Kendrick Lamar is a new up and coming rap artist from Compton, California. Part of the hip hop collective Top Dawg Entertainment which includes other rap artists including Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and leader Jay Rock, Lamar just released his new disk, good kid, m.A.A.d city. 

Last year, Lamar released his second solo album, Section .80, for free. It did next to nothing on the charts but was critically acclaimed. Lamar started to build a large following based on popular songs from Section .80 like “A.D.H.D.” and “Rigamortis.” His popularity stemmed largely from the blogosphere. Sites like HypeBeast.com, Pitchfork.com, 2DopeBoys.com, and various Tumblr blogs have given Lamar a large amount of attention due to the more alternative taste of their audience.

good kid, m.A.A.d city is a clear move to a more mainstream radio friendly style from the darker style of Section .80. This shows in some of the featured artist on the album. Guests like Drake and Dr. Dre show that Lamar is making a push for more popularity in the rap world. Still, Lamar doesn’t abandon his socially-conscious lyrics as this album is still very substantive. Songs like “The Art of Peer Pressure,” “Money Trees,” and “Black Boy Fly” are filled with deep metaphors and wordplay. Even the songs that are more obviously intended to receive radio play like “Poetic Justice” and “Swimming Pools” are littered with social satire and criticism.

All in all, Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city is a solid project that combines the catchy hooks and beats that mainstream rap offers with the creative lyricism and the substance it so often lacks. It is definitely worth a listen for any rap fan. Grade: A-

–Manuel Imel, The Patriot Press