We appreciate the acknowledgement guys! We LOVE to see the open minded mindset spreading. Lean on your subs and they will guide you through the 'lyrical terrain' in Rap. Great job and good luck with the channel!
Thanks guys! We love your videos, and your metal reactions have reminded me of why I love metal in the first place. If we can inspire similar responses from rap fans with our videos, then it will be worth it. We're just 2 old metal dudes having fun.
When you said this is like a movie you were absolutely correct. His album is actually called 'good kid maad city, a short film by kendrick lamar', this song is in the middle of the album and it makes more sense of you listen to the whole album, each song is a different scene in the movie. Kendrick isn't a gangster rapper though, but this song is supposed to be the centre of the album, painting a picture of the crazy scenes in Compton. He's more of a storyteller, he's very poetic and introspective with most of his music
Y’all are so disconnected with Hip Hip culture that it’s honestly refreshing. I love that you guys are taking the time out to peek into the culture. Much respect
I recommend "Sing about me, I'm dying of thirst" by Kendrick lamar as others have recommended. Before you do listen, however I suggest listening to "Keisha's song", by the same artist, since its referenced in his track and is important to the story and narrative he paints on "Sing about me, i'm dying of thirst". now on to "M.A.A.D City", the second half he starts off with " Fresh outta school 'cause I was a high school grad." I feel like he does this to resemble a young men, hence why his voice sounds as if its cracking. Roscrans is a street in Compton. I'm a hip hop head, but I always try to expand my musical palette, so I will subscribe and hope to be introduced to some quality metal music.
If you want to try bridge the gap and find some metal, you have got to start with rage against the machine. They're the perfect blend of metal and hip hop
“Where yo grandma stay”, a lot of black and Hispanics tend to live or visit grandmas house. In other words, they’re trying to find out where you live. Rosecrans is a main Street in Compton. Loving this outside perspective on rap. You guys should give Nas’ “NY state of mind” from his Illmatic album.
Inscape Imagery...your kinda right but not really. It relates to location and whether that person being asked is local to the area. If their grandma or mother doesn't live in that area - well that means they are a stranger, and they shouldn't be in that area. In fact the point relates to another track on the album about Kendrick being beaten up because he was in an area he shouldn't have been cos he was trying to meet a girl. In actual fact, the girl set him up. Hence the very end of this track where the voices voices are telling him to stop feeling sorry for himself and take a sip of the alcohol to numb the pain of the ass wiping he took. It's a accustic cinematic album. A masterpiece of writing. Some people take the stories to literally. Like Kendrick killing a person at 16... ffs. Lol its a story about a hypothetical character. Exactly like Nas' illmatic as you referenced.
Nah...Rohan is right. They are asking to see if you are from a rival block. It's like they are checking your credentials...are they authorized to hang out on that block.
Inscape Imagery well kinda its just like where yo momma stay and if you dont have one then they say where yo daddy stay and if no then finally they say grandma and if you dont answer you usually get jumped
I don't disagree that hip hop is amazing, but that is not why it is so popular right now. The pop culture of the US revolves around rap, making it the new and cool genre. New school artists are combining melodic pop with rap to make it even more accessible to people, however this has become the most popular type of hip hop, which usually lacks a message and creativity
Yahshua Israel yeah I understand that and that's what I like about the video but I would also like them to see what others believe the artist is saying
AuroraPhoton very good suggestion. What a lot of people that aren't used to listening to rap or hip, or haven't grown up on it, don't realize is that your ear isn't necessarily trained to hear all the lyrics clearly. So you are more likely to miss the message and all of the clever lines or punchlines and what not.
The beginning lyrics including the "Where your grandma stay" part are in the perspective of gang members cornering a new kid on the block, asking where he's from and if he's got roots there. If he is staying with his grandma then where is she staying? Cuz if you arent from here, be prepared to empty your pockets.
It’s not even gang members doing that all the time, if you go to a hood and people don’t know you in that hood you’re going to asked that question. Especially in California. It’s just how things are out here take it from someone who has experienced this personally
“Where your grandma stay” is a question you would ask someone to figure out where there from because it usually for correlates to what gang your a part of.
Not entirely. It's a threat, basically. It's a question usually followed by "where are YOU from?" As in, "if you don't tell us where you're from, then you better tell us where your family from." (Saying they will kill your family, if you don't let us know what gang you are apart of or live near.) That's why they say grandma, not someone like a cousin, brother, dad, etc. No one wants their grandma shot, so they would rather tell whoever is interrogating them where he lives and suffer the possible consequences, rather than telling some violent strangers where his grandma lives and she would be suffering the consequences of his actions.
Michael is wrong. “Where your grandma stay” means where ever she is staying, then that’s where the person he is talking to would be because that’s how some people live where Kendrick is from. They live with their parents and grandma because of the cost of living. So Michael is wrong. This is not asking about gangs or anything like that.
Michael Schaefer I heard this shit growing up when I was young, it literally means "where you stay? With ya grandmoms? See y'all tonight w the strap" it ain't fun lmao
Gangsta rap, while some rappers are glorifying the lifestyle, a lot of them are talking about it's violence but their intention is that it's a negative thing. Kendrick's album is about the violence of his childhood. M.A.A.D means "My Angels on Angel's Dust" or "My Angry Adolescence Divided", the track is about how violent Compton is and he's referencing the history of his city. The album tells a non-linear story starting with near the end and then reaching that end again by the end of the album, making references to the history of his city, his life, and events that happened to his family. You HAVE to listen to this album repeated times to be able to grasp everything he says. Both of you noticing that it's like a movie is actually the intention, the cover of the album says "A short film by Kendrick Lamar", similarly his first release "Section .80" is supposed to sound like a book, and his third album is supposed to sound like a letter. I implore you to listen to his whole discography, especially, To Pimp a Butterfly (His third album) because his lyrics and how his songs perform sonically is very dense and enlightening. Also, Piru and Rosecrans are both notorious streets in the city. Piru street is where the bloods are from, where as Rosecrans is just known because of how violent it has been throughout the years.
@@adfeas Tru but I think now I'd say more the bits he wrote for Tupac is like a prose-poem & the overall album is a series of vignettes looking at different aspects of black culture & Kendrick's life experience.
As a metalhead myself, i feel that "Alright" or "How much a dollar cost" are much better gateways to getting into Kendricks music. He is a very talented artist and I hope you find the time to explore more of his output.
mos0 yea Mad City is a pretty hard and agressive song that would turn off most people unfamiliar with rap but once you get into it its really damn good
Not nearly as accessible as most songs on Good kid, maad city. I think Sing About Me (I’m dying of thirst) is a great song to show you what he is all about. His best song in my opinion.
“Where’s you grandma?” he was speaking in the point of view of a gang member who was interrogating him for being on the wrong street. he wanted to know where Kendrick was from so he asked him where his family stays at.
In my teen years I was super elitist and refused to listen to anything that wasn't metal, but over the last decade i got into non mainstream rap and man there is some amazing shit out there. It made me realise there are gems in every single music genre you just have to find it. I can't do dubstep though I tried
haha Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that's awesome. no, he was refering to Rosecrans Avenue which is a street in Los Angeles. props for keeping it literary tho
I might be a bit late on this but hopefully I can fill in some blanks for you. You're so right about the song feeling like a movie. The entire Good Kid m.A.A.d city album is one long story, not all of it is as aggressive and violent as this song. I would love to see you react or discuss the entire album, as it's best listened to as an album, at least for your first listen so you understand the story. Listening to one song by itself is like watching 5 minutes of a movie in the middle. It's kinda cool but you're not getting the big picture. It's A LOT better as an album, one of the greatest of all time. The Rosecrans reference isn't to Shakespeare, but simply to a street named Rosecrans in Compton, though it's probably named that after Shakespeare. The "Where your grandma stay" is because of the gangs in Compton, they ask where he's from, not who he knows, where is grandma lives because if it's a neighbourhood they don't like they'd kill him. Note that this is a commentary on how stupid such behaviour is. These gang members think they run the city but in reality they're just caught up in the same system as the rest of a lot of black people in America, being marginalized and oppressed. ( Intentionally or not it's happening, Ronald Reagan sure was intentional about it ) In fact they're unknowingly holding the rest of their neighbourhoods back or holding the cul-de-sac hostage as Kendrick puts it. Since their violence begets more violence, both from the police and other gangs. m.A.A.d city stands for Me an Angel on Angel Dust, referencing Kendrick smoking a joint that he didn't know was laced with PCP, some other references to this in this song as well as in other songs on this album. BG's means Baby Gangsta, which is slang for a new recruit in a gang. As both a rap fan and a metal fan it's really cool to see you approach rap with an open mind. I definitely would love to see more.
Also a hip hop metal head. Nice to see there are more of us out there. Only line overlooked in the break down is "the fuck you shootin for if you ain't walkn up you fuckn punk" which is straight up fire and gangsta as shit. I also like the second half cause it drops back into straight up 90's gangsta shit with the beat, though particularly the outro which is just as g'funk as anything. It makes you wish for the 90's again but reminds us to embrace the progression. At this point I was sold on Kendrick and dug up his back catalogue and mix tapes.
