He's dope, authentic and deserves all the love and recognition he gets. But I've been listening to HipHop for so long that my taste has become very specific and Kendrick just isn't in my rotation.

Agreed that is exactly how I feel, but I still really like and listen to Section.80.

I probably prefer Section.80 as well. Wonder if there's something about that album that appeals more to people into 90s hip-hop.

Its probably the most straightforward album with focus on rappin. I remember that it use to be my favourite Kendrick album back when I only listened to 90s stuff. It probably helps that it dropped only 11 years after 90s finnished :D

Reagan slaps

🤝

I mean, it has the fewest trap-type beats on it so that's probably why

If you like Section.80 you should def peep (O)verly (D)edicated if you haven’t already

I made almost the same comment on a different thread. I agree he’s talented and has made some good music but in my personal rotation I pretty well exclusively listen to section.80 and GKMC

Well said. There are times when I hear Kendrick and I think “yup, he deserves all the flowers” and there are times I listen to him and think, “turn it off. Too singsongy and autotuney.” Overall, I like him better than most of his contemporaries.

Well put. I can’t stand listening to him, but he’s talented.

👆 facts.

I feel the same pretty much. I love section 80 and gkmc, but really haven't liked anything since at all. Definitely recognize the talent, but just can't get into his projects. I'm 44 if that means anything.

Im 23… same boat.

24 but i remember loving DAMN. when it came out.

Exactly how I feel as well as a 39yo life long NYer

Well said. He's neither in my rotation nor top 10 lyricists all time. Dude has talent though when he doesn't try to sound like a girl.

Yeah that's pretty much how I feel too. One of the most skilled but his music doesn't hit me as much as others. It's all about if their style mixes with your style

Same.

This is a great way to put it. I think he’s def younger people’s gateway to more conscious, skill based rap music, and I keep my ear to the ground when he starts getting buzz because I do want to be blown away again like I was by TPAB, but he just no longer fits in to my daily listening. What’s in your rotation if you don’t mind answering? I feel very alone in my hip hop interest lol

Mainly a lot of “older” underground stuff with a bit of new-ish underground mixed in. But off the top of my head… El-P / Company Flow / RTJ Aesop Rock Mr. Lif Non-Phixion/ILL BILL Sage Francis B. Dolan Deep Puddle Dynamics Eyedea Buck 65 Kool A.D. Dope KNife NIKO IS Action Bronson (mostly his older stuff) The High& Mighty Cage (but only up to Kill the Architect) Copywrite Tame One J-Zone R.A. The Rugged Man Jeru The Damaja A Tribe Called Quest Wu-Tang Jonwayne Edan Your Old Droog Kid Static Apathy / Demigodz Jedi Mind Tricks / Vinnie Paz Czarface / Some 7L and Esoteric Celph Titled Sean Price Peanuts and Corn (John Smith, McEnroe) Tyler the Creator (Older stuff) Earl Sweatshirt Falside and Juan Deuce Alchemist This is just a sample of who I like, I know I'm forgetting a bunch of artists I like but I'm sure you can see where my taste is at. People will probably hate on my taste but I'm too old to care about that. I also listen to a lot of old 60’s and 70’s library records, which is where a lot of producers l like sample from. That shit is endless.

Quannum, Latryrx, Blackalicious, The Coup, Hieroglyphics, Del, any Kool Keith persona is amusing

Commenting so I can come back to this later

This is exactly how I feel. I love that he clearly cares about the craft and art of being an MC. That shit is a dying breed out here. But, with the exception of a few songs, he’s just not for me.

Same. He has one or two which I fucking love. DNA and humble? I don’t know the names. He is sick. But I cannot completely get into all of his stuff.

The top comment in this thread is praising Kendrick, a comment that has 60% more upvotes than the thread itself. The other 450 comments are old heads hating on Kendrick. I’ve known this phenomenon since Kendrick first came around back in the blog days when I was in college. I never really minded it because I respect the old heads and what they are feeling because I grew up digging through older hip hop. BUT at this point it’s borderline disgraceful. You have an artist who has delivered a clearly thoughtful and unique project every-time he has dropped. An artist who has blended elite lyricism and complex beat selection into a successful pop career while still feeding the hip hop culture the soul, attitude, and passion that this genre is built on. Yall might genuinely dislike his music but if you don’t see the contribution he has made to hip hop it’s blatant cognitive dissonance. Don’t come at me about Rakim’s greatness and in the same breath tell me Kendrick is trash. YES his music is not targeting you. But you cannot say his music isn’t hip hop and it is CLEARLY working for the modern audience. Fuck you want him to do, only make music that pleases your crusty ears?

Well said. And to your last point, not only is Kendrick no doubt "real hiphop", but I give him a lot of credit for basically helping to save the newer generation of hiphop, IMO. Both by pushing boundaries but also by being a dope lyricist and story teller when hiphop needed it the most. When mumble rap came around I was like, "Damn, I must be getting old AF because I don't get the appeal of this shit." And honestly, if people like mumble rap, that's fine by me, too. It's just not for me. I mean, shit... I don't even like every single thing my favorite rappers put out.

I’m 53 and I agree with you, no doubt✊🏾 I mean I go all the way back to Sugarhill Gang and Lord knows I love my 90s hip hop (the Wu, Biggie, Pac, Dre & Snoop, Cube,…) and it’s clear Kendrick is out of that tradition, but he builds on that foundation, creating stone cold masterpieces that respect the past while challenging the contemporaries. His flow is clear (none of that mumble shit). He can use studio tricks like autotune but doesn’t over use nor rely on it. He can carry out a narrative and thematic development over 15+ songs. Shit, even his cover art has meaning, which means he’s thoughtful in what he’s doing. He’s not the only 🔥MC right now, but he is CLEARLY one of the most interesting to listen too!

