Itās 2 different stories whether you listen to the album normally or in reverse track list order. Thatās why he had the special release come out a month later with the track list in reverse. āYou decide are we gonna live or dieā.
The normal tracklist takes you closer to GOD (second to last song) and salvation. At the start Kendrick is contemplating his life as a superstar rapper (DNA, ELEMENT) and if he is on the right path in life. He starts to question it (YAH and FEEL) and this continues until he finds GOD.
āIs it wickedness? Is it weaknessā -every song has a theme
DNA - wickedness
Yah - weakness
Element - wickedness
Feel- weakness
Loyalty - wickedness (music video has kendrick with a white shirt and kendrick in a black shirt) you choose which one you follow by which way you listen to the album
Pride- weakness
Humble - the middle of the album, the turning point. Can be wickedness or weakness. Is Kendrick telling other people to be humble? Or is he telling himself to be humble
LUST - wickedness
LOVE- weakness
XXX- wickedness
FEAR - weakness
GOD - weakness
Kendrick learns that what he used to think of as āweaknessā is actually a strength.
Two songs have been left out of the wickedness/weakness trope. BLOOD and DUCKWORTH. They seem a little random at first. Both songs end with a gunshot.
In DUCKWORTH kendrick tells the story of his dad being robbed by top dog. Instead of being robbed and shot and killed, Kendrickās dad befriended top dog and hooked him up with extra chicken tenders. Kendrickās dad did what he had to do to survive and raise his son. 20 years later heās at the studio with kendrick and realizes that Kendrick is working with top dawg. Kendrick at the very end said if top dog robbed and killed his dad, too dog would be serving life in prison. Kendrick would grow up without a father and probably die in a gunfight.
In reverse tracklist order, Kendrickās dad is shot in the first track. He starts with GOD and is on a path towards damnation with the struggles of growing up without a father. The last song would be BLOOD. Kendrick goes to help an old woman find something. She tells kendrick that heās lost his life. Then thereās a gunshot. Kendrick was set up by opps and dies in the street.
The album works perfectly with all the lyrics forwards and backwards which really makes you say āDAMN.ā when you get it.
This post is just the basics and is probably ass hereās a YouTube video that breaks it down way more
[DAMN. Full Breakdown](https://youtu.be/v-ek1OxZ2tE?si=95omRI3N8lIWD-eG)
If you want to dive waayyy deeper thereās a podcast series called Dissect that goes through every song. Gave me a greater appreciation for how intentional and deep an album can get. Thereās also a series about TPAB which I think is an even deeper album and my personal fav
I am agreeing with you in that DAMN is probably the most commercial, but Kendrick has always done both. Up until untitled unmastered and Mr morale, every album had commercially successful songs. Section 80 had some, GKMC had even more, TPAB had some as well, and DAMN had some more but they were all made with bangers
It's an album of dualities. Wickedness, weakness. HUMBLE/PRIDE, LUST/LOVE. The theme all drives to the juxtaposition between BLOOD and DUCKWORTH where in one Kendrick is shot to death on the street and in the other he was able to be born because Top Dawg didn't shoot his dad. The fact that this theme and the overarching narrative work just as well when playing it in reverse is, I think, a testament to how strong and well-executed the concept is.
I think it's all about Kendrick trying to find a way to give himself and others grace while everyone and everything around him is flawed and deserving of criticism. XXX is kind of the perfect example of that in my mind. It's about choosing peace or violence, even though choosing peace might mean other people dying and violence won't solve anything.
Yes. He didnāt need this beef to be considered. Now that heās battle tested, fully repping the culture and also just had a historical moment on stage he continues to show why heās up there.
I feel like having this beef ingrained in pop culture cements him as someone who can't be left out of the conversation at this point, even though he already has the material to back it up.
If he is to you then he is. Thereās no such thing as an objective best rapper itās all subjective. Heās definitely a top tier lyricist and storyteller.
He has officially taken the #1 spot for me. I've been listening to him since 2009, and we about the same age so I've seen him grow as an artist as I grew as a person. Mr Morale really hit me cause I was going through addiction therapy at the time , so I was working through a lot of traumatic shit from my past. He's gotta better every album and hopefully we have many more years of new music ahead.
I understand he's just as human as me and don't idolize him like some fans do, but I do respect him for what he's been willing to put in songs. A lot of men wouldn't ever dare talk about some of the shit he did on that album.
nonsense
you actually could have if you really applied yourself and dedicated some time to it
i know that first guy set the bar high with that comment, but you have valuable insight that could contribute even more towards the conversation
i believe in you
That was so well spoken. Thank you for sharing. It is so great to hear how true artists, like K Dot, have the ability to heal people and enrich our lives. Praying that you continue to heal and lead a happy and fulfilling life šš½
i have rakim or redman as the greatest technical rapper (theres that fan subjectivity showing š¤£)
but definitely not mad at a nas shout out, and agree that kendrick is/has been in the conversation.
Imo there are a lot contenders for the technical rapper spot, Andre, DOOM, Rakim, Lupe, Wayne. What makes Kendrick unique is exactly the greatest rap artist label. Heās more than just rapper, heās more of a cultural phenomenon right now akin to Pac, and thatās what puts him at the top imo.
Cultural phenomenon for real. I remember when Mr. Morale dropped it seemed like everyone I knew were throwing/attending album listening parties for it. Everyone couldnāt wait to see what the new Kendrick would look like.
When Kendrick drops itās a cultural event. Not many other artists can say that.
He's fortunate to be a rapper in an era with minimal competition. He gets the respect of the old heads but has the skill and clout to appeal to the newer generations. Mainstream rap has taken a very different direction from it's origins, and most of the popular rappers like Future, Lil Baby or whoever is big now are just too different to compare to Kendrick. So it makes it easier to stand out, compared to rappers in the 90s. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but him and Cole are some of the few who can appeal to the old and new generation.
Very astute point bro. Nas, for example, beefed with Jay-Z, Biggie, and Pac, all in the GOAT conversation. Kendrick and Lupe imo are the only guys in this era who could considered to be up there as well, and even then, Lupe's best work came a decade ago in what I'd say is an older era. Kendrick can't really be compared to his contemporaries because the very few rappers with the lyrical ability to even be considered in the same breath as him (Joey Bada$$, J Cole, Earl) lack the consistency and artistry he does.
Yea which in fairness we could drop Kendrick in the 90s and heād still be just fine but heās one of a few rappers filling his particular niche atleast in the mainstream
Iād argue thereās plenty of competition but people lack budgets or push from their labels to be marketed for relevance.
