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[torre_avenue]

Genius, the company helping you decipher street slang one trap song at a time, has run a cool little piece with 5 critics from Pitchfork, the FADER, Complex, and two more reflecting on their original reviews for TPaB to celebrate its release exactly one year ago.

This piece got me thinking as well on what I think of the album now that all the hype and praise has been long divorced from the record. Around December, when I was writing up my own AOTY list, I was thinking long and hard about whether or not I should include the album. Reading back all the reviews for the record, it made it seem like TPaB was the second coming of Jesus in rap form. It talked about socially conscious topics, it was a meditation on what it means to be famous and black, it talked about the struggles African-Americans were facing on institutional & personal levels, it was a masterpiece. And I didn't see that. What I saw was an album that was bold in its intent but sloppy in its execution. A coherent story is set aside for a set of scattershot themes and anecdotes that don't connect to one another in a meaningful way. The poem is a brilliant touch as a storytelling device, but the anecdotes each line leads into don't form something greater. The verses on songs jump from perspective to perspective, topic to topic, theme to theme that it just feels...aimless at times. The production doesn't do anything for me, there are no moments like "Sing About Me, Dying of Thirst". I love the ambition of the album, but having listened to it 5 or 6 times over 2015, I just couldn't connect with it. I could just be stupid, I could just be incapable of identifying with the record, but I think TPaB is a flawed masterpiece. It aims to talk about so much and in large part succeeds, but in doing so, songs feel disjointed, problems are introduced then solved, it lacks the narrative arc that made GKMC so special, and it just feels weaker than GKMC or even "untitled unmastered" to me.

What are your thoughts on the album a year out? Have you grown to love it? Have you seen its flaws emerge?

 

[LionPride]

I still feel as if it's Kendrick's best album. It is his most complete album to date

 

[Myriadis]

If anything, I appreciate it even more than before.
It helps that I broadened my knowledge about this genre and really start to notice that makes Kendricks album stand out.

 

[enzo_gt]

That was my main complaint too, OP.

It should be a great album, but there's just something distancing it, either sonically or in the actual content, from being something, and presenting it's message in such a way that I can connect with it, or elicit more than the usual empathy I have for it's message.

The more I listen to it, and I should note I've given it way more courtesy listens than I would any other album I feel this way about, I appreciate it more, but it still fails to hit that point of emotion for me. All the parts of an album I should love are there, but it isn't. I appreciate it, I don't think I necessarily like it.

 

[Puck Beaverton]

It's wildly ambitious and mostly successful.

 

[John Kowalski]

A year?? That can't be right.

Oh lord.

 

[torre_avenue]

A year?? That can't be right.

Well, the album was supposed to drop March 23rd, but the leak forced TDE's hand so it released March 15th.

Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping, into the future.

 

[Timedog]

Wow how has it been a year??

 

[torre_avenue]

That was my main complaint too, OP.

It should be a great album, but there's just something distancing it, either sonically or in the actual content, from being something, and presenting it's message in such a way that I can connect with it, or elicit more than the usual empathy I have for it's message.

The more I listen to it, and I should note I've given it way more courtesy listens than I would any other album I feel this way about, I appreciate it more, but it still fails to hit that point of emotion for me. All the parts of an album I should love are there, but it isn't. I appreciate it, I don't think I necessarily like it.

Yay, I'm not crazy!

My thought process for the longest time was, "Maybe I just don't get it. I'll listen to it once more and then it'll click." It eventually came to me that what I was doing was like hitting my head against a brick wall hoping I'd break through it. So then I looked closer at the album, and I sort of reached my current view on it.

I appreciate the album for what it is, what it accomplishes, and most importantly, the conversation it inspired, but I don't see it as a masterpiece because of its flaws.

 

[sappyday]

I do prefer GKMC more now.

 

[phanphare]

not to be a dick but if you don't think there's a coherent story connecting all of TPaB you need to re-listen to it with the lyrics up or something. it's essentially GKMC Pt. 2 in that it continues the story of Kendrick Lamar and his struggle to do what's right in the face of temptation. it's not as focused on plot points but the overarching narrative is there. for instance in For Sale he brings up how he starting flirting with Lucy around the age of 26. go back to King Kunta and he had just "made it past 25" meaning he was 26 at the time. it's essentially the story of how Kendrick Lamar dealt with the evils that came along with success while also trying to stay grounded as to where he came from and the message he was trying to get across.

 

[cdyhybrid]

TPAB is a better album today than it was a year ago.

This. All the shit going on in America over the past year has made me appreciate it even more.

 

[Cesare Borgia]

TPAB is one of the most well produced albums in modern history. It's basically a collection of some of the best jazz musicians, including arguably the two best today (Glasper and Washington) doing whatever they want with a seven figure budget. But for me the musical side is where things end in terms of impressing me. I think Kendrick is one of the most overrated rappers in modern history, and he doesn't elevate the beautiful work he was given by great musicians.

I can't help but think this would be a true masterpiece if Young Thug did these tracks instead of Kendrick. At least then we'd get a rapper who truly knows how to make his voice and instrument, and one who is basically making blues music right now.

 

[wenis]

I still spin it regularly as an LP. I flip that shit four times in the course of over an hour to hear that full album. It's still incredible.

 

[Robot Pants]

I still feel as if it's Kendrick's best album. It is his most complete album to date

No way. Good Kid MAAD City is a way better and more complete album

That was my main complaint too, OP.

It should be a great album, but there's just something distancing it, either sonically or in the actual content, from being something, and presenting it's message in such a way that I can connect with it, or elicit more than the usual empathy I have for it's message.

