Thanks for the heart bob! Love hearing your thoughts. “Reclaiming hip hop from the evils of entertainment” - the summation of your trip down the “rabbit hole” is well-put. It’s funny because for an album that from the outset was self-identified as “not for lyricists, fuck a double entendre I want u to feel this shit”, it’s actually quite a poignant salient political statement. It’s anti corporate. It’s populist. It’s also nationalistic, as Drakes status as a non-American was frequently used on and off-wax as an argument for him being a “colonizer” of black culture (what we used to call a culture vulture).
And I get what you’re saying in general about the album not having as much of a coherent narrative and whatnot, feeling more like a collection of good songs. But when I remembered that “if this world were mine” by Luther Vandross was part of the soundtrack to “the wood”, and the car in menace 2 society was a gnx… I was like oh ok this is just a story told in a different way. It’s memory, and love for your past. It’s a celebration of all the things that bring a community together, like all the ppl whose parents played Debbie Deb and listened to Luther Vandross, whose childhoods were absolutely painted in the color of that place and time. That vibe. For someone not from LA it’s much less of a personal, cohesive feeling album, I would guess*. But I think Kendrick did that intentionally. I think given the context of the year with Drake and the rest of the industry, this is the best thing he could have done. Direct. Feel it in your bones. Dance to it. Bump it. Be proud of it. Because it’s our culture, and “we survived outside, all on the music.” < for those who truly understand what that means, this album is transcendent. And if he’s ever gonna make an album for his culture, and his people, to feel directly spoken to? Now is the perfect time to do that.
Kendrick said in the beginning of the album “fuck a double entendre I want y’all to feel this shit” and that’s pretty much the experience of GNX in a nutshell, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Not everything has to be a huge conceptual/ambitious spectacle, an album can simply just be a list of fun songs to listen to, and I really think a album like this is very much welcomed to be apart of Kendrick’s discography. He’s going back to his west coast roots and is proving he’s more than just a rapper who only raps about deep subject matter and the like.
Comparatively, while I understand the shortcoming of not having those expected intricate overarching thematic elements; that’s why I enjoy this album so much. 12 tracks is concise and they are all so well balanced in the tracklist. You get every side of Kendrick we’ve come to love. Amazing performances, bangers, more melodic cuts, lyrical exercises etc. To me in 2024, this is the perfect Kendrick album and I think it may be superior to DAMN which structurally has similar DNA (pun intended). This album reads to me that Kendrick wanted a project with no B.S and a brief showcase of “this is why I am the greatest”.
I have become somewhat addicted to this album. lol Especially after I heard it with some good headphones on. The production is amazing. I love the West Coast sound and miss it being relevant like it used to be when Hip Hop was more regional in the 90s/early 2000s. So that has been refreshing. It's nice to see Kendrick let loose, have fun, and make the rap album people have wanted from him for a long while. It still has a good message; he still holds his core values and integrity, but he is having fun. This is Kendrick removed from the self-doubt we see on Mr Morale and even albums before that. He is on a mission. There is something on there for everyone. Though it seems much more surface-level than his past work, there is still a lot to unpack and dig into. I love how he is using his voice on this album as well. He sounds happy, and as if he isn't letting up anytime soon. I really appreciate this album because it's a Kendrick album I can throw on at ANY occasion. You can't say that for his other albums. His other albums are perfect to sit with and digest, which is amazing, but it's nice to have a more laid-back album that doesn't at all dip in quality. Is it my favorite? Eh, it's WAY too early to make that statement. But it is up there with GKMC and DAMN for me. It sounds so new, while also being nostalgic. It's aggressive while still being fun. Informative without being preachy. I just feel like it balances everything out so well. At the same time, I can understand why people aren't all the way feeling it or think it's fine. It is a very distinct sound, and if that sound isn't for you, then it's understandable to not be as into it as others. But as someone who grew up in the 90s and 2000s hip hop, it's really refreshing to hear regional hip hop again with this album. It is SO West Coast. I suspect and hope we still get that more layered, Mr. Morale, TPAB Kendrick again in the future. But I also hope this isn't the last we hear from this Kendrick. I hope you and anyone who happens to read this has a wonderful, safe and positive week!
Yeah I personally think it’s great and rate it very highly in his discography, but it’s more important for the role it plays in his discography. I think he needed an album like this and it’s an incredible addition to his albums
GNX kinda feels like kendrick saying "THATS who I am" after explaining his time growing up (gkmc), his struggles within the temptations of the industry (tpab), his struggles to go towards faith (damn) and ofc his self reflection (mr morale). after all these deep concepts kdot is just presenting his roots and identity now and what he became after all these years in the industry, even giving a personal goodbye to black hippy and his other homies.
Wow. So many not feeling GNX. That is a banger and he lets some LA artists get some shine. The beat is eerie and dark. I love the GNX track. Peysoh and Hitta went hard.
One of the things i like about this album is that it's pretty down-to-earth and what i mean by that is it's notably less pandering to the pulitzer prize crowd and privileged detached music listeners who love to wax poetic about how kendrick is above these unsophisticated wretched rappers. He has embraced the success of Not Like Us and a big chunk of this album is kind of an extension of the statement of the song so i'm a fan of the statement he is trying to stick to and make with all the distinctly west coast influenced parts on this one.
