Ty Listens to "GNX"

Kendrick Lamar released a surprise album last week. I didn't know about this until this weekend. I was driving to a race Saturday morning and my Spotify account recommended the record for me. It's called "GNX". Since Saturday I have listened to it all the way through once, and have kind of hen and picked my way through the second time.

I like this record. Right now it isn't on the level of "Mr Morale" or "To Pimp a Butterfly" or "Damn", but those records are classics. This record probably just needs more of my time I think. With Kendrick Lamar's music, it usually takes me a few full listens of each song before I really start to get it and love it. But make no mistake, "GNX" is pretty damn wonderful. Lamar is on a heater right now with his music. He put out the record of the year last year with "Mr Morale". "TPABF" may be one of the greatest records ever made. That record is going to be studied in music classics for generations. "Damn" is what made me the big fan of his I am today. "GNX" is going to be at that level in a few weeks, if it isn't already.

Kendrick Lamar does his damn thing on this album. He is the best rapper alive, full stop. He shows that tenfold here. The way he uses words and strings them together so coherently is such an achievement. He is the best of any rappers out there right now. He's so good that he makes others, artists I've never heard of, sound great when he has them come and do a feature. There's an artist named Dody on one of his songs, and because of his one verse with Lamar, I'm going to check out Dody's other music. He has a Mexican singer intro a few songs and she knocks it out of the damn park. His collaborations with SZA have become some of my favorite songs of his. The two that they do together on this record are my favorite songs by a mile. Her voice is a perfect blend with Lamar's rap skills. He's so good now, that when he gets on a track and screams, "MUSTARDDDDDDDDDDD!", I find myself doing that on a daily basis. It's so unnecessary, but Kendrick Lamar makes it palatable and listenable. He can do no wrong for me. When he puts out new music I'm so thrilled to hear it that I carve out time for myself so I can really dive into it and hear everything he has to say. I love how he changes his voice on the new record from song to song too. Sometimes he sounds old and gruff, in a good way. Then he sounds like himself. Then he will do something totally different and I'm amazed at how well it all works. He has a 1,000 batting average right now. There's no songs that I want to skip when I go and listen. On the way to my race yesterday morning I was vibing out so hard I'm sure people in other cars thought I was nuts, and I'm fully okay with that. "GNX" is awesome. It may end up on my personal list of his classic records in due time.

I definitely recommend giving “GNX” a listen because there's no one that is on his level at the moment. No one. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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