#and i know kendrick lamar is good though ive only listened to a few of his songs
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fuck i should listen to more rap
#i'm a big fan of outkast#and i know kendrick lamar is good though ive only listened to a few of his songs#and megan thee stallion i've listened to#gonna make a list of older rappers to listen to
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FINALLY DOING ALL MY TAG GAMES AAAA IM SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG TO DO THESE
@whitedeadflower | pick my favourite albums for bill clinton to enjoy
not necessarily my favorites but i always pick the same 5 albums for these so i just put 4 albums i like a lot and have been listening to more recently <3
@opossuwu | 15 questions
1. What is the first song you remember hearing?
english songs: either learn to fly by foo fighters or human by the killers, i really cannot remember which one but it was around the same time im pretty sure
spanish songs: ALL the songs on/by rebelde, my sister was super into it when i was a baby so i heard so many of their songs right as i was learning to become a human
2. What is the first band you got into?
mmmmmmm probably one direction? if we’re not counting rebelde lol
3. Do you collect music on any physical format?
i collect almost all cds i know and like on CD and have recently started buying vinyl but i think im only going to get albums i really like on it since its more expensive
4. What is your favourite piece of music-related memorabilia/merchandise?
SO many things. i really like my nirvana and red hot chili peppers shirts because they make me feel cute! im also IN LOVE with the in utero angel sticker i bought on redbubble that has a transparent border so its JUST the angel, i stuck it on my record player and i love it so so much
5. What is your favourite concert you've been to?
i have not been to a concert yet :/ i went to a little student festival thing my university hosted for us and saw hunny + hayley kiyoko which was pretty neat
6. If you could see one artist (or band) who is no longer alive in concert, who would it be?
nirvana :(
7. Have you met any musicians?
i went to a cd signing for little mix when i was like 12-13 ish but thats the closest ive gotten lol
8. What is your go-to song/album when feeling sad?
i actually have a playlist of comfort songs to listen to when im sad, but i think the song i most consistently go to is encore by red hot chili peppers
9. What is your go-to song/album when feeling happy?
this one depends. probably hump de bump also by rhcp cause it SLAPS and always puts me in a better mood than when i started
10. What is one music-related documentary you love?
EYE only watched a few minutes of funky monks but im sure if i sat down to watch it now id love it. this is the worst question to ask me because i watch a ton of interviews on youtube so i cant even remember which ones were legit docus as opposed to just youtube vids so this question is gonna be basically unanswered. i do want to watch bob and the monster though
11. What is one concert DVD that you love?
i listen to it more as an album on spotify than watch it but Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged is so good
12. Do you prefer listening to playlists or full albums?
usually playlists! but occasionally ill play the albums i have on my player
13. Do you tend to listen to albums in order or on shuffle?
in order, shuffling them is rare
14. What is your favourite deep cut song by your favourite artist?
favorite artist is rhcp and honestly im? not fully sure. quixoticelixer slaps. and i like almost every song on im with you. but i think im gonna have to go with storm in a teacup cause i checked its streams and its not that popular </3
15. What is your favorite CD/vinyl/cassette that you own in terms of packaging?
THIS ONES SO HARD I LOVE PACKAGING DESIGNS. i love how rhcp’s im with you disc looks like because it has the track list on it but it doesnt look bad like other discs who do that do. booklet design i love vices and virtues by panic at the disco and american idiot by green day. idk what this would fall under but i also love how stadium arcadium’s booklet is held in the case and how when you take it out you see a picture of the band. and there are too many albums whose art i love so i cannot elaborate on that without making this 5xs longer lmao
@garbanz0 & @dailywilliams | top 5 songs ive had on repeat recently
according to spotify’s on repeat playlist:
but also according to my last.fm:
so basically red hot chili peppers own my ass
@badhe4d , @garbanz0 , & @catts-world | 10 songs you like, each by a different artist
uhhhhhhhhhhh
1. Monarchy of Roses - RHCP
2. Back and Forth - Foo Fighters
3. Heart of Glass - Blondie
4. Omission - John Frusciante and Josh Klinghoffer
5. Dance with Me - Sir, Please
6. Henrietta - The Fratellis
7. Breed - Nirvana
8. Mary - The Happy Fits
9. Girls and Boys - Blur
10. It’s All So Incredibly Loud - Glass Animals
@psychoticbreak | suppose you’re being sent to a deserted island for the rest of your life, and you can only choose 10 records to bring with you and those are the only albums you can listen to for the remainder of your life; what albums are they
oh GOD ok
1. in utero - nirvana
2. stadium arcadium - RHCP
3. nothing personal - all time low
4. red - taylor swift
5. after laughter - paramore
6. wasting light - foo fighters
7. im with you + im beside you if you count them as the same album - RHCP
8. so wrong its right - all time low
9. american idiot - green day
10. inside of emptiness - john frusciante
@mark-hoppuss | shuffle my playlist and list the first ten songs that come up
1. New Invention - I Don’t Know How But They Found Me
2. Thanks to You - All Time Low
3. Por Que Me Haces Llorar? - Juan Gabriel
