These days, Kendrick Lamar has been seen as a leading force in the movement of the new school of hip-hop. His intricate lyrics and diverse flow pattern have led some to call him the best rapper alive (Sorry Wayne). Dr. Dre’s protégé has been slowly, but surely building himself a following with his rhymes. A year after the release of the critically-acclaimed “(O)verly (D)edicated” mixtape, the Compton MC is back with his first official album, “Section 80”.
The albums’ intro, Fuck Your Ethnicity, is a perfect introduction in all forms. Not only is it a great way to open up the LP, if this is your very first record in his catalogue that you hear, it’s a great way start your journey into his music. The song is basically saying that any and everyone, of all races, can listen to his music. Song number two, Hol’ Up, is a great display of how much depth Kendrick has in his lyrics. There’s no real topic in the song, but at the same time, it still speaks on things. The soulful horns give the song a real laid back tone. The use of drugs is discussed in “A.D.H.D”. While that is usually a topic for a lot of rappers, I feel as if this is the first time in a long time that it’s been done in a creative, thought-provoking way. He also sheds some light on how drug distribution in the eighties has affected his community of Compton. We’re given a smooth transition into the self-explanatory, next song “No Make-Up (Her Vice)”. A woman that doesn’t really need cosmetics proceeds to always put her face on. What I love about it is that the song goes into the perspective of the girl and why she does it. We’re also given a hint that this story is going to continue when Kendrick says “To be continued, eleven”. K. Dot takes the hook from “Down For My Niggas” by C-Murder, and puts his own twist on it in “Tammy’s Song (Her Evils)”. It’s the exploration of a woman that is continuously hurt by various men in her life. The ending is a very accurate assessment for some women in this predicament.
Five songs in, and I can honestly say that so far, this album is getting better and better with each record. “Chapter Six” is more of an interlude, but it still delivers nevertheless. The topic of the crack-era that was briefly covered in “A.D.H.D” is given some more profoundness in the perfectly titled, “Ronald Regan Era”. Kendrick is really showing how he can speak on subjects that have been covered many times before, but still make it sound fresh and original. “Poe Mans Dreams (His Vice)” is basically an ode to his relatives that got locked up. GLC adds a nice touch to this one with a poetic verse as the song closes. The listener is given a glimpse into Kendrick’s distaste for his detractors-turned fans in the Schoolboy Q featured “The Spiteful Chant”. Schoolboy Q delivers a very hot verse on this one, and both of them get their point across. The only downside to this one is it takes two minutes to get an actual rap from these two. Another interlude is next with “Chapter Ten”. One thing that’s good is that it actually flows into the next song and isn’t a skip like most interludes on albums are. “Make-Up’s” cliff hanger is resolved in “Keisha’s Song (Her Pain)”, and I must say it’s a great display of his storytelling ability. It’s also a dedication to his eleven year-old sister on what he doesn’t want her to become (explanation of why it’s track eleven).
“Rigamortus” is a simple brag session about Kendrick killing your favorite rapper. Simple as that. The boastful song is followed by “Kush & Corinthians”; a song that goes into the mind state of many different characters. Alot of the track plays the whole angel vs. devil ordeal in a sense and it’s one of the most intense songs on the album. It’s followed up with “Blow My High”. I’d have to say it’s probably my least favorite song, not because it’s bad, but all of the songs have been so good that it’s hard to compare. I will say that I like the fact that he gives homage to Pimp C (His verse on “Big Pimpin”) and Aaliyah (“Four Page Letter”). The outro (Ab-Souls Outro), is an amazing closer. It almost feels like poetry over the jazzy production and I love it. In a sense, it’s a recap of all the tracks so far. All of the AbSoul MC’s come correct with their rhymes as well. “HiiiPower” is the official closer, and even though I felt it didn’t top the last song, it’s still a dope one. It also makes me wonder why the producer (J. Cole) didn’t save it for himself cause this is a tight beat. Either way, it’s a good ending.
The Real Deal: Kendrick Lamar exceeds his expectations for his first LP. Every single track is good, and it proves that Kendrick Lamar is a worthy candidate for the Best Rapper Alive. The album is full of everything from materialistic shit, to drugs, to broken spirits, and it’s all done in a diverse and fresh way. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that this is the best rap of 2011 so far. If not, there’s no denying that it’s in the top 5. All in all, the man from Compton has a bright future ahead of him.
Rating: 4.5/5
-Raul A.
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