What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

Kendrick Lamar (1 Viewer)

E

eoMMan

Footballguy
Best "new" rap artist in the past year? 5 years? 10 years?

What say you?

(New is in quotes cause I know this will very by many)

 
He's nasty, listen to him at work all the time on Spotify. For me best rap artist at least in the past year, has his own style that doesn't sound like every other rap song on the radio. So solid.

 
Hes really good and deserves the hype but I just cant get into his album at all. The beats are just too mellow and boring IMO. Then again I never really liked West Coast rap due to the beats and this album is no different. Except the song Swimming Pools which has a dope beat.

 
K Dot is a beast. Went to the schools where I teach and coach at. Legitimate MC in the mold of a west coast combo of NaS and OutKast. Been a joy seeing his music evolve over the past 5-6 years.

 
Best rapper alive and has the potential to be one of the all time greats. His last two albums are classics.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
His best work is on "1 Train" with A$AP Rocky and Action Bronson, among others.

My favorite rap song from the past 4-5 years for sure

 
Last edited by a moderator:
shadyridr said:
Hes really good and deserves the hype but I just cant get into his album at all. The beats are just too mellow and boring IMO. Then again I never really liked West Coast rap due to the beats and this album is no different. Except the song Swimming Pools which has a dope beat.
Click to expand...
Listen to the album again. Listening to just the singles is not how this album was meant to be heard. Its a hip hop musical of sorts which tells a cohesive and completel sotry of a good kid trying to survive in a mAAd City(Compton). its a pretty impressive body of work. but it wont make sense unless you listen to it from front to back.

 
PinkydaPimp said:
shadyridr said:
Hes really good and deserves the hype but I just cant get into his album at all. The beats are just too mellow and boring IMO. Then again I never really liked West Coast rap due to the beats and this album is no different. Except the song Swimming Pools which has a dope beat.
Click to expand...
Listen to the album again. Listening to just the singles is not how this album was meant to be heard. Its a hip hop musical of sorts which tells a cohesive and completel sotry of a good kid trying to survive in a mAAd City(Compton). its a pretty impressive body of work. but it wont make sense unless you listen to it from front to back.
Click to expand...
i have listened to it in its entirety. Im just not a big fan of the beats. Like i said, i have never been a fan of West Coast beats (like all the Death Row artists)
 
shadyridr said:
PinkydaPimp said:
shadyridr said:
Hes really good and deserves the hype but I just cant get into his album at all. The beats are just too mellow and boring IMO. Then again I never really liked West Coast rap due to the beats and this album is no different. Except the song Swimming Pools which has a dope beat.
Click to expand...
Listen to the album again. Listening to just the singles is not how this album was meant to be heard. Its a hip hop musical of sorts which tells a cohesive and completel sotry of a good kid trying to survive in a mAAd City(Compton). its a pretty impressive body of work. but it wont make sense unless you listen to it from front to back.
Click to expand...
i have listened to it in its entirety. Im just not a big fan of the beats. Like i said, i have never been a fan of West Coast beats (like all the Death Row artists)
Click to expand...
its about the lyrics though! That was more my point. But if you cant get past the beats than so be it. To me the production is outstanding.

 
There's nothing wrong with disliking his production. However, I think calling it "west coast" is really a broad brush. Right now the dominant west coast style production is "ratchet" music (see: DJ Mustard, YG, Tyga). Lamar's album was very unique sounding that I don't think most would label overly "west coast." Just my two cents.

 
shadyridr said:
Hes really good and deserves the hype but I just cant get into his album at all. The beats are just too mellow and boring IMO. Then again I never really liked West Coast rap due to the beats and this album is no different. Except the song Swimming Pools which has a dope beat.
Click to expand...
They are mostly mellow but not boring. There is not one clunker on the album. Track #4 is my favorite.

 
I don't understand what hte hype is about this guy. I agree he can flow, but it sounds like someone is holding there nose and rapping. That being said, I think a good rap song is 50% the artist and 50% the beat. I have yet to hear him on any tracks that have great beats.

 
Quez said:
I don't understand what hte hype is about this guy. I agree he can flow, but it sounds like someone is holding there nose and rapping. That being said, I think a good rap song is 50% the artist and 50% the beat. I have yet to hear him on any tracks that have great beats.
Click to expand...
As Ive gotten older Ive learned to appreciate beats more than lyrics. Maybe because I generally listen to music in the gym or in the car I want something to nod my head to. Thats why I cant get into this album. I wont beat a dead horse but the beats just dont do it for me. Meanwhile, Im loving the Yeezus album. Dont get me wrong, Kendrick is a 10x better rapper than Kanye but sometimes I just wanna hear good beats. Maybe Im just getting old.

 
Since I got my new job I've had a lot of time in the car with SiriusXM. When I'm not listening to Backspin, I listen to Shade 45 so I'm starting to get a feel for the new acts. I feel completely out of touch these days. Kendrick isn't bad, but I like other artists more.

 
TPAB is the best album I've heard since maad city - just a phenomenal album. KDot is up there with Big and Jigga as the GOATs.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
In case folks are curious, here is a breakdown /explanation for the album.