Yeah I didn't really love the fact that the album isn't as conceptual but I still love this album just because of how well executed and consistent it is. It ranks higher than some of his more conceptual albums for me (like DAMN and Mr Morale) just because I feel like the tracklist is more consistent than those albums.
Bob you should consider checking out YG since you enjoy the mustard tracks, he pretty much dominates the production on My Krazy Life. YG is also a (B)Compton rapper and got co-signed by all the TDE guys a decade ago - I think you’d enjoy the sound of his albums
since you liked mos def's black on both sides i HIGHLY recommend you listening to The Ecstatic it is incredibly inspired by mf doom, the beats are straight up perfect in many cases, having production from madlib, oh no and other samples, that album is such a trip, im surprised not many peopel talk about it, such a beautiul forgotten album
It's not as intricate as the others but there are some themes in the album. Black Culture is a huge theme. He pays homage to so many that have inspired him. LA, rappers, r&b singers, his crew that he came up with (TDE). Another theme is that he was destined to be the Goat. Another is reincarnation. It's actually interesting how he ties these themes into most of the songs. Totally different concepts but he did a great job of putting them together in one album.
I actually love this album a lot. I love rap all around, I grew up listening to the conscious side of rap and also the fun side of rap. Specifically in the mid 2000s which is why for me the album is so good I can appreciate the contrast of each song.
I think kendrick thought he was done after mmtbs. But it turns out he had "unfinished business" beyond just his self reflections that he needed to tend to, not sure if a higher calling, or a lower calling, but something calling back to him regardless.
I think it is Kendrick, but he's also Moses going through the two halves of Exodus. This one takes us through to Moses in wilderness after the tower of Babel. Next up would be Moses leading his people out of slavery in Egypt and the parting of the red sea.
It definitely feels like a response to "Watch the Party Die" in the form of a west coast/hip-hop album. The emphasis on sampling, interpolations, and regional sounds on GNX is like his effort to curate a playlist or bottle up a bit of history while sprinkling new sounds. I believe he leveraged his experiences from the feedback and recognition he received from TPAB v DAMN, and continued to morph the present and past of hip-hop for newer generations. I wondered if his strategy to spell it out to listeners (fuck a double entendre, I want you to feel this shit) was to captivate younger audiences, who did not grow up when hip-hop was at its peak. We're in a digital age where younger listeners might enjoy watching reactors pick a part the easter eggs in his music, and they might indulge in who he paid homage to (Luther Vandross, D4L, Ice-T, Nate Dogg, Pac, Biggie, regional hip-hop, etc. the list goes ON and ON). I 100% agree with Bob - It's bigger than Drake. It's about the future of hip-hop and continuing the legacies of the past.
I think this is a great interpretation of what Kendrick is trying to do. I think we may not understand the method to his madness just yet but his genius will be revealed in time with his next installment which I think will be here on December 13th
Bobby i want to express one last shout request for The Party Never Ends. I know its quite annoying everyone recommending all the time, but this one is special. It is a recent final album for a rapper who sadly overdosed and touched the heart of millions of people. I know you reviewed Goodbye & Good Riddance but thjs is nothing like it, Juice evolved over the years and became mature. I hope you will, ill watch your videos nonetheless. Cheers!🎉
I really appreciated Kendrick a lot more when he painted pictures so vividly thru his music that you would have a new perspective on life after the album. Not really into the "Hey this is what hip hop should be" when there can be so many different types and genres of hip hop. I like the deeper music, but if people wanna listen to Future and Metro who am I to tell them differently? And they aren’t wrong for doing so. Maybe next album, he will get back to being one of a kind instead of preaching.
If felt almost like the suprise of it made it less of an “album” per se, not to say that it isn’t but it dropped out of nowhere and was shorter than the others so it give it less weight behind it
I 100% agree with your theory. I feel where you’re coming from on the many references to make sense of the theory. I think the lyrics to the gnx snippet music video is getting overlooked. I think it’s a “preface” to his gnx era. Also him using The Roots’ “Next Movement” video as the backdrop for his squabble up music video. Makes you think there’s a mission behind this era. Side note. It’s like he’s been expanding on multiple stories throughout his career. primary story been his relationship with God and everything else is a result of it.
there are theories around that kendricks trying to move pglang in a way pac tried with OneNation, especially since he was in NYC for such a long period of time.
I actually thought of yours "theory" when Kendrick posted a pic with Dave Free on IG in 2022 I think. Dave commented something like "New era approaching" and I vividly remember thinking, oh yeah Mr Morale was an album that laid a ground for everything thats to come in the future. Watch the party die basically confirmed that and GNX did it even more, especially intro song, man at the garden and reincarnated. Another album is basically a sure thing in my mind, probably after superbowl, before that he may release a deluxe or do some more with this. Also the way Drake has been moving lately and Diddy getting exposed finally, Kat Williams interview... It's very clear to me that Kendrick wants masks off from all the gatekeepers and "superstars" of Hip Hop, maybe even beyond that. All of this is just a theory still so maybe we are overthinking it too much. Kendrick is nevertheless putting a huge amount of pressure on him once again, but this time he seems like he is in a great headspace spiritually and mentally, physically as well and he is ready for whats to come
Yes. I think all will be revealed with the next album. It feels like he’s preparing us for a war that’s going to happen. I agree he is putting a lot of pressure on his self like I remember when ppl were calling him the savior of rap and now he’s actually embracing the title and trying to save hip hop and it’s going to cause a divide.