4. Torture Me - Red Hot Chili Peppers
5. Speak Now - Taylor Swift
6. Prayer of the Refugee - Rise Against
7. Going Away to College - blink-182
8. Time-Bomb - All Time Low
9. DNA. - Kendrick Lamar
10. Heaven is a Place on Earth - Belinda Carlisle
@frafru1 , @whitedeadflower , & @psychoticbreak | make a playlist with the letters of my name
Lithium by Nirvana
Universally Speaking by RHCP
Pool by Paramore
Eye Opener by Dot Hacker
@badhe4d | post my lock screen, the last song I listened to and the last picture I saved on my phone
friends name blocked out but. an interesting screenshot. yes i have flea’s tweet notifs on and use twitter for absolutely nothing else. yes i have email notifs on
if screenshots count:
if they DONT count and you mean purely just saving:
my icon and boyfriend <3
@badhe4d | 7 questions to get to know me better
three ships: not romantically because i dont believe in shipping irl people but i love everyone in rhcp’s gay polycule energy. specifically john and anthony in the 80s. romantically tho mickey and ian in shameless. i dont think i have a third one? me and my bisexual mutuals <3
last song: i shuffled a ton of songs and skipped for some of these tags but before those i was listening to the album weird kids by we are the in crowd as a tbt, specifically the song manners
last movie: inside by bo burnham but if you dont count that, hereditary
currently watching: it is very difficult for me to watch shows so im currently just watching youtube lol
currently reading: nothing. i cannot read :( bc of attention issues not bc im illiterate
currently consuming: banana bread :3
currently craving: RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS RELEASE YOUR FUCKING ALBUM CHALLENGE
@the-replacemints | top 10 favorite debut albums
NOT in order. also it took way too long to come up with this list lol
1. Concentrate - The Happy Fits
2. So Wrong It’s Right - All Time Low
3. SOUR - Olivia Rodrigo
4. Strange Desire - Bleachers
5. RAZZMATAZZ - I Dont Know How But They Found Me
6. Hot Fuss - The Killers
7. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
8. Bleach - Nirvana
9. Costello Music - The Fratellis
10. WALK THE MOON - Walk The Moon
because theres so many of these im not gonna tag people for each individual prompt but if you tagged me in one of these i tag you in whichever ones you wanna do <3
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hey so it seems i’ve forgot to do a l o t of tag memes, and i’m lucky i drafted a big bunch of them! lots of questions overlapped so i did my best to answer in different ways, sorry for the lateness! also @ the people that tagged me here, i wouldn't hesitate to kill for you
@natcaptor / @gayspaced
name: leon or lionel!
nicknames: literally the only nickname I’ve been referred to is “big gay” and like. word!
gender: im pretty sure im a guy, i have been kinda 🤔🤔🤔 abt my gender identity since around november-ish though
star sign: sagittarius!
height: 6’1! i’m told that I’m tall but my uncle is 6’7 so...
time: 3:36pm rn! ive been watching video essays and binging music all afternoon
birthday: december 9th!
favourite bands: animal collective, beach house, camp cope, car seat headrest, death grips, fleet foxes, florence + the machine, gang of youths, glass animals, gorillaz, hop along, iceage, idles, kero kero bonito, mgmt, miike snow, modest mouse, run the jewels, superorganism, the avalanches, the cat empire, the go! team, the mountain goats, the wombats, xiu xiu
favourite solo artists: alex lahey, anderson .paak, ariana grande, billie eilish, bjork, cashmere cat, charli xcx, courtney barnett, cupcakke, d.r.a.m, eric taxxon, frank ocean, gfoty, hatchie, janelle monae, jeff rosenstock, joanna newsom, jorja smith, jpegmafia, kacey musgraves, kali uchis, kendrick lamar, khalid, kimbra, lorde, mac demarco, madeon, mick jenkins, mitski, oneohtrix point never, perfume genius, ravyn lenae, rina sawayama, serpentwithfeet, sophie, st. vincent, sza, vince staples
song stuck in my head: caramelo duro | miguel // kali uchis! its a bop, miguel is one of the few singers that can convincingly make sex jams
last movie i watched: deadpool 2! it was even better than the first, which is a feat in itself ngl
when did i create my blog: december 2016??? i only started using it properly in february last year tho
last thing i googled: “im in my mums car broom broom.” dont @ me
do i have any other blogs: yeah, plenty actually!! i have blogs for aesthetic (@moltenstar), general inspo (@wverns), flight rising (@szarising, kinda inactive?), and overwatch (@blackhardts) tbh the vast majority of my ‘sideblogs’ are just saved urls H
do i get asks: when i say stupid shit like “rung has the ass of a dilf but the dick of a cockroach”
why i chose my url: that one panel where kobd have a vacation at the acid wastes because fuck its finally canon babey!
following: 1,767, which is kinda horrifying!!
followers: 890?? somehow??? thats almost One Whole Thousand and i don't even make content
average hours of sleep: around 6 or 7!! n e v e r more though
lucky number: 43 and 64!!
instruments: i'm too poor to afford music lessons or instruments jsbddsjknfs
what am i wearing: a grey shirt and nothing on my bottom half so my [redacted] is hanging tf out, i should put on some damn clothes
dream job: oooo uhhh, i’m studying to get an education degree rn because i’d love to teach children (around grade 3-4s preferably because i'm too jittery to handle anyone younger and older kids probs won't listen to me as much as i lack plenty of assertiveness), but!! i’d honestly love to be a musician, one of those underground ones that get lots of critical acclaim
dream trip: one day i wanna gather up some friends and just go on a road trip! idm where we go to, as long as we just have fun and just! adventure!
