Customer Ratings & Reviews

Not everyday you get a great cd like this!! Really enjoyed it!

This was the first Kendrick Lamar album that I've ever purchased in my life. I didn't know what to expect since I only began listening to him last year. I first heard him back in 2011 but I don't believe in going by the hype so it took me awhile to finally become a fan and I hate that it took so long for me to finally accept that his music is very important for what's going on at the moment. This album drew the very vivid details of dealing with the dark side of yourself, the world, and others. It perfectly summed up how it is coming from certain backgrounds and being given the opportunity to better or worsen yourself. I believe that this album was created for those going through hardships or currently getting out of them. It's motivational and depressing in one but at the end it gives you the hope you need to maintain in order to live and survive amongst yourself and others.

I have to admit my first impressions of this album were rather tepid. The first few songs weren't anything close to the material on GKMC. After getting deeper into the album, there are some real jewels. A lot of the production reminds me of a DJ Quik-esque sound that has been absent from music for a while. While my tastes center more around the boom-bapish 'Blacker the Berry', I can appreciate what Kendrick is trying to do musically on this album. He's really bringing a west coast vibe with funky baselines and lush keys. The drum programming is spot on with that neck nodding shuffle that keeps the drums slightly off beat. Kendrick brings it all together with great lyrics and storytelling that go deeper than they typical money, drugs, crime rap that populates mainstream. While none of the current rappers measure up to the greats such as Rakim, KRS-ONE, Big Daddy Kane, Biggie, Pac, etc.....Kendrick does a good job of elevating the bar for the current crop of rappers trying to make it in the game.

With his 3rd (2nd major label) release Kendrick Lamar continues his evolution as the most talented and important hip-hop artist of this generation. While his previous album, Good Kid, MAAD City, rightfully garnered plaudits with fans and critics alike, this album is leaps and bounds ahead of GKMC. The sonic landscape, coordinated by Thundercat and Flying Lotus, is impeccable and creates the perfect sonic backdrop for Lamar's creative wordplay. No artist in the game, or perhaps ever, does a better jon of switching flows and vocal timbres between songs, and even words, to correspnd with the emotion of a particular track. It is evident a great deal of thought and effort went into this finely crafted album. A modern classic.

Production Value 9.6 Lyrical Value 10.0 Guest Artist 8.0 Over all, One of the Best Lyricists in Rap, His way of telling a story (bringing you into what he views of this world)is not easy to do...but Kendrick, is Rising...to an unimaginable hight, in just his 4th Studio Album (as his first 2...Displayed glimpses of Genius)...and his 3rd Put him on the map, so the masses could discover him. This one raises him into a Rap phenomenon, not seen since Tupac graced us with his presence.

I am a big fan of Kendrick, sad to say that this did not deliver like i had expected. Don't get me wrong, i like the CD and listen to it quite often. I guess the bar was set high from "Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City" album. If you absolutely liked his previous album, don't expect this one to like that. It has it's own style, and it is completely different.

Creative innovating lyrical and at best conceptually intelligent in a rap game that most of the music is stale and all the same and just plain dumb. The only real problem with this album is Kendricks choice to have a live version of I instead of the real version which was rather dumb and besides U everything else is solid. Thank you Kendrick for pushing the envelope again at this rate you can be one of the greatest 1 day.

Kendrick Lamar releases yet another masterpiece! He has elevated to the ranks of Kanye and OutKast from making great rap music to making incredible music, defining all genres. Combining funk, neo soul, and hardcore hip hop and including features from Snoop Dogg, George Clinton, and Thundercat this album has got to be the best of 2015 and will be hard to top. Must check out if you're a fan of music period. Won't regret it.

I love him and all his previous work has made me a life time fan. However, this is definitely nothing like g.o.o.d kidd mad city. This truly shows his range. Really not a cd to ride to, but definitely presents a message. Kind of threw me off at first, had to listen to it a couple times bc I wasn't feeling it. The beats, the lyrics, the overall sound is totally different. Absolutely would recommend it!

Kendrick Lamar released a masterpiece, he is the voice of our generation. The ideas he has to bring together such large ideas and problems into rhythm and poetry is just amazing. The narrative with the poem throughout the album leading the last song is genius. Kendrick is greatness and he knows it, struggles to deal with, but does so in such a fashion that he will never be forgotten in history.

The album from front to back is amazing. Full of thought provoking ideals and concepts, Kendrick does a great job of addressing public and cultural issues as well as dealing with his own. The production was remarkable, Thundercat, Terrace, T$A, left it all on the stage with this. I would give it more stars if I could. The ending dialogue is crazy (I won't spoil it if you don't already know)

I'm a huge kendrick fan. All his previous work has made me a life time fan. And this album threw me.off at first I didn't like it. The beats, the lyrics, the sound is all different. It's a new kendrick very jazz inspired. Now I would recommend it to any rap /hip hop fan. But be aware this is not g .o.o.d kidd mad city kendrick. And that should be noted.

This album is good but not great. He took on a lot of issues that you would expect from maybe someone who has been in the game for 10 years plus. This album has a lot of tracks that you will not understand unless you have lived it. You can't just ride and bob your head to this. You have to listen. Otherwise his clever metaphors will go over your head.

kendrick offers a very intimate glimpse into the workings of his mind. what touched me the most is his willingness to take his his experience with depression and, with a gang of other talents, contort it into a powerful piece of song that is heavy and hard to forget. this album is a story about him, and what he's been through since his last release. i think it's beautiful.

K.dot has really outdone it for this album.. It's definitely a classic for the people.. Every song is a hit you can play this album from start to finish with pure listening enjoyment.. A must have for Kendrick Lamar fans.. He brings that Compton sound back to life...

I bought this CD because it made a lot of "best of" lists for 2015. I'm not much of a rap fan, and I knew nothing about the artist, but I do have a very large and diverse music collection. The album is creative, unique and worth the $16 or whatever I spent on it.

This album is the perfect foil to Taylor Swifts 1985. They are both the same age but tell a completely different life narrative. If you listen, really listen, you get a small sample of how the bottom one percent lives. Of course this isn't for kids. Or people who are easily offended by "dirty" words. But worth a listen for raw, uncut perspective.

I've been sitting on and sleeping on the album front to back since it's initial online release. There hasn't been an album that connected so well with America, as well as the actual musical and production talent behind it. Buy this album now. Everyone should own a physical copy as a symbol of a era in time. Best rap album in this century.

I went into this album only hearing his most solid lyrical work...Dre or/and other producers tried too hard to be unique and took away from the themes of songs and lamars bars at times. With all that said its still a solid project and keeps me interested in the self proclaimed king of every coast.

This album is FANTASTIC! and EASILY the best HIPHOP album as of late. But it wasnt as good as his first effort nor is it some INSTANT CLASSIC! Its easy to get caught in the hype when something of quality drops. But in actuality its the best hiphop album of its calendar year. yes, but a classic no.