There are some stellar cuts on this album. The inexperience shows, there some degree of searching for who exactly he is, but there is also enough identity to make a very good, very individual album. This is Kendrick Lamar’s album before good kid, m.A.A.d city and before “Control.” This is back when he was just a guy with talent and not one of the biggest names in the rap industry. And if you can't find yourself believing in the power of hip-hop again after listening to it, I can safely say it's time for you to give up hope that you ever will.Section.80 is the work of a very talented kid. So if you've been looking for some hip-hop that may get you interested in the genre again, or even if you like hip-hop and are looking for something new to cherish, check this album out. Cole has a real talent as a producer, and he and Kendrick have promised to work together in the future. And it's hard to fault the album too much for such small faults, especially by the time you've reached the final, J. Some lines come across as clumsy at times, but nothing near as eye-rolling as something like "been up in the club like fifty-leven times". That isn't to say that he doesn't have some growing pains as a lyricist. "Kiesha's Song" is about a young prostitute, and features some of the best lyrics on the album, with a genuinely moving story-arc. There are three songs that are loosely tied together spread over the course of the album, "No Makeup", "Tammy's Song", and "Kiesha's Song", all of which make strong points on the place of women in modern society, and the emphasis on having to look good all of the time. Lyrically, Lamar always has something interesting to say, using unique rhyming techniques to get his point across. As the song progresses, the bass speeds up with the horns, and Kenrick's rapid-fire flow holds it all together. The latter also features one of Kendrick’s other strengths, and that's the fact that he is a legitimately talented rapper. Songs like "Hol' Up" and "Rigamortus" feature horns at the forefront of the beat, the former being smooth, and the latter reminiscent of a jazz tune. From the thumping bass of "The Spiteful Chant" to the soulful backing vocals of "Ronald Reagan Era", you'll never feel like you've just heard the same song twice. The beats remain interesting throughout, and cover all kinds of territory in the realm of hip-hop. One thing that helps Kendrick is having a great production team in his corner. Opener "*** Your Ethnicity" sets the tone for the album, with a laid-back beat, female backing vocals, and intelligent lyrics. Think Pharcyde, De La, etc., and toss in the occasional Bone lyrical flourishes and you'll get a good idea of what to expect. However, Lamar's sound doesn't have a lot in common with Dre's G-Funk, but more with the alternative hip-hop sounds of the early 90's. Dre, who took him under his wing, putting him on a "Detox" track. Lamar got his start releasing the (O)verly (D)edicated mixtape, which caught the attention of Dr. And if this album isn't enough to restore the faith of those who've wandered from hip-hop, I'm afraid they're beyond hope.
Now, along comes the 24-year-old Kendrick Lamar. However, there are still many people who refuse to accept that hip-hop has become listenable again.
While there's still a lot mainstream hip-hop that still isn't good, I challenge you show me a genre of music where that isn't the case. Love him or hate him, it's hard to deny that Kanye West made mainstream hip-hop interesting again, and things have been on the up-and-up ever since. However-like many things-music is cyclical, and hip-hop has bounced back. The music I loved growing up had derailed, and I stopped paying attention to it for a few years. This started with Master P's rise to fame, and continued through Lil' Jon's reign of terror. Like many people my age, I went through a period where I had lost all faith in hip-hop. Review Summary: Fire burning inside my eyes.