favourite foods: rare steak, mashed potatoes, eggs, and energy shakes made with like. fruit / cheese / yoghurt / oats / chia seeds ! protein is a large part of my diet
nationality: new zealand, but living in australia
favourite song right now: best part | daniel caesar // h.e.r - gosh i need to re-listen to daniel’s album again, i don’t remember this beautiful song being there and that’s a crime
@damndesi / @novarebel / @luciform-philogynist
APPEARANCE - I am 5'7 or taller - I wear glasses - I have at least one tattoo (but I am getting a tā moko in December, I believe) - I have at least one piercing (planning to get a nose ring, like a bull!) - I have blonde hair - I have brown eyes - I have short hair - My abs are at least somewhat defined (b a r e l y) - I have or had braces
PERSONALITY - I love meeting new people - People tell me I am funny - Helping others with their problems is a big priority of mine - I enjoy physical challenges - I enjoy mental challenges - I am playfully rude to people I know - I started saying something ironically and now I can’t stop saying it - There is something I would change about my personality
ABILITY - I can sing well - I can play an instrument - I can do over 30 pushups without stopping (barely) - I am a fast runner - I can draw well - I have a good memory - I am good at doing math in my head - I can hold my breath underwater for over a minute - I have beaten at least 2 people arm wrestling - I can make at least 3 recipes from scratch - I know how to throw a proper punch
HOBBIES - I enjoy sports - I’m on a sports team at my school or somewhere else - I’m in an orchestra or choir at my school or somewhere else - I have learned a new song in the past week - I exercise at least once a week - I have gone for runs at least once a week in warmer months - I have drawn something in the past month - I enjoy writing - Fandoms are my #1 priority - I do some form of Martial arts
EXPERIENCES - I have had my first kiss - I have had alcohol (tastes like shit) - I have scored a winning point in a sport - I have watched an entire TV series in one sitting - I have been at an overnight event - I have been in a taxi - I have been in the hospital or ER in the past year - I have beaten a video game in one day - I have visited another country - I have been to one of my favorite bands concerts
MY LIFE - I have one person that I consider to be my Best Friend - I live relatively close to my school/work - My parents are still together - I have at least one sibling - I live in the United States - There is snow where I live right now - I have hung out with a friend in the past month - I have a smart phone - I own at least 15 CDs - I share my room with someone
RELATIONSHIPS - I am in a Relationship - I have a crush on a celebrity - I have a crush on someone I know - I’ve been in at least 3 relationships - I have never been in a Relationship - I have admitted my feelings to a crush - I get crushes easily - I have had a crush for over a year - I have been in a relationship for over a year - I have had feelings for a friend
RANDOM - I have break-danced - I know a person named Jamie - I have had a teacher that has a name that is hard to pronounce - I have dyed my hair - I’m listening to a song on repeat right now - I have punched someone in the past week - I know someone who has gone to jail - I have broken a bone (do fractures count?) - I have eaten a waffle today - I know what I want to do in life - I speak at least two languages (not fluently) - I have made a new friend in the past year
@smstransformers
age: 16
birthplace: auckland, nz
current time: 4:19 pm rn!!!
drink you last had: i just skulled half a liter of water whoops
favourite song: jesus etc. | wilco if we're talking abt an all-time favourite
grossest memory: accidentally swallowing a bee when i was seven years old (somehow nothing bad happened?)
horror, yes or no: not unless it’s an incredibly tame horror t b h, my threshold for scariness is very low
in love: i believe so!
jealous of people: lots of times, over really dumb things
love by first sight or should I walk by again: i believe that infatuation can exist at first sight but true love not so much. wish that could happen tho :C
middle name: shane!
siblings: my sister is eight years old, and my brother is seven!
one wish: EZ, make my anxiety disappear, i’d have a much more productive life
song i last sang: jupiter | haiku hands
time i woke up: 7:13, woke up immediately because i usually like to wake at 6:30
underwear colour: blue + purble
vacation destination: auckland / kingston / sydney!
worst habit: not remembering to make my goddamn bed, it looks like garbage
favourite food: mashed potatoes….
zodiac sign: sagittarius !!!
@alyonian
relationship status:
at the moment i’m single! and while being in a relationship sounds brilliant, the last two relationships i was involved in? didn’t work out to say the least, lucky i’m still young
favourite colour:
it’s been emerald green for the longest time but orange seems to be dethroning it at a steady pace
lipstick or chapstick:
i haven’t used chapstick since i was six but i probably should use it again, water is my substitute rn fdghdgh - and i haven’t ever used lipstick in any capacity? so i’d have to go with the former
last song i listened to:
the space traveller’s lullaby | kamasi washington - i’m trying to get through his second album rn (i left off on the second disk yesterday) and while everything he makes is undeniably amazing, it’s? a three hour album? i don’t have the attention span for his spiritual jazz, as great as it is
last movie:
monsters inc is playing on the television right now, i’ll go with that! the animation aged kinda badly but it’s still such a fun movie! sidenote: james p. sullivan? a childhood crush, so this gives me memories
top 3 tv shows/podcasts/comics:
i rarely, if ever, venture into these forms of media but! if i had to answer, i’d say;
unbreakable kimmy schmidt / parks & recreation / luke cage
taz / mbmbam (i havent like. watched a full episode of either but they seem cool,)
tf idw / …………. yeah that’s it, i’ve never read anything else. probably should!