The entire album is explained in Kendrick's story to Pac

In the end of Mortal Man, Kendrick reads a story to Pac about his life from the perspective of a caterpillar:

“The caterpillar is a prisoner to the streets that conceived it Its only job is to eat or consume everything around it, in order to protect itself from this mad city While consuming its environment the caterpillar begins to notice ways to survive One thing it noticed is how much the world shuns him, but praises the butterfly The butterfly represents the talent, the thoughtfulness, and the beauty within the caterpillar But having a harsh outlook on life the caterpillar sees the butterfly as weak and figures out a way to pimp it to his own benefits Already surrounded by this mad city the caterpillar goes to work on the cocoon which institutionalizes him He can no longer see past his own thoughts He’s trapped When trapped inside these walls certain ideas start to take roots, such as going home, and bringing back new concepts to this mad city The result? Wings begin to emerge, breaking the cycle of feeling stagnant Finally free, the butterfly sheds light on situations that the caterpillar never considered, ending the eternal struggle Although the butterfly and caterpillar are completely different, they are one and the same."

Looking at this, it recaps each song in chronological order.

-“The caterpillar is a prisoner to the streets that conceived it Its only job is to eat or consume everything around it, in order to protect itself from this mad city While consuming its environment the caterpillar begins to notice ways to survive" this part of how story recaps 'Wesley's Theory'. The song basically describes Kendrick's life pre-fame. The first line says "When I get signed, homie I'mma act a fool Hit the dance floor, strobe lights in the room Snatch your little secretary ##### for the homies" The caterpillar (Kendrick) is gaining fame by "eating everything around him" and hustling, and notices ways to survive.

-"One thing it noticed is how much the world shuns him, but praises the butterfly" this line recaps 'For Free (Interlude)'. The song starts with a chick yelling at Kendrick saying "#### you, mother####er, you a ho-### ##### I don't know why you trying to go big, ##### you ain't #### Walking around like you God's gift to Earth, ##### you ain't ####" showing how the "caterpillar" is being shunned. She then ends her rant with "You won't know, you gonna lose on a good ##### My other ##### is on, you off" showing how she praises the butterfly.

-"The butterfly represents the talent, the thoughtfulness, and the beauty within the caterpillar But having a harsh outlook on life the caterpillar sees the butterfly as weak and figures out a way to pimp it to his own benefits" this part embodies the same message as 'King ####a'. In the song Kendrick expresses how he has grown to become a big influence and a king, much like a caterpillar grows into a butterfly.

-"Already surrounded by this mad city the caterpillar goes to work on the cocoon which institutionalizes him He can no longer see past his own thoughts" this one is more apparent, it clearly recaps the song
'Institutionalized'. He says in the intro "I'm trapped inside the ghetto and I ain't proud to admit it Institutionalized, I keep runnin' back for a visit" so he is saying that he is institutionalized into the ghetto.

-"He’s trapped When trapped inside these walls certain ideas start to take roots, such as going home, and bringing back new concepts to this mad city" this line is also clear, it represents 'These Walls'. The walls in the story represent the caterpillars cocoon, but in the song they could represent Kendrick's past experiences, perhaps of something that happened in the hotel room that he continuously refers to, because when people use the phrase "if these walls could talk" they are usually reminiscing about past experiences that occurred in that very room. I also think 'u' and 'Alright' are from the perspective of the caterpillar inside the cocoon. 'These Walls' and 'u' are both very dark, while 'Alright' gets more uplifting and explains how he and his homies will be alright.

-"The result? Wings begin to emerge, breaking the cycle of feeling stagnant" this line could represent 'For Sale' as well as 'Momma'. 'For Sale' talks about Kendrick's troubles with Lucy (Lucifer), which could represent the butterfly emerging from the cocoon and dealing with troubles outside of its walls. 'Momma' explains how Kendrick returns to Compton and feels guilty for abandoning his city, which the butterfly could feel as he returns to the real world after spending so much time in the cocoon.

-"Finally free, the butterfly sheds light on situations that the caterpillar never considered, ending the eternal struggle" this line encapsulates the next three songs, 'Hood Politics', 'How Much a Dollar Cost', 'Complexion', and 'Blacker the Berry'. Kendrick is shedding light on these important issues such as the problems in the hood, poverty, and racial issues.

-"Although the butterfly and caterpillar are completely different, they are one and the same." This last line of the story raps up the last two songs (prior to Mortal Man), 'You Ain't Gotta Lie' and 'i'. You Ain't Gotta Lie and 'i' contrast in sound, as YAGL is more chill while i is really upbeat. This could represent the differences between the caterpillar and the butterfly. This contrast helps them stand out though, much like the caterpillar and butterfly rely on each other to exist.

In the beginning, Kendrick (the caterpillar) is alone and small. In the end, Kendrick (the butterfly) has completely changed and become something large and full of life with new ideas and outlooks. To Pimp a Butterfly.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
That article reads like the thoughts of a psychopath.

This album seems like it was made for jobless millennial white people looking for more meaning into life.

 
I barely know jack about this dide cause i dont particularly care about any specific rap and hip hop artists these days, but his grammys performace with Imagine Dragons was really, really good.

 
SacramentoBob said:
Since I got my new job I've had a lot of time in the car with SiriusXM. When I'm not listening to Backspin, I listen to Shade 45 so I'm starting to get a feel for the new acts. I feel completely out of touch these days. Kendrick isn't bad, but I like other artists more.
Click to expand...
Backspin alone is worth my subscription to SiriusXM! Shade45 actually does a great job at mixing in good music with the popular stuff that has to be played. And Rude Jude in the afternoons is hilarious!!

 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Zegras11
MAD - Artist - Round 4 - #1's have been posted
69 70 71
Replies
4K
Views
194K
Zegras11
Zegras11
ericttspikes
Google says its new quantum chip indicates that multiple universes exist
Replies
27
Views
511
Manster
Manster
P
Late age job change advice
2
Replies
53
Views
1K
Judge Smails
Judge Smails

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Top