u201cAnytime, Anyplace\u201d loops in the background. This is definitely a \u201cpanty-dropper\u201d and one of the favorite among us ladies, With Drake\u2019s<\/strong> smooth and charismatic voice and Kendrick<\/strong> reciting an open love letter of seductive and intriguing love lines, I couldn\u2018t ask for anything better.<\/p>\n

Like<\/strong> of Pac Div<\/strong> & Skhye Hutch\u2019s<\/strong> production really hit close to home on \u201cSing About Me, I\u2019m Dying Of Thirst\u201d<\/em>. Once again, Kendrick<\/strong> shows great amount of humility, vulnerability, and pain within the tone that accompanies his correlating lyricism. Ever felt someone else\u2019s pain and hurt reach you, just by simply hearing their story and the voice that drowns in their emotions? That is the exact effect that the first half of this track evokes in you. The emotion put into this song is enough to make you shed a tear (I know I did).<\/p>\n

\u201cReal\u201d<\/em> featuring Anna Wise<\/strong> is somewhat reminiscent of Kendrick\u2019s<\/strong> early work- \u201cVanity Slaves\u201d<\/em>. The message is along the same lines, yet Kendrick\u2019s<\/strong> ultimate message is that it\u2019s better to be \u201cReal\u201d<\/em> than to be excessively vain and arrogant. A quality that up to this point we\u2019ve all come to appreciate from Kendrick Lamar<\/strong>. And it is probably the characteristic that draws most of his fans to him. <\/p>\n

\u201cBlack Boy Fly\u201d<\/em> finds Kendrick Lamar<\/strong> expressing jealousy in hindsight towards fellow rap colleagues who rose before him. He speaks on what it was like to see rappers out of his city, like Jayceon Taylor (aka The Game), gain success and live the dream he wanted for himself. Mary J. Blige<\/strong> joins the Compton native on a very uplifting track \u201cNow or Never\u201d<\/em>, which truly testifies how far this \u201caverage joe\u201d<\/em> from Compton has came. It fills one up with a great sense of happiness for the kid. <\/p>\n

Good kid, m.A.A.d city<\/strong> is an instant classic! It possess a nostalgic musical presence of the west coast all the while taking it in a new and evolving direction. Kendrick Lamar<\/strong> brings it back home, generating a win for the west with this debut, placing us prominently with heavy presence at the forefront of hip hop once again. West Up!<\/p>\n

All I got to say is don\u2018t sleep- good kid, m.A.A.d city<\/a>!<\/p>\n

-Stace Fresh<\/p>\n