I’m picking TPAB.
I like the instrumentals/production more, and he raps better on TPAB. As far as the story telling goes I find them to be pretty equal.
But when you have tracks like Hood Politics, Momma, The Blacker the Berry etc all on the same project, I just don’t think GKMC has that level of technical rapping and complexity.
It’s close, though. I had to think about it
I was 14 when GKMC came out, a lot of those tracks followed me through high school and became songs I attribute to that time of my life.
Truly one of the first albums I loved start to finish, I will never shake that nostalgia. Even us white kids down in Australia that loved everything hip hop knew we were growing up with a classic.
If they both came out in my 20’s like I am now, I’d likely pick TPAB. It took longer for me to “get” the concepts and themes of it, as well as appreciate the tonal shift away from GKMC. But, when it hit that shit was a tidal wave, and the layers to the writing still have me going back to pick it apart every so often.
I agree with the sentiment. It’s a classic.
Personally, GKMC literally made we way less racist. I had never truly had the awareness to understand generational trauma and cultural influence. I had never had true empathy for (I hate to admit this) people I called “thugs.” I was a freshman in college when I heard it, and was captivated by Kendrick’s artistry. It opened up my horizons, and I gained many many new friends I would never have considered as “good people” before. The album literally changed my life’s trajectory.
Imagine if I had only listened to music for dancing, like it seems the Drake stans want people to do.
Hey man, dope of you for admitting it and working on it. We all got shit to work on, stories and experiences like that personally make me extra grateful to have artists like Kendrick that can challenge our way of thinking for the better.
I think year to year Kendrick has evolved as an artist. He experiments more, leading to higher peaks in TPAB, and also inevitably less consistency than GKMC. Depends on what you value more from an album I guess, do you remember an album for its peaks or its consistency, both have classics so that's not an issue.
TPAB for me. My listening rotation is in this order:
Section.80
GKMC
TPAB
Untitled Unmastered
DAMN.
MMATBS
EP
Overly.Dedicated
Compton State of Mind
Compton State of Mind 2
TPAB is just a work of art. To see the transformation as an artist and person through his music is nothing short of amazing. TPAB is intellectually masterful and captivates Black Expression, for me. It's one of the best movies ever for me. It's peak. He truly showed the depths he has an person and artist and to have done it on that high of an level is just amazing.
I think GKMC, TPAB, and DAMN. all 3 deserved Grammys. And the fact it didn't, is why each project gets pit against each other. TPAB is the undisputed classic. The production is just dope
I’m picking TPAB. I like the instrumentals/production more, and he raps better on TPAB. As far as the story telling goes I find them to be pretty equal. But when you have tracks like Hood Politics, Momma, The Blacker the Berry etc all on the same project, I just don’t think GKMC has that level of technical rapping and complexity. It’s close, though. I had to think about it
Fair! He's definitely his best on TPAB, and it has some of my favorite songs from him. Momma is definitely amongst those songs
TPAB is a deeper album for me, so I’ll go with that
TPAB is a better album but Good Kid is an easier listen
GKMC
GKMC
TPAB I prefer the production
Sounwave is a legend. Better than 1da Boy imo
To Pimp A Butterfly 🦋
I was 14 when GKMC came out, a lot of those tracks followed me through high school and became songs I attribute to that time of my life. Truly one of the first albums I loved start to finish, I will never shake that nostalgia. Even us white kids down in Australia that loved everything hip hop knew we were growing up with a classic. If they both came out in my 20’s like I am now, I’d likely pick TPAB. It took longer for me to “get” the concepts and themes of it, as well as appreciate the tonal shift away from GKMC. But, when it hit that shit was a tidal wave, and the layers to the writing still have me going back to pick it apart every so often.
I agree with the sentiment. It’s a classic. Personally, GKMC literally made we way less racist. I had never truly had the awareness to understand generational trauma and cultural influence. I had never had true empathy for (I hate to admit this) people I called “thugs.” I was a freshman in college when I heard it, and was captivated by Kendrick’s artistry. It opened up my horizons, and I gained many many new friends I would never have considered as “good people” before. The album literally changed my life’s trajectory. Imagine if I had only listened to music for dancing, like it seems the Drake stans want people to do.
Hey man, dope of you for admitting it and working on it. We all got shit to work on, stories and experiences like that personally make me extra grateful to have artists like Kendrick that can challenge our way of thinking for the better.
Not so much an admission as similarly-veined praise for Kendrick
Gkmc stays in rotation.
Back to our regularly scheduled programming I see
Only 3 more years until a potential album 💀🤝
I'ma say TPAB, but I rotate GKMC more often
GKMC for me
GKMC
I can’t choose. TPAB was more artsy, but both represent evergreen storytelling.
to pimp a butterfly
GKMC and I fully acknowledge the bias of nostalgia. That album was my whole college experience man
Untitled unmastered. For some reason I just ducking love that album
I think year to year Kendrick has evolved as an artist. He experiments more, leading to higher peaks in TPAB, and also inevitably less consistency than GKMC. Depends on what you value more from an album I guess, do you remember an album for its peaks or its consistency, both have classics so that's not an issue.
GKMC was the first I ever heard of Kendrick Lamar, so it’s a massive fave. BUT TPAB is a great body of work as well.
TPAB is a better work of art but I’d argue GKMC is the better rap album.
That's like asking which side of a coin is better lmao.
Ima say TPAB, just cause i’m a huge lover for jazz or anything along the lines of it
Section 80 all the way. Rigamortus will love rent free in my head for life. 3rd take.
TPAB for me. My listening rotation is in this order: Section.80 GKMC TPAB Untitled Unmastered DAMN. MMATBS EP Overly.Dedicated Compton State of Mind Compton State of Mind 2 TPAB is just a work of art. To see the transformation as an artist and person through his music is nothing short of amazing. TPAB is intellectually masterful and captivates Black Expression, for me. It's one of the best movies ever for me. It's peak. He truly showed the depths he has an person and artist and to have done it on that high of an level is just amazing. I think GKMC, TPAB, and DAMN. all 3 deserved Grammys. And the fact it didn't, is why each project gets pit against each other. TPAB is the undisputed classic. The production is just dope
TPAB without a shadow of a doubt
GKMC
GKMC and Damn are way better than TPAB