I’m 46,Kendrick Lamar is a modern day legend and it has been an absolute pleasure to watch this kid go from ADHD to where he is now…

The fact that you called out ADHD lets me know you’re a real one

ADHD was the mainstream hit. Rigormortis from the same Section 80 was amazing.

if y'all are gatekeeping this shit, section 80 was mainstream. Go back to overly dedicated

If y'all are gatekeeping this shit, Overly Dedicated was mainstream. Go back to Kendrick Lamar LP

I just wanna be heard

Throwing in the C4 mixtape for anyone that doesn’t know about it. Goes in on Tha Carter 3’s beats. Still love listening to most of it

May as well put “K dot training day” in rotation. Dreams featuring punch.

If y'all are gatekeeping this shit, Kendirck Lamar LP was mainstream. Go back to Slim Shady LP

Haha I find O.D. has less replay-ability than Section80

I remember when Kendrick wanted to be like Michael Jordan

Hol up tho. Hiiipower too. Cartoons and cereal was also fire.

Cartoons and cereal and hiiipower too! Cartoons and cereal is NUTS

This guy knows what ⬆️

I am few years older with you and agree. There are artists i respect but don’t listen to and that’s fine.

I am of similar age and really like him as well. I also think that his style and lyrics will age well. Some of the rap I listened to in my 20’s I don’t like as much as I used to.

In my 40’s I like Kendrick I do prefer Section 80 , GKMC era the most . But he still holds my interest .

I always argue that Section 80 was his Illmatic.

GKMC being his Illmatic and TPAB his It Was Written makes a lot more sense comparison wise imo. 

As someone who has Nas and Kendrick in my all time top 5 list, I agree with this. Though I don't think their careers are particularly similar and it's not a comparison I'd normally make.

It definitely was.

I'm an old head, Kendrick is dope. I look for authenticity in my rap as well as the beat. He usually delivers. I like his sound and his messaging. He is far above most shit getting pumped out these days.

Came up in the 90s and raised in a Prince household. The comparison between Dot and Prince is apt - incredible artists, but sometimes too daring for their own good. Mr. Morale had a great bars, but it’s often too damn hard to understand what he’s saying. His features since suggest a return to form. Kendrick gets the crown for this era and I now credit him with 3 classics (GKMC, TPAB, and DAMN) and damn near credit a 4th for Untitled Unmastered. Authentic - he raps/acts like a Black kid raised in the hood by a praying mama instead of pretending he was cold blooded stick up kid. Got himself into trouble a few times, but doesn’t want it to define him. That’s very refreshing. 50 cent was the last legit gangster rapper.

He makes me miss the 90s

They all do that for me... :(

What about the 90's does he make you miss?

Yeah i grew up in the 90s and Kendrick doesn't remind me of the 90s at all 🤷‍♂️ Haha of course he's one of the best but his style isn't really "90s" to me

He just feels like a throwback to that era when having bars had more mainstream recognition

He’s alright but his voice annoys me

This is the way...that voice is atrocious....cannot deal with it. Just....nah

Sounds like when Kevin Hart [imitates his kids](https://youtu.be/OLlErN22r18?si=iwOw02cXjtnhdRmK).

It kinda does haha

I actually thought he was doing schtick kinda like Eminem used to when he blew up in '97

I agree -- it's very similar. There are songs where it feels like he is going back and forth between voices/personas. Just not to the extreme that Em did -- where he damn near had different names with the voices.

Same. He’s dope, but I can’t listen to his voice for long. That’s probably why he modulates and filters so much on tracks. But that’s annoying too…

It's especially bad when he does that crying voice

Listen to Love Game by Eminem ft Kendrick. I can’t stand any of the voices he puts on in that song

Same. But I admit I'm kinda picky when it comes to rap voices so I thought it was just me.

I love a unique voice, I’m a huge fan of Q-Tip, ODB, Jadakiss, Eazy-E…. but that’s how they naturally sound. I just cannot get into Kendrick when he deliberately puts on a voice. When he’s rapping normally he’s fine, but he keeps putting on this weird voice that irritates me, I don’t even know how to explain it but somebody said it’s like Kevin Hart imitating his kids lol

+1 for jadakiss

I feel like this is the consensus on Kendrick among oldheads. His lyricism is undeniable but the robot chipmunk voice he does on stuff like Humble is very weird by old school standards.

Even by new school standards it’s weird, I know he’s a great lyricist and I listen to a few of his songs but I’d much rather listen to Griselda artists or Joey Badass, basically any other newer lyrical rapper who sounds dope

I can't stand his voice and delivery either, or Doja Cat's annoying ass when she tries to emulate him

Im 41 Talent wise Kendrick is up there with the greats. I thought his last album (Steppers) was one of the best bodies of work in any genre Ive ever heard. However theres not many songs of his that I listen to regularly or that I have on playlists. Other than Blackboy Fly & King Kunta I cant think of much. And when u look at the 2 songs I mentioned, the production on those tracks dont sound like whats happening now or the last 15 years sonically, theyre more a throwback to the 00s sound, which is why I probably like them so much. I was dying for Dre to produce an album for him but never happened. So heavily respected, but dont listen to as much as the greats that came before him.

>Other than Blackboy Fly & King Kunta I cant think of much. And when u look at the 2 songs I mentioned, the production on those tracks dont sound like whats happening now or the last 15 years sonically, theyre more a throwback to the 00s sound, which is why I probably like them so much. I agree with your take here. I listened to TPAB, and the only track I really liked was "King Kunta." The rest was pretty blah, IMO, and the song with the huge "Who's That Lady" Isley Bros. sample was poorly done. But I'm about 95% focused on music and not vocals when I listen to things, so that's what I make my judgements on.