additional favs:
my friends, writing (in theory), listening to video essays, learning music theory + instruments and understanding audio production software
top 3 bands / artists:
HHH okay if i had to limit my choices to just three artists, uh. lorde, the mountain goats, and sophie. i couldnt even fit janelle in i hate th is
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@alyonian
color(s): light colors are always nice and pleasant, though anything peachy and sandy are the best! orange (specially pastel orange) is like. the best thing
last band t-shirt i bought: usually merchandising is very expensive and i dont have the money to accommodate that, but like. i do recall having a wiggles shirt when i was five. i wore it all the time, shjdjgsksd im sure that counts
last band i saw live: i almost went to splendor in the grass last year with family, which wasn't only cool since i’ve never been out of the state since i immigrated - the festival was in queensland, which is around a two hour flight from victoria - but the lineup was pretty fuckin lit too! the xx, haim, peking duk, tash sultana, future islands, vallis alps, a.b original,, i was p excited! unfortunately my uncle fell ill and so they had to give the tickets to extended family :( otherwise, i haven't been to a single concert in my life
last song i listened to: street fighter mas | kamasi washington - up to this song on the album and i really fuckin dig this! also the video is hypnotizing
last movie i watched: monsters inc is about to finish and up next is monsters university! which like…. honestly, this is an extremely unpopular opinion but, i like it just as much as the original? my opinion might be skewed because i’m a monster [hugger], but i like everything abt the movie! except for the finale of the scare games and the last five minutes of the movie, both were just. dreadful.
last three tv shows i watched: if aggretsuko counts that’s the last series i watched of my own volition, which is a miracle in itself considering that’s legit only the second anime i’ve watched to completion (the first being shirokuma cafe, which i probably need to re-watch). otherwise, the last two shows i had beared witness to were thirteen reasons why and queer eye bc my cousin put them on! that first show i could completely do without but queer eye is iconique
last 3 characters i identified with: grimlock (legit. all of them), urdnot grunt (mass effect) and vector the crocodile (sth), i’m not sure what this says about me other than Big
book(s) i’m currently reading: i’m reading ‘maus’ by art spiegelman at the moment, for the third time i believe? i believe my classmates are supposed to be writing an essay on this next term and shit, this novel is heartbreaking, i haven't been this emotional when reading a book than… ever, really. it’s a recommendation of the highest caliber
@victorion
name: leon / lionel, i picked up the second name because i was in a server with an admin that was also a Leon™
nickname: besides ‘Big Gay’ i also have the nickname ‘lemon lion’ which is! nice!!
zodiac sign: archer man
height: Tall™
language(s) spoken: english / some maori + italian
fav fruit: watermelons (only when in season)
fav scent: the smell of a freezer tbh? it just smells Nice i don’t know how to properly explain it
fav season: spring! the breezes are welcoming without being overbearingly freezing
fav color: ornge,,,,
fav animal: SHARKS + CROCS + FERRETS
coffee, tea or hot chocolate: tea! with some milk tho
average hrs of sleep: too little
fav fictional character: One character?????? uhhhhhhh……. like. biggest cc right now is either idw skids or oz from monster prom
no. of blankets you sleep with: depending on my mood but i’d say the average is like, 3??
fav songs: i quickly whipped up some songs i listen to
fav artists: i came to the realization that i like acts that are considered ‘bad’ like maroon 5/drake/lil yachty etc in specific doses… i wouldn't call them good yet, but! i have no beef and thats good
fav books: remember ‘where the wild things are’??? that shit was like. literal childhood, man.. :happytears: i really need to look for a copy again
@thonany-klieme
name: leon / lionel, interchangeable really
gender: male, im probs an nb guy
star sign: sagittarius!
height: 6’1
sexuality: gay??? im not sure, im mostly attracted to other guys but i have had very brief crushes on girls + nb people? sexuality’s confusing so im gonna just latch to the gaybel (gay label) for now
lock screen image: its the album cover of 1992 deluxe by princess nokia, tho it was “T Hanos” a few days ago since i change it often - my home screen is venom but his torso says ‘fuck machine’
ever had a crush on a teacher: no??
where do you see yourself in ten years: ideally i’m teaching kids math n english, realistically i’m probably going down with the political climate
if you could go anywhere, where would you go: new zealand!! or the netherlands
what was your favorite halloween costume: halloween is not big at all where i live, the only time i tried trick or treating was when i was like 7?? i threw a bedsheet on myself and pretended to be a ghost, though since there were no eyeholes + the sheet was blue, it looked more like i was just a moving lump
last kiss: never had one
have you ever been to las vegas: nah and i dont plan to?? how do you handle regular days of 40C wtf
favorite pair of shoes: i have this pair of jandals that ive worn for a fair bit longer than my other pair of shoes, tho i only wear them in summer + very warm nights
favorite book: ngl its. ‘the very hungry caterpillar’ by eric carle. i just, love it alot and i cant explain w h y
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i was tagged by @jacksbutland! Legit havent done one of these in agessss so thankssss for the tag!! <33
Rules: Answer these 92 statements and tag 20 people
LAST:
1. Drink: water
2. Phone Call: my sister literally just called me whilst making this.. she wanted to know if we had poppadoms at home lol
3. Text message: to my sister about fantasy pl… we love football.
4. Song you listened to: m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar
5. Time you cried: last night listening to some song :) (was a sad song but i love a good cry)
6. Dated someone twice: nahh dont think i’d ever go back to someone i once dated but who knows!
7. Kissed someone and regretted it: only once tbh which is good considering
8. Been cheated on: nah
9. Lost someone special: yeah
10. Been depressed: dont think so, feeling low perhaps but nothing long-term
11. Gotten drunk and thrown up: im never usually sick when I get drunk! although i was really ill when I was spiked in my first year at uni which was fucking horrible. I was lucky to get home.
