With seven Grammys, 43 music-related awards, and 123 nominations, Kendrick Lamar is a well-known artist. Kendrick falls into the category of hip-hop and raps in the majority of his music. His latest release (with an explicit title and lyrics) is a 14-track album with simplistic yet strong beats.

The album was highly anticipated and reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It includes lyrics relevant to today’s social issues and narrations of tough situations for Kendrick. The artist raps metaphors into rhymes and makes flawless transitions from line to line. Kendrick’s distinct voice makes each song unique yet connected under a larger aesthetic. The simplistic song titles contribute to this aesthetic and give the listener an idea of what the song is about, without contributing to clichés.

Each song starts with an intro that leads seamlessly into the opening line of the song. The songs vary from slow with a very relaxed beat (PRIDE.), to upbeat and party-esque (HUMBLE.). The album itself runs together smoothly with one song practically picking up where the last left off.

While Kendrick does use some auto-tune, it does not distract from the music. The auto-tune is mainly used in the intro or partial lines of songs. Kendrick brings a new vibe into hip-hop with every album he drops, and his unique beats and lyrics stand out.

Kendrick ties together life lessons, social issues, and party music into one album. This is not only one of Kendrick’s best albums, but one of the best hip-hop albums of all time.

Elizabeth Janey

A&E Writer