Arts

Lamar releases a masterpiece of storytelling

 

Enter Kendrick Lamar. The Compton, California native has a knack for lyricism and song creation that’s similar to the great emcees like Nas or Jay-Z. 

On his major debut,  Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City, Lamar defies most of his peers with an album that be will be remembered long after 2012. 

At its core, Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City is a concept album that’s the audio equivalent to Boyz N Da Hood or Menace II Society. On Monday, Kendrick told XXL magazine that in order for him to grow as a person, he needed to vent on this album. 

“It’s really just a self-portrait,” he explained. “I feel I need this album in order to move on with my life, and I had negative vibes and demons haunting me,” he said. 

Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City is full of the same storytelling of his independent debut Section.80. 

However, on this album, he looks back on his old life in Compton which includes murder, alcoholism and his escape from it. 

He revealed that the acronym in his album title stands for My.Angry.Adolescent.Divide and builds off of Lamar’s preference to create concept centred projects. 

It’s rare to have an album that features many high profile producers who have distinct sounds and styles to produce such a cohesive project that is completely catered to Kendrick Lamar’s style and persona without any one track being out of place or awkward. 

According to HitsDailyDouble, his new release is projected to sell between 225,000 – 250,000 copies first week after its debut on Tuesday. Beats check. Rhymes check. Life check. Classic album?