Kendrick Lamar is widely regarded as one of the greatest rappers alive. For over a decade, Kendrick has put out album after album with unmatched quality, and style that only gets better with age. The rapper’s career has been a tour de force from beginning to end. Incorporating a mix of trap, R&B, and traditional hip hop, Kendrick Lamar creates a unique and unforgettable soundscape that is thought-provoking without sacrificing catchiness and mainstream appeal. Lyrically, Kendrick is at the top of his game with few rappers who come close to his quality of storytelling and variety of flows.
So, what are Kendrick Lamar’s top five albums? We’ll start with his most-recent release:
5. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers (2022)
Kendrick significantly changed pace on this album, and assuming this is his last full-length project it’s a respectable way to end things. K. Dot walks the listener through quarrels with his past-self, with storytelling that is hyper focused on psychological themes and the pieces of his life that shaped the individual Kendrick is today. Many tracks dive into how and why Kendrick repressed trauma from his childhood, and the rapper commentates on the social elements which influenced him to do this in the first place. He appears to spend a lot of the album self-reflecting with the intention that listeners might take away lessons for themselves to apply to their own lives. Production is fantastic all the way through, and every featured artist feels purposefully selected. Despite being a fantastic album, it feels a little longer than it needed to be and is somewhat disorganized with its order of tracks.
4. DAMN. (2017)
DAMN might be Kendrick’s pop-cultural peak, with multiple songs sitting at above one billion streams. When this album first came out, everybody and their mom had “sit down… be humble” stuck in their heads. As per usual, Kendrick’s style greatly varies throughout the project, with several songs including PRIDE. and FEEL. which focus on self reflection, accompanied by wavy, chill production. DAMN is the culmination of all sonically perfected ideas from previous albums, and yet in this way it feels a little too refined. It’s an incredible album but doesn’t hold up to the storytelling cohesion of the next three…
3. Section.80 (2011)
Section.80 is the first full-length, professionally produced album by Kendrick, and his hunger shines through every track. This album went on to inspire dozens of rappers who were in opposition to the radical trap wave taking over the hip hop scene at the time. Production is timeless and flows still feel fresh today. This project put Kendrick on the map story-wise, with cultural criticism throughout that portrays a young Kendrick Lamar conflicted with the setting he was raised in, as he hopes to come to terms with the disturbing norms of past acquaintances. Several songs including Rigamortus and A.D.H.D set the stage for priceless classics on later albums.
2. To Pimp a Butterfly (2013)
TPAB is Kendrick taking the elements of his stylistic criticism and applying it to the bigger picture. Thematically, this project primarily focuses on racial dynamics and social issues plaguing modern-day America. Very few artists are able to take subject matter like this and thread it throughout an album with no shortage of elaborate variety, in beats and lyricism. Kendrick goes over-the-top on this album, by combining musical ideas from a multitude of genres and taking a mature approach to fitting beats with stories that spark conversations and hype up parties under the same umbrella.
1. good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012)
A must-listen for music fans of any genre, GKMC is a masterpiece through and through. Kendrick’s ability to transport the listener into his shoes as he relives pivotal moments of his childhood is incomparable. Production is fantastic, with Kendrick’s verses being mixed in a way that feels like he’s in the room with you, reminiscing on the good and the bad of yesterday. Lyrically this album is untouchable, with an overarching story that is as captivating as it is heartbreaking. Tracks such as The Art of Peer Pressure and Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst are windows into the position Kendrick experienced during his youth, with a focus on the inescapable environment his friends and family called home. This is an album you’ll never forget after your first listen.
Let us know what your list would look like in the comments below!
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