LIST 3 FAVOURITE COLOURS
12-14. burgundy, dark green and navy blue
IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU:
15. Made new friends: countless!
16. Fallen out of love: nahhh
17. Laughed until you cried: definitely
18. Found out someone was talking about you: probably
19. Met someone who changed you: in a way everyone has an impact but i dont think i’ve changed too much!
20. Found out who your friends are: i always knew
21. Kissed someone on your Facebook list: a few
GENERAL:
22. How many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: all of them!
23. Do you have any pets: yep! Got a loooovely black cat called Mac :D
24. Do you want to change your name: nope
25. What did you do for your last Birthday: I was working on my actual birthday but the day after i went to Brighton Pride which was incredible!!!
26. What time did you wake up: 6:25am
27. What were you doing at midnight last night: sleeping lmao
28. Name something you can’t wait for: to go to Cambodia this November to work as a volunteer at a children’s centre for 5 weeks! Ganna be amazing!
29. When was the last time you saw your mom: this morning!
30. What is the one thing you wish you could change in your life: I wish my relationship with my mum was better.. i wish i could tell her important personal things but i feel awks about it!
31. What are you listening to right now: erm nothing
32. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: looooads
33. Something that is getting on your nerves: the world tbh
34. Most visited website: probs tumblr, fb and youtube
35. Elementary: I hardly remember it but primary school was fun!
36. High School: yep i went to secondary school and then college for 2 years (before uni)
37. College: just finished university… time to do something with my degree yikes lol
38. Haircolor: light/normal brown?
39. Long or short hair: loooong as i havent cut it in nearly a year… i need to do that/
40. Do you have a crush on someone: nope
41. What do you like about yourself: I like my sense of humour and outlook on life. Oh and my hair :)
42. Piercings: just the standard ears
43. Bloodtype: not a clue!
44. Nickname: some people call me Els or Ellie but I’m fine with Eleanor!
45. Relationship status: single
46. ??? if this is about my relationship status, im just living life tbh
47. Pronouns: she/her
48. Favorite TV Show: game of thrones probs.. its the only one i watch!
49. Tattoos: not yet! I want to get one of a Fox though because its the family name!
50. Right or left: im right handed
51. Surgery: i’ve had stitches but no major surgery
52. Piercing: ears
53. Sport: is life. whilst my favourite sport to watch is football, my fav sport to play is lacrosse! I honestly looooove it :D
54. ??? same tbh
55. Vacation: not been on one this year yet! but my best friend wants to go to benidorm (lol) with me next year for some bants
56. Pair of trainers: i have some…
MORE GENERAL:
57. Eating: love popcorn
58. Drinking: water
59. I’m about to: do nothing all evening other than eat
60. ??? yep
61. Waiting for: my summer job to finish so i can go back to doing fuck all
62. Want: to watch weekend football
63. Get married: not sure i want to, but definitely not yet
64. Career: well ive got a degree and now im a qualified OT sooo i better find a bloody job init
WHICH IS BETTER:
65. Hugs or kisses: both
66. Lips or eyes: well eyes can be really pretty but lips are pretty amazing too
67. Shorter or taller: im only 5′1 so practically everyone’s taller
68. Older or younger: probs older
69. ??? i know
70. Nice arms or nice stomach: arms. love a good bicep.
71. Sensitive or loud: both
72. Hook up or relationship: atm hook up.
73. Troublemaker or hesitant: neither
HAVE YOU EVER:
74. Kissed a stranger: many a time
75. Drank hard liquor: yes
76. Lost glasses/contact lenses: nahhh dont wear glasses!
77. Turned someone down: yes
78. Sex on the first date: ..not always intentionally but sometimes it just happens, nothing wrong with it. #dealwithit
79. Broken someones heart: hope not!
80. Had your heart broken: nope
81. Been arrested: nah
82. Cried when someone died: yes
83. Fallen for a friend: sadly yes but they never found out and im waaayyy over it so its cool!
DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
84. Yourself: YES. im my own cheerleader tbh
85. Miracles: nah
86. Love at first sight: not really
87. Santa Claus: no
88. Kiss in the first date: totally! doesnt have to happen but sure!
89. Angels: nope
OTHER:
90. Current best friends name: Lauren. I’ve known her for 17 or so years (fuck that is long)
91. Eyecolor: to quote my bestfriend, my eyes are “the colour of the brown colouring pencil no one uses.” thanks lauren.
92. Favorite movie: fuck knows tbh! I have looooads!
i’m tagging @ander-herrera, @harryswinks, @jordanshenderson, @thiagosalcantaras, @tiny-red-dancer, @stevenbirnbaum, @lunarks, @jacksannie, @leivangel aaaand anyone else if you wanna!
#tagged#no pressure to do it obvs! its long af aha!#but thaaaanks for the tag!! <33#im exposed by some of these tbh.. ahh well#about me#personal
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Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Kendrick Lamar has definitely came a long way from Good Kid, M.A.A.D City. GK, MC was definitely auto biographical. But ever since then, I see a new side of him. He gets more blunt, more gritty, and unapologetic as time goes on. Even though Kendrick has stayed consistent, I believe he is still underrated. Projects like To Pimp a Butterfly and Untitled Unmastered don’t get the play like they should. So I think that affects an artist and their future projects. And that is the result of Damn.