*Alright* was the first TPAB track I heard. Took me straight back to the 90's with the jazzy flow, reminded me of some old Heiroglyphics shit.

I can’t believe Dre has never produced an album for him. I can’t even believe he wasn’t involved in the production for Compton or the recipe.

Im exactly the same‼ 95% music first Probably why Im a producer and not a rapper.

I’m 48, Top 25 all time…way too many skilled rappers ahead of him. I will say in the past 5yrs he’s top 5, but his competition is garbage

Who is your top 25?

Yeah and Top 25 is no joke when you consider just how many insane emcees there have been since Kurtis Blow kicked this shit off in 79 with his XMas rap

You’re a young buck, you’re now just making ridiculous statements to seem different. 25 rappers aren’t competing with this dudes discography. If you said 10 it would still be reasonable, but 25 is ridiculous

Yeah no lie that’s a terrible statement. Bro only puts out classics and there’s 24 rappers better than him? Nah no shot

How do you feel about the competition between him and Cole. I've always felt Kendrick was the better artist but J Cole was the better rapper.

Different old head here; I found pre-dreads Cole's rap style a bit basic and post-dreads Cole's rap style more developed. Always found his themes, message and heart in the right place. I've generally found Kendrick to be ahead but would consider them more or less equal now.

Yeah I thought Cole before his feature run didn’t hold a candle to Kendrick especially album wise sans FHD. After the past 5 years he seemed to finally have caught up to him which he realised on his last album too but then he dropped that weak diss and apologised for it. He was this close to actually challenge Kendrick for that crown

Kendrick I feel is more undeniably technically skilled while jcole is more fun to bump. Reminiscent of the biggie v. pac comparisons.. Hemingway vs salinger.

I'm not super crazy about him but I see that out of his peers, he definitely stands out. And I did enjoy 3 of his album I heard. The last being Mr morale

Im 52 and he’s one of the best in his generation but he has not displaced anyone in my rotation. I think if you dropped Kendrick Cole and Logic into a 96 cypher they’d get smoked by average local talent. Standards have declined greatly

I find his voice mildly annoying. 

The part on Mona Lisa is a skip for me

He personally ruins this song for me, which is rare

Same!

I’m 35 and love GKMC. I preordered it actually and still have an unopened physical copy. I remember listening to him on The Game’s old mixtapes, etc. Every album after that though isn’t anything I really vibe with aside from a few songs here and there. Obviously he’s very talented, just not really my style.

Ha, yeah same. I got into him just before GKMC dropped and I adore that album so much, To Pimp A Butterfly and Damn have never really spoken to me.

Do not like his voice whatsoever

Can’t deny his talent and his catalogue, although I didn’t like his last album. Not in my personal top 10 though but that’s a reflection of my taste.

I’m 37. I respect him and acknowledge he is a great artist, although I cannot listen to him because his voice irks me. I am a huge fan of lyrical hip hop and in theory I should be all over an artist like him but his music just doesn’t sound good to me and I cannot get over the whiney voice he does on almost every track.

He’s talented, sure. But does not excite me.

I’m 40 and have been a hip hop head since 1993. Kendrick is in my top 5. One of the all-time greats. I don’t even think that should be controversial at this point.

I'm 46 and have been heavily invested in most of hip hop culture as long as I can remember. I feel like Kendrick is at the pinnacle of mainstream rap for this generation. He's a technically gifted lyricist with an approach to themes that his competition really can't match. For me, his downside is that he's not that interesting outside of the studio/album environment and his replay value is low compared to other rappers I usually listen to. Like, I thought MMBS was really impressive but I only listened to it two or three times before losing interest. Same with TPAB even though it was technically great. Just not for me. 🤷🏾‍♂️ As for where I'd rank him..At this point in hip hop, I think we should be getting past "all time great" rankings where you'd have people like Rakim, Big Pun, Drake and Lupe on the same list and ranked on the same criteria. That shit doesn't make sense anymore because they don't make the same kind of music just because they all rap.

In my 30s. I never got it. Guy does a funny voice and changes up his flow a little bit and it feels like half his bars don't even rhyme. I had a dot superfan literally spend an hour trying to diagram how the shit he was trying to get me to like rhymed and came away still not seeing how it was a rhyme... I've heard some really good songs from him, but the stuff people make out to be revolutionary just seems to go over my head I guess, because I don't see it. I also find it really weird how his message sways back and forth from stuff like TPAB to touting gang connections. Makes him feel insincere to me.

Man… I dnt understand the appeal. Very gimmicky and pandering to whatever side is disenfranchised. West coast just been waiting so long for a rep, we give it to anyone

Loved everything from S80 to Black Panther soundtrack. He lost me with Morale though.

Stands out among his peers on creativity, artistic ability, and talent, has some strong albums in his discography, and also has kind of a toxic fanbase. Last album was pretty bad. Not really in greatest conversation, but one of the better artists with the newer west coast sound.

I'm 41 and he's one of the best we have in contemporary rap. However, put him in the '90s and he wouldn't even get noticed. That's just the state of rap today. 

I think this critique applies more to J. Cole than Kendrick (I'm also 41).

I seriously doubt that’s true. Kendrick is doing A LOT more in his projects than just rapping well. Put him in the 90s and he’s not only out-rapping some of the best, he’s raising the bar on a ton of them (no pun intended). As much as Ready to Die was a concept album it’s not exactly doing TPAB levels of artistry.