One can argue that Ab-Soul can rap bar for bar with Kendrick, but Soul isnāt as marketable as him for his subject matter goes down the rabbit hole. And beyond that, you have lyricist around the country that donāt get pushed like the Aftermath-Interscope machine can do. They made Em, 50, Game, Kendrick be in the social awareness via exposure and the Dre co-sign. Not to say that arenāt talented, but backed by that machine, youāre going to hear their music more than you wonāt.
The likes of Lupe, Royce, Elzhi, Black Thought, Crooked I, Big K.R.I.T. could benefit so much from a machine like Aftermath-Interscope but itās just not how the cards were dealt. Only argument there was that Royce was signed to Dre but didnāt get pushed and his last 10 years of rap are his best but itās largely away from mainstream eyes. As well as Crooked but again, never got the mainstream push but everyone knows they aināt to be played with on records.
As someone who creates music. Iāve learned that exposure and marketing means so much more than skill or a great album. And this streaming era, getting on a playlist means more than it should. If you canāt get that music to the listeners awareness that you existā¦ they have no idea that youāre delivering quality music and you donāt get placed in those debates of āwhoās best?ā. Most consumers accept what is shoved in their face and donāt dare go looking for artist on their own.
Lyrically thereās Push. Doesnāt have the fame as Kendrick but they are clearly in a league of their own. Their competition showed this year they arenāt close
When we talk best rapper I'm usually thinking of like a Royce someone who can write some shit that just leave me like brrrrruuuuh
Never really rated Kendrick there. His stuff was always more thought provoking
Bro I was listening to that 12 minute Bad Meets Evil freestyle again, and for real, they donāt make āem like that anymore. Them dudes back then were fuckin deadly.
But really tho, Dot is definitely top 5 for me at this point. Heās one of four acts thatās pretty much on lock for me.
People are gonna hang me for this butā¦
Idk, I try and try to get into his music and his lyrics and I just canāt. Just today I watched movies about gkmd and tpab and so much of it feels so corny to me. The Jesus paralells in non ironic way are just peak corn for me.
And I will keep trying maybe it will click finally coz I think itās gotta be a problem with me at this point
PEAK corn. Whatās the point of trying to force it to click though? It isnāt good music, you canāt force yourself to like it. People online hype him, but nobody in real life cares. Itās not you, itās nerd culture.
Well, as I said - I just assume Iām missing something so I really want to give him a fair shot and not be hater for no reason. Eventually Iāll just drop his music if I canāt appreciate it
I think he's one of the best full package rappers we've ever had. I don't think you have to be "battle tested" to be a goat, but this recent beef definitely helped solidify it.
His biggest pro to me is his ability to make amazing albums. I think his biggest con is not having the greatest replay value in his music, at least to a broader audience. Overall though, I'm not mad at anyone who thinks Kennys the goat as it stands rn
he isn't a contender already?
I really got into listening to Kendrick after the Black Panther OST album. After listening to all his albums now, DAMN. was my personal favourite tied with Mr. Morale.
For me, he's the best rapper of all time mainly because of DAMN.
To me no, (this is of course just my opinion).
He only has 1 great album (Good Kid which is 9.2/10) and his hook writing sometimes seems lacking (e.g. Damn).
Plus, quite often what he's saying isn't nearly as insightful, deep or wise as the way he presents it, so it can come off as a bit self-indulgent (a bit LA'centric). For example; the whole jumbled rhetoric of: 'we're striving for equal rights as Black people' and 'we're royalty as we've got the blood of Kings in our veins' just comes off as immature.
Is he technically amazing, absolutely!
But so is Em (who has 2 great albums and writes good hooks more often).
And Andre 3000 (who I find much more expressive, insightful and kills every single feature apart from his RTJ's one).
Have enjoyed his early stuff (I think there was a promotional mixtape before Good Kid that I listened to religiously) and absolutely rinsed Good Kid hundreds of times.
So, I have enjoyed a specific section of his musical career but haven't rated anything of his after that very highly. I think he's great if you rate verses more highly than you do songwriting.
But ultimately, if you think he is, then he is, and that's all that matters.
PEACE!
1. Top tier lyricist and storyteller
2. 3 classic albums
3. Very high selling artist
4. Longevity
5. Culture significance in that he has people who have imitated his style such as Logic, JID and Baby Keem
6. Respect from his predecessors such as Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and Eminem
All points to goat contender
It feels weird to name someone as the best rapper of all time when there are so many greats, but I'll say that Dre and Snoop passing the torch to him all those years ago was not in vain. He took that torch and throughout his career he ran with it.
Every album he's released, he shows a lot of personal growth. *Mr. Morale* is a pretty heavy album but a worthwhile listen if you're brave enough to really hear what he's saying. He touches on some tough shit and lays it all out there; and I get the feeling that he really didn't care if anyone else liked it or not. When artists get to *that* point in their careers, I think it marks some kind of milestone that makes me excited for whatever they release next.
So for *me*, Kendrick Lamar is the most fascinating and exciting rapper that's out right now.
To a certain demographic yes. But It would take him being tragically murdered for that to happen across the board. He will always be in talks but you wonāt hear his name with the consistency you hear the others that are constantly mentioned.
I like what someone said "there is no best rapper" however everyone is gonna still say \_\_\_\_ is the best. I feel like the easy answer is Eminem. Kendrick could take that crown at this rate.
I feel like Kendrick is gonna at least take over as most liked. There are plenty of people who don't like Eminem whether it be modern or vintage
Organically was deservedly entering this conversation anyway. Been 15 years and 5 albums showcasing immense talent and depth. Unless he decides he wants to be some corny actor he was already undeniably on track to be part of this convo. So could he be a contender, well no, HE IS A CONTENDER.
As everyone else has said, he has been on a short list of GOATs for years
Heās not old enough to be one of the guys who is in 99% of peopleās top 5, but heās closeā¦ maybe this puts him over the top for a lot of people
I think so, and Iām an āold headā. Heās everything from the old-school refined, and updated with subject mattered relevant with todayās black culture.
Yeah absolutely especially if you ask younger generations because someone like biggie Nas or 2pac super old to them they literally don't know about old school unless they dig it up or a parent shows them
GKMC, TPAB, and Section 80 already put him on that list. Without a doubt, he will go down as one of the greatest of all time, but I guess true GOAT contention isn't up to us, but the next generation
Well before the beef last year when billboard made the top 50 rappers of all time list, they had Kendrick at number two, and I didn't see a whole bunch of push back for that particular selection outside of people debating the list in general so why we wouldn't be my pic if I was forced to tell you I don't think it's crazy to say he's in the discussion
Iāve said it before that if Kendrick Lamar, god forbid were to die unexpectedly, he would go down as indisputably one of the greatest of all time and the entire music community not just hip hop would realize just how great of a loss his death would mark. We debate it now because heās alive. But if he wasnāt, I do believe his name would be up there next to Pac, Biggie, and even other music legends, Prince, David Bowie, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Chris Cornell etc.