This was exactly what I was thinking while watching, this content is great and I’m not a metal head but have friends who are that I show good rap music to, Kendrick is a story teller, and a remarkable lyricist. I listen to this album all the time, and what I hope is that you will take an hour and see his story through this album. It’s very interesting and you find ways to connect with the music. Each track will cause you to feel a different emotion. I love seeing what someone who has an open mind to arguably an opposite taste of music thinks of this. I think you would enjoy the album but two things I would like to share. Each of his albums tells a different story, To Pimp a Butterfly, and DAMN. Have different feels, it’s why he’s considered one of the best. It’s a lot of diversity and creativity from the same person. And secondly I will warn you that as a fan of GOOD rap, there is a lot of nonsensical, and not understandable music today that is “mainstream” with very little meaning. But if you stay along these lines you will find the brightest and most enticing version of rap there has been. (Just my opinion)
Pirus are a set of the bloods gang. The beginning "where your grandma stay" is supposed to demonstrate that when a gang member approaches you intending to commit violence, (where you from, where do you stay, where does your grandma live etc.) they don't really leave you any ways to de-escalate the confrontation. BG's are baby gangsters, Rosecrans Ave is a street in Compton well known for gang activity. The album has a theme that spans several tracks- Kendrick took his parents van and went to meet a girl -Sherane- and was jumped when he arrived, his friends later went to retaliate and one of his friends brothers is killed in the altercation.
Someone Else -- Pirus. The Pirus, also known as Piru Street Family and Piru Street Boys (PSB), are a Los Angeles street gang alliance based in Compton, but also present in the cities of Carson, Inglewood, Hawthorne, San Diego, Fresno, Santa Barbara and Watts. Piru sets make up most of the original Blood Alliance in Los Angeles.
creed -- I think the first mention is word play: Kendricks context is about leaving/abandoning the neighborhood and in Hamlet When their ship is attacked by pirates, Hamlet returns to Denmark, leaving Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to die; he comments in Act V, Scene 2 that "They are not near my conscience; their defeat / Does by their own insinuation grow"
Alot of kids in the ghetto are raised by their grandma. So hes basically asking what neighborhood hes from so he can asses wether he is from the same gang or not.
Where are you guys from? Holy crap, I'm a metal head but I totally relate to everything Kendrick Lamar raps about. That was my neighborhood. I love metal but damn, he nailed 90s neighborhoods
@@BloodClanResurrection saw my first person getting shot when I was 4 in Oakland , homie was trying to jack a car stereo on the side street my fire escape looked down own, watched the owner come out put the gun to his head and pull the trigger…… Oakland in the 90’s was fucking insane
This is a respectful and tasteful - from one genre to another. To have an open-mind in music, especially when you are masters at one genre, says a lot about your musical spirit. Exceptional idea on your end guys.
Although this isn’t a gangsta rap album, he talks about how he was raised and grew up in that environment, through the perspective of well, a good kid under the influence of a “maad city”. I strongly suggest listen to the album from top to bottom. (i also strongly appreciate and respect open mindedness, keep it up guys)
It's funny you catch all the references to violence but don't catch any of the lines where he's condemning it, it's not gangster rap it's conscious. Very astute point saying it feels like a movie though, the whole album from start to finish is a story about him when he was younger and plays like a movie if you follow it.
Callum Mellis since it’s hip hop they assume it’s all about violence and promoting negative activity, while metal singers biting bat heads and worship Satan lol
@@BluJay_333 I mean there’s nothing wrong with what metal guys do but also rap artists aren’t always promoting the violence we had to experience as younger people. It’s the most difficult thing to get into white peoples heads , just because they talk about it doesn’t mean they are promoting it
Kendrick Lamar "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" He raps in two different people's perspectives on the first two verses: a male friend of his and the sister of a deceased prostitute, respectively. For the third verse and on, he speaks/ raps from his own perspective, responding to them and contemplating life and death. [You need the backstory of the second verse on that song, and for that, it's all told in another song of his: "Keisha's Song". I don't want to ruin it (which, with what I said above, I probably already did), so I recommend you listen to it; or at the very least, read the lyrics. It's extremely poetic, but the metaphors and references are pretty straightforward still.]
Chill, they are just getting into hip-hop, that song still fly over many heavy hip hop heads till this day. That song is way too lyrical for beginners, with it probably being Kendrick's best constructed song (which is really saying a lot if you know his discography). Baby steps for now
The point you made about it feeling like a movie was spot on. The whole album actually tells a story and Kendrick is considered one of if not the greatest story telling rapper of all time. But anyway listen to "Sing About Me,I'm Dying Of Thirst" next please!
Do people actually consider Kendrick the greatest storyteller? These young bloods need to get on some Slick Rick or Big Daddy Kane or any old school shit
Omi Wan Nas is my personal pick as best rapper of all time but I don't know if he's the best storyteller. I can't really think of any great story tracks by him.
I liked this. I think a lot of the context gets missed when the song is listened to separately from the album like this, but I felt that the perspective y’all brought was interesting and fresh. I hope you guys do more!
Thanks. We've been hearing a lot in the comments about this song being a part of a greater whole, and it's funny because we both view metal in the same way. We both enjoy listening to full metal albums rather than just single songs, and there are lots of examples of songs that are good when sampled alone, but are better when experienced as part of listening to the entire album. When I think of my favourite metal, I think in terms of albums and not songs.
Aaaleksa McNatur I agree, the best song for people new to rap is one that tells a story because it makes it easier to follow along. Even better when they have a meaning behind it, like Nas' song "I gave you power"
Also rosecrans is an area in Compton. And Pirus is another word for bloods. And when he’s talkin about where you from where your grandma stay ect. He’s talkin about how even though you may not claim any gang, gang members will still press you for where your from of where your family is from in regards to gang territory
RealDeadOne it's also not in first person. He's speaking about the mindset of the people in the neighborhood. It's not gangsta rap. He's painting the picture of his hood. But he's not a gangsta rapper. Gangsta rapper promote a lifestyle. He's not promoting just painting a picture. He's saying that his desire is to have the gangs get along and since his subject matter, him critiquing the mindset of the hood that the gangs will actually join up to get him. Kind of like being a sacrificial lamb to stop the violence. I'm from the era of old school hip hop. I can help you with old and new music from a chronological, genre and break down the pov if you need assistance
I've always said this album is a pure masterpiece, and yes it is like a movie, it just sucks people don't listen to the whole album, shit I damn near cried at the end of this album
Listened to the whole album about 50 times over during the summer of 2013 while taking care of sporting fields all day. This album is what every other rapper should inspire to. Not Kendrick's technique or sound but the he tells a story through a whole album is simply artful.
to be fair, GKMC is a concept album so they probs gotta listen to the whole album to properly appreciate the whole thing instead of just a single track
the brown haired dude looks uncomfortable like hes confronted with something that he believes to not be real like "this still cant be going on this isnt what normal rap sounds like i expected something stupid" especially when he said "i just wanted to listen to normal rap and if this is it. or when he said this is what i expected from rap
Rosecrans is a street in Los Angeles where the burger joint is at. The burger joint reference from the first verse is where Kendrick saw a light skinned nigga wit his brains blown out. Rosecrans is also named after William Rosecrans the famous American inventor. Maad City is also known as hub city but its Compton! Mc Eiht the guest rapper is from a gang called the crips. Kendrick is from the same city but from a gang called the bloods. The song showcases perspectives from both sides. It has real effects not only on record but in the streets. It’s not just a song it’s a call to action for the streets to come together. And both sides have benefited since.
Where your grandma stay is asked to someone you don’t recognize in your hood. So you are asking to see why they are in your hood and who do they know. If you don’t know anyone in that hood, you should not be in that hood. (Per LA street politics)
Kendrick is not a "gangsta rapper", but he is a rapper who raps about his experiences around gangsters and growing up in Compton. Just for clarification. He has no beefs with east coast rappers or anyone, really.
This song specifically is as conscious as gangsta rap gets. Its talking about what he went through in a negative light really. Hes not bragging. Hes saying that this shit is real.
Rosecrans is the name of a street here in compton so is alondra and bullis. M.a.a.d city is an acronym for “made me an angel on angel dust” .mad city is also saying that compton is a crazy (mad) city. Btw the grandma thing (like asking where his family members are at) is that they will kill his family members, so they wanna know where they(kendricks family) stays.
Also an acronym for 'my angry adolescence divided' :) As for the grandma thing, I think it's more 'fuck who you know, where you from'. Asking where his grandma lives proves his history in the neighbourhood.
A Fuentes makes sense to me. Like the first scene from straight outta Compton where easy threatened the guy, that if he doesn’t return alive and with money, they’re gonna kill his grandma. And then you know...the swat busted in and all dat happened
If you're going to listen to Kendrick Lamar, I would recommend listening to to the entire Good Kid MAAD city album from beginning to end, no skipping any seconds. Then do a review! You'll probably love it!
khaos2nd Agreed, especially after the comment on how the song felt like a movie, Wich is the whole feeling in the entire album. They might get a better understanding of Kendrick's intent and message that way.
