Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
| Kendrick Lamar
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (stylized as good kid, m.A.A.d city) is the second studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. The album was released on October 22, 2012, by Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment, and was distributed by Interscope Records. The album serves as Lamar's major label debut, after his signing to Aftermath and Interscope in early 2012. It was preceded by the release of Kendrick's debut studio album Section.80 (2011), released exclusively through the iTunes Store as an independent album. - Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Billboarf
"Good kid, M.A.A.D. city" surpasses the unprecedented anticipation with its compelling, lucid storytelling, which portrays a reflection of the harsh reality that was Kendrick's adolescence while living in Compton in the 90s.
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Now Magazine
Lamar's invincible on good kid, and reveals just how deft his hand is.
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Consequence of Sound
Compton's finest offers the most comprehensive look yet at his absurd raw talent.
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Exclaim!
A heavily introspective tour de force, Lamar has created a stubbornly parochial soundtrack to his life in Compton, CA.
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Fact Magazine
Good Kid, m.A.A.d City might be a wide-ranging, far-reaching success, but one suspects it won’t be his best record.
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Prefix Magazine
Lamar's no impressionist, however; his lyrical gifts weave a complex, yet uniquely-West Coast set of influences into something that feels new and forward-thinking.
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Pitchfork
Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d city is fearless and brilliant.
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The Quietus
Compton's presence is felt every step of the way.
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All Music
Add it all up and subtract the hype, and this one is still potent enough to rise to the top of the pile.
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Pop Matters
Lamar concentrates the ideas of hip-hop narrative and nonfiction into such a form that's shocking for how simultaneously accessible yet full of depth it is.
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Boston Globe
The Compton MC’s long-awaited major label debut is a breakthrough, as he both resurrects and reinvents West Coast hip-hop.
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HipHopDX
This isn’t just a debut album. This is a shot at history.
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Austin Chronicle
The quotidian problems and longings of the title track making up the real heart of the album, a rough and tumble struggle to the top.
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Chicago Tribune
I'll admit that the hype cycle behind this album is kind of tiring and definitely approaching 50 Cent in late '02 levels, but just like that time, it might be warranted. Highest possible recommendation.
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AV Club
Good Kid is an exercise in tasteful restraint, with Lamar employing his boundless budget in creative ways.
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Slant Magazine
With Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, Lamar has crafted an intelligent and mature album on the theme of transformation.
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RollingStone
The triumphalism feels warranted.
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Washington Post
"m.A.A.d. City” bridges the gap between old-school and new-school L.A. rap — something Lamar excels at.
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Spill Magazine
Each track on good kid, m.A.A.d city is unique and impeccable, making this album one that should be a milestone in Rap history.
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BBC
Compton MC matures quickly on this stirring major label debut.
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The Guardian
The album isn't quite a classic.
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Esquire
Rap Genius on Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d city.
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DJ Booth
It may not be today, it may not be next year, but one day you'll respect the good kid from the m.A.A.d. city.
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No Ripcord
Good kid, m.A.A.d city is a cocksure record, but that confidence isn’t misplaced.
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Genius
Surely one of the greatest albums of the decade, Kendrick made something spectacular here.
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Tiny Mix Tapes
Good kid is sure to have hip-hop heads arguing more fervently than they have in a long time, and rap today is better for it
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Easy Street Records
Look under the hood of the minivan and you'll find one of the best hip-hop albums of the year.
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Complex
His musical choices here are stronger, the rapping more focused, his lyrics more purposeful.
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The Varsity
Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d. city delivers consistently introspective tracks.
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Spectrum Culture
Good kid, m.A.A.d city is the rare album that feels alive with an entire universe inside of it.
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High Snobiety
Good kid m.A.A.d city is equally as impressive for the narrative throughline as it is for its sonic composition
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Bonafide
This is quite something to behold.
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Medium
This album is a beautiful orchestration of popular culture appeal with self-reflection and cultural critique.
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Pop Crush
It's a worthy album that belongs in the pantheon of previous west-coast masterpieces.
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SPIN
At the very least, it’s never anything less than fascinating.