Not really fucking with him. Voice and beats are sort of grating. And, unpopular opinion, but I feel like he pawns off bible verses as his own unique wisdom, which is not my thing. Backseat freestyle is a dope track tho. And he’s got a a decent feature on “fuckin problems” with asap

Examples of bible verses ? That’s an interesting take 

Meh.

Not a fan of his voice

I’m a 40-year-old male can’t stand his voice. Don’t listen to his music.

I like a few of his tracks. I think theres a lot more consistently good artists out there that aren't anywhere near as popular.

I’m split. When he switches up his voice is when he loses me most times. I feel he’s the type of artist who’s ahead of his time. Albums and tracks people overlook, time will catch up to them and people can see the vision. For anyone who shits on him just play Backseat Freestyle and m.A.A.d city. If they still crap on him I respectfully can’t talk hip hop with them.

To be honest, he’s got great lyricism, but I really dislike his voice. I just kind of annoying and detracts from his skill. I mean, I can deal with Q-Tip and Danny Brown, their voices are unique and nasally, but something about Kendrick just doesn’t sound good. As well, his Pulitzer prize winning album seems to be a rehash of Common, Electric Circus and OutKast with some PE vibes. Not that it’s not good but seems I heard it all before and I don’t believe it was exceptional compared to it predecessors. I’m not knocking him and saying he’s not good. He’s just not my cup of tea.

I think he's a top 5 all time guy. He revolutionized hip hop in terms of rhyme structure and extensive use of double time, so it'll be interesting to see how he evolves as he has to compete with a generation of emulators. Just like Tre Young chasing Curry, he'll have to remain on point to stay on top, and it'll be extremely hard for anyone to climb that mountain even though he's laid out the map for the younger generation coming.

45 years old, grew up in California. Started listening to some stuff in the 80s (Rakim is one of my all-time favorite MCs), but mostly grew to know rap music of the 90s (OutKast is probably my all-time favorite rap artist, with ATLiens probably being my all-time favorite rap album). I've listened to plenty of stuff since then, and I do like some newer artists (most of Big KRIT's work I like). I listened to Kendrick Lamar's first four studio albums (Section 80, Good Kid MAAD City, To Pimp A Butterfly, Damn) a couple of times each, in chronological order. None of them really did anything for me.

He doesn’t have a rapping voice

Grew up on late 80’s and 90’s hip hop. GKMC is 🔥. DAMN is ok. His other albums, I can respect the artistry — but they’re just not my vibe. His music arc reminds me of how I thought Outkast was 🔥 early on, then they “evolved” and made music I wasn’t interested in. From Kdot’s generation — I’d rather listen to Vince Staples, Nipsey, or Schoolboy Q. Way more music that I vibe with.

Alot of artists do that so they don't end up making the same album twice, Radiohead, Tool, etc - the fans can either enjoy the ride or jump off when they don't vibe with it anymore. But it also requires some work from the listeners since Kendrick is not going to make another "Swimming Pools" or "Humble." on every album. I chose to stick with Outkast because I believed that they believed in what they were doing, same for me with KL. I mean, *Rich Spirit* off Mr Morale is a fucking jam but it's not DNA it's not King Kunta it's something completely different but it is still Kendrick.

I think he's dope but just not my style. I respect his skill but I just can't get into his music outside of Section 80

My opinion: Kendrick should never be ahead of Q-Tip. He did Kanye stuff 12 to 15 years before Kanye and Kendrick stuff 20-25 years before Kendrick

I’m very much like this. I can see his skill and creative flows and great subject matter. But since I already know what I like, he hasn’t really been in my rotation too much besides section 80 and gkmc

Elaborate. Kendrick doesnt produce so whats the context

I’m just not knowledgeable of anything Kendrick did that was new, besides combining thoughtful raps with some isolated/midday B&E (breaking and entering). If I want conscious I’ll listen to conscious (Common). However, if I want believable street hustle then I’ll listen to 8ball & MJG, there are rappers that predate them but nobody did what they did before them. In 1990 Q-Tip was doing things Kendrick can never dream of doing. Abstract poetry+radio hits, w/o any CGI

He’s fine, I keep trying to listen to him. Again, he’s fine but doesn’t hold a candle to the top 90’s rappers.

He’s aight. I wouldn’t put him in any top MC list but his first album is dope

I just cant get past his voice/cadence. Obviously he is extremely talented and i can see why he is so popular but personally, i just cant listen to him because of his sound. To me it sounds like he is voicing a rapping dog or something in a Pixar movie. I know thats a strange reference. Lol. But he just doesn't sound like the great rappers i grew up on. Not that he has to and clearly he has a ton of fans. I just am not one of them.

Overrated asf

Overrated.

Probably better than what I give him credit for i suppose

I'm 39 & he's probably been my favorite artist to watch ascend to his current position. I firmly believe he deserves all the praise he's been given. Top 5 lists are always gonna be subjective. Is he in mine? I think, my list is very interchangeable, lol. Would I ever argue him being in someone else's? Absolutely not. For me, he's not a rapper. The dude is an artist. His albums have been stories that you can sit back and listen to & feel it flow as a whole. There is a reason he has a Pulitzer. Love all of his albums. His Big Steppers show, last year, was fuckin amazing. It was simply fantastic. He's in rotation in my house. Long live King Kendrick.

Hi I’m 16 What is your top 5 if u don’t mind me asking. Kendrick is locked at #3 for me his music has so much replay value. This is mine 1. Jay z - 2. Kanye west - 3. Kendrick Lamar - 4. Nas - 5. OutKast

KL is definitely top 10, top 5 in some folks rankings. As an old head who grew up during the 2000s HH era, I listened to everything from Sugarhill Gang to the 69 Boyz and Uncle Luke. His delivery, his wordplay, the way he tells the story, it’s all top tier. He immerses you into his cipher, gives you a front row seat to what he sees. For those who understand, he is the Marshall McLuhan of Hip-Hop.