That moment of "progression" as you call it is one of the simplest yet most memorable moments in modern hip hop. The beat, lyrics and chorus in the second part of the song is a 'throw back' to 90s West coast hip hop and the first part of the song is representative of modern hip hop. It's so simple yet so clever and unique and it's a fascinating song to pull apart and dissect. It's like the song shifts backwards two decades during the TV static sound. My personal favourite part is MC Eiht's reference to Warren G's Regulate track, a hip hop classic, "mount up, regulators in the whip!". For someone who studies and dissects hip hop it's a moment that gives me the chills. Kendrick is an absolute genius and modern poet and you couldn't pick a better artist to start with. Lupe Fiasco is another incredible lyricist and storyteller.
As a guy that grew up on metal and now a major hip hop head I really appreciate this. You've gained a subscriber in me and I think you've found a nice formula here. It's good to see genres crossing and being appreciated by other people. Please do more!!
I think it's the best way! My dad had me playing blues and pink floyd on the guitar but I didn't care for it. Now I'm older and I've got all that exposure to so many different genres of music I can appreciate a much wider spectrum of artists/bands
Ash cool,I liked rap in my early teens then I heard Cypress Hill and Limp Bizkit and realised I like aggressive riffs,so my fav group is Megadeth now.I still like rap music,but don't listen to it so much because I feel it lacks that true "street" feeling of Tupac and Biggie.I did like early 50 cent tho.
"Where your grandma stay" Black people in usa tend to be raised by their grandmas so they love w their grandmas. Kendrick is from compton which is the mecca of modern day gang culture (crips and bloods etc) Gangs in Compton are separated in blocks. So if you are from a certain block you might be from another gang, maybe opposing. So asking where your grandma stay at = where are you from = which gang do you represent damn there's so much more to explain Kendrick is cunning and clever with his words.
+Kenneth Martin So you're the fucking media for all black youth? SHut the fuck up you dumbfuck smh it's literal stats. Mass incarceration plagued america.
Duh... the song is about Lucifer. The way he tries to creep and prey on you when you're at your most vulnerable. He doesn't join up with Lucy in the song... he just displays how the devil has tried to tempt him.
I know that you guys probably won't but as two guys trying to appreciate music, I definitely recommend you give the whole album a listen. I think your perspective on it would make for a great discussion in a youtube video. Right now, your basically reading one random page from a book and trying to make sense of it. This album is a story about a day in the life of a 17-year-old Kendrick Lamar in Compton, CA. It's a masterpiece. Here's what this particular song is about taken from Genius: This track is Kendrick’s thoughts after getting jumped and when his friends come to get him. Kendrick is completely sobered up from the “thug life” and realizes he is not a gang banger, he is a “good kid” in a mad city. Kendrick Lamar is considered to be "gangster conscience" because he comes from a really bad neighborhood and raps about it but managed to overcame all that with a positive message for those still having to live that life. They teach classes on his second album "To Pimp A Butterfly" which is all about black empowerment with inspirations from Jazz and funk. George Clinton is featured on the album.
If you couldn't tell by now, Good Kid M.A.A.D City is a concept album. The whole thing cover to cover tells a story. This song in particular tells about the violence in Compton, and the repercussions of said violence. He grew up surrounded by violence and was taught that the only answer to violence is more violence. I think you guys should do a video relistening to this song with some research behind.
Yeah he was telling a story about how a girl set someone up cus she was with a rival gang and this song is the part all about the violence that comes with that adhd was the song bout him gettin set up
Really? This video just proves how out of touch white culture is with black culture. They literally couldn't connect any of the lyrics with any significance. White people don't understand the culture and this just shows how far we are from ending racism.
+Michael Klein Thats how understanding works. You experience other culture so you learn. Id rather focus on the progress rather than the lack of. 30 years ago metalheads would have never done this. Progress takes time
Michael Klein Well here are 2 white dudes who are trying to listen and understand the culture by listening to them with unbiased opinion. Peace comes through understanding.
How can you expect everyone to understand lyrics which are inherently cryptic, both black and white Americans probably wouldn't understand all the lyrics in European hip-hop because the culture is different. You can't expect Canadian metal heads to fully understand lyrics written by a black man from Compton, they don't have any reference points. The point is there trying to appreciate Hip-Hop.
The line about the grandma is that usually in the hood when you're a new person on the block and no one knows you. They usually ask where you, your parents, your friends or grandma stays. If they know any of your people then you're good but if they don't then they want to see exactly where you came from is up to their standards. Like can you fight or are you loyal enough to the people you know to not tell on them
John Ritter and some Drew Carey and that nerd/metal standup comedian. Forgot his name, I like him. Last name starts with “P.” But the comedian is more bald than the others.
@@MetalbyteMedialol I first saw this video YEARS ago and just saw someone share a clip on tiktok and came back to it. It’s a great video, people are still loving it clearly
This is already becoming my favorite channel lol but I recommend Mobb Deep" Shook Ones PT.II " or Nas "N.Y. State of Mind" they're both classic Hip Hop songs (mid 90's) that I think will showcase Hip Hop in that time period. (On the east coast anyway, because sounds vary on where it was made, East and West coast especially.)
Exactly. Everybody who is suggesting new stuff has no clue how this works. You gotta start with the golden age. The best. The fundamentals. The heart. Then you can expand.
I always love when metalheads have an open mind. Rap/Hip Hop and Heavy Metal are two genres that are share a lot more qualities than people want to admit. I mean, both genres have been accused of causing violence in youth, so there's that 😂.
I also think that both genres are not very mainstream and people don't get it. I mean, if you're really into metal or hiphop and don't just listen to the popluar "not so extreme" stuff. ;D
plantifulalexandra hip-hop is like the most mainstream genre though lol. It's pop now. Even Miley "raps" now smh. In the 80's-early 90's, it wasn't as mainstream but was still popular and rising.
"Where your grandma stay?" Is a question asked on the street so people know what hood you're from If your grandma lived in the wrong hood they'll dust you. Gangs were run through turf
Mike O. No, they just wanna know where your grandma stays because in the inner cities a lot of gang bangers were raised by their grandma, & their grandmas house will let them know what hood their from, & what gang they are affiliated to
M.A.A.D has 2 meanings 1) My Angry Adolescence Divided, as in this album is his adolescent year divided into all of the songs 2) My Angles on Angel Dust, which is tied to a story told on the song where the first blunt he smoked was laced with cocaine and had him “foaming at the mouth”
Angel Dust is similar to Cocaine when you look at it, but it fucks you up even more and has you running around like you're seeing ghosts. There is always a misconception on whither it's cocaine or angel dust since they look similar and some angel dust do come out yellow from what I've seen. People tend to lace blunts with cocaine in parties to give people a bigger high or to fuck wit someone, someone prolly put angel dust in it instead of Cocaine and it fucked him up.
Really racism been around for centuries because 2 white reviewing rap music will not end racism it's always going to exist until they we died and beyond.
"Kendrick Lamar - How Much A Dollar Cost" Is a really good song for getting to know what Kendrick is about and what kinda stories he want to tell with his music. (This song was President Obamas favorite song of 2015 FYI)
Good reaction but I hope you don't think that this is a stereotypical rap song just talking about guns and stuff, he's telling a story of what its like growing up in compton from his perspective.
lol This whole album is about him going to see a girl, that sent him a nude pic to come over, and a "rival" neighborhood set him up jumped him, they went back with his "crew" and his brother got killed which led him to find "god" well atleast thats my fast summary! DOPE ALBUM
Great video, but I would consider “Gangsta Rap” to be more bragging about being a so called gangster. Kendrick Lamar’s purpose in rap was more to inform and affect change.
TheRealThor1800 FTW Kendrick does have a gangsta rap style, but he raps for a better purpose. Although I do agree with you on the fact that trap is brag rap too, I would say that gangsta rap is almost a more old school trap and doesn’t serve the same purpose as Kendrick is trying to. I believe that classifying the types of rap is all about the overall message behind the song.
This is amazing!! I’m a huge Kendrick Fran. Good kid maad city is one giant movie. If you listen to each song till the next it gives you skits projecting his life during that era. You guys should do the entire album. This is great lol
Here’s a couple of options for another video that I think at the very least you’ll find interesting: Recent Hip-Hop Story of OJ - Jay Z DNA - Kendrick Lamar Same Drugs - Chance the Rapper Power - Kanye West Older Hip-Hop Stan /or Sing for the Moment - Eminem One Mic - Nas Rosa Parks - OutKast Classic Hip-Hop Follow the Leader - Eric B and Rakim Thugz Mansion - Tupac (Featuring Nas, J. Phoenix) The Message - Grandmaster Flash Hopefully there’s something here for a good video. Cheers
This channel is extremely convenient for someone who grew up with/loves metal but also is a hip-hop producer. Like, I get to see what parts of this classic songs make y'all tick but also have the background to know why you would like certain parts or why you might miss others. These are great please keep this up!
It's too early for them to dive into Death Grips... They really are their own genre. I'd vote for a DoomTree review as a more conventional "boom-bap" group review. Both super underground, both punk/metal inspired, two different paths.
KEEP DOING THESE!!! You must!!! This is so powerful. When you guys make a statement about the song and aren't completely sure I smiling hard as shit screaming at the screen information that would fill in the blanks. I want to break through the screen. If you keep making these videos new subscribers like me will help you so much.
I don't think this track is a good introduction to Kendrick, a good track to start off with him is Money Trees, it's a very spacey, chill, and atmospheric song.
