The backlash is becoming more comically stupid than the overreaction. At least I can pinpoint the source of the overhyping - it's just the typical exuberance which accompanies an anticipated album actually delivering on the anticipation. It's like seeing a 9th inning game-winning homerun in the World Series, it's just going to produce more excitement because of context. Some people will call it the most significant play in history, etc.
The backlash is more difficult for me to figure out. Something about Kendrick makes certain people really dislike him, almost instinctively. I have some people I respect both on The Coli and in my immediate social circle who really can't stand the kid or his music. I had a mixed response to him too when I heard Section 80 - thought he made some good songs and could spit, but something about homie felt... off. Maybe it's the voice, maybe it's some kind of nerd vibe I got off him, maybe it was that boring hipster aesthetic video for Rigamortis. I don't know. I didn't like the Recipe or Compton when they leaked, and Backseat Freestyle sounded like shyt to me. I figured Kendrick was about to drop some dull, watered down mainstream garbage that had no real soul to it.
Then I got the album and I couldn't deny the sheer talent this little dude has. From the music to the crafting of songs and concepts and the fukking flow and wordplay and the integrity of the overall product... powerful. I'm not in the right generation to truly feel this is some next level shyt, but I understand why other people do. There's a true brilliance to songs like M.A.A.D City and Sing About Me. I don't remember the last time I got genuine chills listening to a verse. Actually, there might've been a couple Jay Elec joints when he first hit the scene that gave me that feeling. But aside from then, it has been years, and years, and years.
At a time when every rapper has used some tired ass basketball analogy using LeBron or Kobe or Dikembe or Magic or Olajuwon, or Yao Ming, or Shaq, or Iverson, or Jordan to represent how dope he is or the kind of drugs he sells, Kendrick makes Aaron Afflalo the main sports namedrop of his album, and spins it into some honest, self-deprecating sociological, and ultimately inspiring shyt.
For the last decade I've been thrilled if I can find albums that have even 4 tracks I might keep in rotation here and there. There are 3 tracks on this album, bonus songs included, I don't care for. That's it. That's a minor miracle for me. I feel like I just watched Kirk Gibson hit that homerun off Dennis Eckersley and there are a bunch of Dodgers fans calling in the greatest homerun of all time because they're caught up in the moment, but much worse are the weirdos angrily shouting "first of all, Bill Mazeroski's homerun in 1960 actually won a game 7 against the Yankees so I'm not about to call Gibson's a classic; second of all, I've technically seen harder hit doubles, and in certain ballparks that might've been a long flyout, and I think these young fans are just gassed off him limping to the plate, I doubt he was even really that hurt, plus he needs to shave that mustache for to take him seriously, and isn't the Dodgers' uni kind of boring?"
Dude is the new Andre 3000. Critical success, albums flying off the shelves, his peers can't stop gushing about his talent, but he has that rare cult following of haters who are going to be making threads about his voice and clothes and playing the "drop a verse that proves he's lyrical... I'll wait" game for years to come.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
The little nikka won.
The OG Walt has spoken..album is officially certified now.
come on bruh... beat and verses are cool though
powerful..