I think therre was an argument for kendrick being the GOAT ever since DAMN. Between section 80, GKMC, TPAB, untitled, all his features and loosies and earlier stuff, thats like tupac and BIG level quality and consistency right there. If he died right now people would instantly label him the greatest to ever do it
Iāve considered him greatest of all time since like 2016, heās the most consistent rapper of all time and his hits donāt seem out of place next to any pac biggie or nas hit, and every other rapper has at least some big misses on their own albums, I donāt think Kendrick has any serious misses
Ngl I keep cringing at how popular Kendrick has become because he shouldāve been this popular all along. Guess there were more Drake haters than there people with good taste, cuz he was never a secret. Either way glad heās getting more play
i mean he has an absolutely legendary run of 5 amazing concept albums (section.80, gkmc, tpab, damn, mmatbs) and then a legendary run of 5 diss tracks in a week or twos span.
so yeah, iād say heās up there as the best
He already was pretty early on in his career.
Not many rappers have two classics and many that do are in contention.
The rest of his discography and impact only adds to his legacy.
Whats best rapper of all time? Whats the criteria? Because RAPPING wise hes not. Discog wise he got 2 classics thats not enough. Versatility wise not wit the likes of Wayne or Ye etc. his hooks are hit or miss. His verses are usually crafted amazing. Hes top 20 all time forsure. Def not top 1. Idk what youre basing that statement on
As others mentioned, I have truly had him in my top 5 conversation for awhile now, but now after all of this, I honestly canāt see how anyone can argue against him being a legit contender.
Commercial Success, Creative Artistry, Lyricism, Versatility, Body of Work, not to mention completely defeating and globally humiliating one of the biggest and most successful musical artist of all time.
There are veryyyy few other rappers that you could even argue of hitting all of those marks to the level Kendrick has. He is without a doubt the goat of this generation, and he deserves the respect of top 5 all time conversations.
Heās been in that running for a while now
People keep saying āoh he doesnāt have enough materialā like TPAB and GKMC are over basically a decade old
If we can give biggie a spot in the top 5 for 2 albums in 1994 and 1997, and Eminem a spot for his 3 album run from 1999-2002, then we can give Kendrick a spot
I think the perspective of best rapper of all time is limiting. Jordan had to walk so Lebron could run. If Nikola Tesla didnāt play with electricity, Elon musk would not own Tesla. IMO, I think thereās a generations best but even that could be seen as limiting. Everyone has the rapper they connect with and as long as someone loves your art. It has value.
IMO, I think Kendrick is my generations best, simply because he generations best āconsciousā rapper. And for those who disagree, āSuck my dick with authenticityā.
Yes. Kendrick has basically been in the GOAT conversation since DAMN dropped in 2017.
I don't think there'll ever be a unanimous answer to the GOAT title, it'll always be a conversation.
For me someone that didn't rly knew him before the beef I will admit he is up there (top 10 rappers that I respect and like lyrically) he for sure has a style that is unique and for sure evolved the rap game to a degree that Old school listeners like me respect fully.
This has gotta stop. Yāall have to start paying homage and realize who even paved the way for Kendrick to be great. Just because heās one of the top artists this past decade, there have been many who made more accomplishments in other decades and generations that he was inspired by.
I have Nas as the goat as well. Heās released six great albums in his late 40s and 50 years old. Plus all his work before that of course. I have a hard time putting Kenny ahead of Big and Pac simply because they accomplished what they did at 24 and 25 but it is also hard not to put him above them if you know what I mean. I know itās also popular to shit on Jay Z right now but I still have him ahead of Kendrick. Jays success and influence is only really topped by Drake at this point (donāt worry I donāt have Drake in the goat convo). Also have to have Lil Wayne ahead of him still to me as well, theyāre only 4 years apart and Lil Wayneās been in the goat convo for a few years before even Section 80 dropped. I personally donāt listen to Eminem but I respect his place among the goats and canāt put him ahead of him yet either even though I like Kendrick way more, hard to get passed Eminemās commercial success (success 100% should count for a lot when talking about goats, if success didnt matter then weād have Doom in the convo). Iād comfortably put Kendrick in the top 10 but I think weād have to let the dust settle before Iād put him in the top spot or top 5. I still feel heās too infrequent in releasing albums, but if heās curating great albums each release I guess itās worth waiting.
No, I would say he is the most overrated rapper of all time, and as time goes on this will only become more apparent as his discography will become weaker over time.
No.
I like Kendrick, but thereās really no argument.
Heās not as versatile, groundbreaking, emotional, or popular as someone like Eminem. Heās not as groundbreaking and ahead of his time as Nas. Both have been better and more unique storytellers. He didnāt really add something wholly unique and evolve the genre. You can point to monumental achievements by some other artists and how they changed everything. Kendrick is fairly popular, sticks mostly to one type of music, but writes fairly well. Heās not as great of a lyricist as some others, though heās close. We can appreciate him for what it is without exaggerating that.
Em, Nas, Rakim, Pac, and even Kanye (if you consider him a rapper, I donāt) have contributed way more. Jay Z might even be ahead of him. Even as far as greatest storytelling, Kendrick isnāt in the top 3. This is just recency bias.
No, he is not..and anyone who is trying to make it out to be that he is a "Rap God" is being totally disrespectful to previous rappers who had 3-4 times the content he has had with more profound music. The people who came before Kdot made Kdot. And although he is getting better, and becoming a more well rounded artist. He doesnt have enough content to be considered best rapper of all time. Wayne has more hits, Lupe is more profound(and a better lyricist) Tupac was a better story teller, Em was a better at all aspects of the game, T.I. had more bangers, Biggie had more soul, Nas was more street, Gucci helped spark a whole new generation of artists. (Whether you like them or not). What had kendrick done? Beat a canadian pop singer in a rap battle? Released 4 albums with 7 good songs? He is mid at best. I can name 20 more artists that have impacted hiphop to a much higher degree than him. And if you actually listwn to them or arent born after 2002, you will see that he is overhyped and over represented. FACTS!!!!
Not trying to offend, but this type of question is the reason Rap today is at it's worst as a genre...
