The Most Influential Rap Album of 2015

King Kendrick

Kendrick Lamar, a Compton native, released an album this year that is definitely worth the listen. What started as an extraneous journey as an underground rapper turned into a spot in the limelight with his 2012 hit album Good Kid, m.A.A.d City. Producing instant hits and being featured on big-name rappers’ tracks, he started building himself a reputation. After being announced the “New King of the West Coast” by Dr. Dre (another Compton legend) it became apparent that Kendrick was doing something right.

Fast forward to TPAB: is it his rhythmic beats or authentic voice that garners the album true acclaim? Neither. Kendrick is altering the way rap is viewed for two reasons. First, he is a lyrical genius. Second, he honors one of the greatest to ever pick up a microphone — the iconic Tupac Shakur. Kendrick actually claims Tupac came and spoke to him in a dream. Whether you believe this or not is your decision, however, I’ll argue that this unique album seems driven by something larger than Kendrick himself. He seems to be reviving rap from the grave. Standing only five-foot-six, Kendrick released a ten-foot album.

Throughout TPAB, Kendrick addresses several topics that are highly relevant in today’s society. Whether it’s racial tension and anger, change, or suicidal thoughts, Kendrick gets his message across. He canvases his thoughts into music which is so lucid to the ear. Kendrick’s lyrics truly express his poetic reflections on life and what surrounds it. The poem that goes alongside of the album shows his coming of age story and provides helpful information when decrypting the album. Read it at the link below:

The Breakdown

• Wesley’s Theory — What a way to introduce an album. The intro to the song comes of an old funk sample repeating the words, “every n****r is a star.” This was a bold move from Kendrick, but it showcases his ability to take what everyone has access to and transform it to something that inspires others to strive for greatness and overcome the adversity that lies before them. The most interesting part of this song unfolds when a voicemail from Dr. Dre comes, telling Kendrick his experiences on coming to fame, advising him that he has it all, but the most difficult thing is keeping it. With Thundercat slapping the bass behind him, the song gives off a psychedelic feeling, telling you to stop what you are doing and get ready because the whole album is a trip.

For Free — While Kendrick has only recently come to fame, he has a message for the people trying to take advantage of him. He repeats “this d**k ain’t free” like he is telling everybody that he isn’t just gonna support them; he needs something in return. This song is so beautiful in the sense that he has incredible high tempo jazz behind him as he goes on what seems to be skat-poetry. He expresses no need for ‘hood glory, as all he needs is himself.

King Kunta — This song may be one of the biggest hits on the album because of its funk-ish underlying sound. To the ear, this sounds like just another rapper preaching about how he’s the best and has the whole world watching him. However, with some digging, it becomes clear Kendrick is upset and simply expressing how he feels. By showing his life of climbing from the bottom of the ‘hood to the top of the charts, he displays his frustration with different levels of society. He is fed up with the white man only showing interest in the black man when talent is there and money is potential.

htInstitutionalized — This one tells the Bildungsroman story that Kendrick lived. The beat of this song perfectly sets him up for the altered voice that everybody went crazy for on GKMC. Kendrick gets into how he has changed since coming to wealth and gives the vibe that wealth enables corruption. He later goes on to explain that he doesn’t need nice champagne or a big house, but that he is content with what he has. The biggest thing that he expresses is that the perception of getting rich can not only blind a man, but kill him.

These Walls — This song is a trip. Metaphor on metaphor on metaphor. The lyrics obviously are associated with the phrase “if these walls could talk.” You may be asking, What walls? Well, there are two of them: the walls of Kendrick’s mind and the walls of a prison cell. He goes into explaining a story of him sleeping with a woman who has children with a man currently in jail, and the ensuing battle inside of his mind. You must be thinking, Kendrick’s a bad guy, why would he do that? It gets better. The man in jail is there for killing one of Kendrick’s best friends. Initially, Kendrick is doing this for revenge of his fallen friend, but over the course of time, he struggles with his poor judgment and manipulation of his authority granted by his fame.

u — The antithesis of the hit single later on in the album (“i”), “u” puts us on a roadtrip through the mind and heart of Kendrick Lamar. This roadtrip is not a happy one. This is a trip filled with negative thoughts, lack of confidence, and contemplation of suicide. This is a song where you sit back and forget that he is a tough rapper from Compton and realize that Kendrick is a person. A person with thoughts, and a person who really struggles with maintaining positive thoughts. He claims that it was one of the most difficult songs to write, but it helped him personally. There is a battle going on in his mind that never seems to stop. This sets Kendrick apart, his vulnerability to wrap his emotions up and put them on a canvas.

