Kendrick Lamar has some balls. He had already developed a huge buzz through his mixtapes and release an independent album Section 80 in 2011 that was critically acclaimed. His label Top Dawg Entertainment inked a distribution deal with Dr. Dre's Aftermath and Interscope Records, allowing him to reach wider audience. Hip hop mainstays Lil Wayne, Game, and Dr. Dre endorsed him as the "next big thing" in rap. On top of that, Dr. Dre was going to add his magic touch to his first major label release as executive producer. With all these elements lined up, Kendrick could have just made one hot single, get a couple Dr. Dre beats on there, and coast through the rest of the CD while benefiting off his powerful connections and endorsements. It sounds so easy, but what does Kendrick decide to do? He decides to make his major label debut a concept album.
Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City serves as a day-in-the-life of Kendrick Lamar as a seventeen year old kid living in Compton, California. The album chronicles the coming-of-age of Kendrick as lust, comedy, crime, and tragedy shapes his development as the man he is today. Well, perhaps the coming-of-age story has been done many times in multiple mediums. Still, even though the story is not new, getting to the beginning to the end can still be entertaining. The question here is this: can Kendrick Lamar release a concept album that tells an engaging, enjoyable story but still be accessible to the average fan who is not familiar with K. Dot's previous work? Indeed.
The most impressive aspect of this album is that despite having a larger profile from being released on a major label, it is clearly Kendrick's show. There is not a track on the album where Kendrick Lamar takes a backseat to the production or the guest artists and uses them to keep the listeners' interest. It seems easy for Kendrick to hop into the backseat based on the people involved in the album. Pharell Williams of the Neptunes adds his signature sound and vocals to the track "Good Kid." Just Blaze puts together a California anthem with the track "Compton." T-Minus comes through with the infectious hit single "Swimming Pools (Drank)." Scoop DeVille laces two of the tightest tracks of last year with "Poetic Justice" featuring Drake and "The Recipe." Many of the other producers such as Soundwave and DJ Dahi and are not as well known but will soon be in demand due to their work on "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" and "Money Trees" featuring Jay Rock, respectively. Surprisingly, Dr. Dre has no direct involvement in any tracks but makes two guest appearances on the aforementioned "Compton" and "The Recipe." Another west coast rap legend MC Eiht makes an unexpected but satisfying appearance on "M.A.A.D City," which should make a new generation of rap fans say "geah" as if it is 1992 all over again. Nevertheless, Kendrick makes its clear that he is the main attraction. All of the contributors are in the passenger seat while Kendrick is behind the wheel. Despite what they bring, Kendrick Lamar controls where the album is going.
What probably helps in Kendrick's command over the album is his clear vision and its flawless execution on the album. He seems to have thought out every aspect in how the album is put together, and it makes every listen better each time. I am always a sucker for the subtle moments that make an album intriguing, and there are plenty of them: the interplay of the music and K Dot's lyrics in "Sing About Me, Dying of Thirst," using a snippet of the opening track "Sherane aka Master Splinter's Daughter" to bring the story back to the beginning at the end of "Poetic Justice," the transition of K Dot getting into the backseat of his friend's car before moving to the track "Backseat Freestyle" - it is all there. Even the interludes demand replay (the interludes with Kendrick's parents are definitely the highlights), and unlike some albums, the interludes help keep the album together instead of shaking up the album's flow. No album that I have heard since OutKast's Aquemini has been able to achieve this feat so convincingly, and Kendrick should consider this a victory in itself.
Fortunately, Kendrick does not settle for just having an album that comes together musically. He does not hit you with tongue-twisting, deep metaphors and punchlines. However, Kendrick Lamar uses his words to weave his tale of youthful angst and loss of innocence to put you right there in the action. The album cover states that the album is a short film by Kendrick Lamar, and that is exactly the feeling that you receive when you play it. The highs and lows that one feels when watching a movie is apparent despite being in audible form instead of visual form. There are still some moments that are surprisingly insightful even when you are likely having fun with it, such as the one on "Swimming Pools (Drank):"
Now I done grew up round some people living their life in bottles
Granddaddy had the golden flask, back stroke every day in Chicago
Some people like the way it feels, some people wanna kill their sorrows
Some people wanna fit in with the popular, that was my problem
I was in a dark room, loud tunes, looking to make a vow soon
That I'ma get fucked up, filling up my cup, I see the crowd move
Changing by the minute, and the record on repeat
Took a sip, then another sip, then somebody said to me
[Chorus]
Nigga, why you babysitting only two or three shots?
I'ma show you how to turn it up a notch
First you get a swimming pool full of liquor, then you dive in it
Pool full of liquor, then you dive in it
I wave a few bottles, then I watch 'em all flock
All the girls wanna play Baywatch
I got a swimming pool full of liquor and they dive in it
Pool full of liquor, I'ma dive in it
I am probably the only one who thinks this, but I think this song is as genius as Afroman's "Because I Got High." Like Afroman, Kendrick makes a song that simultaneously glorifies getting drunk and criticizes getting drunk (he even calls it "poison" on the second verse). You got to appreciate songs like these because it's so tough to get anyone to listen to a rap song with any sort of substance. It is also tough to make a song with substance that is sonically enjoyable, and Kendrick pulled it off here.
Other artists have made similar albums, but I have not heard any rap album that was able to pull it off as well as Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City. Kendrick's vision and courage in making this album definitely paid off, and he clearly released one of the best albums in 2012. I have no problem recommending this album as well as the deluxe edition to any music fan, whether they like rap or not. After fully digesting this album, I imagine that when a new crop of rappers rise up 10-15 years later, they will point to this album as one of their biggest influences in their work. Yep, it is that good.