Hey, I know this is completely unrelated to the video but I would like to say how much I genuinely appreciate your videos and you as a person. I have been watching your reactions and additional thoughts alot and I really appreciate your insight that you give. It’s crazy how reaction content has become so bland and you are a definite standout! Also I have a question; what was your reaction to THE GHOST~POP TAPE by Jpegmafia? It has become my favorite album of all time and would love a reaction to it but I assume you’ve heard it by now as you said you would on your OFFLINE! Reaction I believe.
Praying Bob will react to some E L U C I D lyrics from haram or diabetic test strips his bald dome will explode and I'll love every moment. Keep up the awesome work Uncle Bobby!
0:50 this album wasnt for you …and the fans that put KDot in a box ….this for all the nay sayers about how he rap what he rap about and what beats he rappinn… ” fuck being rational giving what they asking for”…..”fuck double entendres I want ya’ll to feel this shit” #Notreallyaalbummorelikeamixtape
Hey man I just discovered your channel, but I wanted to ask if you react to some Lana del Rey albums, and by seeing your videos your very into hip hop so I’d say you could start with her debut album ”Born to die the paradise edition”(2011,2012,2013),truly a classic from the early 2010s or even “Lust for Life” her 2017 album which is basically the cousin of Born to die very, hip hop and pop album with features from Asap rocky to The Weeknd , or even her Album “Ultraviolence the deluxe edition”(2015), which has a lot of guitar and drums and its also a masterpiece , and also id think it would be nice to see you and your wife react to Lanas two very highly praised albums “Norman Fucking Rockwell” (2019) and “Did you know that theres a tunnel under ocean blvd” (2023), ( ocean blvd will no joke break you down, such a beautifully written and produced album that has made many cried just with the first song) which were both nominated for album of the year and sadly lost even tho they were praised by many critics for how good and revolutionary they are, but yeah id think it would be nice seeing that and also your wife would definitely love Lana but i also feel like you would like her music because she’s like the female version of frank ocean or The Weeknd and she’s also very experimental like no joke you will not see what’s coming even if you think you know what’s the sound pattern for the album or and idea of it its so different like Tyler the creator, so id say you would like her music but who knows that’s why I’m recommending for you to react to her music , also she has other albums like “Honeymoon” very jazz, James Bond, Billie Holiday and cinematic, “ Chemtrails over the country club”(2020,2021), a folky pop album that reminds me a lot of NFR and finally “Blue Banisters”(2021), which is very folk pop, jazz and 1 song she plays with the country sound ( she also has 1 song in Chemtrails that she plays with the country sound) , and also she just announced her new album “ The right person will stay” (2025) (originally named lasso and what set for September 2024 but she postponed it) which is country but her touch of country, and she’s also the blue print for many artist like Billie Eilish, but yeah hopefully you read my comment and maybe hopefully my very simple description of her albums catches your attention and intrigues you enough to react to one of her albums.
I think I've already listened to GNX more than Mr Morale, and I like it more than DAMN. It's his best since TPAB for me. It's an album experience, not everything has to be conceptual.
Your opinion about drake being a part of the problem is correct. Kendricks Watch the party die, explains that. Its not drake, it's the industry. GNX theme is the last song Gloria, his pen. Its a mexican singer is the pen throughout the album. Gloria in spanish is glory. His pen is giving him the glory after winning the battle. The first song she sings, I feel your presence and begin to cry. Basically, she feels, like your reaction said, waking up the monster and the pen feels the anger and how far he can take it to save hiphop from the industry. Well that's my take on it. GNX, is my least fav also, but its still a great album. He put it out to show you can still put out a album of hits, without loosing your integrity. If this album does what he expects, he will drop a album that were acostum to. If not, I feel like it's going to be wacced out murals 2.0. You can tell gnx was done recent and does not include songs hes been working on. Theres a leaked song Abortion Money that is 10/10 you should definitely react to. You got to do it in your own time because it gets taken down. I found it on SoundCloud.
You are definietly on to something with this theory. You should check out "The Bigger Picture" podcast that includes Kendricks DJ, DJ Hed. The latest episode his dicussed some of ehat Kendrick has planned for the next few years.
Yo, could you do an album called X & Sex by OsamaSon? He's not too popular yet but I really enjoy his music and would like to hear your thoughts on it, and for you to dissect it. I really enjoy your content keep it up!!
I felt like that after one listen, but after several, it's a 9/10 for me. It's so easy to listen to it front to back anytime for me. It's better than DAMN and MMATBS to me.
I will always have a soft spot for MMATBS because of the healing it gave me at the time as I was going through a lot. That’s what music is supposed to do, to make you feel something and hopefully to heal. So I agree with you on that. But TPAB and DAMN are the two I listen to the most, especially on a road trip. However, when at home, locked up in my man cave with no distractions, Mr Moral is permanently on and frankly, it hits hard every single time. It is like I learn something new every time. The only rapper apart from Pac that makes me feel deeply introspective, as hard as it is to confront your flaws especially as a man who believes in morality and principles and self dignity/respect.