Like many others have said, try listening to "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst." It's off the same album as m.A.A.d City, and it's considered by many as Kendrick's best song. If you're up for it, listen to the whole Good Kid, m.a.a.d City album, it's a great storytelling album, and it's best listened to in one sitting. I consider myself a metalhead, and I'm a big Kendrick Lamar fan.
Thanks for the suggestion - a whole album reaction could be tedious, however it fits exactly into how we digest metal music. It is definitely worth considering.
No that was the same rapper. Kendrick has many different rapping voices throughout the album that fits the mood and emotion of the song. Its really dope how he uses his vocal tone to set a mood.
kyle I can tell, piss on your grave, pornography. Travis isn’t on a level like Kendrick or Ab-Soul but he can definitely rap when he wants too. Which is why BITTSM disappoints me because there was wayyy less actual rapping.
One of the best and most underrated hip hop songs is Devil in a New Dress by Kanye West. Rick Ross has a verse on that song that some say is his best verse and that song is off of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, one of the greatest albums Kanye made and also one of the greatest rap albums ever released. Loved this reaction by the way.
I appreciate how open minded you guys are!
thats because metalheads are awesome people, I have a older brother heavily into metal and hes such a chill dude. however i'm into rap heavily.
Wow you’re everywhere dude
Btw I love your brockhampton vids
Bandstand I definitely do too
You really are everywhere
Rap/Hiphop always related in a weird way to punk rock/metal heads especially in the 80s So when they find it they Lowkey mess with it lol
We appreciate the acknowledgement guys! We LOVE to see the open minded mindset spreading. Lean on your subs and they will guide you through the 'lyrical terrain' in Rap. Great job and good luck with the channel!
Thanks guys! We love your videos, and your metal reactions have reminded me of why I love metal in the first place. If we can inspire similar responses from rap fans with our videos, then it will be worth it. We're just 2 old metal dudes having fun.
Ayyy its LIV!!!!
Fucks with both channels
🙏🏽
Lost In Vegas love y’all
The guy with the glasses is an undercover lyricist and hip hop head. Hes really good at understanding the meaning
I bet you turns into a hip hop head. Not so sure about the other guy though.
True
He lowkey a grapestreet compton CRIP. 🔵
@@Artrageousss 🤣🤣🤣🤣
He looks like jeb
"It's a lot of N-words here." LMAO!
I didnt think it was that many lmao
*in there
SCP - 173 yep
When you said this is like a movie you were absolutely correct. His album is actually called 'good kid maad city, a short film by kendrick lamar', this song is in the middle of the album and it makes more sense of you listen to the whole album, each song is a different scene in the movie. Kendrick isn't a gangster rapper though, but this song is supposed to be the centre of the album, painting a picture of the crazy scenes in Compton. He's more of a storyteller, he's very poetic and introspective with most of his music
yeah came to comment this. def intended to be like a movie.
Bro this comment is a perfect depiction of the album as well as kendrick as an artist imo, well said
Deanz Beber Kendrick stories are true though. I don't think the part where he killed someone at 16 is but the rest is about him living in Compton.
Kendrick fans always doing the absolute most..
Deanz Beber yessir
Dudes look like they're mythbustin'
EstebanEsq. lmaoo
😂😂😂
Facts
EstebanEsq. Dawg... 😭😭😭😭
bruuuuhh 😂😂😂
Y’all are so disconnected with Hip Hip culture that it’s honestly refreshing. I love that you guys are taking the time out to peek into the culture. Much respect
Can't wait for them to get in the Hip Hip culture!
Sir Plata I agree
them being true to themselves is what's dope about this series
because it's shit
I was just thinking the same thing.
Rosecrans is a street in the hood of LA.
In Germany we call it Rosenkranz :D
In Compton California*
VZA exactly I was gonna say the same Rosecrans is a main Street In the hood
Josh Kitch Compton is a city runned by LA but isn't in the central cities of LA like for example the San Fernando valley
The Known One saying the “hood of LA” isn’t very specific, the hood could be somewhere like Long Beach
Why the guy on the left look like a metal head Snoop Dogg
That thought will never leave my brain now.
More like cm punk
Greatest Ever I could see it
Cause he looks high af
Greatest Ever nah it's that forehead...
I recommend "Sing about me, I'm dying of thirst" by Kendrick lamar as others have recommended. Before you do listen, however I suggest listening to "Keisha's song", by the same artist, since its referenced in his track and is important to the story and narrative he paints on "Sing about me, i'm dying of thirst".
now on to "M.A.A.D City", the second half he starts off with " Fresh outta school 'cause I was a high school grad." I feel like he does this to resemble a young men, hence why his voice sounds as if its cracking. Roscrans is a street in Compton.
I'm a hip hop head, but I always try to expand my musical palette, so I will subscribe and hope to be introduced to some quality metal music.
Or fear
If you want to try bridge the gap and find some metal, you have got to start with rage against the machine. They're the perfect blend of metal and hip hop
This is interesting.. upload videos
Yes please do sing about me
calgsus911 Sing about me would take long
please continue this
Dat you are everywhere, how many times has someone said "you are everywhere" to you?
what kind of sourcey is this?
How many people are in your account?
Okay....what even are you? Are you like 4p different people? Like im just kinda speechless that I found you here...
he has everyone under his "spell"
“Where yo grandma stay”, a lot of black and Hispanics tend to live or visit grandmas house. In other words, they’re trying to find out where you live.
Rosecrans is a main Street in Compton.
Loving this outside perspective on rap.
You guys should give Nas’ “NY state of mind” from his Illmatic album.
Inscape Imagery...your kinda right but not really. It relates to location and whether that person being asked is local to the area. If their grandma or mother doesn't live in that area - well that means they are a stranger, and they shouldn't be in that area. In fact the point relates to another track on the album about Kendrick being beaten up because he was in an area he shouldn't have been cos he was trying to meet a girl. In actual fact, the girl set him up. Hence the very end of this track where the voices voices are telling him to stop feeling sorry for himself and take a sip of the alcohol to numb the pain of the ass wiping he took. It's a accustic cinematic album. A masterpiece of writing. Some people take the stories to literally. Like Kendrick killing a person at 16... ffs. Lol its a story about a hypothetical character. Exactly like Nas' illmatic as you referenced.
Im pretty sure the reason they ask where there grandma stays is so they can intimidate that person with the threat of killing family members.
Nah...Rohan is right. They are asking to see if you are from a rival block. It's like they are checking your credentials...are they authorized to hang out on that block.
Inscape Imagery rosecrans is a main street its in a bunch of cities in LA and yes a small part is in compton lol
Inscape Imagery well kinda its just like where yo momma stay and if you dont have one then they say where yo daddy stay and if no then finally they say grandma and if you dont answer you usually get jumped
"u" by Kendrick Lamar. Really changed my perspective on Rap.
Fuck yes
Beautiful song
I don't disagree that hip hop is amazing, but that is not why it is so popular right now. The pop culture of the US revolves around rap, making it the new and cool genre. New school artists are combining melodic pop with rap to make it even more accessible to people, however this has become the most popular type of hip hop, which usually lacks a message and creativity
When you listen to these songs use genius.com to see the lyric with full annotations it will help you understand the songs a lot better. Great video!
AuroraPhoton that kind of defeats the purpose of the video though. It’s about their own interpretation of the lyrics.
Yahshua Israel yeah I understand that and that's what I like about the video but I would also like them to see what others believe the artist is saying
AuroraPhoton very good suggestion. What a lot of people that aren't used to listening to rap or hip, or haven't grown up on it, don't realize is that your ear isn't necessarily trained to hear all the lyrics clearly. So you are more likely to miss the message and all of the clever lines or punchlines and what not.
Dude on the right gonna be a hip hop fan soon
Jack B i got that vibe too
Thought the same he's digging it, which is awesome
Jack B I laughed out loud lol because this is true , he will be.
He noticed the flow, just didn't have a word for it. This is great.
damn right hes vibing
The beginning lyrics including the "Where your grandma stay" part are in the perspective of gang members cornering a new kid on the block, asking where he's from and if he's got roots there. If he is staying with his grandma then where is she staying? Cuz if you arent from here, be prepared to empty your pockets.
It’s not even gang members doing that all the time, if you go to a hood and people don’t know you in that hood you’re going to asked that question. Especially in California. It’s just how things are out here take it from someone who has experienced this personally
You need understand that Kendrick speaks in the perspectives of multiple people in his songs
Cameron_O.11 it's interesting how he thought he liked the "other guys" voice better than Kendrick. We know that both people were Kendrick
“Where your grandma stay” is a question you would ask someone to figure out where there from because it usually for correlates to what gang your a part of.
Michael Schaefer no it doesn't mean that 😂
Not entirely. It's a threat, basically. It's a question usually followed by "where are YOU from?"
As in, "if you don't tell us where you're from, then you better tell us where your family from." (Saying they will kill your family, if you don't let us know what gang you are apart of or live near.) That's why they say grandma, not someone like a cousin, brother, dad, etc. No one wants their grandma shot, so they would rather tell whoever is interrogating them where he lives and suffer the possible consequences, rather than telling some violent strangers where his grandma lives and she would be suffering the consequences of his actions.
michael is correct with his assessment. look at the lyrics before and after for context. thx
Michael is wrong. “Where your grandma stay” means where ever she is staying, then that’s where the person he is talking to would be because that’s how some people live where Kendrick is from. They live with their parents and grandma because of the cost of living. So Michael is wrong. This is not asking about gangs or anything like that.
