Great album. Everything about this shyt has been impressive. The snippets, the singles, the traditional media press run, and then delivering a great album. How many times have we seen this within the last half decade? Common and Pete Rock did it last year but outside of that I can't think of anyone else. Hearing great black artists talk about their art, deliberately with journalists or fellow artists...it's refreshing in an era of distant, mysterious artists.
I also love the way this album has natural, non-forced moments and nearly all of them hit hard. From the stunning intro to Kendrick's verse to So Be It to Ace Trumpets. Every track that made headlines was worth it.
Honestly the only disappointing part of the album (and I hate to say it) was the Nas verse. It's not bad it just doesn't fit the album at all. This isn't the album where we need a "did you know I made being a vet cool and won a Grammy" verse. You either hit them with some Esco shyt or those types of verses you gave Ross, man. Come on.