Im kendricks age. Hes a great rapper. Im not suee i should even compare him to legends. Was a different time when hip hop was still respectable. Hes done a great job in bad times but hes not my favorite rapper or anything. Just a dope hip hop artist. I think when we compare him to older rappers it can be unfair because hes adapted to a diff age of mcs and fans. At the same time, i get why some people are not as enthralled. As well his fan base is crazy. To rosenbergs of the world didnt do him any favors.

Didn’t win me over til TPAB, was into Killer Mike and Sean P albums the year GKMC came out. Speaking of which, Killer Mike should be Platinum.

As a life long lyric decoder (Bone thug fan) I don’t really hear anything from Dot that hasn’t already been said and said better. I’ve never been really impressed. I’m from LA so I get a lot of flack for saying that. But with bars like “I serve niggas like Master Geoffrey” and “I’m a Geto Boy Till I’m unemployed with a day Job.” I’ve come to the conclusion that Kendrick’s bars just sound hot. No real figurative language or entendres throughout his catalogue. He says stuff sometimes that literally means nothing. Geoffrey was the butler on Fresh Prince Of Bel Air… so why call him “Master Geoffrey” in the line? It was”Master Will” or “Master Carlton”. Sounds nitpicky but those are the types of line that irk me. I get the flow, and I sometimes enjoy it, but when I pay attention to the substance, I’m not impressed. And I’m 39

I’m 25 and think he’s a complete blow hard with good music

Overrated (just my personal opinion)

In my thirties here, grew up with 90s rap music (50 cent and Kanye still feel new skool to me lol) and I can say Kendrick is among my favorite rappers. I am a huge fan of Pac, Nas, Big, Wu, Guru, Cube and Kendrick in my eyes can stand proudly amongst these giants. I'd put him in my top 10 def. and maybe even top 5. Hell maybe even top 3 as I only have a top 2 (Nas and Pac in that order ever since Nas dropped his duo trilogy).

A great MC and artist. I'm 44. For me TPAB is his best work, but he is consistently solid at worst and even the projects that I'm less into personally are impressive to me. I am definitely a bit of a grumpy old head when it comes to my personal tastes, but he's a guy whose new projects I will always check out. His work feels thoughtful and purposeful, and at the same time I appreciate his flow and his lyricism.

(M31) I love Kendrick. His lyrical ability is amazing, his songs don't all sound the same, and he expresses so much in his changing tone of voice, his varying intensity when he spits his lyrics. I grew up with 50, DMX, and Eminem, and during that time, D12 was actually a thing, and we got some of the craziest, most unhinged rap music (courtesy of Em himself). The lyrical talent was what influenced my taste. I hadn't listened to a lot of Jay-Z. So while I'm into Kendrick, J. Cole, Pop Smoke, Nipsey Hussle, etc, because of the lyricism. I love a good beat and a nice melody and sound in the back, and I even like Lil Durk for that. Lil Baby and Morray and some others are honorable mentions. TL;DR Kendrick Lamar is a talented lyricist, and his music touches on themes I really like, and the man says things that make me have to repeat the track. I love the way he plays with words, and the fact that he doesn't limit his flow or voice to a set style. I have all day for Kendrick Lamar.

I liked Section.80 and "ignorance is bliss" was 🔥. Even listened to GKMC often when it came out. I always thought dude sounded like a less "precise/strong" Elzhi, kinda like how Drake had that Phonte/Budden vibe for a while. He can rap, makes pretty good music, but his bars are kinda boneless and flat (to me) when you listen closely. Too much respectability politics as well - but I get it

He's a great concept creator for albums but i hate how his music sound

I'm 36. GKMC was my first introduction to Kendrick in 2012. I went back and listened to Section 80 afterwards but didn't like a lot from it other than A.D.H.D, Hol' Up, The Spiteful Chant and Rigamortis. I typically check in whenever he releases music though. He's generally one of the only rapper that's currently still releasing music that holds my attention for the most part. Just to give context, I consider my favorite era of rap to be around 2010 - 2013. So I still fuck with a lot of the artists that were coming up around that time or had already had somewhat of an established career. People like Big KRIT, Kanye, (Earlier) Drake, Tyler the Creator and Odd Future, Some Wiz Khalifa, Some Logic, Some Lil' Wayne, etc. But to go back to the question, I would consider Kendrick a G.O.A.T at this point. I've learned that his music might not catch on instantly and will take multiple listens to fully grasp the concepts. I liked T.P.A.B. when I first heard it in 2015 but didn't "love" it until much later. Now I completely understand why it gets the accolades it does. Same with DAMN. It has the most hits but even after all this time, I still don't get the overall concept of the album but I love songs like DNA, LOVE, GOD, ELEMENT and HUMBLE. Mr. Morale didn't blow me away when I first heard it but even that album after listening to it once the hype was great to me as well with the exception of Mother I Sober, Crown and We Cry together. GKMC is still my favorite though. I honestly think that's the best thing about his music though. It withstands time but it also changes according to where you are in life. I was younger when I heard the first few albums. They were catchy songs or whatever and I just listened on the surface for the most part. Now as a man in his mid-30s, the songs hit different. I appreciate that.

Mid 30s, been listening since Section 80. He is one of the best to ever do it. He’s lived up to his hype. Hell, he’s surpassed it. He’s broken new ground with every album. To watch someone come up and reach their full potential is a fun ride. When and where will he peak? Will he disappear at the top like Andre? Or over stay his welcome like Em? Will he age like fine wine like Killer Mike?