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The Young Folks
It is too early to call it a classic, but it is the best effort by any newcomer in hip-hop to this date.
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Dusted Magazine
Lamar has once more asserted a great and formidable talent, and good kid is triumphantly and unmistakably his.
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Mellow Views
Good kid, M.A.A.d city is a raw, hopeful, ride into Kendrick Lamar’s formative years.
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University Observer
A complex album, exciting in content and moving in sentiment.
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The National
Every song on this album is a continuation of the previous, each one bleeing into the other seamlessly and painting an autobiographical picture of Lamar's youth.
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The Lamron
Lamar is human, and that’s what makes the album so powerful. Even if the material essentially deals with flaws, good kid, m.A.A.d. city is flawless.
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Hilltop Views
All in all, it is a brilliant album that soars above the standard for rap.
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Graphite Publications
If there is any shade to be cast on this bright moment in Kendrick Lamar’s career, it is the possibility that the follow-up to good kid, m.A.A.d city will pale in comparison to this classic.
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Noted
Good Kid M.A.A.D City is a game changer for hip-hop.
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Big Host
Son put together a very rare thing here.
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Bowie State
Good kid, m.A.A.d city feels like a collage of diary entries from Lamar’s life, and that is why this album defines this generation.
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Vancouver Sun
Good Kid is a rap record with more depth than most.
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Pretty Much Amazing
Underground rap music is rife with high expectations. Good kid, m.A.A.d city is Lamar's forceful declaration that being swallowed by the hype was never even an option.
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Blinded by Sound
Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city is an astounding piece of art.
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MCSM Rampage
Overall, this was a matchless album, loaded with messages and deep thought throughout.
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All About Jazz
The disc is an excellent example of Dre's paradoxical style.
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The National Student
In all the areas it excels in (lyricism, production and storytelling) its greatest success is that like he intended, we know Kendrick better.
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MusicOMH
On m.A.A.d city his vocals sound positively unhinged.
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Soul in Stereo
Good Kid, m.A.A.d City is a triumph for the West Coast, and more importantly, for hip hop as a whole.
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Earmilk
Good kid m.A.A.d city is a definitive album for Compton - though it is not without its flaws.
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Idolator
Good kid, m.A.A.d city is not a fun listen. It’s one of those essential albums that you’ll almost never be itching to hear. But that’s the point, Kendrick Lamar doesn’t want you to listen to it, he wants you to dive in it.
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US Catholic
Good kid m.A.A.d. city is an album with exceptionally broad appeal.
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The Source
There is no debate that the project was a complete body of musical excellence.
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LYFSTYL
Good kid, m.A.A.d city, is finally here – and its fucking great.
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The Silhouette
Good kid, m.A.A.d city balances smooth grooves and impressive instrumentation against Lamar’s malleable flow and weighty lyrics.
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Hype Beast
Backed up with an infectious beat selection and tenacious wordplay, good kid, m.A.A.d city is a cinematic coming of age narrative that invites the listener to follow Kendrick through the city that raised him
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The Roar
It is truly an amazing album and will be considered and instant classic of this decade; giving rappers a whole other level to look up to for inspiration.
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Mind Equals Blown
Overall, the storytelling on good kid, m.A.A.d city combined with its impressive sonic prowess makes for an incredible album.
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Parle Magazine
For a debut album the overall quality is stunning and refreshing in today’s Hip-Hop.
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Fortitude Magazine
This album is worth the money from fans of all genres and will surely be crowned hip hop album of the year.
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LA Music Blog
It’s hard enough putting into words what I actually feel about this album, but believe me when I write that it is this year’s best hip-hop release and one of this year’s finest achievements in any genre.
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Madison
Kendrick Lamar might have grown up in Compton, but his major label debut comes across like the work of someone with Hollywood ambitions.
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FBi Radio
Lamar delivers a huge record at the right time, that displays both his technical skill and artistic relevancy, rather than just coating everything in easily-digestible sweetness.
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Social Music Today
To make things easy for everybody: Good Kid, M.A.A.d City is the best Rap album you are going to hear this year.
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