Michael Schaefer I heard this shit growing up when I was young, it literally means "where you stay? With ya grandmoms? See y'all tonight w the strap" it ain't fun lmao
an open mind is always appreciated 👍
Gangsta rap, while some rappers are glorifying the lifestyle, a lot of them are talking about it's violence but their intention is that it's a negative thing. Kendrick's album is about the violence of his childhood. M.A.A.D means "My Angels on Angel's Dust" or "My Angry Adolescence Divided", the track is about how violent Compton is and he's referencing the history of his city. The album tells a non-linear story starting with near the end and then reaching that end again by the end of the album, making references to the history of his city, his life, and events that happened to his family. You HAVE to listen to this album repeated times to be able to grasp everything he says. Both of you noticing that it's like a movie is actually the intention, the cover of the album says "A short film by Kendrick Lamar", similarly his first release "Section .80" is supposed to sound like a book, and his third album is supposed to sound like a letter. I implore you to listen to his whole discography, especially, To Pimp a Butterfly (His third album) because his lyrics and how his songs perform sonically is very dense and enlightening.
Also, Piru and Rosecrans are both notorious streets in the city. Piru street is where the bloods are from, where as Rosecrans is just known because of how violent it has been throughout the years.
Thank you for the reply and explanation. It really helped understand the lyrics and underlying meaning of the rap.
its a poem more than a letter
@@adfeas Tru but I think now I'd say more the bits he wrote for Tupac is like a prose-poem & the overall album is a series of vignettes looking at different aspects of black culture & Kendrick's life experience.
Also, piru when Kendrick says "if pirus and crips all got along". Is referring to the bloods as an alternate name.
its just called rap
As a metalhead myself, i feel that "Alright" or "How much a dollar cost" are much better gateways to getting into Kendricks music. He is a very talented artist and I hope you find the time to explore more of his output.
mos0 yea Mad City is a pretty hard and agressive song that would turn off most people unfamiliar with rap but once you get into it its really damn good
Swimming pools would've been a good one too
Not nearly as accessible as most songs on Good kid, maad city. I think Sing About Me (I’m dying of thirst) is a great song to show you what he is all about. His best song in my opinion.
The whole album is supposed to tell a story! you guys should definitely listen to it if you have time
“Where’s you grandma?” he was speaking in the point of view of a gang member who was interrogating him for being on the wrong street. he wanted to know where Kendrick was from so he asked him where his family stays at.
Bittah Commander This is because lots of kids are raised by their grandparents not their parents.
Christian Guevara -__-
Bittah Commander well said.
Afro Shinobi he right, it be like that in hoods ngl
In my teen years I was super elitist and refused to listen to anything that wasn't metal, but over the last decade i got into non mainstream rap and man there is some amazing shit out there. It made me realise there are gems in every single music genre you just have to find it. I can't do dubstep though I tried
Calvo Tama I share the same experience, really glad I ventured out my comfort zone
Yeah, joyner lucas is underrated
@@wyatterminator3761 nah, joyner is trash
Exactly!
Agreed. I can find gems in basically anything other than Dubstep and country.
haha Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that's awesome. no, he was refering to Rosecrans Avenue which is a street in Los Angeles. props for keeping it literary tho
😂😂😂😂😂😂
i was gonna say 😂
Compton
Ah word I came to comment and also shoot them a comment about it
true. city of Compton in the county of Los Angelees
"Sing about me, dying of thirst" would be amazing, and you guys missed a lot of the meaning, but it does take a few listens to fully understand
Miguel Ballard my favorite song
One of the greatest songs
Miguel Ballard this
I might be a bit late on this but hopefully I can fill in some blanks for you.
You're so right about the song feeling like a movie. The entire Good Kid m.A.A.d city album is one long story, not all of it is as aggressive and violent as this song. I would love to see you react or discuss the entire album, as it's best listened to as an album, at least for your first listen so you understand the story. Listening to one song by itself is like watching 5 minutes of a movie in the middle. It's kinda cool but you're not getting the big picture. It's A LOT better as an album, one of the greatest of all time.
The Rosecrans reference isn't to Shakespeare, but simply to a street named Rosecrans in Compton, though it's probably named that after Shakespeare.
The "Where your grandma stay" is because of the gangs in Compton, they ask where he's from, not who he knows, where is grandma lives because if it's a neighbourhood they don't like they'd kill him. Note that this is a commentary on how stupid such behaviour is. These gang members think they run the city but in reality they're just caught up in the same system as the rest of a lot of black people in America, being marginalized and oppressed. ( Intentionally or not it's happening, Ronald Reagan sure was intentional about it ) In fact they're unknowingly holding the rest of their neighbourhoods back or holding the cul-de-sac hostage as Kendrick puts it. Since their violence begets more violence, both from the police and other gangs.
m.A.A.d city stands for Me an Angel on Angel Dust, referencing Kendrick smoking a joint that he didn't know was laced with PCP, some other references to this in this song as well as in other songs on this album.
BG's means Baby Gangsta, which is slang for a new recruit in a gang.
As both a rap fan and a metal fan it's really cool to see you approach rap with an open mind. I definitely would love to see more.
Real talk. What this guy said
Also a hip hop metal head. Nice to see there are more of us out there. Only line overlooked in the break down is "the fuck you shootin for if you ain't walkn up you fuckn punk" which is straight up fire and gangsta as shit. I also like the second half cause it drops back into straight up 90's gangsta shit with the beat, though particularly the outro which is just as g'funk as anything. It makes you wish for the 90's again but reminds us to embrace the progression. At this point I was sold on Kendrick and dug up his back catalogue and mix tapes.
This was exactly what I was thinking while watching, this content is great and I’m not a metal head but have friends who are that I show good rap music to, Kendrick is a story teller, and a remarkable lyricist. I listen to this album all the time, and what I hope is that you will take an hour and see his story through this album. It’s very interesting and you find ways to connect with the music. Each track will cause you to feel a different emotion. I love seeing what someone who has an open mind to arguably an opposite taste of music thinks of this. I think you would enjoy the album but two things I would like to share. Each of his albums tells a different story, To Pimp a Butterfly, and DAMN. Have different feels, it’s why he’s considered one of the best. It’s a lot of diversity and creativity from the same person. And secondly I will warn you that as a fan of GOOD rap, there is a lot of nonsensical, and not understandable music today that is “mainstream” with very little meaning. But if you stay along these lines you will find the brightest and most enticing version of rap there has been. (Just my opinion)
KyoPewz broke it down on point.
I hope they see this
Pirus are a set of the bloods gang.
The beginning "where your grandma stay" is supposed to demonstrate that when a gang member approaches you intending to commit violence, (where you from, where do you stay, where does your grandma live etc.) they don't really leave you any ways to de-escalate the confrontation.
BG's are baby gangsters, Rosecrans Ave is a street in Compton well known for gang activity.
The album has a theme that spans several tracks- Kendrick took his parents van and went to meet a girl -Sherane- and was jumped when he arrived, his friends later went to retaliate and one of his friends brothers is killed in the altercation.
They are saying 'Rosecrans' not 'rosencrantz'. Rosecrans is an avenue that runs through Compton.
It's also hyrule's and crip's, not Pyrous or whatever he said.
Someone Else -- Pirus. The Pirus, also known as Piru Street Family and Piru Street Boys (PSB), are a Los Angeles street gang alliance based in Compton, but also present in the cities of Carson, Inglewood, Hawthorne, San Diego, Fresno, Santa Barbara and Watts. Piru sets make up most of the original Blood Alliance in Los Angeles.
hyrules? wtf
creed -- I think the first mention is word play:
Kendricks context is about leaving/abandoning the neighborhood and in Hamlet When their ship is attacked by pirates, Hamlet returns to Denmark, leaving Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to die; he comments in Act V, Scene 2 that "They are not near my conscience; their defeat / Does by their own insinuation grow"
FastFoodGuido -- Good call, thanks for correcting me, I was misinformed.
Alot of kids in the ghetto are raised by their grandma. So hes basically asking what neighborhood hes from so he can asses wether he is from the same gang or not.
2x Pills y No, @goodmusic is right
React to "Sing about me, I'm dying of thirst" by Kendrick Lamar
agreed
Great idea.
YES
do it.
100%
Where are you guys from? Holy crap, I'm a metal head but I totally relate to everything Kendrick Lamar raps about. That was my neighborhood. I love metal but damn, he nailed 90s neighborhoods
Facts
Oh shit! I had my first encounter with my neighbor getting shot just last year. Scary shit. I was unable to sleep that night.
@@BloodClanResurrection saw my first person getting shot when I was 4 in Oakland , homie was trying to jack a car stereo on the side street my fire escape looked down own, watched the owner come out put the gun to his head and pull the trigger…… Oakland in the 90’s was fucking insane
Please do ... Sing about me, I’m dying of thirst by Kendrick Lamar!
Angel Hernandez this is kendricks best storytelling song!, probably his best song ever
Or mortal man
Deanz Beber the art of peer pressure fosho his best story
bump! They'd get mad views if they did this fr
Yes
This is a respectful and tasteful - from one genre to another. To have an open-mind in music, especially when you are masters at one genre, says a lot about your musical spirit. Exceptional idea on your end guys.
amen to that
Yeah people should not be so close minded, there is a lot of great songs in every genre.
