May 28, 2015 It's seems like a collection of songs with no real sequence at some points. Many of these songs are amazing but it's kinda random, and the skits don't offer that much. The structure on CD/MBDTF and Yeezus (actually one of the album's strongest points) is better imo.
May 28, 2015 since when is self mythology in rap a bad thing? two of the biggest names in rap call themselves hova and yeezus, etc. its like @WPG's complaint about kendrick's issues with women. i don't disagree what he says is there, im just not seeing why, inherently, its a neg. if we discounted everyone ego driven rapper with antiquated views on women, then we'd be stuck with art rap
May 28, 2015 whooooaaaaaaaaa. hold the f--- on. no one is saying that self-mythologizing is bad. we're saying that awkwardly chopping up a tupac interview in service of that end is tasteless.
May 28, 2015 "He is putting a 2Pac audio interview on his album crine Kendrick a loser :insertsmilie" It's so easy to type those words and try to ignore the context of the track
May 28, 2015 I see, truthfully the skits never really bothered me but that is a fair criticism. LR was like a nice prelude to what was coming to an even more grandiose project like MBDTF in hindsight.
May 28, 2015 in the end they are brilliant albums in their own feils so its d--- hard to compare them. if you prefer pop over hip hop or vice versa, your choice is already made.
May 28, 2015 Is there a version of only Kendrick rapping out there. I'll be grateful to you for the rest of my life.
May 28, 2015 this is insane. i prefer hip-hop to pop. that doesn't mean i'd listen to j. cole over michael jackson.
May 28, 2015 I don't think execution of TPAB was poor I think he took his audience for idiots and felt the need to spell out simple s--- like 5 year olds. In that regard his execution was near perfect.
May 29, 2015 im too scared to make a post like this but for real, i think TBTB was made with this mindset to some extent, no? @anyone
May 29, 2015 Well yeah he had to yell three times at you that he was the biggest hypocrite of 2015 to make sure you understood his last couplet. If that's not spoon feeding...
May 29, 2015 There's a lot of poor execution on Kendrick's part besides just the lack of subtlety in the writing tho.
May 29, 2015 I was speaking only on the lyric subtlety aspect. I don't agree with you and your use of the word "a lot".
May 29, 2015 I wasn't trying to minimize the "hit-you-over-the-head-with-it" writing, so much as trying to say that's not the only aspect where Kendrick stumbles. I think a lot of his attempts to cover all genres of quote on quote "black music" stumble. I like King Kunta quite a bit (my second favorite track after TBTB ) but even with that great production work behind him Kendrick just never really sounds... funky enough to match it. Which doesn't really bring that specific song down too much for me, but it's much worse on other parts of the album. Not to mention that unlike GKMC, there are very few actual SONGS here. The album comes across more as a string of moments (some of which are brilliant like Snoop Dogg's bit on institutionalized, but most of which aren't) and the actual songs are hard to find. King Kunta and TBTB are maybe the only two tracks that I think work as actual songs, whereas with GKMC you still had thematic and narrative progression but most every track was memorable and worked on its own. And on a more subjective note, I think Kendrick's overall straight-faced seriousness ruins tracks like the For Free interlude, which is technically impressive but comes across as awkward due to his lack of a sense of humor (THIS DIK AINT FUHREEE).
May 29, 2015 I think a lot of what you're saying applies to the album as a whole but you're misrepresenting some parts..kendrick doesnt have that gr8 of a sense of humor, especially on TPAB, but for free is definitely one of the better moments m8. the skit at the start and just how elastic he makes his rhyming. its done in a tongue in cheek manner for sure. i dont find it awkward. Also think the comment about "no real tracks" on here sounds good...and can definitely be backed up by citing a few moments that only work brilliantly in the album (u and i for example), but I wouldnt be so dismissive about Wesley's Theory. Or Institutionalized. Both are up there with some of his best work. then King Kunta and TBTB as you said. not to mention Momma gets SEVERELY overlooked. I think as people start being more critical of the album, Momma will get the shine it deserves. It was completely overlooked initially, and now seems to be just dismissed. It's a good song. and the last verse is great. i think the main problem with TPAB is that its messy at its core, and has people on both ends of the spectrum trying to generalize and place it in context. "best album of all time" vs "worst album by a "good-to-great" artist" rofl its neither. its a good album. id still say great. but it has a lot of problems worth addressing for sure
Jun 3, 2015 This is so true. This is the equivalent of Eminem using 2Pac's vocals to shoutout G Unit and Shady records all throughout the 2Pac Resurrection soundtrack and Loyal To the Game. Absolutely bs.