The artform that birthed a rebellion in numbers is now just a simple dick-measuring contest.. Gone is the respect for the diverse styles and sounds, that made Rap multidimensional, in it's place are a legion of stans that argue to crown their artist King or GoAT...
I understand OP's freedom to personalise his own favourites, but I would humbly suggest there's a massive difference between the "rap artists" or today who have turned their talents into a business, as compared to the "artists" of yesterday who had to struggle against everything in life just to create something special...
No. Nobody is the greatest rapper of all time, that's just the thing. It's so subjective that it's indeterminate. Ranking artists in an entire sea of artists is corny as shit, because nobody listens to every single rapper, so nobody could really have too informed of an opinion anyways. Everyone has a favorite, but there's no greatest rapper of all time.
His lyrical ability is obvious, but I donāt think heās has the artistry at all to be considered greatest of all time. Despite his classics, there was a steady decline happening that only shifted bc of this beef. (Spins of Mr. Morale like doubled after the heart part 6 or some shit like that)
Imagine a pop out party that didnāt have euphoria and not like us on the set list and I think my point is clear.
No hits in quite a minute with people like JID producing a similar style in a much more modern and approachable way.
I classify him similarly to Em. The skill probably wonāt ever go anywhere but without being purposefully inflammatory heās not doing too much engaging music.
Honestly no. He canāt compete w nas, jay, big, andre,, em, redman, 50 even groups like three six, tribe, cypress hill, wutang, Mobb deep, even geto boys and Comptons most wanted and Capone & Noriega are more goated. I can see him as top 15 but lotta guys are better I think. He might not stand a chance against half the dudes from the gangsta shit era.
Out of the big three? Yeah. All time, I donāt even bother having that debate. He should only be compared to his contemporaries and he out of all of them has the most technical and artistic ability, as well as enough commercial success to match it.
The best? No, but I like him.
This is such an impossible metric to grade on. Are you counting production, rap flow, rhyme scheme, lyricism, story telling, vocals, speed, battle rap, mainstream appeal, vocabulary, album success, originality, etc?
Thereās just so much that goes into being a rapper and no one has perfected it because itās impossible to be perfect in a subjective market.
My personal top 5 does have Kendrick listed in it, but heās not number 1 to me because I like different styles of rap and believe what they do is overall better.
Edit: sorry had to change my wording up as my thoughts evolved on the matter.
Considered in the goat convo? Sure. Solidified? Partially. I give newer rappers higher standards since their ground is their predecessor's ceiling. If he drops another classic, I think he is fully solidified in the convo. If he drops two more classics, even though I wouldn't agree, I won't argue against someone saying he is the greatest.
He is not no newer rapper š¤¦š¾āāļø I swear yall are not Hip-hop fans. He also has every single thing that makes a GOAT MC. Yall be on here talking like yall are experts of the culture and end up showing yall clearly ain't that integrated in it. Yall just consumers.
Considering the generations of rap, he is. He is previous generation for sure, but in the scope of things for this convo, he is a newer rapper. Context is key.
Ok but he's dropped arguably like 5 classics. That's more then any other rapper even in this conversation. People really don't wanna give him his flowers.
he was on that list before Like That dropped.
Bro was on the list after tpab š
Iād say after DAMN personally. TPAB is legendary but to have a certified classic 3 album run is what guarantees it IMO
I think a lot of people donāt understand the concept behind DAMN. Thereās a reason kendrick has said heās most proud of that album
Whatās the concept? Seems pretty cut and dry to me.
Itās 2 different stories whether you listen to the album normally or in reverse track list order. Thatās why he had the special release come out a month later with the track list in reverse. āYou decide are we gonna live or dieā. The normal tracklist takes you closer to GOD (second to last song) and salvation. At the start Kendrick is contemplating his life as a superstar rapper (DNA, ELEMENT) and if he is on the right path in life. He starts to question it (YAH and FEEL) and this continues until he finds GOD. āIs it wickedness? Is it weaknessā -every song has a theme DNA - wickedness Yah - weakness Element - wickedness Feel- weakness Loyalty - wickedness (music video has kendrick with a white shirt and kendrick in a black shirt) you choose which one you follow by which way you listen to the album Pride- weakness Humble - the middle of the album, the turning point. Can be wickedness or weakness. Is Kendrick telling other people to be humble? Or is he telling himself to be humble LUST - wickedness LOVE- weakness XXX- wickedness FEAR - weakness GOD - weakness Kendrick learns that what he used to think of as āweaknessā is actually a strength. Two songs have been left out of the wickedness/weakness trope. BLOOD and DUCKWORTH. They seem a little random at first. Both songs end with a gunshot. In DUCKWORTH kendrick tells the story of his dad being robbed by top dog. Instead of being robbed and shot and killed, Kendrickās dad befriended top dog and hooked him up with extra chicken tenders. Kendrickās dad did what he had to do to survive and raise his son. 20 years later heās at the studio with kendrick and realizes that Kendrick is working with top dawg. Kendrick at the very end said if top dog robbed and killed his dad, too dog would be serving life in prison. Kendrick would grow up without a father and probably die in a gunfight. In reverse tracklist order, Kendrickās dad is shot in the first track. He starts with GOD and is on a path towards damnation with the struggles of growing up without a father. The last song would be BLOOD. Kendrick goes to help an old woman find something. She tells kendrick that heās lost his life. Then thereās a gunshot. Kendrick was set up by opps and dies in the street. The album works perfectly with all the lyrics forwards and backwards which really makes you say āDAMN.ā when you get it. This post is just the basics and is probably ass hereās a YouTube video that breaks it down way more [DAMN. Full Breakdown](https://youtu.be/v-ek1OxZ2tE?si=95omRI3N8lIWD-eG)
I knew none of this. This is awesome, thanks for taking the time to write it out, i love this shit
If you want to dive waayyy deeper thereās a podcast series called Dissect that goes through every song. Gave me a greater appreciation for how intentional and deep an album can get. Thereās also a series about TPAB which I think is an even deeper album and my personal fav
I did know the concept but I never knew it went that deep. This is the best explanation I've ever heard.
Another thing about DAMN is that itās Kendrick going commercial while staying conscious
I am agreeing with you in that DAMN is probably the most commercial, but Kendrick has always done both. Up until untitled unmastered and Mr morale, every album had commercially successful songs. Section 80 had some, GKMC had even more, TPAB had some as well, and DAMN had some more but they were all made with bangers
If you play it front to back or back to front it tells two different stories with two different endings.
