Finally Listening to Kendrick

[EminemBase]

So, up to this point all I'd heard was... XXL freestyles and the odd verse etc. but I could immediately tell that I thought he was talented as hell; one of the 'special' lyricists and rappers, but, as is my lazy ways: I just haven't got around to listening to anything new lately, even though I've been aware...

I've just finally put Section. 80 on, I'm about halfway through. So far "Ronald Regan Era" has stood out the most and has just confirmed Kendrick's brilliance as a rapper, lyricist and artist to me.

Can't wait to check out GKMC. Hope it lives up to the hype.

[momentsgolden]

Unfortunately, for me, its the other way round. Section 80 is an absolute masterpiece, good kid mad city is a notch down compared to it. Hiipower.... You cant get better than that

[EminemBase]

Unfortunately, for me, its the other way round. Section 80 is an absolute masterpiece, good kid mad city is a notch down compared to it. Hiipower.... You cant get better than that

Well I'm on "Hiipower" now... as in, it's just started... There's definitely some good tracks and music here, but it hasn't struck me as even close to a masterpiece... I've been charmed and impressed, but not absolutely blown away or like "omg, this is a new era" kind of reaction or anything.

[momentsgolden]

Well the thing that makes it so amazing to me compared to gkmc is how it doesnt look like its aiming for masterpiece status. Gkmc is like TES, MBDTF type of albums where someone really puts their all into creating this one great cohesive project with grand ambitions. With Section 80, he puts in some intentionally silly hooks, some obvious dick puns and just has fun with it. But then the underlying political and social commentary is so profound it elevates it. The project just sorta comes together organically and i adore that.

[LK5]

Why did you start listening to Kendrick and Yelawolf just now? What were you waiting for?

[EminemBase]

Well the thing that makes it so amazing to me compared to gkmc is how it doesnt look like its aiming for masterpiece status. Gkmc is like TES, MBDTF type of albums where someone really puts their all into creating this one great cohesive project with grand ambitions. With Section 80, he puts in some intentionally silly hooks, some obvious dick puns and just has fun with it. But then the underlying political and social commentary is so profound it elevates it. The project just sorta comes together organically and i adore that.

Well the political commentary is good, I wouldn't call it profound though lol.

On second listen now anyway, gonna listen to it about 5 times before I move on to GKMC.

[EminemBase]

Why did you start listening to Kendrick and Yelawolf just now? What were you waiting for?

I didn't just start listening to Yela now?

I've been listening to Yela since about 2010, I started with Trunk Muzik 0-60 then went and listened to everything else. It's just that I only recently listened to TMR.

As for Kendrick... when I get the sense an artist is going to be a special artist to me, I don't want to start listening in the wrong conditions aka with split-focus or half-assed and gloss over the experience, I want to be able to take it in properly, evaluate it, re-listen and cement my feelings.

[Slim Fiasco]

To me, GKMC is much better so I hope you'll enjoy it more than Section.80 yourself.

[Francesco]

Kendrick's been consistent from day one... GKMC is great. It was obviously different than his previous work but that was his major label debut & there was no way that it would be like his raw mixtapes prior to it.

[CrashBand]

Yeah, Ronald Reagan Era is probably the best track on the record.

On GKMC, he improves his hook game.

[Kill You]

I feel the same, Section.80 isn't a masterpiece or anything. It's pretty overrated. It's good but GKMC is WAY better to me. Embase you'll probably like it since it's cohesive and sounds like an album.

[Shameek]

yeah, gkmc is the album people praised but a lot of people decided to reexamine his first album now that good kid dropped. section 80 has an entire new meaning.

Kendrick's solidified himself as a risk taker with GKMC, his sound has evolved over his first three projects and gkmc is very, very different than section80, it's also way better imo. I would say that section 80 was a very good album and gkmc is in masterpiece territory, it's very complex and very well structured.

You'll have to lsiten to gkmc several times if you don't want to miss anything tbh

[ImANoob]

GKMC's narrative is a lot easier to follow than section.80's. i prefer GKMC but both are simply amazing IMO

[King Lance]

GKMC made me become a fucking fan, thought section 80 was just good, nothing more, but it was impressive for a low budget indie album (I think section 80 is to Kendrick what Infinite is to Eminem, might be wrong doe)

gkmc on the other hand...

It's not just GKMC's cohesion, the entire album just sounded like it took more effort to put together. From the musical interludes and outros to every skit. From the single choice to the guest singers and rappers. Jay Rock, MC Eiht, and Drake all served their roles on their songs perfectly.

The whole production is brilliant, there were a lot of producers on this album but it sounds like it was produced by the same guy, that's why a lot of people compare this album to illmatic. It is also incredibly well written, incredibly well produced... Kendrick seems to put alot of time and effort in the synch of the beats he picks, the whole album is a piece of art imo, I haven't heard an album that well thought out for a long time, maybe since MBDTF (Kanye West)

[12characters]

Kendrick's solidified himself as a risk taker with GKMC, his sound has evolved

I think this that's why I have so much respect for the album (the actual music, lyrics, blah blah blah aside).

I didn't like the new raspy voice for the most part, but the fact that it was actually consistent (and did in fact work well for some songs) shows that it was a display of versatility and not laziness.

That being said, Ronald Reagan Era is the best song Kendrick's ever made soooo...