I have been a fan of Kendrick’s since I first heard him back in 2019. His flow and lyricism impressed me. He also seldom uses autotune, which is always a good thing. He doesn’t chat a lot of shit that most of the modern rappers talk about. You can see why 2pac is his idol. Like his idol, he also talks less about materialistic things and focuses on political and everyday matters. Fuck what you might have heard from stuck-up journalists snarling at this album because it is brilliant. Of course, there is a trio of tracks that utilise autotune, but the rest of the record is great apart from that.

What I also like about Kendrick’s albums is they are the same as his idol. Creative and original from their predecessors. Lamar includes old-school soul, old-school RnB, violins, Spanish guitars, trap drums and flirts with rhythms. There is also the sample of 2pac’s ‘Made Ni**az ’. It’s a personal favourite of my 2pac songs. 2pac’s influence on Kendrick’s music is undeniable, and this is evident in his sampling of ‘Made Ni *az ‘. However, my only complaint with sampling it for ‘Reincarnated’ is that he seems to be emulating Pac’s style rather than expressing originality. I can still tell it’s Kendrick because of the flow, but he seems to be trying to deliver the same as Pac did on ‘Made Ni*az’. The video is also the same. I am unsure if Kendrick is in it because the one I saw was the original with Pac, or as he was known on that track, Makaveli Tha Don.

As you’re aware, Kendrick has recently experimented with a pop element in his music, a move that added a unique twist to his Drake diss track, ‘Not Like Us’. It’s a bit disheartening that this wasn’t part of the album, as I was quite taken with how he dismantled Drake with undeniable truths. However, a similar vibe can be found in ‘tv off’, a track featuring lefty gunplay. While it may not be a diss track, the production bears a striking resemblance. ‘Not Like Us’ was brought to life by Mustard, and Kendrick has once again enlisted his services for this particular track, which is a real bop.

Aside from ‘Reincarnated’, my favourite track for obvious reasons, my other favourite is the captivating ‘Heart pt. 6’. It’s one of those tracks that hooks you in with its production within seconds, and then enthralls you with its lyricism and delivery within a minute. His delivery, in particular, has a unique blend that reminds me of the Ying-Yang Twins with a hint of Q-Tip. But let’s not get too distracted. This is a track that you’ll find yourself drawn to, wanting to hear it again and again.

Another reason to admire ‘heart pt.6’ is Kendrick Lamar’s unwavering respect for 2pac. He once again outshines Drake with his lyricism and undeniable facts. It’s about time that the truth about Drake was revealed. It’s reassuring to see a 2pac fan like Kendrick Lamar stepping up. Drake’s recent insult to Pac , by using his rapping on one of his many subpar tracks , didn’t sit well with Kendrick. He made sure to let the fake rapper know exactly how Pac fans felt about it.

My final favourite is also the final track featuring SZA, ‘Gloria’. This is Kendrick’s version of Makaveli Tha Don’s ‘Me and My Girlfriend’, except that ‘Gloria’ is a girl rather than a gun. It also mirrors the middle, similar to ‘My and My Girlfriend’.

Although you can hear that Kendrick is heavily inspired by 2pac/Makaveli Tha Don, the entire album is a nod to the West Coast Rap scene and its legends—another reason to like the record. While the bitter cold starts to set in, this album is a ray of sunshine with uptempo production to lift your spirits. The lyricism is also on point; you can see why he is highly regarded. I look forward to the follow-up.

Song recommendations: ‘Reincarnated’, ‘heart pt.6’, ‘Gloria’

9/10