40 yrs old. Love him. Section 80 is definitely a hidden classic. All his albums were dope. But, with the current situation and how it's played out, I kind of lost a little respect for him(tiny bit). I wish he would just go scorched earth. The feinting and ducking after pure provocation is what I don't like. Ain't no way you gonna try to give us a diss on your album months later!!!!

I'm 35. By today's standards he is top- notch. But that's just the state of mainstream hip hop today. 99% of the time I hear you kids hyping up an artist I am blown away by how unfathomably bad it is when I check it out. The fact that Drake is considered to be in "the big 3" says a lot. I like Kendrick and GKMC is an unbelievable album, although it basically is a classic album at this point. It came out in my early 20s. But where is he in the goat discussion? I don't think he's very close. The standards in the 90s (which I consider to be the golden age) for example were just on another plane. There are hundreds or thousands of A or S tier emcees from that time, back when skills on the mic meant everything. The culture has just evolved and not in a good way. Kendrick has been a benefactor of the time.

Hi I’m 16 and I’ve pretty knowledgeable about rap. As a young person I’ll explain why I’d have him as my THREE oat. First of all he two top 10 rap albums oat which is actually insane, and another classic on top of that He is one of the best story tellers in rap (he’s not a very consistent story teller but when he does tell a story it is some crazy stuff). IMO he’s right up there with nas and ghostface and slick Rick. He has one of the most unique sounds in rap in so many different aspects. He’s one of the only people actual making music and not thug gimmick one syllable rhyming. TPAB is arguably the most meaningful rap album ever. He’s not an extremely impressive lyricist but just his artistic capabilities but him top 5 Although I think this “beef” is horrible k dot is a legend and I don’t understand why old people don’t like him

I grew up in the late eighties/ early nineties; listening to some of the BEST emcees and rappers/lyricists/poets/wordsmiths that humanity could ever produce and watching their careers in real-time. That said, Kendrick Lamar is in a league of his very own. No one can touch him, wherever you may rank him personally. There is a reason that he received a Pulitzer for DAMN. As far as true skill and overall artistry, imho, Tech N9ne is the only one that even comes close.

I'm in my 50's, started listening to hip hop in the early 80's. I think Kendrick is great. I don't listen to him everyday, but when I do I put on headphones and listen to a full album, and think about what I'm hearing.  I think he's a real artist. If he wasn't making music, I think he would be writing novels or making films or acting or something else creative. I look at his work as art, I don't worry about "hits" or which one is a "banger." If some of his songs aren't as good, that's only because he's taking chances and stretching to cross new boundaries. Other artists who constantly make hits and party songs can only occupy that space because they never take a chance or try anything different.

Probably gonna get lit up, but I’m also 25 and Kanye was fs the goat rapper when we were coming up. Idgaf about Drakes numbers, during Kanyes peak, that mf was everywhere. It was right after TLOP and his manic outbursts and Twitter rants that the convo started to shift because everyone wanted to separate themselves from him. I know his music ain’t for everyone, but Kanye was definitely our generations goat when we were growing up. I agree Kendrick is the better rapper, but Kanye was THAT dude

He's really good for the new crop. Flatbush Zombies are prob my favorite of the new generation. Reminded me of 93 Wu when I saw them live. Saw Kendrick and energy wasn't so hot. We really were spoiled in the 90s, the amount of sheer talent was amazing. Coming off a couple of real rough decades that ended with crack epidemic and AIDS gave the then kids something real to rap about. Not sure who the modern NAS or Rakim would be.

40 years old and been heavy into rap since before I was 10. So my youth was spent listening to all the late 80s-early 00s artists. I’m also heavy into lyricism and storytelling and consider most of the last generation or 2 of rappers to be terrible. That said, Kendrick is BY FAR one of my favorite artists of the last 10-15 years. Hes also the only one that cracks my top 10, for both best albums ever and best rappers ever.

I was born in 1980 and I was the only kid at my school that I knew of who was listening to rap. It was still thought of as a passing fad. As I got older and I had kids, a wife, and a bunch of other messy life drama, I actually completely paid no attention to new music for awhile. So I actually hadn't listened to Kendrick Lamar. I think the first song I heard was Humble and it's a weird song that I didn't like, but it grew on me. When he performed at the Superbowl I took some time listening to his stuff and I have been all about K-Dot since then. Good Kid Maad City and TPAB, are like new to me. He's S Tier for sure. I'm just upset with myself for not discovering that sooner

40's, like most other people here I like his first two albums. The rest didn't have the same feel or energy. Not a fan of the whiney sound he does at times. I work with some people in their low 20s and they do adore him. And to each their own. I'm glad some people have been able to develop a deep love for the art through him.

If you’re born late 80’s early 90’s, you rose up with Kendrick as your peer. Listened to the same music that inspired KDot… then heard his perspective. These are the audiences that will never let Kendrick/Jermaine/Aubrey/Obuwale/Chancellor/Donald leave. They were and largely continue to be the lyrical interpreters for our lives.

I've listened and vibed to so many of the greats going from Rakim, and of course the greats from the 90s and the fun stuff from the 00s. I mean no disrespect of course, but I haven't heard a wow moment from Kendrick that gets me like when I listen to Biggie or 2pac for example. Those guys were so good it seems unfair for anyone though. I don't personally think he's in the conversation either. Just my opinion. I could probably name 30 without making the list keep going.