Not crazy ramblings, I believe you are absolutely correct in your assessment of where Kendrick is at. Though I personally love every single track including GNX, but not at first listen. It grew on me and while it seems at first that there’s no common theme, it’s there culturally, historically (in the beats and reference tracks), politically and most importantly IMO, morally. Hip hop used to mean something but now it’s all about the debauched and immoral lifestyle that is used as a stereotype for black culture, a narrative pushed by the industry run by white corporate suits as a form of cultural debasement which hip hop was originally created to combat, providing an outlet for social and political expression for a culture ravaged by drugs, violence and vices against its own people and funded by government agencies. It is a struggle that is real to Kendrick and was the main reason for going independent. Can he do it alone? Of course not, but he is in the position to make a push for change and others, both artists and non artists with a platform willing to crash out on behalf of the culture and the need for real change in our communities, it just might be enough to achieve the rebirth of hip hop and our values as a community. Contrary to the popular narrative, Our Art and Our People Are More Than Hoes Twerking, Pimping, Drugs, Dollar Signs, Fast Cars, Gold Chains and Black on Black Violence. Our art is powerful, spiritual at an elemental level, providing strength and healing in times of deep distress and oppression. It was crafted in pain, yet exudes joy and peace, accompanying our ancestors all the from Africa and enabling them to sing and dance in the cotton fields and under the lash. We have had Soul, Jazz, R&B, Rock and the Blues stolen from us and now the only genre still attributed to our people is being watered down and intentionally made unrecognisable in an attempt to take it away from us as well. It has been happening for the past 15 years or more, gradually and insidiously, and some of us recognised what was happening. Personally, I listened only to Pac until Kendrick’s Good Kid Maad City. Only then did I see a light at the end of the tunnel. He Had Everything and So Much More, my only fear was if he will be able to stay true to his core self and I am so happy he has surpassed even my expectations. The good thing is “HE IS NOT DONE YET, RATHER I FEEL HE IS JUST BEGINNING”. Strategically, he has positioned himself in such a way that nothing can stop him now, I only fear that the institutions smarting from his truths do not take him out. And this is a rational and justified cause for concern as students of contemporary black history know only too well.
The album is a classic. Sound, repping the West, uniting the West, taking the Heart series back, G checkin niggas, storytelling, rapping in styles and w beats he never spit on before and not to mention… NO PROMO. CLASSIC.
It’s strange because while I agree that concept wise it’s not his most cohesive project (as an album experience, Mr Morale is my favourite), this is the album I’ve gone back to the most because to me, it’s just so addictive. I also love Wacced Out Murals, man at the garden, reincarnated, tv off, hey now, and basically the whole first half of the album. So, this is the Kendrick album that has gotten the most replays immediately upon release, but I can completely understand someone saying it’s his worst.
I love the energy, the production, what's being said...I will admit though, Kendrick needs to ease up on some of the weird vocal inflections. After too many it begins to be annoying to hear
ill never get the "judging it based on other Kendrick albums" arguments, do you like the album or not? you do or you don't, stop with these false equations
Kendrick IS the problem. He is literally everything that he blames Drake for. Dude been pretending to be Pac for the longest. It's gross at this point.
This album is a beautiful love letter to LA culture and music. 9/10
gas 🔥
totally agree even if i dont know shit about it! being a french guy 😂 i feel a 90’s cali vibe
did you come up with that yourself? /s
Thanks for the heart bob! Love hearing your thoughts. “Reclaiming hip hop from the evils of entertainment” - the summation of your trip down the “rabbit hole” is well-put. It’s funny because for an album that from the outset was self-identified as “not for lyricists, fuck a double entendre I want u to feel this shit”, it’s actually quite a poignant salient political statement. It’s anti corporate. It’s populist. It’s also nationalistic, as Drakes status as a non-American was frequently used on and off-wax as an argument for him being a “colonizer” of black culture (what we used to call a culture vulture).
And I get what you’re saying in general about the album not having as much of a coherent narrative and whatnot, feeling more like a collection of good songs. But when I remembered that “if this world were mine” by Luther Vandross was part of the soundtrack to “the wood”, and the car in menace 2 society was a gnx… I was like oh ok this is just a story told in a different way. It’s memory, and love for your past. It’s a celebration of all the things that bring a community together, like all the ppl whose parents played Debbie Deb and listened to Luther Vandross, whose childhoods were absolutely painted in the color of that place and time. That vibe. For someone not from LA it’s much less of a personal, cohesive feeling album, I would guess*. But I think Kendrick did that intentionally. I think given the context of the year with Drake and the rest of the industry, this is the best thing he could have done. Direct. Feel it in your bones. Dance to it. Bump it. Be proud of it. Because it’s our culture, and “we survived outside, all on the music.” < for those who truly understand what that means, this album is transcendent. And if he’s ever gonna make an album for his culture, and his people, to feel directly spoken to? Now is the perfect time to do that.
Kendrick said in the beginning of the album “fuck a double entendre I want y’all to feel this shit” and that’s pretty much the experience of GNX in a nutshell, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Not everything has to be a huge conceptual/ambitious spectacle, an album can simply just be a list of fun songs to listen to, and I really think a album like this is very much welcomed to be apart of Kendrick’s discography. He’s going back to his west coast roots and is proving he’s more than just a rapper who only raps about deep subject matter and the like.
Bingo 🎯
Fax
I feel like he was responding to Lupe with that. Admitting that lyrically he just ain't there.
@@thetruest7497no? Lyrically he's on the same level as Lupe lmao
@@goodguybrian9764 not even close. There's a million miles between Lu and Duckworth.