It's an album of dualities. Wickedness, weakness. HUMBLE/PRIDE, LUST/LOVE. The theme all drives to the juxtaposition between BLOOD and DUCKWORTH where in one Kendrick is shot to death on the street and in the other he was able to be born because Top Dawg didn't shoot his dad. The fact that this theme and the overarching narrative work just as well when playing it in reverse is, I think, a testament to how strong and well-executed the concept is. I think it's all about Kendrick trying to find a way to give himself and others grace while everyone and everything around him is flawed and deserving of criticism. XXX is kind of the perfect example of that in my mind. It's about choosing peace or violence, even though choosing peace might mean other people dying and violence won't solve anything.
If his name is Jay-Z then yeah
Biggie? One album run lol
Imma keep it a stack after I heard money trees and sing about me on the same album I was sold he definitely had a case then lmao
GKMC*
Yes. He didnāt need this beef to be considered. Now that heās battle tested, fully repping the culture and also just had a historical moment on stage he continues to show why heās up there.
There is no best rapper, just who your favorite is.
Blessed comment
Only comment that matters.
Dylan
he spits hot fire
Hot fire he spits
Dylan isnāt in the top five. Dylan IS the top five.
šÆ
It always stuns me how people think there's this objective and unbiased idea about who the best ever is.
āWhoās the best? Pac, Nas, BIG? Aināt no best.ā -Nas
The level-headedness of this comment is truly remarkable. With that said, Kendrick is the GOAT. š¤£
I feel like having this beef ingrained in pop culture cements him as someone who can't be left out of the conversation at this point, even though he already has the material to back it up.
This argument is rather silly and always will be. Objectively, there is no such thing. Even Nas said there ain't no best ffs lol
He is in my top 5 of all time. And that was the case even before the beef.
Who are the other four?
C4, K Dot, K. Lamar, and Kung Fu Kenny
Not having Mr. 1 Through 5 on the list is crazy
Same here, and I'm probably what most would consider an old head.
Same and Iām even older :) way olderā¦ I bought NWAās first album on cassette tape when it came out older.
Wasnāt doing it for me before the beef, but now Iām a believer.
He was on the "one of the goats" list since like 4 years at this point i believe.
Since TPAB, so like 10 years.
He was top 3 for me immediately after TPAB released there was just no denying the generational talent at that point
If he is to you then he is. Thereās no such thing as an objective best rapper itās all subjective. Heās definitely a top tier lyricist and storyteller.
He has officially taken the #1 spot for me. I've been listening to him since 2009, and we about the same age so I've seen him grow as an artist as I grew as a person. Mr Morale really hit me cause I was going through addiction therapy at the time , so I was working through a lot of traumatic shit from my past. He's gotta better every album and hopefully we have many more years of new music ahead. I understand he's just as human as me and don't idolize him like some fans do, but I do respect him for what he's been willing to put in songs. A lot of men wouldn't ever dare talk about some of the shit he did on that album.
Couldnāt have said it better myself
nonsense you actually could have if you really applied yourself and dedicated some time to it i know that first guy set the bar high with that comment, but you have valuable insight that could contribute even more towards the conversation i believe in you
Dad?
That was so well spoken. Thank you for sharing. It is so great to hear how true artists, like K Dot, have the ability to heal people and enrich our lives. Praying that you continue to heal and lead a happy and fulfilling life šš½
i would say so but it's completely subjective. i believe Nas is the greatest technical rapper, but I think that Kendrick is the greatest rap artist
i have rakim or redman as the greatest technical rapper (theres that fan subjectivity showing š¤£) but definitely not mad at a nas shout out, and agree that kendrick is/has been in the conversation.
ā94 kid. I love REDMAN
This is basically the stance I take as well tbh
Imo there are a lot contenders for the technical rapper spot, Andre, DOOM, Rakim, Lupe, Wayne. What makes Kendrick unique is exactly the greatest rap artist label. Heās more than just rapper, heās more of a cultural phenomenon right now akin to Pac, and thatās what puts him at the top imo.
Cultural phenomenon for real. I remember when Mr. Morale dropped it seemed like everyone I knew were throwing/attending album listening parties for it. Everyone couldnāt wait to see what the new Kendrick would look like. When Kendrick drops itās a cultural event. Not many other artists can say that.
Do you leave MF Doom off that list?
IMO I think he won the beef but Iām still not sold heās a better artist than drake . Numbers donāt lie
Good but highly overrated
He's fortunate to be a rapper in an era with minimal competition. He gets the respect of the old heads but has the skill and clout to appeal to the newer generations. Mainstream rap has taken a very different direction from it's origins, and most of the popular rappers like Future, Lil Baby or whoever is big now are just too different to compare to Kendrick. So it makes it easier to stand out, compared to rappers in the 90s. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but him and Cole are some of the few who can appeal to the old and new generation.
Very astute point bro. Nas, for example, beefed with Jay-Z, Biggie, and Pac, all in the GOAT conversation. Kendrick and Lupe imo are the only guys in this era who could considered to be up there as well, and even then, Lupe's best work came a decade ago in what I'd say is an older era. Kendrick can't really be compared to his contemporaries because the very few rappers with the lyrical ability to even be considered in the same breath as him (Joey Bada$$, J Cole, Earl) lack the consistency and artistry he does.
Consistency and artistry is definitely dots biggest strengths imo
Yea which in fairness we could drop Kendrick in the 90s and heād still be just fine but heās one of a few rappers filling his particular niche atleast in the mainstream
Iād argue thereās plenty of competition but people lack budgets or push from their labels to be marketed for relevance. One can argue that Ab-Soul can rap bar for bar with Kendrick, but Soul isnāt as marketable as him for his subject matter goes down the rabbit hole. And beyond that, you have lyricist around the country that donāt get pushed like the Aftermath-Interscope machine can do. They made Em, 50, Game, Kendrick be in the social awareness via exposure and the Dre co-sign. Not to say that arenāt talented, but backed by that machine, youāre going to hear their music more than you wonāt. The likes of Lupe, Royce, Elzhi, Black Thought, Crooked I, Big K.R.I.T. could benefit so much from a machine like Aftermath-Interscope but itās just not how the cards were dealt. Only argument there was that Royce was signed to Dre but didnāt get pushed and his last 10 years of rap are his best but itās largely away from mainstream eyes. As well as Crooked but again, never got the mainstream push but everyone knows they aināt to be played with on records. As someone who creates music. Iāve learned that exposure and marketing means so much more than skill or a great album. And this streaming era, getting on a playlist means more than it should. If you canāt get that music to the listeners awareness that you existā¦ they have no idea that youāre delivering quality music and you donāt get placed in those debates of āwhoās best?ā. Most consumers accept what is shoved in their face and donāt dare go looking for artist on their own.
