DAMN will go down as Kendrick's Stankonia

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Disclaimer: I still think Stankonia is a classic and arguably a 9/10 album

Kendrick's career trajectory is pretty eerily similar to Outkast's right now up to Stankonia.

First three projects were hugely impactful and acclaimed and established both as some of the most inventive and creative artists of their generation. Both were perhaps a 3/3 on classics at this point.

Fourth project was a huge commercial splash. It catapulted both into mega-superstar status. #1 single - check. It also dominated critics' lists and was hailed an instant classic. Both scored 95 on Metacritic too :jbhmm:

However, Stankonia has been divisive with hip hop heads almost two decades later. Some praise the album as the pinnacle of Outkast's creativity, while the smarter ones realize the previous two albums were better from a quality standpoint.

Almost everyone agrees that Stankonia was given an instant classic label upon release because of Outkast's status in the culture at the time. I mean, no one was making music like that, right? Outkast could have made animal sounds on their fourth LP and it would have been sold as the greatest avant garde music of all time.

I think DAMN will age similar to that.


But if Kendrick wins AOTY this year, does this make DAMN his Speakerboxx/Love Below? :ohhh:

Will he bow out like Andre, or follow it up with another classic and some good albums like Big Boi has?

I don't want to get down this rabbit hole, they are two very different musical acts. Food for thought :wow:

Goodnight brehs
 

XannyWarbucks

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DAMN is his Vol 2- Roc La Familia era. He finally became more than just "yo that dude Kendrick nice, but don't bump his shyt in the whip" to "Yoooooo run that Kendrick" shyt is just a dope album. While he dumbed it down, he allowed himself to be entertaining while still keeping some of his introspective moments there.
 

Mandizi

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Stankonia is ok at best, nowhere near Kast's first 3 albums.
 
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