Although this isn’t a gangsta rap album, he talks about how he was raised and grew up in that environment, through the perspective of well, a good kid under the influence of a “maad city”. I strongly suggest listen to the album from top to bottom. (i also strongly appreciate and respect open mindedness, keep it up guys)
MrPranker247 Reading the lyrics on Rap Genius helps too
It's funny you catch all the references to violence but don't catch any of the lines where he's condemning it, it's not gangster rap it's conscious. Very astute point saying it feels like a movie though, the whole album from start to finish is a story about him when he was younger and plays like a movie if you follow it.
Callum Mellis since it’s hip hop they assume it’s all about violence and promoting negative activity, while metal singers biting bat heads and worship Satan lol
Callum Mellis yup, there is a much deeper meaning behind this album
@@BluJay_333 I mean there’s nothing wrong with what metal guys do but also rap artists aren’t always promoting the violence we had to experience as younger people. It’s the most difficult thing to get into white peoples heads , just because they talk about it doesn’t mean they are promoting it
The Art of Peer Pressure, best track on the album to really understand what this album is about. Give it a listen, highly recommended.
Javier Mendoza Truth. It is my favourite Kendrick Track
That's exactly what I was thinking before I read the comment
Javier Mendoza art of peer pressure and sing about me, dying of thirst are best tracks
wouldn't agree with the best song part but it does explain the album oretty good
Handy Andy Agreed
Kendrick Lamar - Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst
Jaba wonderful song
his best song
Jaba yaassssss this is his best song
They gonna be confused as shit listening to that, since Sing About Me is rapped from 3 different perspectives
Yeah I think so too. Would be interesting to see that.
Kendrick Lamar "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst"
He raps in two different people's perspectives on the first two verses: a male friend of his and the sister of a deceased prostitute, respectively. For the third verse and on, he speaks/ raps from his own perspective, responding to them and contemplating life and death.
[You need the backstory of the second verse on that song, and for that, it's all told in another song of his: "Keisha's Song". I don't want to ruin it (which, with what I said above, I probably already did), so I recommend you listen to it; or at the very least, read the lyrics. It's extremely poetic, but the metaphors and references are pretty straightforward still.]
Fabian Luna indeed one of the best songs ever
Chill, they are just getting into hip-hop, that song still fly over many heavy hip hop heads till this day. That song is way too lyrical for beginners, with it probably being Kendrick's best constructed song (which is really saying a lot if you know his discography).
Baby steps for now
This!
Agreed
Guys.. The Art of Peer Pressure. Let them react to this song.. Please!
M.A.A.D stands for “my angels on angel dust” this song is about living in Compton California. And Kendrick Lamar’s struggles in life
angel dust represents the st tie he smoke weed and it was laced with angel dust
The point you made about it feeling like a movie was spot on. The whole album actually tells a story and Kendrick is considered one of if not the greatest story telling rapper of all time. But anyway listen to "Sing About Me,I'm Dying Of Thirst" next please!
Do people actually consider Kendrick the greatest storyteller? These young bloods need to get on some Slick Rick or Big Daddy Kane or any old school shit
Definitely in this generation, im guessing "its leet" isnt over 16
Nas is the greatest story teller of all time. Slick rick is up there too.
Omi Wan Nas is my personal pick as best rapper of all time but I don't know if he's the best storyteller. I can't really think of any great story tracks by him.
Michael Sabsabi fetus, rewind, who killed it, dude there’s loads! He’s the greatest of all time.
I liked this.
I think a lot of the context gets missed when the song is listened to separately from the album like this, but I felt that the perspective y’all brought was interesting and fresh.
I hope you guys do more!
Sha Wong Honestly, GKMC is like a movie rather than an album. It’s a complete experience.
Thanks. We've been hearing a lot in the comments about this song being a part of a greater whole, and it's funny because we both view metal in the same way. We both enjoy listening to full metal albums rather than just single songs, and there are lots of examples of songs that are good when sampled alone, but are better when experienced as part of listening to the entire album. When I think of my favourite metal, I think in terms of albums and not songs.
A lot of context gets missed when you’re not black and didn’t grow up in a Cali hood back in the day.
You guys should really try ”How much a dollar cost” by Kendrick. That song is pretty amazing!
Aaaleksa McNatur
I agree, the best song for people new to rap is one that tells a story because it makes it easier to follow along.
Even better when they have a meaning behind it, like Nas' song "I gave you power"
Song gives me chills
Rosecrans is a street in LA that goes through the hood.
Rosecrans ave.
Also rosecrans is an area in Compton. And Pirus is another word for bloods. And when he’s talkin about where you from where your grandma stay ect. He’s talkin about how even though you may not claim any gang, gang members will still press you for where your from of where your family is from in regards to gang territory
Thanks and I very much love this grandma line now, and it is quite simple and clear.
RealDeadOne it's also not in first person. He's speaking about the mindset of the people in the neighborhood. It's not gangsta rap. He's painting the picture of his hood. But he's not a gangsta rapper. Gangsta rapper promote a lifestyle. He's not promoting just painting a picture. He's saying that his desire is to have the gangs get along and since his subject matter, him critiquing the mindset of the hood that the gangs will actually join up to get him. Kind of like being a sacrificial lamb to stop the violence. I'm from the era of old school hip hop. I can help you with old and new music from a chronological, genre and break down the pov if you need assistance
The one on the Right is feeling that Shit ! 😂😂
POLO RIGHT LOL he seem cool af lol the one the left is a fuckin hater
I've always said this album is a pure masterpiece, and yes it is like a movie, it just sucks people don't listen to the whole album, shit I damn near cried at the end of this album
KingSiah 510 Sing about me 😭😭
Same
Dali Miranda man when the lady started praying for them, man that was it
Dali Miranda, Im dying of Thirst
Listened to the whole album about 50 times over during the summer of 2013 while taking care of sporting fields all day. This album is what every other rapper should inspire to. Not Kendrick's technique or sound but the he tells a story through a whole album is simply artful.
blonde dude is way cooler that brown haired dude. he approaches everything in the song with more generosity
Pinned comment. Lmao I think we know who controls the channel.
to be fair, GKMC is a concept album
so they probs gotta listen to the whole album to properly appreciate the whole thing instead of just a single track
the brown haired dude looks uncomfortable like hes confronted with something that he believes to not be real like "this still cant be going on this isnt what normal rap sounds like i expected something stupid" especially when he said "i just wanted to listen to normal rap and if this is it. or when he said this is what i expected from rap
if u watch their other hip hop reviews the brown haired dude prefers old school hip hop blond dude prefers new school
Yup. It definitely depends on the track. They're receptive to different styles
React to kendrick lamar sing about me I'm dying of thirst, it's his best storytelling song!
Yep that or DUCKWORTH.
I'd vote for that song too, one of the songs I always go back to.
Deanz Beber i think his best story telling song is Keisha song
Or u
Or Keishas song
Also recommend using “genius” for meanings and understanding some words.
Aaaleksa McNatur big facts
bump, would really help understand lyrics and backstory better
We should also warn them that half the annotations are factually wrong and/or reaching
Rapgenius.com it will help you with the lyrics
Rosecrans is a street in Los Angeles where the burger joint is at. The burger joint reference from the first verse is where Kendrick saw a light skinned nigga wit his brains blown out. Rosecrans is also named after William Rosecrans the famous American inventor. Maad City is also known as hub city but its Compton! Mc Eiht the guest rapper is from a gang called the crips. Kendrick is from the same city but from a gang called the bloods. The song showcases perspectives from both sides. It has real effects not only on record but in the streets. It’s not just a song it’s a call to action for the streets to come together. And both sides have benefited since.
seven grow7 lmao Kendrick maybe from blood ran neighborhood but he's definitely not a blood gang member
+Eight Six he's from bompton
Pirus in west coast. And regulators were people with guns who kept the peace
Its funny watching this cause im from compton
Kdot cool with both🤷🏾♂️
Where your grandma stay is asked to someone you don’t recognize in your hood. So you are asking to see why they are in your hood and who do they know. If you don’t know anyone in that hood, you should not be in that hood. (Per LA street politics)
Kendrick is not a "gangsta rapper", but he is a rapper who raps about his experiences around gangsters and growing up in Compton. Just for clarification. He has no beefs with east coast rappers or anyone, really.
Jerry Leganker I think this specific song can be classified as gangster rap
Jerry Leganker gkmc in general is gangsta rap but pretty much everything else is conscious
This song specifically is as conscious as gangsta rap gets. Its talking about what he went through in a negative light really. Hes not bragging. Hes saying that this shit is real.
No beef with any rappers? Have you not heard the heart part 4??
No one wants those problems with Kendrick.
Rosecrans is the name of a street here in compton so is alondra and bullis. M.a.a.d city is an acronym for “made me an angel on angel dust” .mad city is also saying that compton is a crazy (mad) city. Btw the grandma thing (like asking where his family members are at) is that they will kill his family members, so they wanna know where they(kendricks family) stays.
Also an acronym for 'my angry adolescence divided' :) As for the grandma thing, I think it's more 'fuck who you know, where you from'. Asking where his grandma lives proves his history in the neighbourhood.