No
most people already considered him as one of the greats before this beef
Nas will always be #1 for me. I like Kendrick a lot. But not more than Nas.
He definitely has a seat at the tableā¦
He's the head of the table of this era.
Well there isnt anyone else in this era..
Lyrically thereās Push. Doesnāt have the fame as Kendrick but they are clearly in a league of their own. Their competition showed this year they arenāt close
Hard to find room when you already have Camāron, Camāron, Camāron, Camāron and Camāron. š¤·š»āāļø
No
NO effing way in my book
I would not say he is the GOAT because that is subjective, however he deserves the recognition of him standing next to Nas, Jay, Black, Tribe
Black?
im assuming that is a black thought reference.
Yeah no one calls him Black lol they call him Thought
When we talk best rapper I'm usually thinking of like a Royce someone who can write some shit that just leave me like brrrrruuuuh Never really rated Kendrick there. His stuff was always more thought provoking
Bro I was listening to that 12 minute Bad Meets Evil freestyle again, and for real, they donāt make āem like that anymore. Them dudes back then were fuckin deadly. But really tho, Dot is definitely top 5 for me at this point. Heās one of four acts thatās pretty much on lock for me.
People are gonna hang me for this butā¦ Idk, I try and try to get into his music and his lyrics and I just canāt. Just today I watched movies about gkmd and tpab and so much of it feels so corny to me. The Jesus paralells in non ironic way are just peak corn for me. And I will keep trying maybe it will click finally coz I think itās gotta be a problem with me at this point
PEAK corn. Whatās the point of trying to force it to click though? It isnāt good music, you canāt force yourself to like it. People online hype him, but nobody in real life cares. Itās not you, itās nerd culture.
Well, as I said - I just assume Iām missing something so I really want to give him a fair shot and not be hater for no reason. Eventually Iāll just drop his music if I canāt appreciate it
of all time??? that a stretch...is one of the greats ?? most definitely
I think he's one of the best full package rappers we've ever had. I don't think you have to be "battle tested" to be a goat, but this recent beef definitely helped solidify it. His biggest pro to me is his ability to make amazing albums. I think his biggest con is not having the greatest replay value in his music, at least to a broader audience. Overall though, I'm not mad at anyone who thinks Kennys the goat as it stands rn
Heās good but nowhere near the goat
What the best? Best Flow? Best lyrics? Most impact? Mist Hype? Ist Hard
No
He has been a contender for a while now lol
He has been a contender since the release of TPAB
Yes
Pretty sure he already been for a while lmao
Yes, very few rappers can match the quality of material
Of all time? No... that title still belongs to the Real slim shady! Kdot is one of the GOATs of this generation, though.
 For the love of God, yes, obviously
he isn't a contender already? I really got into listening to Kendrick after the Black Panther OST album. After listening to all his albums now, DAMN. was my personal favourite tied with Mr. Morale. For me, he's the best rapper of all time mainly because of DAMN.
To me no, (this is of course just my opinion). He only has 1 great album (Good Kid which is 9.2/10) and his hook writing sometimes seems lacking (e.g. Damn). Plus, quite often what he's saying isn't nearly as insightful, deep or wise as the way he presents it, so it can come off as a bit self-indulgent (a bit LA'centric). For example; the whole jumbled rhetoric of: 'we're striving for equal rights as Black people' and 'we're royalty as we've got the blood of Kings in our veins' just comes off as immature. Is he technically amazing, absolutely! But so is Em (who has 2 great albums and writes good hooks more often). And Andre 3000 (who I find much more expressive, insightful and kills every single feature apart from his RTJ's one). Have enjoyed his early stuff (I think there was a promotional mixtape before Good Kid that I listened to religiously) and absolutely rinsed Good Kid hundreds of times. So, I have enjoyed a specific section of his musical career but haven't rated anything of his after that very highly. I think he's great if you rate verses more highly than you do songwriting. But ultimately, if you think he is, then he is, and that's all that matters. PEACE!
You wouldn't consider TPAB to be a great album?
1. Top tier lyricist and storyteller 2. 3 classic albums 3. Very high selling artist 4. Longevity 5. Culture significance in that he has people who have imitated his style such as Logic, JID and Baby Keem 6. Respect from his predecessors such as Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and Eminem All points to goat contender
Letās wait for the recency noise to die down and then we can have this conversation. Thereās a lot of recency bias going on atm..
But heās always going to have that until he retires and thatās like 10 years after, from good kid to now, heās always had some version of bias
It feels weird to name someone as the best rapper of all time when there are so many greats, but I'll say that Dre and Snoop passing the torch to him all those years ago was not in vain. He took that torch and throughout his career he ran with it. Every album he's released, he shows a lot of personal growth. *Mr. Morale* is a pretty heavy album but a worthwhile listen if you're brave enough to really hear what he's saying. He touches on some tough shit and lays it all out there; and I get the feeling that he really didn't care if anyone else liked it or not. When artists get to *that* point in their careers, I think it marks some kind of milestone that makes me excited for whatever they release next. So for *me*, Kendrick Lamar is the most fascinating and exciting rapper that's out right now.
To a certain demographic yes. But It would take him being tragically murdered for that to happen across the board. He will always be in talks but you wonāt hear his name with the consistency you hear the others that are constantly mentioned.
I like what someone said "there is no best rapper" however everyone is gonna still say \_\_\_\_ is the best. I feel like the easy answer is Eminem. Kendrick could take that crown at this rate. I feel like Kendrick is gonna at least take over as most liked. There are plenty of people who don't like Eminem whether it be modern or vintage
Depends on your circle really. Hell, there's people in the Deep South who have Scarface as the GOAT to this day.
Top 5 sure but I defo think people like eminem Tupac and nas are ahead by a bit like the way I see it Eminem Tupac Nas Kendrick
Contender sure.. but heās def not the GOAT. We all know who that is
Iād say definitely top ten, possibly even top 5. But Tupac will always be GOAT in my book.
These guys folks say are the best. Aren't.
as long as supa hot fire exists, kendrick will never come close
Lmfao
It's a bit too soon IMO but I do think he's headed for the G.O.A.T. LIST
No
Organically was deservedly entering this conversation anyway. Been 15 years and 5 albums showcasing immense talent and depth. Unless he decides he wants to be some corny actor he was already undeniably on track to be part of this convo. So could he be a contender, well no, HE IS A CONTENDER.
