Kendrick Lamar Duckworth a.k.a. K Dot or just plain Kendrick Lamar has been spitting fire drenched lyrics from Compton to Tokyo. However, with his new a critically acclaimed full length album good kid, mA.A.d city, he has given Hip Hop enthusiasts of this day what seems to be a classic. He is been able to successfully mix consciousness with relevant look into the mean streets not only Compton but the inner urban landscape. His ability to adapt his flow and tone to the texture and fabric of the beat and theme of every song is his gift to Hip Hop. Kendrick has been able to show that there is diversity and complexity to Hip Hop. Here are a couple reasons is one of the dopest new rappers to hit the scene … yah BITSH!!!
Versatility
Versatility
Kendrick Lamar sounds different in every song based on the tone or mood he’s trying to give off. If he is beating you over the head with metaphors or using his impeccable storytelling skills to help your mind cruise down the streets of Compton. It is his honesty that helps him be versatile. He realizes he doesn’t have to be the hardest or the softest to tell his story.
It’s only the beginning for this artist that seems to be raising the West Side’s sign up high for the Hip Hop world to see. Fans will love to see what’s next.
“Yah BITSH!”
Story Teller
Story Teller
Story tellers have helped to shape history throughout time. They were always honored and respected from Ancient Egypt to the Renaissance. Today our storytellers flood the television, radio and our minds with thought provoking , funny and extraordinary stories of their life and others they have crossed paths with. Rappers have become some of the greatest storytellers of our time. Frank White aka the Notorious BIG talked of those drug infested Brooklyn streets, Outkast gave us a glimpse into ATL, Kanye West gives us the view of Chi-Town, and Snoop helped to paint the picture of red and blue banging on the West Side. Most dope, well rounded emcees have always had the ability to put us in their shoes. Kendrick Lamar, through his mix tapes and new debut album, shows that he can give us that story in hi-definition. From the introductory prayer, solid tracks all the way through like skjhbasjkbh. Good Kid, Madd City is a big story chronicling his experience as a regular young black man in the crime ridden infamous city called Compton.
True Emcee
True Emcee
In terms of subject matter and technical ability, Kendrick Lamar has often been compared to Tupac, Eminem, Nas, and Jay-Z. Kendrick has never been an artist that has not paid homage to his top five rap influences which are 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Nas and Eminem. He is a great lyricist, but he is still able to relate it to the content of the song. For example, a song like “Rigamortis”, his flow is sick. In a song like “Swimming Pools”, he has the ability to give us a catchy hook without sacrificing his lyrical integrity. He uses word play in songs like “Keisha’s Song (Her Pain)”, “Poetic Justice” and “Ignorance Is Bliss”. His personality truly shows in not only individual songs, but in how he crafts his projects. ‘Section .80’ and ‘good kid, mA.A.d city’ really gives us insight to who Kendrick is as a person as ‘Reasonable Doubt’ was to Jay-Z and ‘Ready to Die’ for The Notorious B.I.G. With his personality, catchy hooks, flow and lyricism, he has been able to mold himself into what we can consider a true emcee.
Conscious Concepts
Conscious Concepts
Kendrick Lamar is a mastermind with creating conscious concepts in his music. It all makes sense when you listen from back to front. He took the time to glue his songs, tone, lyrics, interludes, outros and intros together. It is one cohesive unit that explains who he is as a rapper, but also who he is as a regular dude from the mean streets that sometimes he cant run from. He also plays different characters in his songs by changing his voice and flow. There is never a dull moment with this young rapper. Artists young and old can learn a lot about how to tell us a story using conscious cohesive concepts.
The Movement
The Movement
You have to put in work to be the leader of a movement. Kendrick Lamar has been doing his thing since 2003 when he came out with Youngest Headd Nigga in Charge. He is also a part of one of the hottest music movements to come out of the city of Compton since NWA. He is a member of hip hop super group Black Hippy, which includes West Coast rappers and label mates Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q & Ab-Soul. They are unapologetically reppin’ a coast that for a time had been dormant nationally. Kendrick and the Black Hippies have wowed audiences and created a dynamic culture that is real to their hood. Kendrick has also gained the respect of his Hip Hop peers from not only the West Side, but throughout the rap world. Dr. Dre, The Game, Drake, Young Jeezy, Talib Kweli, Busta Rhymes, E-40, Warren G, Bun B, Tech N9ne and Lil Wayne are all artists that are rocking with Lamar. It seems Lamar is the head of his class as we look back to his inclusion in XXL Magazine’s annual Freshman Class, that featured CyHi the Prynce, Meek Mill, Mac Miller, Yelawolf, Lil B, Big K.R.I.T. and Diggy Simmons among others. We can only wait and see how much of a leader in this new hip hop movement he becomes.