Comparatively, while I understand the shortcoming of not having those expected intricate overarching thematic elements; that’s why I enjoy this album so much. 12 tracks is concise and they are all so well balanced in the tracklist. You get every side of Kendrick we’ve come to love. Amazing performances, bangers, more melodic cuts, lyrical exercises etc. To me in 2024, this is the perfect Kendrick album and I think it may be superior to DAMN which structurally has similar DNA (pun intended). This album reads to me that Kendrick wanted a project with no B.S and a brief showcase of “this is why I am the greatest”.
Well put summary 👏🏾
I agree. While he’s always been great on a lyrical level - both here and on DAMN - I think the melodic sections are better on GNX.
GNX not better than DAMN
I have become somewhat addicted to this album. lol Especially after I heard it with some good headphones on. The production is amazing. I love the West Coast sound and miss it being relevant like it used to be when Hip Hop was more regional in the 90s/early 2000s. So that has been refreshing. It's nice to see Kendrick let loose, have fun, and make the rap album people have wanted from him for a long while. It still has a good message; he still holds his core values and integrity, but he is having fun. This is Kendrick removed from the self-doubt we see on Mr Morale and even albums before that. He is on a mission.
There is something on there for everyone. Though it seems much more surface-level than his past work, there is still a lot to unpack and dig into. I love how he is using his voice on this album as well. He sounds happy, and as if he isn't letting up anytime soon. I really appreciate this album because it's a Kendrick album I can throw on at ANY occasion. You can't say that for his other albums. His other albums are perfect to sit with and digest, which is amazing, but it's nice to have a more laid-back album that doesn't at all dip in quality. Is it my favorite? Eh, it's WAY too early to make that statement. But it is up there with GKMC and DAMN for me. It sounds so new, while also being nostalgic. It's aggressive while still being fun. Informative without being preachy. I just feel like it balances everything out so well.
At the same time, I can understand why people aren't all the way feeling it or think it's fine. It is a very distinct sound, and if that sound isn't for you, then it's understandable to not be as into it as others. But as someone who grew up in the 90s and 2000s hip hop, it's really refreshing to hear regional hip hop again with this album. It is SO West Coast. I suspect and hope we still get that more layered, Mr. Morale, TPAB Kendrick again in the future. But I also hope this isn't the last we hear from this Kendrick.
I hope you and anyone who happens to read this has a wonderful, safe and positive week!
GNX definitely has something for everyone 💯
This album is going to show how important it is to dots discography the longer it gets
Yeah
I personally think it’s great and rate it very highly in his discography, but it’s more important for the role it plays in his discography. I think he needed an album like this and it’s an incredible addition to his albums
GNX kinda feels like kendrick saying "THATS who I am" after explaining his time growing up (gkmc), his struggles within the temptations of the industry (tpab), his struggles to go towards faith (damn) and ofc his self reflection (mr morale). after all these deep concepts kdot is just presenting his roots and identity now and what he became after all these years in the industry, even giving a personal goodbye to black hippy and his other homies.
Wow. So many not feeling GNX. That is a banger and he lets some LA artists get some shine. The beat is eerie and dark. I love the GNX track. Peysoh and Hitta went hard.
the beat sucks, period.
It's the title track for a reason, it bangs.
One of the things i like about this album is that it's pretty down-to-earth and what i mean by that is it's notably less pandering to the pulitzer prize crowd and privileged detached music listeners who love to wax poetic about how kendrick is above these unsophisticated wretched rappers. He has embraced the success of Not Like Us and a big chunk of this album is kind of an extension of the statement of the song so i'm a fan of the statement he is trying to stick to and make with all the distinctly west coast influenced parts on this one.
Yeah I didn't really love the fact that the album isn't as conceptual but I still love this album just because of how well executed and consistent it is. It ranks higher than some of his more conceptual albums for me (like DAMN and Mr Morale) just because I feel like the tracklist is more consistent than those albums.
Bob you should consider checking out YG since you enjoy the mustard tracks, he pretty much dominates the production on My Krazy Life. YG is also a (B)Compton rapper and got co-signed by all the TDE guys a decade ago - I think you’d enjoy the sound of his albums
since you liked mos def's black on both sides i HIGHLY recommend you listening to The Ecstatic
it is incredibly inspired by mf doom, the beats are straight up perfect in many cases, having production from madlib, oh no and other samples, that album is such a trip, im surprised not many peopel talk about it, such a beautiul forgotten album
It's not as intricate as the others but there are some themes in the album.
Black Culture is a huge theme. He pays homage to so many that have inspired him. LA, rappers, r&b singers, his crew that he came up with (TDE). Another theme is that he was destined to be the Goat. Another is reincarnation.
It's actually interesting how he ties these themes into most of the songs. Totally different concepts but he did a great job of putting them together in one album.
I actually love this album a lot. I love rap all around, I grew up listening to the conscious side of rap and also the fun side of rap. Specifically in the mid 2000s which is why for me the album is so good I can appreciate the contrast of each song.
I just knew you would like it, but that was me having expectations. Not for everyone, but it definitely is my favorite ALBUM from him 9.9/10
Bob should’ve been a music appreciation professor
I still got time ;)
SMINO ALBUM THIS FRIDAY GET EXCITED BOB!!!
Let’s gooo Bob!
I think kendrick thought he was done after mmtbs. But it turns out he had "unfinished business" beyond just his self reflections that he needed to tend to, not sure if a higher calling, or a lower calling, but something calling back to him regardless.