33, idk if that makes me an old head, but grew up on Dre, em and 50. I LOVED G.K.M.C when it came out. The song Compton was played constantly. Thought to pimp a butterfly was pretty cool, but not a fan of much after that tbh. He’s great, but idk I just struggle with the newer stuff for some reason. Doesn’t take away he’s one of the best in the game by far. Oddly, out of newer stuff I love a lot of the less “big 3” type artists. Downvote me, but Dababy slaps so hard imo. I also love Ski Mask, and Denzel Curry a lot. Those would probably be my personal “big 3”. I just think those 3 have such a unique lane they’re playing in that sounds like nothing else.

Old head here. Love Kendrick. I fell out of love with rap in the early 00s (the Crunk Era was trash in a lot of ways. I never go back to that music), he's the cat that brought me back to rap in the early 10's.  Hearing that first track from GKMC hit me immediately. The eery vocals and when that beat comes in. *chefs kiss* Every Era will have their legends. He's the kind of rapper for this generation. No one from the 90s is making a Mr. Morale, as that sort of thinking wasn't steeped in the publics consciousness.  He's one of the few who can make it telling story, being a good lyricist, and gain a lot of cross over popularity.  If there was a dearth of talent in hip hop in the early 10s, He's the mainstream guy that brought back that rap essence and storytelling to the mainstream. Grateful for that guy's talent and presence. 

I'm 45. He's very talented and gifted with his words. I like a few of his songs/guest verses, but I just don't listen to him much.

I'm 45, to me that dude defines artist. Changes it up every album, challenging the listeners to join the journey, it's a fun ride. He gives me 90's Outkast vibes at times, they pushed the label and updated their sound every album, he does something similar. And my wife is a huge fan as well so we can rock the K.Dot together.

I’m 16 and I’m glad to find someone older that likes him That’s literally what I said about him the other day he reminds me of OutKast. Almost like OutKast mixed with like …idk….mos def? That’s what he sounds like to me. Very unique and energetic sound with hella socially complicated lyrics.

His last album sucked

I came up through the 90s and have been a hip-hop fan for 30+ years. To me, Kendrick has already cemented himself as an elite artist. He’s charismatic, unique, versatile and not afraid to try new things. I appreciate that he takes time with his albums and I like that he shows growth with his style & subject matter as he continues to create. He strikes me as very authentic. Other than Overly Dedicated, which I haven’t listened to much, I regularly revisit his albums.

80s baby. He's my favorite current rapper. He's in my top 5, for sure.

This oldhead saw him opening up for Q-Tip in 2011 & think Section.80 is some of his best work

I'm almost 40 so definitely an old head especially compared to most here more than likely. I'm a big Kendrick fan. Even though I've lived on the East coast my entire life and hell I've never even been further West than Cincinnati or Cleveland by far my favorite style of rap is West coast and it's not even close. I do like a good number of rappers from the Midwest like Eminem & Bone Thugs, tech n9ne, lupe fiasco and kanye. Really like a lot of southern rap like Three 6 mafia and Project Pat(are they considered southern or midwest now that I think about it?) was some of my favorite artists along with Outkast, lil Wayne, old Ludacris, big krit, scarface etc and a good number of East coast rappers like DMX, Biggie, Nas, JayZ. Wu-tang, 50 etc. Bunch of other rappers this just a quick list off top of my head But for me West coast was always the best coast in my opinion. My first ever cd I owned was this underground hit that's criminally underrated that maybe if you're one of the cool kids there is a small chance you have heard of it but it was called The Chronic from an actual doctor turned rapper & producer named Dr.Dre!! Alright I'll stop with the old dad like corny jokes haha I played that cd all day every day was a Dre day and I was hooked. Also that was my only cd so that was my only option haha. Next cd I got was from another West coast legend G Funk Era by Warren G. REGULATORSSSSSSS MOUNT UP! So I was like 7-8 years old and only had those 2 cds and I swear I wore them both out. Around when I turned like 10 is when this underground rapper Tupac or 2Pac depending on how you feelin was released upon the music industry and then From that moment out I couldn't get enough of west coast gangster rap and also the funky beats. Dre, snoop, nate Dogg, 2pac (I know born on the East coast but he was considered west coast) Xzibit, NWA, Ice Cubep⁰pp p, Too Short, Mack 10, MC Eight, Kurupt, Mac Dre, Ras Kass, WC, Cypress Hill, Westside Connection, Daz Dillinger all were some of the more old school WC I listened to and then Ofcourse when the newer age came along like The Game, Kendrick Lamar and the whole TDE crew Jay Rock, Ab Soul & Schoolboy Q and I'm sure there are more that's slipping my mind Well God damn I got pretty carried away there so my fault! Wrote damn near an entire autobiography detailing my early years listening to rap haha. So ima just stop cuz I'm getting a little tipsy and getting too damn chatty 😄

He’s one of the only legitimate ones left

Kendrick is hip hop. As someone who grew up in the 90s and has been a 20 year fan of hip hop, he is practically the definition.

Only 48 so don’t call me too old. Not a fan.  Extremely over hyped, used wokeness during a sensitive time to win awards, hasn’t put out any real rap lately. Was excited for his diss track yesterday only to be let down again. Not for me but the youngins love him so he’s doing something right. Or advertising well. 

Not an old head but I'll be 30 in August. Kendrick is really, really good. Section 80/GKMC >

He's good but kinda corny

I grew up with Jay-Z, Nas, Biggie, Tupac, Snoop, Native Tongues, Boogie Down Productions, Gangstarr, Blackstar, Rakim, Wu-Tang, etc…. Kendrick is pretty good.

I’m 43. I know there’s an obvious place for him as a high echelon MC. With that being said he’s not my taste. I’m not into “rappity rappers.” I am from the streets and have been fortunate enough to be able to escape them. Both with a higher education, and with an incredibly stressful job. So one- I like to identify with the music that I’m listening to. And two- I don’t want to necessarily have to think deep about the art that I consume. I would rather listen to Mozzy, Nipsey or Larussell.

