Kendrick Lamar does not claim to be a perfect person. He isn’t shy about disclosing personal events from his teen years in Compton, Calif., either.
The 25-year-old rapper’s debut album, “good kid, m.A.A.d city,” chronicles a day in the life of a young man from a rough area. With the main story taking place in 2004, the concept album follows 16-year-old Lamar chasing girls, hanging with friends and ignoring phone calls from his parents. The laid-back music accompanying the story is reminiscent of earlier West Coast acts like 2Pac, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre.
Production quality on the album is top notch, as “good kid, m.A.A.d city” features the talents of Pharrell Williams, Just Blaze, T-Minus and Hit-Boy on selected beats and Dr. Dre serves as the album’s executive producer. With funky bass lines, soft keys and heavy drums, the music on the album has elements of the “G-Funk” style that originally put West Coast hip-hop on the map.
After signing a record deal with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment label, it appeared that the young rapper was trying to follow in the footsteps of a hip-hop legend. Like Dre’s landmark debut, “The Chronic,” Lamar’s album shares the culture of urban life in southern California. However, on “good kid, m.A.A.d city,” there is an element of social consciousness that was absent on Dre’s debut. While young Lamar rides around with friends using drugs and committing crimes, there is discomfort illustrated in his psyche. He knows to a degree that what he is doing is wrong and goes far enough to acknowledge himself as a “sinner.” Recordings of his mother’s voice mails and group prayers serve as interludes between tracks and provide a voice of reason, calling for the young man to evaluate his choices and try to avoid trouble. “The Art of Peer Pressure” highlights how Lamar’s behavior changes when he is spending time with other boys in the neighborhood. He claims “really I’m a sober soul, but I’m with the homies right now” after saying he’s “smoking on the finest dope.” Alcoholism, unprotected sex, violence and poverty are also talked about on the album.
Despite covering such dark topics, the album still provides “feel-good” music for listeners. Lamar’s upbeat flow and singing talent help create an addictive sound that will have hip-hop fans more than satisfied. Notable guest appearances from rap superstars Drake and Dr. Dre will also impress fans of the genre.
As Lamar climbs the hip-hop hierarchy with this future classic, one idea is very evident: Compton’s back in the house.
Compton rapper gets personal on debut album