Don’t get me wrong, Damn. Isn’t a bad album at all. But it definitely has more radio appeal than TPaB and Untitled. TPaB was funky, soulful and influential. “Alright” became the theme song for the Black Lives Matter movement, and if you didn’t love yourself or your neighbor after “I”, something is wrong with you. It was, and is, relevant for us. Just like how funk was in the mid-60s and 70s.
Back to Damn. Having more mainstream potential… Other than “Humble” becoming Kendrick’s first number one single, there are songs that shock me because they are on the project. “Loyalty” features Rhianna. It reminded me of when Lupe made “Out of my Head” with Trey Songz. You know he would’ve never made a song with Songz. But Rhianna makes hits, and so does Trey. Then there is “God”. Which I thought was going to be touching base with the reoccurring theme of religion/spirituality. No, I didn’t think it was going to be a gospel song but I thought it was going to expand on a line in “Yah”,
“Im an Israelite, I ain’t Black no mo’
That word is only a color, it ain’t facts no mo’”
But it didn’t. It was a quick wrap of his life, and career. Im honestly done with the similes and metaphorical songs, comparing materialistic wealth and fortune to some type Godliness or heaven in general. But that is what’s in. Look at “Blessed” by Big Sean and “Amen” by Meek Mill. (“Blessed” is my jam though). Even though “Love” is a decent song, which I don’t mind listening to, it definitely would be a popular radio song. It just doesn’t seem like a kind of love song Kendrick would put out. But I guess I’m living in the “Poetic Justice” pass. But since “Humble” is getting the airplay it is getting, I really hope people are actually listening to the song, and not just enjoying the simple production and that “bitch” is in the chorus, and the bass is nice.
My favorite songs were “Element”, “DNA”, and “Duckworth”… in that order.
“Elements” production and up tempo melody is dope. It’s my new birthday song. “DNA” Gives me a taste of TPaB. It doesn’t really tell us a story but gives us nutrition facts that make up Kendrick Lamar and Black people in general. I interpret it as: This is why white folks can’t say “Nigga”. “Duckworth” amazes me because if Top Dawg would have shot Kendrick’s dad, Ducky, we would not have Kendrick, or his music! It’s insane. Best Hip-Hop story Ive every heard hands down.
I highly respect songs like “Feel” And “Fear”. I appreciated “Feel” because men, but Black men specifically, are taught not to have feelings, to be tough, not to be sensitive, and to “be a man.” From being manipulated to fighting demons is what Kendrick expresses. The very first line sounds like he feels unlucky and burdened. Kendrick may feel like no one has his back as he constantly ask “Who prayin’ for me?” But I think every strong black man feels this way; along with being depressed. I somewhat relate the first verse in “Fear.” I have fear of my parents to this day. It is a respect kind of fear. It teaches a kid discipline and to be obedient. But it is also about having other fears like not being good enough or having enough money to the point where it gives you power, but not having control over life. But also conquering fears or maybe just smoking them away.
Overall, I’m glad I listened to this album as much as I did. This album was great despite the few tracks that I felt would bring it down. I was still able to rate this album as high as I did because of the really strong tracks like “DNA” and “Duckworth”. And I would recommend this to other Kendrick fans and Hip Hop heads.
Thanks for reading!
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My favorite lyrics from New School Rap Artists.
So I run a radio show at my college with one a co-host named C-Bo called “Chillin with C-Bo”. I started out as a guest on the show, but I soon became something more. Now C-Bo is leaving the country for a while, so it’s up to me to run the show.
If you ever wanna listen, I’m on from 11:30 AM- 2:30 Pm EST, on Tuesdays. I’ll provide a link to the online site below.
But enough self promotion!
One thing I promised C-Bo was that I would stick to his style of music for the show to maintain consistency, as well as sprinkle a little bit of my own flavor.
The problem, however, was I wasn’t into the type of music C-Bo was into; New School Rap. I have been hesitant to dive into this genre because I was afraid that it would ruin the flavor of rap and hip hop I had acquired from before 2010 (you know, your basic nostalgia).
But As I began to really listen to artists like Chance the Rapper, Logic, Childish Gambino, and Kendrick Lamar, I fell in love. But not with the beat, or the tempo, or even the voices/flow of the artists. I fell in love with the lyrics. What I love most about rap and hip-hop is that it gives artists a chance to formulate great lyrical content. Other genres of music have become so cheesy and typical with the words, that it gets to the point where they all sound the same.
But in rap, each song is so different.
Nas wrote a song from the point of view of a gun.
Eminem wrote a song about a crazed fan that lost his mind trying to get his attention.
NWA created songs that helped bring a spark into the souls of Compton residents, making them feel like they aren’t all the criminals and gang-bangers everyone sees them as.
Hell, Mackelmore wrote a song about how to shop at a thrift shop!
Today’s modern day rap has taken a bit of a blow in terms of lyrical content, however.
With so many songs about money, drinking, smoking, making money, cursing out the police, and gang banging, along with the rise of Mumble rap and songs that are just repeating the same 3 lines over and over to a loud beat, it’s hard to find good, thought provoking lyrics in today’s rap.
Luckily, I found a few.
If you wanna know what songs these lyrics came from, they’ll be in Parenthesis at the end of each one.