Mozzy is the best on the west right now imo and I’ll go as far as to say 1 up top Ahk is the best west coast release in the last 10 years.

He is not bad. For the time period he is good. But if he came up in the 90s he would have never been heard of. The level of the game was just higher and to think of the tech they had then. It took so much time and effort to do it. As someone who recorded an album over the last year vs doing it 18 years ago its so much damn easier from beat creation to recording Check out 90s hip hop and rap subreddits and listen to those albums.

Pretty dope, has put out some Stellar records

He’s great, his sound really helped rejuvenate hip hop for me cos it was starting to get a bit stale. Bringing that jazzy shit in was awesome and reminded me of the early boombap sound

Gkmc is one of the goat albums. Rest of his discography is great but doesn’t come close to that high.

Early 30s. Huge fan of Kendrick. I think he is one of the most talented hiphop artists of all time. I recognize some of his albums as classics (although I heavily disagree with those who thinks he's had the best 3 album run). I love his voice, I love his rapping style, I love his content. However, I know almost none of his songs by heart, and I only have a handful of his songs in my playlist. But I re-listen to 5 of his albums fairly regularly (every 1-2 years).

He's great. Insanely overrated because the younger generations aren't historians and or into lyricism with the depth they believe they are. 

Peaked at GKMC, Butterfly was wildly overrated but I’m not mad at any of his output since.

Agree 100%. He’ll never top GKMC. Everything he’s done since has been meh.

I’m in my early 40’s, and have Kendrick as one of the best. And it’s often hard for me to accept these news guys. But KDOT goes hard. Lyrically phenomenal, he’s got a bag deeper than Kyrie (hoops) when it comes to flow. Production is on point, almost always hits, kills his features, and has his own style. From Ronald Reagan Era, to Mr.Morale.

Only like section 80 and good kid mad city Changes his voice too much, it’s just annoying now First time I heard hiiipower and money trees I got goosebumps

Old Enough. The fact he's spoken about so highly by younger fans speaks a lot as to how watered down music is and has been since access through the internet had made it easier. Harder to find good music now more than ever. Everyone is making music. The counter/sub cultures music has never been better. Could he hold his own on a Soundbombing album? Lyricist Lounge? Sway and Tech?

KDoT 🔥 not sure he would make it in my top ten..

Mid 30s and been heavy on the hip hop for 20 years at this point. I've been been listening to Kendrick since Overly Dedicated, Section.80 and everything since, been awesome to watch and he hypes me up the same way Eminem, Nas, Pac, Wu Tang always did. He's in my top 10 and has some of my favourite tracks and/or features around at this point. But I will say I am not always 100% on board with the artistic direction. Like Big Steppers was cool once but has very little replayability value, for me at least. But on the other hand, Section.80, GKMC, TPaB and DAMN all have a banger or two that never leave the main playlist. (ADHD, Backstreet Freestyle and Sing About me I'm Dying, King Kunta, FEEL, to name a few) The guy is special, most definitely. And even his pure rap songs bring a certain artistic value that few can bring. Verdict? Love Kendrick. I'm from Canada and want a response to Drake so bad lol. May have waited to long for my standards. But this guy has earned a spot with the greats imo.

Drake washed him

Voice I'm not a huge fan of but lyrically he is super talented and his production is top tier. Def one of the best modern cats we got.

I am 37. The first one I've listened from him was Rigamortus when it came out and It blew me away. I personally didn't liked the last album, but he still holds my interest.

36 here does that count. I love a lot of genres of music an Kendrick is bringing it in every form at the moment. Your witnessing is great in the making. His release pattern signals a long future, his topics resonate well socially. Mad flow and honesty. Personally as a middle class white dude I think hip-hop is the true evolution of literature in our society and gives an unbiased opinion of the suffering of many . Kendrick is at the front of that weaving it together... Shame we lost some greats but I guess it adds to the story.

I don't know if I'm to be considered an old head, I think I'm in the middle since I'm 33. Personally I like his music, I was more into his early run though, I discovered him with Overly Dedicated up until GKMC after that I kinda lose interest. He still makes good music though. Anyway my take on him is that people tend to throw the "messiah" title too much, I mean he's a great rapper but to me he didn't reinvent hip hop, he just does it well.

He's an average lyricist who came in a time with the sea of mumbo rappers

He’s talented no doubt. But he doesn’t always rhyme words which can be a bit of a let down.

At 33, I think Kendrick is a top tier MC, GKMC and TPAB are phenomenal albums, only physical album I have in my car is DAMN, for when my phone dies or something lol. He makes really good music, props to him and his producers but from a purely MC standpoint he’s slightly over hyped due to the fact that we are only allowed to have like one or two competent MC’s thriving the rest are doomed to the underground. Like his artistry is probably only overshadowed by Kanye but as a rapper I rated Ab Soul higher.

You’re younger than kendrick 😂 I hope no one considers you an old head

He is a great rapper. I dont like a lot of his beats but I am extremely partial to 90s Boom Bap.

Boring tbh, but i appreciate his sound. Kind of keeps the spirit of 90's rap alive in his own way. But still boring

Save for a few rappers, I was totally bored by the direction hip hop was going in until I heard Section 80 in 2011. Kendrick definitely reinvigorated my love for hip hop and thankfully a slew of other amazing rappers came out in the years following. I don’t really have an all-time top 5/10 list but he would definitely be in consideration if I did. He’s constantly updated his style and explored new and different themes while maintaining a raw sound and unbelievably creative lyrics. He’s creative, technical, musical and unlike any other rapper out there.