The more I listen to it, and I should note I've given it way more courtesy listens than I would any other album I feel this way about, I appreciate it more, but it still fails to hit that point of emotion for me. All the parts of an album I should love are there, but it isn't. I appreciate it, I don't think I necessarily like it.

I agree with this

 

[phanphare]

I can't help but think this would be a true masterpiece if Young Thug did these tracks instead of Kendrick. At least then we'd get a rapper who truly knows how to make his voice and instrument, and one who is basically making blues music right now.

 

[Anth0ny]

Still not feeling it.

GKMC remains the GOAT

 

[Chris R]

I'd still like to hear a version of it that cuts the interview portions until the interview actually happens.

 

[studyguy]

http://www.spin.com/2016/03/donald-trump-rally-chicago-kendrick-lamar-alright-video-watch/

Whether you like it or not, it's got legs in more ways than one.

 

[pablito]

I can't help but think this would be a true masterpiece if Young Thug did these tracks instead of Kendrick. At least then we'd get a rapper who truly knows how to make his voice and instrument, and one who is basically making blues music right now.

 

[NipplesAndToes23]

I was really sleeping on Lamar until I decided to actually give an album a proper listen and I found liking this a lot.

 

[hughesta]

I think it's a masterpiece. Love the production, love his voice, love everything about it. It could be a little shorter, but I think the length adds to the feel of the record, like how MBDTF's length adds to it.

 

[Coolluck]

I liked everything about the album except the songs as a whole. That alone means I can't like it nearly as much as everyone else. Chocolate and lobster just don't mesh well despite being amazing on their own. I could definitely just play the instrumental version of this album though.

 

[Coffee Dog]

Yeah, uh, I don't get at all how you can miss the connecting fiber of Kendrick grappling with his place in the world after his successes. The intensely personal nature of the album is part of why I love it so much.

 

[Pinko Marx]

TPAB has gotten even better for me over time. The message still resonates, the music is so dense it's hard to get bored, and the album structure is genius. I personally feel it's one of the best rap albums put together in a long while.

 

[Tambini]

At first I didn't like it as much GKMC but after a while I realised what a masterpiece it is

 

[toastyToast]

Haven't listened to it again in a year. Kendrick himself is what I least enjoy about it. Weird since I'm gonna see this dude next week.

 

[DominoKid]

still a recycle bin classic.

 

[richardhawk]

One of the biggest letdowns of the year for me. I love that Alright was used as a theme song for BLM but other than that the album went straight to the recycle bin after 3 spins. Still bump GKMC regularly though.

 

[LionPride]

No way. Good Kid MAAD City is a way better and more complete album

I disagree, I can listen to TPAB front to back, back to front. I love that album. I do not love GKMC, I really like it. I do not love it, I find the sounds from TPAB to be something that has kept me coming back for more constantly. That album is just so good

 

[Trey]

fantastic album. It transitions well, and is still growing on me.

The biggest knock I can give it is that TPAB is much much better as a holistic experience. Its songs don't work nearly as well as disparate entities, although I can bump Alright wherever, whenever.

I'm usually in the mood to listen to TPAB, but it's one of those sit down and chill albums. Not as much utility in any other setting.

 

[LionPride]

I can't help but think this would be a true masterpiece if Young Thug did these tracks instead of Kendrick. At least then we'd get a rapper who truly knows how to make his voice and instrument, and one who is basically making blues music right now.

 

[Tokubetsu]

best rap album to talk about at parties with white people in awhile

 

[Pamplemousse]

Is Lamar Odom really that great of a rapper? I think Chingy is the best.

 

[entremet]

It didn't connect with me. Bigger fan of his previous albums.

 

[Courage]

It's a great album that I've grown to appreciate over time. I definitely prefer GKMC though.

 

[.JayZii]

I liked it, and still listen to King Kunta on occasion, but I didn't connect with it that strongly.

 

[GamerJM]

Probably one of the best rap albums of all-time and one of the best records released in the last decade.

 

[The Maverick]

Album is better today than when I listened to it the first time. Can't believe it's been a year. I'm sure people will still remember this album in 10 years.

 

[victreeb3l]

I liked GKMC better. TPAB wasn't what I wanted from him, I just wanted more GKMC.

 

[ampere]

I still like it, but I just don't revisit it like I did GKMC.

 

[ohlawd]

TPAB is Kendrick's MBDTF but actually good

his older stuff is better

 

[Rixxan]

After 20 plus full spins it continues to grow on me

It's one of the best hip hop albums of all time, imo

 

[CreeperBlocks]

I hated GKMC. Absolutely hate it. I couldn't get into it at all. To Pimp a Butterfly is still my favorite album of last year. I think this album will have an Impact in years to come. I'm ready to see what Kendrick does next.


Also some songs in untitled unmastered should have been in To Pimp a Butterfly.

 

[pablito]

I liked GKMC better. TPAB wasn't what I wanted from him, I just wanted more GKMC.

I don't understand people that want the same album remade.

 

[____]

TPAB > GKMC every day of the week.

 

[Trey]

I don't understand people that want the same album remade.

some people just want to hear kendrick snap on a metro beat. I don't blame them. I like TPAB and am really glad he made the album he did for variety's sake if nothing else. but I wouldn't be mad at a gkmc2.

 

[CreeperBlocks]

I don't understand people that want the same album remade.

It's like asking Linkin Park to do Hybrid Theory and Meteora again. Artists evolve unless you're Disturbed and make the same album for the past ten years.

 

[mr2xxx]

They should do it with Compton, what a dissapointment that was. Wonder if people still love it as much as the initial thread.

 

[victreeb3l]

I don't understand people that want the same album remade.

I liked the sound.