Yeah to everything besides the grandma thing. They just wanna know if he's from the area or not. If he isn't a local he about to get bus'.
Kristopher Manzo kill his grandma? Doubt that. More like where hood is your fam from?
My Angel on Angel Dust
A Fuentes makes sense to me. Like the first scene from straight outta Compton where easy threatened the guy, that if he doesn’t return alive and with money, they’re gonna kill his grandma. And then you know...the swat busted in and all dat happened
If you're going to listen to Kendrick Lamar, I would recommend listening to to the entire Good Kid MAAD city album from beginning to end, no skipping any seconds. Then do a review! You'll probably love it!
khaos2nd Agreed, especially after the comment on how the song felt like a movie, Wich is the whole feeling in the entire album. They might get a better understanding of Kendrick's intent and message that way.
Agree. Wasnt a kendrick fan till i did exactly that.
If you get in that album listening mood...I'd respect if a metal head could get through an entire rap album even good kid
TYSM for saying this
Yup seriously. the entire thing is a hell of a story
That moment of "progression" as you call it is one of the simplest yet most memorable moments in modern hip hop. The beat, lyrics and chorus in the second part of the song is a 'throw back' to 90s West coast hip hop and the first part of the song is representative of modern hip hop. It's so simple yet so clever and unique and it's a fascinating song to pull apart and dissect. It's like the song shifts backwards two decades during the TV static sound. My personal favourite part is MC Eiht's reference to Warren G's Regulate track, a hip hop classic, "mount up, regulators in the whip!". For someone who studies and dissects hip hop it's a moment that gives me the chills. Kendrick is an absolute genius and modern poet and you couldn't pick a better artist to start with. Lupe Fiasco is another incredible lyricist and storyteller.
As a guy that grew up on metal and now a major hip hop head I really appreciate this.
You've gained a subscriber in me and I think you've found a nice formula here.
It's good to see genres crossing and being appreciated by other people. Please do more!!
same here
Lol I'm the same way, didn't start listening to hip hop till I was 14
I think it's the best way! My dad had me playing blues and pink floyd on the guitar but I didn't care for it. Now I'm older and I've got all that exposure to so many different genres of music I can appreciate a much wider spectrum of artists/bands
Ash cool,I liked rap in my early teens then I heard Cypress Hill and Limp Bizkit and realised I like aggressive riffs,so my fav group is Megadeth now.I still like rap music,but don't listen to it so much because I feel it lacks that true "street" feeling of Tupac and Biggie.I did like early 50 cent tho.
"Where your grandma stay"
Black people in usa tend to be raised by their grandmas so they love w their grandmas. Kendrick is from compton which is the mecca of modern day gang culture (crips and bloods etc)
Gangs in Compton are separated in blocks. So if you are from a certain block you might be from another gang, maybe opposing. So asking where your grandma stay at = where are you from = which gang do you represent
damn there's so much more to explain
Kendrick is cunning and clever with his words.
Israbu I'm black and both my parents raised me. Wtf you talking about. Quit the generalizations. Makes you look ignorant
Kenneth Martin Dude that's exactly what Kendrick is talking about and you know it. Stop being so sensitive
thats not ignorance. it's the majority of black youth. It's not suppopsed to be ignorant but the most extreme case of reality in the ghetto.
+Kenneth Martin So you're the fucking media for all black youth? SHut the fuck up you dumbfuck smh it's literal stats. Mass incarceration plagued america.
Kenneth Martin stop being soft bruh i’m black and he ain’t mean nun by it
Runaway - Kanye West
You guys should check out DNA by Kendrick Lamar
yeah lets check out another awful song from this God awful satanist rapper.
"Fulcanelli is my name and all I do is go on RUclips and troll people with negativity because I can't find anyone to fuck me " 😂😂
Fulcanelli People have opinions...
Kendrick lamar is a satanist rapper. Period. That is a fact. Who the fuck do you think this lucy in his songs is?
Duh... the song is about Lucifer. The way he tries to creep and prey on you when you're at your most vulnerable. He doesn't join up with Lucy in the song... he just displays how the devil has tried to tempt him.
I know that you guys probably won't but as two guys trying to appreciate music, I definitely recommend you give the whole album a listen. I think your perspective on it would make for a great discussion in a youtube video. Right now, your basically reading one random page from a book and trying to make sense of it. This album is a story about a day in the life of a 17-year-old Kendrick Lamar in Compton, CA. It's a masterpiece.
Here's what this particular song is about taken from Genius:
This track is Kendrick’s thoughts after getting jumped and when his friends come to get him. Kendrick is completely sobered up from the “thug life” and realizes he is not a gang banger, he is a “good kid” in a mad city.
Kendrick Lamar is considered to be "gangster conscience" because he comes from a really bad neighborhood and raps about it but managed to overcame all that with a positive message for those still having to live that life. They teach classes on his second album "To Pimp A Butterfly" which is all about black empowerment with inspirations from Jazz and funk. George Clinton is featured on the album.
Thanks for the explanation and recommendation to listen to the whole album. It is certainly something we can consider!
If you couldn't tell by now, Good Kid M.A.A.D City is a concept album. The whole thing cover to cover tells a story. This song in particular tells about the violence in Compton, and the repercussions of said violence. He grew up surrounded by violence and was taught that the only answer to violence is more violence. I think you guys should do a video relistening to this song with some research behind.
Worth noting two that Kendrick Lamar doesn't always rap like this, he's intentionally using a more nasally teenage flow to fit the concept.
Yeah he was telling a story about how a girl set someone up cus she was with a rival gang and this song is the part all about the violence that comes with that adhd was the song bout him gettin set up
THIS IS HOW WE END RACISM YALL
Really? This video just proves how out of touch white culture is with black culture. They literally couldn't connect any of the lyrics with any significance. White people don't understand the culture and this just shows how far we are from ending racism.
+Michael Klein Thats how understanding works. You experience other culture so you learn. Id rather focus on the progress rather than the lack of. 30 years ago metalheads would have never done this. Progress takes time
Michael Klein Well here are 2 white dudes who are trying to listen and understand the culture by listening to them with unbiased opinion. Peace comes through understanding.
How can you expect everyone to understand lyrics which are inherently cryptic, both black and white Americans probably wouldn't understand all the lyrics in European hip-hop because the culture is different. You can't expect Canadian metal heads to fully understand lyrics written by a black man from Compton, they don't have any reference points. The point is there trying to appreciate Hip-Hop.
Its not that simple
Finding out where grandma stays is a veiled threat in hood.
Adam Savage you ain't slick
Anthony Gonzalez I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING
LMAO
Anthony Gonzalez 🤣🤣🤣
The line about the grandma is that usually in the hood when you're a new person on the block and no one knows you. They usually ask where you, your parents, your friends or grandma stays. If they know any of your people then you're good but if they don't then they want to see exactly where you came from is up to their standards. Like can you fight or are you loyal enough to the people you know to not tell on them
Dude on the right looks like Adam Savage with long hair
Man I was trying to figure out who he looked like but I couldn't put my finger on on it, but you nailed it.
Bruh 😂😂😂
John Ritter and some Drew Carey and that nerd/metal standup comedian. Forgot his name, I like him. Last name starts with “P.” But the comedian is more bald than the others.
Saw u guys on tik tok and had to watch the full review ! Great crossover. Kendrick was the perfect rap Artist u guys could’ve chose.
Never even been on Tik Tok.... lol Oh but thanks!
@@MetalbyteMedialol I first saw this video YEARS ago and just saw someone share a clip on tiktok and came back to it. It’s a great video, people are still loving it clearly
This is already becoming my favorite channel lol but I recommend Mobb Deep" Shook Ones PT.II " or Nas "N.Y. State of Mind" they're both classic Hip Hop songs (mid 90's) that I think will showcase Hip Hop in that time period. (On the east coast anyway, because sounds vary on where it was made, East and West coast especially.)
Khaos King I recommended the world is yours
Gamex Simmonds Very true, can't go wrong with illmatic
Good recommendations
Agree with both
Exactly. Everybody who is suggesting new stuff has no clue how this works. You gotta start with the golden age. The best. The fundamentals. The heart. Then you can expand.
I always love when metalheads have an open mind. Rap/Hip Hop and Heavy Metal are two genres that are share a lot more qualities than people want to admit. I mean, both genres have been accused of causing violence in youth, so there's that 😂.
I also think that both genres are not very mainstream and people don't get it. I mean, if you're really into metal or hiphop and don't just listen to the popluar "not so extreme" stuff. ;D
Music is all interconnected anybody who understands music and actually theory would know that.
well hip hop is pretty mainstream
plantifulalexandra hip-hop is like the most mainstream genre though lol. It's pop now. Even Miley "raps" now smh.
In the 80's-early 90's, it wasn't as mainstream but was still popular and rising.
people listened to rock before rap back in the '80s. Schooly D said it best, "rock wasn't meant to be pretty."
"Where your grandma stay?" Is a question asked on the street so people know what hood you're from If your grandma lived in the wrong hood they'll dust you. Gangs were run through turf
it still sounds funny as hell, no offense, but hip hop culture has some of the best funniest, slick one liners and punch lines EVER!!!!
Mike O. That too lol.
