A recently released Rolling Stone Magazine cover dawned Kendrick Lamar’s portrait, and at the bottom it simply read, “Kendrick Lamar: Greatest Rapper Alive.” As a result, MCHS decided to examine K. Dot’s latest album.

The most noticeable thing at first is that these aren’t the normal drug and crime hip-hop tracks fans are used to even though some are intertwined throughout this album. Kendrick speaks his mind and evaluates himself with the braggadocio fitting of a hip hop artist in tracks like “Element” where he tells you if he has to smack a scared-y cat in the face, he will make it look sexy, or reminiscing about the robbery of his father by ex-gang member and now rapper Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith. Ironically, Tiffith now owns the label Lamar belongs to.

On the album, Kendrick displays his loving side on songs, “LOVE” and “LOYALTY,” but can easily swap flows from smooth and melodic to aggressive and harsh so can “body” someone on the track, “DNA.” The whole album is a collection of songs that you can “FEEL” (another selection from the album).  

The entire album is solid with arguably no weak tracks. The album is definitely a worthwhile listen to fans of the rap and hip-hop genre. There is a reason Rolling Stone just called him the greatest rapper alive.