I think it is Kendrick, but he's also Moses going through the two halves of Exodus. This one takes us through to Moses in wilderness after the tower of Babel. Next up would be Moses leading his people out of slavery in Egypt and the parting of the red sea.
!!!
It definitely feels like a response to "Watch the Party Die" in the form of a west coast/hip-hop album. The emphasis on sampling, interpolations, and regional sounds on GNX is like his effort to curate a playlist or bottle up a bit of history while sprinkling new sounds. I believe he leveraged his experiences from the feedback and recognition he received from TPAB v DAMN, and continued to morph the present and past of hip-hop for newer generations. I wondered if his strategy to spell it out to listeners (fuck a double entendre, I want you to feel this shit) was to captivate younger audiences, who did not grow up when hip-hop was at its peak. We're in a digital age where younger listeners might enjoy watching reactors pick a part the easter eggs in his music, and they might indulge in who he paid homage to (Luther Vandross, D4L, Ice-T, Nate Dogg, Pac, Biggie, regional hip-hop, etc. the list goes ON and ON). I 100% agree with Bob - It's bigger than Drake. It's about the future of hip-hop and continuing the legacies of the past.
Your take is spot on sir. Fools assume to be right, you keep an open mind you may be wrong, ironically the reason you tend to be correct. 👏🏾
I think this is a great interpretation of what Kendrick is trying to do. I think we may not understand the method to his madness just yet but his genius will be revealed in time with his next installment which I think will be here on December 13th
Bobby i want to express one last shout request for The Party Never Ends. I know its quite annoying everyone recommending all the time, but this one is special. It is a recent final album for a rapper who sadly overdosed and touched the heart of millions of people. I know you reviewed Goodbye & Good Riddance but thjs is nothing like it, Juice evolved over the years and became mature. I hope you will, ill watch your videos nonetheless. Cheers!🎉
Fill in the blank:
Bing bop boom boom boom bop bam
-__________________________-
The type of sht I’m on you wouldn’t understand
The type of skits I'm on you wouldn't understand.
I really appreciated Kendrick a lot more when he painted pictures so vividly thru his music that you would have a new perspective on life after the album.
Not really into the "Hey this is what hip hop should be" when there can be so many different types and genres of hip hop.
I like the deeper music, but if people wanna listen to Future and Metro who am I to tell them differently? And they aren’t wrong for doing so.
Maybe next album, he will get back to being one of a kind instead of preaching.
If felt almost like the suprise of it made it less of an “album” per se, not to say that it isn’t but it dropped out of nowhere and was shorter than the others so it give it less weight behind it
I 100% agree with your theory. I feel where you’re coming from on the many references to make sense of the theory. I think the lyrics to the gnx snippet music video is getting overlooked. I think it’s a “preface” to his gnx era.
Also him using The Roots’ “Next Movement” video as the backdrop for his squabble up music video. Makes you think there’s a mission behind this era.
Side note. It’s like he’s been expanding on multiple stories throughout his career. primary story been his relationship with God and everything else is a result of it.
there are theories around that kendricks trying to move pglang in a way pac tried with OneNation, especially since he was in NYC for such a long period of time.
When are you doing another billy woods?????
Hiding places plz😍
09:15 you get it bob, you really do. great review
Please react to Donda!!🙏🙏
He probably will soon. Can't wait for that.
Please Bob, we’re begging 🙏🏻
@@animalpenn-q5c especially during Christmas Time
Where is thoughts on Big Krit ?
I actually thought of yours "theory" when Kendrick posted a pic with Dave Free on IG in 2022 I think. Dave commented something like "New era approaching" and I vividly remember thinking, oh yeah Mr Morale was an album that laid a ground for everything thats to come in the future. Watch the party die basically confirmed that and GNX did it even more, especially intro song, man at the garden and reincarnated. Another album is basically a sure thing in my mind, probably after superbowl, before that he may release a deluxe or do some more with this. Also the way Drake has been moving lately and Diddy getting exposed finally, Kat Williams interview... It's very clear to me that Kendrick wants masks off from all the gatekeepers and "superstars" of Hip Hop, maybe even beyond that. All of this is just a theory still so maybe we are overthinking it too much. Kendrick is nevertheless putting a huge amount of pressure on him once again, but this time he seems like he is in a great headspace spiritually and mentally, physically as well and he is ready for whats to come
Yes. I think all will be revealed with the next album. It feels like he’s preparing us for a war that’s going to happen. I agree he is putting a lot of pressure on his self like I remember when ppl were calling him the savior of rap and now he’s actually embracing the title and trying to save hip hop and it’s going to cause a divide.
Hey, I know this is completely unrelated to the video but I would like to say how much I genuinely appreciate your videos and you as a person. I have been watching your reactions and additional thoughts alot and I really appreciate your insight that you give. It’s crazy how reaction content has become so bland and you are a definite standout!
Also I have a question; what was your reaction to THE GHOST~POP TAPE by Jpegmafia? It has become my favorite album of all time and would love a reaction to it but I assume you’ve heard it by now as you said you would on your OFFLINE! Reaction I believe.
Will you do the next three six mafia album?
Gnx has that pen table tapping type beat and I love it lmao
Praying Bob will react to some E L U C I D lyrics from haram or diabetic test strips his bald dome will explode and I'll love every moment. Keep up the awesome work Uncle Bobby!