So here are some of my favorite lyrics from some of today’s New School Rap Artists;
Kendrick Lamar
“I can dig rapping... but a rapper with a ghost writer; what the fuck happened? (Oh no!) I swore I wouldn't tell! But most of you share bars like you got the bottom bunk in a two man cell! (A two man cell?) Something's in the water.(Something's in the water) And if I got a brown nose for some gold, then I'd rather be a bum than a motherfuckin' baller!” (King Kunta)
“I'm so fucking sick and tired of the Photoshop. Show me something natural like afro on Richard Pryor. Show me something natural like ass with some stretch marks.” (HUMBLE)
“I know murder, conviction, burners, boosters, burglars, ballers, dead, redemption, scholars, fathers dead with kids, and I wish I was fed forgiveness Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, soldier's DNA.” (DNA)
“I done been through a whole lot; trials and tribulations, but I know God! Satan wanna put me in a bow-tie, praying that the holy water don't go dry, yeah yeah! As I look around me, so many motherfuckers wanna down me! But enemigo never drown! In front of a dirty double-mirror, they found me. And, I love myself!” (i)
“If I told you that a flower bloomed in a dark room, would you trust it?” (Poetic Justice ft. Drake)
“Everybody gon' respect the shooter, but the one in front of the gun lives forever” (Money Trees)
“Seen a light-skinned n***a with his brains blown out. At the same burger stand, where *censored* hang out. Now this is not a tape recorder saying that he did it. But ever since that day, I was looking at him different. That was back when I was nine. Joey packed the nine. Pack to stand on every porch is fine. We adapt to crime...” (m.A.A.d. city)
“’Okay... Now open your mind up and listen to me, Kendrick! I'm in your conscience, if you do not hear me, then you will be history, Kendrick! I know that you're nauseous right now, and I'm hopin' to lead you to victory, Kendrick!’ If I take another one down, I'm a drown in some poison abusin' my limit” (Swimming Pools [Drank])
Logic
“Not perceived by the things I believe or the color of my skin, or the fact I'm attracted to her, maybe him, or the fact I'm a single mother living all alone, looking for a man and a home to call my own. But I already have one; the only man I'ma ever need is my son, my son, my son, my son, son, say!” (Black SpiderMan)
“All this other shit I'm talkin' 'bout they think they know it. I've been praying for somebody to save me, no one's heroic. And my life don't even matter. I know it I know it, I know I'm hurting deep down but can't show it. I never had a place to call my own, I never had a home. Ain't nobody callin' my phone. Where you been? Where you at? What's on your mind? They say every life precious, but nobody care about mine.” (1-800-273-8255)
“Everybody gonna die, gonna go one day, maybe it'll happen on a Monday. Drop into work and get hit by a Hyundai, fuck it, let it all go one day” (Fade Away)
“Man, I never knew livin' out a dream meant livin' out a suitcase! I've been working at a new pace! So much money on the road, I ain't even had a minute, not a single second chilling in my new place! Motherfuckers getting two-faced! ‘Cause a brother finally eating, not to mention everybody gettin' two plates!” (Run it)
“Masta deep down inside of me, the plantation deep down inside of me. Everybody fuck like sodomy, because one or the other what it gotta be. Tell me, why my momma gotta lie to me, unity for everyone that lied to me. Peace on earth, what I try to be; I just wanna spread the message of equality” (Take It Back)
“I been knockin doors down like a Jehovah witness, God as my witness, I'm with this, but on the real I think I need another witness!” (Everybody)
Drake
“You know the truth, this not pretend, I'm not your friend, not your guy, I'm not your buddy, show no lovin', and I might go DeMarcus Cousins; out in public!” (6 Man)
“Please, check 'em for a wire or earpiece. Please, please do not let these n***as near me. Please, think before you come for the great one. Please, who's a real n***a and who ain't one? Please.” (Back to Back)
“Oh, Lord! Who else sounded like this? They ain't make me what I am, they just found me like this, I was ready. Fuck that, I've been ready, since my dad used to tell me he was comin' to the house to get me. He ain't show. Valuable lesson, man, I had to grow up! That's why I never ask for help; I'll do it for you n***as and do it for myself!” (0-100/The Catch Up)
“I done kept it real from the jump. Living at my mama's house we'd argue every mornin' n***a, I was trying to get it on my own; working all night, traffic on the way home, and my uncle calling me like, ‘Where ya at?’ I gave you the keys told ya bring it right back, N***a.” (Started from the Bottom)
Chance the Rapper
“Man my daughter couldn't have a better mother. If she ever find another, he better love her! Man I swear my life is perfect, I could merch it! If I die I'll prolly cry at my own service...” (All We Got)
“JJ, Mikey, Lil Derek and them, 79th street was America then. Ice cream truck and the beauty supply, blockbuster movies and Harold's again. We still catching lightening bugs when the plague hit the backyard. Had to come in at dark cause the big shawty's act hard.” (Summer Friends)
“Jesus black life ain't matter, I know I talked to his daddy, said you the man of the house now, look out for your family.” (Blessings)
“Damn man, I don't even need a radio, and my new shit sound like a rodeo Got the old folks dancing the Do-si-do, so they fuck around, sign me to OVO. Oh, I just might share my next one with Keef, got the industry in disbelief, they be asking for beef!” (Angels)
“Way back then when everything we read was real, and everything we said rhymed. Wide eyed kids being kids. When did you stop? What did you do to your hair? Where did you go to end up right back here? When did you start to forget how to fly?” (Same Drugs)
“Hope there never come a day where we be better as friends. We in a marathon we could build a marriage on. Arguments as parents digging deeper than a baritone. I've been getting blocked just trying to make songs with friends, labels told me to my face that they own my friends.” (Finish Line/Drown)
Childish Gambino
“I got more tail than that PetCo, you faker than some Sweet'N Low. Yeah, you got some silverware, but really are you eating though? Are you eating though? N***a, are you eating though? Breakfast, lunch and dinner's for beginners, you ain't even know.” (IV. Sweatpants)
“All I do is make the stuff I would've liked, reference things I wanna watch, reference girls I wanna bite, now I'm firefly like a burning kite. And you's a fake fuck like a fleshlight” (Fire Fly)
“Can we hear the N-word one day and not get upset? Can we try something new and not be suspect?” (You See Me)
“My shit be Jackson, Jordan, Bolton, Keaton, Tyson: 5 Mikes. Donald Glover, no relation, always workin', no vacation. They couldn't feel me, no vacation. Murder versus the only motive was motivation...” (Bonfire)
“Got no patience, cause I'm not a doctor. Girl why is you lying, girl why you Mufasa? Yeah, mi casa su casa, gotta strip it like Gaza. Got so high off volcanoes, now the flow is so lava.” (3005)
So, that’s my list. I might have left out some better verses by theses artists, as well as some better artists. That’s mainly cuz these are the only new school rappers i’ve been hearing as of late. If you got any suggestions of artists/songs, please lmk!!! Thanks for reading!!!