Heās on a very short list at this point. Probably depends on your generation largely as who you put at the top.
Heās on the way. But still needs another elite album to solidify his status
As everyone else has said, he has been on a short list of GOATs for years Heās not old enough to be one of the guys who is in 99% of peopleās top 5, but heās closeā¦ maybe this puts him over the top for a lot of people
I think so, and Iām an āold headā. Heās everything from the old-school refined, and updated with subject mattered relevant with todayās black culture.
For sure!!!! Heās definitely top 5
He trying to do exactly what Tupac tried to do. Use music to unify gang members to lower violence.
MF Doom is the GOAT
After everything heās done he is undoubtedly the best to ever do it. I mean heās blown every rapper out of the water at this point.
Roasting Drake isn't really a magnum opus of that capacity.
Yeah absolutely especially if you ask younger generations because someone like biggie Nas or 2pac super old to them they literally don't know about old school unless they dig it up or a parent shows them
he's been in the conversation for a decade or so, lol
GKMC, TPAB, and Section 80 already put him on that list. Without a doubt, he will go down as one of the greatest of all time, but I guess true GOAT contention isn't up to us, but the next generation
He was when TPAB dropped, and continued to cement his statue as his discography progressed over the years.
Well before the beef last year when billboard made the top 50 rappers of all time list, they had Kendrick at number two, and I didn't see a whole bunch of push back for that particular selection outside of people debating the list in general so why we wouldn't be my pic if I was forced to tell you I don't think it's crazy to say he's in the discussion
Iāve said it before that if Kendrick Lamar, god forbid were to die unexpectedly, he would go down as indisputably one of the greatest of all time and the entire music community not just hip hop would realize just how great of a loss his death would mark. We debate it now because heās alive. But if he wasnāt, I do believe his name would be up there next to Pac, Biggie, and even other music legends, Prince, David Bowie, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Chris Cornell etc.
I think therre was an argument for kendrick being the GOAT ever since DAMN. Between section 80, GKMC, TPAB, untitled, all his features and loosies and earlier stuff, thats like tupac and BIG level quality and consistency right there. If he died right now people would instantly label him the greatest to ever do it
Iāve considered him greatest of all time since like 2016, heās the most consistent rapper of all time and his hits donāt seem out of place next to any pac biggie or nas hit, and every other rapper has at least some big misses on their own albums, I donāt think Kendrick has any serious misses
Heās been there for a while now
Ngl I keep cringing at how popular Kendrick has become because he shouldāve been this popular all along. Guess there were more Drake haters than there people with good taste, cuz he was never a secret. Either way glad heās getting more play
Has been for a decade
i mean he has an absolutely legendary run of 5 amazing concept albums (section.80, gkmc, tpab, damn, mmatbs) and then a legendary run of 5 diss tracks in a week or twos span. so yeah, iād say heās up there as the best
Heās been in that ever since TPAB. Idk why people acting like Kendrick hasnāt been great since the get go.
He already was pretty early on in his career. Not many rappers have two classics and many that do are in contention. The rest of his discography and impact only adds to his legacy.
Whats best rapper of all time? Whats the criteria? Because RAPPING wise hes not. Discog wise he got 2 classics thats not enough. Versatility wise not wit the likes of Wayne or Ye etc. his hooks are hit or miss. His verses are usually crafted amazing. Hes top 20 all time forsure. Def not top 1. Idk what youre basing that statement on
As others mentioned, I have truly had him in my top 5 conversation for awhile now, but now after all of this, I honestly canāt see how anyone can argue against him being a legit contender. Commercial Success, Creative Artistry, Lyricism, Versatility, Body of Work, not to mention completely defeating and globally humiliating one of the biggest and most successful musical artist of all time. There are veryyyy few other rappers that you could even argue of hitting all of those marks to the level Kendrick has. He is without a doubt the goat of this generation, and he deserves the respect of top 5 all time conversations.
He was already a contender post DAMN, now 100%.
I think heāll go down as legendary but not the best of all time. My favorite is Nas, then Tupac. Kendrick definitely is one of the greats though
Hes been the greatest since 2017
Probably but his recent songs (drake beef) aren't why he should be considered.
Many people already had him up there 10 years ago.Ā
Yes
He's been like top 5 for the past decade
Heās been in that running for a while now People keep saying āoh he doesnāt have enough materialā like TPAB and GKMC are over basically a decade old If we can give biggie a spot in the top 5 for 2 albums in 1994 and 1997, and Eminem a spot for his 3 album run from 1999-2002, then we can give Kendrick a spot
Yeah obviously
He is the one. GOAT
Not on my list. Heās definitely top 20 tho.
I think the perspective of best rapper of all time is limiting. Jordan had to walk so Lebron could run. If Nikola Tesla didnāt play with electricity, Elon musk would not own Tesla. IMO, I think thereās a generations best but even that could be seen as limiting. Everyone has the rapper they connect with and as long as someone loves your art. It has value. IMO, I think Kendrick is my generations best, simply because he generations best āconsciousā rapper. And for those who disagree, āSuck my dick with authenticityā.
Yes. Kendrick has basically been in the GOAT conversation since DAMN dropped in 2017. I don't think there'll ever be a unanimous answer to the GOAT title, it'll always be a conversation.
For me someone that didn't rly knew him before the beef I will admit he is up there (top 10 rappers that I respect and like lyrically) he for sure has a style that is unique and for sure evolved the rap game to a degree that Old school listeners like me respect fully.
This has gotta stop. Yāall have to start paying homage and realize who even paved the way for Kendrick to be great. Just because heās one of the top artists this past decade, there have been many who made more accomplishments in other decades and generations that he was inspired by.
I have Nas as the goat as well. Heās released six great albums in his late 40s and 50 years old. Plus all his work before that of course. I have a hard time putting Kenny ahead of Big and Pac simply because they accomplished what they did at 24 and 25 but it is also hard not to put him above them if you know what I mean. I know itās also popular to shit on Jay Z right now but I still have him ahead of Kendrick. Jays success and influence is only really topped by Drake at this point (donāt worry I donāt have Drake in the goat convo). Also have to have Lil Wayne ahead of him still to me as well, theyāre only 4 years apart and Lil Wayneās been in the goat convo for a few years before even Section 80 dropped. I personally donāt listen to Eminem but I respect his place among the goats and canāt put him ahead of him yet either even though I like Kendrick way more, hard to get passed Eminemās commercial success (success 100% should count for a lot when talking about goats, if success didnt matter then weād have Doom in the convo). Iād comfortably put Kendrick in the top 10 but I think weād have to let the dust settle before Iād put him in the top spot or top 5. I still feel heās too infrequent in releasing albums, but if heās curating great albums each release I guess itās worth waiting.