0:50 this album wasnt for you …and the fans that put KDot in a box ….this for all the nay sayers about how he rap what he rap about and what beats he rappinn… ” fuck being rational giving what they asking for”…..”fuck double entendres I want ya’ll to feel this shit” #Notreallyaalbummorelikeamixtape
He's not really naysaying. It's just not what he was expecting/hoping for. Nothing wrong with that but what you're doing here is weird
Lets get it: Thug motivation 101 by jeezy would be dope
Anyone ever notice Bob has the same thumbnail for every "Additional Thoughts" video lol.
Agreed, it’s a great mixtape and a good album
Totally agree
Hey man I just discovered your channel, but I wanted to ask if you react to some Lana del Rey albums, and by seeing your videos your very into hip hop so I’d say you could start with her debut album ”Born to die the paradise edition”(2011,2012,2013),truly a classic from the early 2010s or even “Lust for Life” her 2017 album which is basically the cousin of Born to die very, hip hop and pop album with features from Asap rocky to The Weeknd , or even her Album “Ultraviolence the deluxe edition”(2015), which has a lot of guitar and drums and its also a masterpiece , and also id think it would be nice to see you and your wife react to Lanas two very highly praised albums “Norman Fucking Rockwell” (2019) and “Did you know that theres a tunnel under ocean blvd” (2023), ( ocean blvd will no joke break you down, such a beautifully written and produced album that has made many cried just with the first song) which were both nominated for album of the year and sadly lost even tho they were praised by many critics for how good and revolutionary they are, but yeah id think it would be nice seeing that and also your wife would definitely love Lana but i also feel like you would like her music because she’s like the female version of frank ocean or The Weeknd and she’s also very experimental like no joke you will not see what’s coming even if you think you know what’s the sound pattern for the album or and idea of it its so different like Tyler the creator, so id say you would like her music but who knows that’s why I’m recommending for you to react to her music , also she has other albums like “Honeymoon” very jazz, James Bond, Billie Holiday and cinematic, “ Chemtrails over the country club”(2020,2021), a folky pop album that reminds me a lot of NFR and finally “Blue Banisters”(2021), which is very folk pop, jazz and 1 song she plays with the country sound ( she also has 1 song in Chemtrails that she plays with the country sound) , and also she just announced her new album “ The right person will stay” (2025) (originally named lasso and what set for September 2024 but she postponed it) which is country but her touch of country, and she’s also the blue print for many artist like Billie Eilish, but yeah hopefully you read my comment and maybe hopefully my very simple description of her albums catches your attention and intrigues you enough to react to one of her albums.
I think I've already listened to GNX more than Mr Morale, and I like it more than DAMN. It's his best since TPAB for me. It's an album experience, not everything has to be conceptual.
Bob please listen to Imaginal Disk by Magdalena Bay. Prog pop at its peak
2:18 Exactly how I feel about DAMN. honestly.
24 mins sheesh dropped this while im at work too 👍
Your opinion about drake being a part of the problem is correct. Kendricks Watch the party die, explains that. Its not drake, it's the industry. GNX theme is the last song Gloria, his pen. Its a mexican singer is the pen throughout the album. Gloria in spanish is glory. His pen is giving him the glory after winning the battle. The first song she sings, I feel your presence and begin to cry. Basically, she feels, like your reaction said, waking up the monster and the pen feels the anger and how far he can take it to save hiphop from the industry. Well that's my take on it. GNX, is my least fav also, but its still a great album. He put it out to show you can still put out a album of hits, without loosing your integrity. If this album does what he expects, he will drop a album that were acostum to. If not, I feel like it's going to be wacced out murals 2.0. You can tell gnx was done recent and does not include songs hes been working on. Theres a leaked song Abortion Money that is 10/10 you should definitely react to. You got to do it in your own time because it gets taken down. I found it on SoundCloud.
You are definietly on to something with this theory. You should check out "The Bigger Picture" podcast that includes Kendricks DJ, DJ Hed. The latest episode his dicussed some of ehat Kendrick has planned for the next few years.
Yo, could you do an album called X & Sex by OsamaSon? He's not too popular yet but I really enjoy his music and would like to hear your thoughts on it, and for you to dissect it. I really enjoy your content keep it up!!
I felt like that after one listen, but after several, it's a 9/10 for me. It's so easy to listen to it front to back anytime for me. It's better than DAMN and MMATBS to me.
I will always have a soft spot for MMATBS because of the healing it gave me at the time as I was going through a lot. That’s what music is supposed to do, to make you feel something and hopefully to heal. So I agree with you on that. But TPAB and DAMN are the two I listen to the most, especially on a road trip. However, when at home, locked up in my man cave with no distractions, Mr Moral is permanently on and frankly, it hits hard every single time. It is like I learn something new every time. The only rapper apart from Pac that makes me feel deeply introspective, as hard as it is to confront your flaws especially as a man who believes in morality and principles and self dignity/respect.
