One year ago today, Kendrick Lamar dropped his second studio album good kid, m.A.A.D. city and was catapulted to fame. The promising young rapper had been a presence for years, known for his unconventional voice, highly technical flow, and a propensity to murder industry beats. But with the release of GKMC, Lamar reached a new echelon of success and the question of whether his new album was an instant classic became the focus of thousands of reviews, thinkpieces, and barbershop discussions. Today I'd like to share my review of the record that was published last year around the time of its release. Read it below in its entirety.