Alright — This song is for anybody that seems lost or overcome by tragedy. Nominated for Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Song of the Year by The GRAMMYs, there is no question this song is a hit. After the melancholy feeling you get from “u”, Kendrick bounces right back and explains that God is watching over them and is preparing something great. Although this is a song of encouragement, it is directed at a single topic: police brutality. Rather than taking an aggressive approach, he simply backs away and assures his fellow citizens that “we gon’ be alright.” This shows his dynamic of being able to restrain himself yet maintain strong, underlying meaning in his songs.

For Sale — I haven’t discussed it yet, but throughout the album Kendrick discusses his battles with “Lucy”, who we can assume to represent Lucifer. “For Sale” highlights the troubling decisions that come from being a musician and the temptation to give in. This song also discusses how the industry puts a determined worth on the talent of a musician and how it directly relates to the value of their character. He satirizes the idea that once you get a deal and sign on the dotted line, anything you want can happen. He shows his humor and disappointment in the perceptions of how the music industry works.

Momma — This song continues with the inner battle against Lucy and shows the new evaluation of himself after putting an end to the fight. The poem that goes with the album tells the story beautifully, stating that the evils were all around him until he went home. Where is home? I don’t know. But my guess is that by home he means his original self, the character of Kendrick Lamar before he got famous. He was distressed because, throughout that journey, he forgot what it was like to be his old self in the ‘hood. This is what I love about Kendrick: he keeps you guessing and you can interpret the meaning in various ways.

Hood Politics — This song is the opposite of the song “Momma.” It takes us to Kendrick before the fame, when all he knew was how to get by in the depressing city of Compton. This song is a change in voice for Kendrick, possibly symbolizing him back in the days of Section 80 or Overly Dedicated. Whatever he’s doing, it works. It takes you back to a younger, less mature Kendrick. Yet for his presumed age, Kendrick displays tons of maturity, critiquing the flaws in American politics and issues in the rap industry.

How Much A Dollar Cost — This track is my personal favorite as well as the favorite of the President. Yes, Barack Obama claims that this song is his favorite song of 2015. Remarkably, a rapper from Compton that ridicules the political system of our country is praised by the leader of that system. This song tells a story of when Kendrick took a trip to South Africa. During this journey, he meets a homeless man who Kendrick perceives to be on crack. The man asks for a dollar multiple times and Kendrick continues to deny him. Then, the man asks Kendrick if he has read the book of Exodus 14 from the Bible. The man goes on to explain that all we need is a humble man to lead the black community, drawing an allusion to Moses. Kendrick then begins to repent and realizes his selfishness. He asks God for forgiveness and is finally set free from the leash of Lucy. Kendrick displays how to look beyond the actual value of things and look at life with more generosity.

Complexion — On this track, Kendrick addresses the fact that the color of your skin can place prejudices on your character. This is specifically relevant in black culture, judging other black citizens on how dark or light they are. This puts racism back in focus and has blacks fighting each other, rather than rising as one. Kendrick hates this and stresses the fact that everybody is the same no matter the complexion of their skin.

The Blacker the Berry — Now that Kendrick has stated that the color of your skin doesn’t mean anything, it’s time to express his dismay with the people that disagree. Kendrick feels anger and a sense of unbelonging. This is definitely the most aggressive track on the album. It displays the passion Kendrick puts into play when glamorizing his sense of “blackness” and tells the world he is proud of it. This aggression directly fits into the flow of the song and establishes dominance when he picks up the mic.

You Ain’t Gotta Lie — This track is one of the subtle masterpieces of Kendrick. This song has such a powerful message but has such a relaxed Kendrick guiding you through it. Kendrick is displayed as a ‘hood figure who isn’t full of stardom but instead is connected to his roots and the people that stay there. He goes to explain that people don’t have to lie to get his respect, and he prefers someone who is honest. This is another part of Kendrick I love: he has the voice of a rapper and the compassion of a mother.

i — This song, originally a single, received nominations and won GRAMMYs for Best Rap Song and Performance. This song embraces and praises black culture. It shows the highlights of growing up in Compton and being surrounded by so much tragedy. There’s a redemptive tone as it displays a case of proving worth in society for the black community. It travels deep inside the mind of Kendrick and shows his pride in being black, typtically by exclaiming that he loves himself.

Mortal Man — Oh boy, oh boy. I mentioned earlier that “These Walls” was a trip, but this song is mind-blowing. It begins as a song addressing the extraneous faults in our country while sounding like just another song from an angry rapper. But little do you know, throughout this 12-minute epic Kendrick has an interview with the one and only, Tupac Shakur. You might ask, How can he do that? Tupac is dead. Well yes, he is dead, but on this track his spirit is alive and well. Kendrick cuts together parts of an interview from 1994 and asks questions about modern day America. After discussing his fame, black culture, and racism in America, Kendrick realizes the true meaning of the visit. He comes to understand that his time in the spotlight is a privilege and he needs to use it wisely, changing lives while he can. I could write about this song for hours, but all I can tell you now is to listen and be mesmerized.