it probably took Kendrick a lot of effort to not put effort in an album. i thought it was great
Yo you should listen to Gemini rights by Steve lacy
Need a review on EA2
May you react to Snoop Doggs Doggystyle? It’s one of my favorite rap albums
This album is flawless for me all 12 tracks are slappers
HEY NOW SAY NOW
IM ALL ABOUT MY YEN
BIG-FACE BUDDHA
GET MY PEACE FROM WITHIN
Not crazy ramblings, I believe you are absolutely correct in your assessment of where Kendrick is at. Though I personally love every single track including GNX, but not at first listen. It grew on me and while it seems at first that there’s no common theme, it’s there culturally, historically (in the beats and reference tracks), politically and most importantly IMO, morally. Hip hop used to mean something but now it’s all about the debauched and immoral lifestyle that is used as a stereotype for black culture, a narrative pushed by the industry run by white corporate suits as a form of cultural debasement which hip hop was originally created to combat, providing an outlet for social and political expression for a culture ravaged by drugs, violence and vices against its own people and funded by government agencies. It is a struggle that is real to Kendrick and was the main reason for going independent. Can he do it alone? Of course not, but he is in the position to make a push for change and others, both artists and non artists with a platform willing to crash out on behalf of the culture and the need for real change in our communities, it just might be enough to achieve the rebirth of hip hop and our values as a community. Contrary to the popular narrative, Our Art and Our People Are More Than Hoes Twerking, Pimping, Drugs, Dollar Signs, Fast Cars, Gold Chains and Black on Black Violence. Our art is powerful, spiritual at an elemental level, providing strength and healing in times of deep distress and oppression. It was crafted in pain, yet exudes joy and peace, accompanying our ancestors all the from Africa and enabling them to sing and dance in the cotton fields and under the lash. We have had Soul, Jazz, R&B, Rock and the Blues stolen from us and now the only genre still attributed to our people is being watered down and intentionally made unrecognisable in an attempt to take it away from us as well. It has been happening for the past 15 years or more, gradually and insidiously, and some of us recognised what was happening. Personally, I listened only to Pac until Kendrick’s Good Kid Maad City. Only then did I see a light at the end of the tunnel. He Had Everything and So Much More, my only fear was if he will be able to stay true to his core self and I am so happy he has surpassed even my expectations. The good thing is “HE IS NOT DONE YET, RATHER I FEEL HE IS JUST BEGINNING”. Strategically, he has positioned himself in such a way that nothing can stop him now, I only fear that the institutions smarting from his truths do not take him out. And this is a rational and justified cause for concern as students of contemporary black history know only too well.
The album is a classic. Sound, repping the West, uniting the West, taking the Heart series back, G checkin niggas, storytelling, rapping in styles and w beats he never spit on before and not to mention… NO PROMO. CLASSIC.
NFR NAME DROP FOR THE WIN
You need to react to death race for love by juice wrld.
8/10 …he went straight west coast …slow down and dumb down lyrics …but yet still saying a lot …too dope!!
Hell Hath No Fury by Clipse please. 😅
I'm still bumpin it. But I'm from LA. It's hella westcoast. He gave us some shit to walk to and ride to 🏁💙🏁 The only track I skip is "GNX."
Its a 7.5/10 for me. I think its in the same tier than DAMN and I think DAMN is a little better as an album.
LISTEN TO MORE DEATH GRIPS PLEASE
Video 6 of asking for Alternative Trap by LUCKI
you don't think he'd tear a picture of the pope on stage do you?
great video i want a reaction from you from lil wayne rock album rebirth
The song GNX also has not grown on me lol. love the rest of the album
Cool beans
DONDA DONDA DONDA
DID SHE FINALLY COME TO LIFE
Day 423 of waiting for Bob to review his favorite Death Grips album, The Powers That B
Video 120 asking bob to listen to MIKE - Burning desire
🎉🎉🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💯💯💯💯💯
You got to react to you’re the only one watching by MIKE
Peekaboo
React to juice wrld new album the party never ends please 🙏
It’s strange because while I agree that concept wise it’s not his most cohesive project (as an album experience, Mr Morale is my favourite), this is the album I’ve gone back to the most because to me, it’s just so addictive. I also love Wacced Out Murals, man at the garden, reincarnated, tv off, hey now, and basically the whole first half of the album. So, this is the Kendrick album that has gotten the most replays immediately upon release, but I can completely understand someone saying it’s his worst.
I love the energy, the production, what's being said...I will admit though, Kendrick needs to ease up on some of the weird vocal inflections. After too many it begins to be annoying to hear
you gotta react on a playboi carti live performance pls, it is legendary
An objective classic.
Lyrically his worst but sonically one of his best. Just as good or maybe even better than Damn.
I like this after Good Kid Mad City. I say this as a non-Kendrick fan. He just doesn't do it for me sonically. GNX is the worst song.
It was a decent album, it's nothing special. 7/10
React to Xxxtentacion’s ? Album, that one is classic
People are gonna hate on everything who cares
ill never get the "judging it based on other Kendrick albums" arguments, do you like the album or not? you do or you don't, stop with these false equations
This is a niche project. It’s about LA. It’s not that deep.
You all just cant recognize greatness in the moment.
Can we please get a donda reaction soon?
please react to AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP 🙏🙏
Please react to juice wrld new album
donda?
Peekaboo & GNX are the worst tracks but every other song is amazing, so much replayability compared to his other albums
4/10
Bad Album no doubt Kendrick’s Worst album
Kendrick IS the problem. He is literally everything that he blames Drake for.
Dude been pretending to be Pac for the longest. It's gross at this point.
Will you react to The Party Never Ends by Juice WRLD?🎉🕊️
Like I’m really dying for your reaction, I would actually pay you money for it, that’s how bad I want it 🥹
first
to me, 5/10