Mike O. No, they just wanna know where your grandma stays because in the inner cities a lot of gang bangers were raised by their grandma, & their grandmas house will let them know what hood their from, & what gang they are affiliated to
Mike Dlc That's not hip hop. That's some Compton shit.
I like how “Garth’s dad” is really decoding the lyrics. It’s a dope review! Sub.
M.A.A.D has 2 meanings
1) My Angry Adolescence Divided, as in this album is his adolescent year divided into all of the songs
2) My Angles on Angel Dust, which is tied to a story told on the song where the first blunt he smoked was laced with cocaine and had him “foaming at the mouth”
Cocaine isn’t angel dust, so how would the second one make sense?
Me an Angel on Angel Dust*
Angel Dust is similar to Cocaine when you look at it, but it fucks you up even more and has you running around like you're seeing ghosts. There is always a misconception on whither it's cocaine or angel dust since they look similar and some angel dust do come out yellow from what I've seen. People tend to lace blunts with cocaine in parties to give people a bigger high or to fuck wit someone, someone prolly put angel dust in it instead of Cocaine and it fucked him up.
MADE angel on angel dust
Luis Nieto i just checked google and it says my
the guy on the right looks like adam savage from mythbusters
These guys bouta end racism
Clayton Johnson 😂😂🤣🤣🤣☝🏽🙈
Yoooo
yooo is fuckin right
first step
Really racism been around for centuries because 2 white reviewing rap music will not end racism it's always going to exist until they we died and beyond.
😂 My man to the left first reaction "Alright, well there is a lot of N-words there"😂😂
"Kendrick Lamar - How Much A Dollar Cost" Is a really good song for getting to know what Kendrick is about and what kinda stories he want to tell with his music. (This song was President Obamas favorite song of 2015 FYI)
Good reaction but I hope you don't think that this is a stereotypical rap song just talking about guns and stuff, he's telling a story of what its like growing up in compton from his perspective.
Nas
The world is yours
Gamex Simmonds Anything by Nas would suffice.
Most underrated song on Illmatic
But you're 14
JACMIC23 so ???
Best song on Illmatic ❤️
lol This whole album is about him going to see a girl, that sent him a nude pic to come over, and a "rival" neighborhood set him up jumped him, they went back with his "crew" and his brother got killed which led him to find "god" well atleast thats my fast summary! DOPE ALBUM
Anaiah Ben Yahweh more or less on point
Anaiah Ben Yahweh you need water
I think its his friends brother who got killed
Its his friends brother that died so they road out
kendrick's brother didn't get killed, his best friend's little brother dave was the one who ended up getting shot
You guys should do a collaboration with LostInVegas, they are big into hip hop and are exploring metal while you guys (metalheads) are exploring rap.
Jon Hernandez lol i fuck with that
Maybe they can do something like Body Count which incorporates both. lol
that would be a masterpiece
Great video, but I would consider “Gangsta Rap” to be more bragging about being a so called gangster. Kendrick Lamar’s purpose in rap was more to inform and affect change.
Exactly, which makes the song so much stronger, using a very west coast gangster rap beat, but preaching the opposite.
Chazketball nah bragging rap is trap. Kendrick definitely has a “Gangsta Rap” style on some tracks and this is definitely one of them
But just the style not the message of traditional gangsta rap
TheRealThor1800 FTW Kendrick does have a gangsta rap style, but he raps for a better purpose. Although I do agree with you on the fact that trap is brag rap too, I would say that gangsta rap is almost a more old school trap and doesn’t serve the same purpose as Kendrick is trying to. I believe that classifying the types of rap is all about the overall message behind the song.
MF DOOM
Fuck yeah!!
NO ONE ELSE LIKE ITS AT 47 LOL (sorry for the all caps im high lmfao)
Daryn Sebelius BEEF RAPP COULD LEAD TO GETTING TEETH CAPPED
WillMusic yesssss
Hit them up with the villain.(one beer)
This is exactly how I got into rap, 1 track was all it took. Hooked for life.
Piru's are a gang. Fruit town piru. "Where yo grandma stay?" Means what's your gang affiliation?
I don't got time to explain everything else haha
Aren't the Piru's another name for the Bloods?
Exenta To a degree. It's originally Piru Crips, that separated from the Crips and evolved to today known Bloods.
Very cool, this demonstrates you guys are open minded and have un biased opinions. Very cool if you guys to give it a chance!
Where are you guys from in Canada
Christian Clarkehhg
Jesse Reid I knew that they're from accident based off thier accident. They remind me a little of everyone off of Trailer Park Boyz lol.
These guys 2 smart for trailer park boyz
This is amazing!! I’m a huge Kendrick Fran. Good kid maad city is one giant movie. If you listen to each song till the next it gives you skits projecting his life during that era. You guys should do the entire album. This is great lol
I'd recommend Nas - "NY State of Mind" for some A-1 story telling.
prestontv or Memory Lane
This was the funiest thing I've ever seen😂😂😂😂 y'all gotta do more. I'm subscribing now
Here’s a couple of options for another video that I think at the very least you’ll find interesting:
Recent Hip-Hop
Story of OJ - Jay Z
DNA - Kendrick Lamar
Same Drugs - Chance the Rapper
Power - Kanye West
Older Hip-Hop
Stan /or Sing for the Moment - Eminem
One Mic - Nas
Rosa Parks - OutKast
Classic Hip-Hop
Follow the Leader - Eric B and Rakim
Thugz Mansion - Tupac (Featuring Nas, J. Phoenix)
The Message - Grandmaster Flash
Hopefully there’s something here for a good video.
Cheers
Tyler Kack thugs mansion og version, original acoustic version, or the 7' remix. Those are the purest forms of that song.
Tyler Kack only thing I can say is family business instead of power for ye
Older?! Thanks. 😂
The message would be a good one for them to review
Maybe you guys could give us hip hop fans some metal music to listen to
MR. PERFECT look up lost in Vegas.
Dark Tranquillity, Be'lakor, Insomnium, Omnium Gatherum
MR. PERFECT check out Deftones.
u should check out the new stuff by volumes ^^
Amon Amarth
m.A.A.d stands for My Angel on Angel's Dust AND My Angry Adolescence Divided
narmaK Yeah if you look at the last line in the song it says "Made me an Angel on Angel Dust"
its fact, he said it on a radio show just look for it on youtube
This channel is extremely convenient for someone who grew up with/loves metal but also is a hip-hop producer. Like, I get to see what parts of this classic songs make y'all tick but also have the background to know why you would like certain parts or why you might miss others.
These are great please keep this up!
Are you gentlemen fimiliar with the Death Grips??
Brian Crosby hehe xd
Review Death Grips - Guillotine. These guys are metalheads. How has no one recommended Death Grips yet?
i don't even like dg but i still want to see these guys listen to this heavily
It's too early for them to dive into Death Grips... They really are their own genre. I'd vote for a DoomTree review as a more conventional "boom-bap" group review. Both super underground, both punk/metal inspired, two different paths.
Sorry, I was just saying you have to have more knowledge on hip-hop as a whole to truly appreciate what Death Grips did with the form. No disrespect.
KEEP DOING THESE!!! You must!!! This is so powerful. When you guys make a statement about the song and aren't completely sure I smiling hard as shit screaming at the screen information that would fill in the blanks. I want to break through the screen.
If you keep making these videos new subscribers like me will help you so much.
ILikeExoticStuff THISSSS
Super cool because they DO NOT honestly know the shit and are being objective. This is amazing stuff
I don't think this track is a good introduction to Kendrick, a good track to start off with him is Money Trees, it's a very spacey, chill, and atmospheric song.
Like many others have said, try listening to "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst." It's off the same album as m.A.A.d City, and it's considered by many as Kendrick's best song. If you're up for it, listen to the whole Good Kid, m.a.a.d City album, it's a great storytelling album, and it's best listened to in one sitting. I consider myself a metalhead, and I'm a big Kendrick Lamar fan.
Maybe the full album track by track
Thanks for the suggestion - a whole album reaction could be tedious, however it fits exactly into how we digest metal music. It is definitely worth considering.
No that was the same rapper. Kendrick has many different rapping voices throughout the album that fits the mood and emotion of the song. Its really dope how he uses his vocal tone to set a mood.
LA FLAME they might have been taking about mc eight feature
LA FLAME Whats the best songs of travis scott ? lyrically? Atleast 3.
kyle I can tell, piss on your grave, pornography. Travis isn’t on a level like Kendrick or Ab-Soul but he can definitely rap when he wants too. Which is why BITTSM disappoints me because there was wayyy less actual rapping.
LA FLAME don’t sleep on “first take”
kyle He’s not rapping good in first take
One of the best and most underrated hip hop songs is Devil in a New Dress by Kanye West. Rick Ross has a verse on that song that some say is his best verse and that song is off of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, one of the greatest albums Kanye made and also one of the greatest rap albums ever released. Loved this reaction by the way.
Fuck yeah. The beat is godly.
YES PLEASE REACT TO THIS
YOU GUYS WOULD LOVE IT, IT HAS A SOLO GUITAR IN IT, KANYES PRODUCTION IS GODLY
Wow I was literally just listening to that yes please🔥🔥
And Runaway
lol left guy at 16:28 was like "Holy shit" and said in his head "damn bro we cant be friends anymore"
True. But we're still friends!