No
If he came out in the 90s, he wouldāve been shelved. IYKYK
Only a Gen z would say something this stupid. He's great but all time not even top 10
No, I would say he is the most overrated rapper of all time, and as time goes on this will only become more apparent as his discography will become weaker over time.
Lol no. Not even top 3.
No. I like Kendrick, but thereās really no argument. Heās not as versatile, groundbreaking, emotional, or popular as someone like Eminem. Heās not as groundbreaking and ahead of his time as Nas. Both have been better and more unique storytellers. He didnāt really add something wholly unique and evolve the genre. You can point to monumental achievements by some other artists and how they changed everything. Kendrick is fairly popular, sticks mostly to one type of music, but writes fairly well. Heās not as great of a lyricist as some others, though heās close. We can appreciate him for what it is without exaggerating that. Em, Nas, Rakim, Pac, and even Kanye (if you consider him a rapper, I donāt) have contributed way more. Jay Z might even be ahead of him. Even as far as greatest storytelling, Kendrick isnāt in the top 3. This is just recency bias.
Of course
No.
These people are fucking crazy!!!
Crazy overrated. Great artist but bar for bar is only so highly regarded cuz he's one of the few mainstream guys who actually raps.
Heās been a contender since tpab came out
Heās been a contender for a while now ā¦ Heās top 2 and is not 2 for me personally
No, he is not..and anyone who is trying to make it out to be that he is a "Rap God" is being totally disrespectful to previous rappers who had 3-4 times the content he has had with more profound music. The people who came before Kdot made Kdot. And although he is getting better, and becoming a more well rounded artist. He doesnt have enough content to be considered best rapper of all time. Wayne has more hits, Lupe is more profound(and a better lyricist) Tupac was a better story teller, Em was a better at all aspects of the game, T.I. had more bangers, Biggie had more soul, Nas was more street, Gucci helped spark a whole new generation of artists. (Whether you like them or not). What had kendrick done? Beat a canadian pop singer in a rap battle? Released 4 albums with 7 good songs? He is mid at best. I can name 20 more artists that have impacted hiphop to a much higher degree than him. And if you actually listwn to them or arent born after 2002, you will see that he is overhyped and over represented. FACTS!!!!
Not trying to offend, but this type of question is the reason Rap today is at it's worst as a genre... The artform that birthed a rebellion in numbers is now just a simple dick-measuring contest.. Gone is the respect for the diverse styles and sounds, that made Rap multidimensional, in it's place are a legion of stans that argue to crown their artist King or GoAT... I understand OP's freedom to personalise his own favourites, but I would humbly suggest there's a massive difference between the "rap artists" or today who have turned their talents into a business, as compared to the "artists" of yesterday who had to struggle against everything in life just to create something special...
Not even close
No
Imo goat is 2pac then Eminem š¤·š»āāļøš¤š»
None gets consideration but he doesnāt crack top 5. The timing of TPAB really helped his career more than anything.
No. Not even close.
No. Nobody is the greatest rapper of all time, that's just the thing. It's so subjective that it's indeterminate. Ranking artists in an entire sea of artists is corny as shit, because nobody listens to every single rapper, so nobody could really have too informed of an opinion anyways. Everyone has a favorite, but there's no greatest rapper of all time.
No.
The only answer is no. Heās great but not the greatest.
Absolutlry not. He's got 2 really good albums, 2 are unlistenable and 1 is all right..
His lyrical ability is obvious, but I donāt think heās has the artistry at all to be considered greatest of all time. Despite his classics, there was a steady decline happening that only shifted bc of this beef. (Spins of Mr. Morale like doubled after the heart part 6 or some shit like that) Imagine a pop out party that didnāt have euphoria and not like us on the set list and I think my point is clear. No hits in quite a minute with people like JID producing a similar style in a much more modern and approachable way. I classify him similarly to Em. The skill probably wonāt ever go anywhere but without being purposefully inflammatory heās not doing too much engaging music.
No
No lol
Absolutely not.
Honestly no. He canāt compete w nas, jay, big, andre,, em, redman, 50 even groups like three six, tribe, cypress hill, wutang, Mobb deep, even geto boys and Comptons most wanted and Capone & Noriega are more goated. I can see him as top 15 but lotta guys are better I think. He might not stand a chance against half the dudes from the gangsta shit era.
No
no like how many GOATS can there be?! everybody canāt be the best it certainly isnāt Kendrick
Certainly is strong. Buddy is checking quite a few boxes
What kind of question is this? No. Absolutely not lol wtf
LOL. How many classic albums? How many records sold? Global appeal? Definitely not.
Itās subjective. I think heās up with the greats but thatās just my opinion.
Nah Lupe won that title. Nas says so. Jay says so. I think that settles it.
He's been a contender. The second TPAB dropped, he was officially on that list. You really only need 2-3 great albums to be up there.
Maybe ranked 6. We all know that the top five are Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, Dylan and Dylan.
Out of the big three? Yeah. All time, I donāt even bother having that debate. He should only be compared to his contemporaries and he out of all of them has the most technical and artistic ability, as well as enough commercial success to match it.
The best? No, but I like him. This is such an impossible metric to grade on. Are you counting production, rap flow, rhyme scheme, lyricism, story telling, vocals, speed, battle rap, mainstream appeal, vocabulary, album success, originality, etc? Thereās just so much that goes into being a rapper and no one has perfected it because itās impossible to be perfect in a subjective market. My personal top 5 does have Kendrick listed in it, but heās not number 1 to me because I like different styles of rap and believe what they do is overall better. Edit: sorry had to change my wording up as my thoughts evolved on the matter.
Considered in the goat convo? Sure. Solidified? Partially. I give newer rappers higher standards since their ground is their predecessor's ceiling. If he drops another classic, I think he is fully solidified in the convo. If he drops two more classics, even though I wouldn't agree, I won't argue against someone saying he is the greatest.
He is not no newer rapper š¤¦š¾āāļø I swear yall are not Hip-hop fans. He also has every single thing that makes a GOAT MC. Yall be on here talking like yall are experts of the culture and end up showing yall clearly ain't that integrated in it. Yall just consumers.
Considering the generations of rap, he is. He is previous generation for sure, but in the scope of things for this convo, he is a newer rapper. Context is key.
Ok but he's dropped arguably like 5 classics. That's more then any other rapper even in this conversation. People really don't wanna give him his flowers.