Good Kid Mad City

Pocketing numerous Mixtapes, successful EPs, a staggering number of hits and collaborating with some of the biggest names in music, Kendrick Lamar has now stunned the hip-hop scene further with one of the finest albums of the year. Compton bred rapper carves out a breakaway style of his own with Good Kid M.A.A.D City; making the lingering wait for the debut album unquestionably worthwhile.

Subtitled as ‘A Short Film by Kendrick Lamar’, listeners are taken on a journey through the city that raised him. Layered with storytelling lyrics and nourished thickly with bedroom kickback beats, the talented rapper fails in hesitating or shying away from any personal experiences, throttling fans head first into his history with the tellingly, unfolding series of his formative years.

The adequate 15 track album begins with somewhat haunting ‘Sherane A.K.A Master Splinter’s Daughter’ that opens with a recited prayer by Lamar’s friends, before Lamar himself tells of a love story with Compton sweetheart Sherane. ‘Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe’ embraces his development and changing mind, backed again with mellow, electric guitar riffs complimenting his swift and slick wordplay and revealing his impeccable, deeply thought-out lyrical strength.

‘Backseat Freestyle’ produced by Hit boy is one of the more upbeat tracks of the album, offering a more aggressive and party- dynamic ambience constructed with fun, bold spits fans will enjoy on a night out- whilst ‘The Art of Peer Pressure’ invites us into his gang activity, as he luckily escapes a police chase with friends. ‘Poetic Justice’ is composed around Janet Jackson’s classic hit ‘Anytime Anyplace’ with input from fellow elite lyricist, Drake. A smooth and sultrily sexy vibe is fashioned, highlighting it as an album favourite before it ends with a confrontational gang argument first heard in opening track, outside Sherane’s home.

The last quarter of the album introduces supplementary likely favourites with ‘Swimming Pools (Drank)’, ‘Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst’ and ‘Real’ that finishes with a voicemail from his parents who define the meaning of realness, before accepting the advice and teaming up with Dr. Dre to proudly sing about his city ‘Compton’ self pro-claiming; ‘aint no city quite like mine’.

Although the album is assembled in an un-chronological order and the communication between his family and friends is sometimes indistinct, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City provides a clean and apparent account of who Kendrick Lamar is and how his hometown has shaped him- making it a cinematic success and more importantly- a refreshing breakthrough in hip-hop, adding classic depth back into the substance and hailing it undoubtedly worthy of its critical attention, ability and success.