#new school rap#rap#hiphop#childish gambino#chance the rapper#logic#kendrick lamar#drake#0-100#swimming pools#sweatpants#same drugs#black spiderman#music#lyrics#donald glover
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I can't get into DAMN.
I've listened to Kendrick Lamar's "DAMN." about four times now and I'm sorry to say that it really isn't sticking with me much. I was hoping to give this a concentrated listen this weekend by sitting down with Genius and listening to a FLAC copy of the album, but as of yet I still can't find any online retailers that are selling either CD quality or Studio quality FLAC. Neither 7Digital or HDTracks has it -- even though they both have "To Pimp a Butterfly" and 7Digital even has the singles of "The Heart Part IV" and "HUMBLE". So I've only been listening to it in the car with Spotify. And I still stand by my first impressions that I don't find the beats very enjoyable. Instead of Kendrick being a leader, he seems to be following trends that already sound dated. Speaking of dated, there's Auto-Tune on this record too, unfortunately. You know how there are instrumental albums of Killer Mike's "RAP Music" or Freddie Gibb and Madlib's "Pinata"? I almost wish there was a vocal only version of "DAMN". I think I remember hearing in an interview that Kendrick said that his music didn't really appeal to his little brother, so maybe this is his way of getting through? Or maybe this is a sound that Kendrick likes too? And I have to respect that. And maybe it's good to release a disappointing album. I can't imagine the pressure Kendrick must feel to be a leader and to continue to release masterpiece after masterpiece. There are definitely a few lines on this album that would seem to indicate that. I'll pray for you Kendrick. I still have faith in you, but I realize you're only human too. The words are the strength of this album, but words alone don't make a good album for me -- just like beats alone don't make a good album. I still want to dive into the lyrics on Genius because I know there's gold in there, but I don't think that will instantly transform this album into one that I love as much as "Good Kid" or "Butterfly" or even "Section.80". I am really interested to hear what theneedledrop and Dead End Hip Hop have to say about this album. Maybe they can help me appreciate this album on another level. But as it is, "DAMN" doesn't beat "Run The Jewels 3" or Joey Bada$$' "All-Amerikkkan Badass" as my favorite albums released so far this year.
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Album Review by Bradley Christensen Big K.R.I.T. – 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time Record Label: Multi Alumni / BMG Rights Management Release Date: October 27 2017
Out of every kind of hip-hop that there is, southern hip-hop is my favorite, and that would potentially “trigger” a lot of music fans, because trap music, which is the hot and trending style of hip-hop that’s dominated the charts in the last few years, owes everything to southern hip-hop. Both styles are pretty much the same, but with a few stark differences. Trap music took a lot from southern hip-hop, thanks to a rapper like T.I., who helped to pioneer the genre, I guess you could say, but he took certain ideas and sounds from 90s southern hip-hop and turned it into something more. One thing that both styles have in common, however, is that they’re more about the groove, energy, and bombast, versus lyrical versatility, groundbreaking sounds and ideas, as well as being more “cultured.” I love southern hip-hop, as well as trap to an extent, because of how energetic, bass-heavy, and groovy it can be (I love when a lot of these rappers and groups add southern soul, gospel, and R&B textures to their sounds, too; take a look at acts like Goodie Mob, OutKast, and stuff like that). The thing is, though, people have this weird idea that all hip-hop is bad, just because they don’t like trap music. I’ve seen some reviewers on YouTube talk about how they don’t like all the mainstream hip-hop, which is fine on some level, because I can understand if you’re into Migos, Gucci Mane, and stuff like that, because it’s not for everyone (to be fair, though, what kind of music is for everyone? No one’s is going to agree on a single thing, so technically speaking, nothing is for everyone), but to act like hip-hop itself isn’t any good, or only claiming that there are a couple of good rappers today (and you know it’s the clichéd ones that all of these people have to mention, such as Logic, J. Cole, and Kendrick Lamar; throw in Eminem for good measure, too, especially if the person that you’re talking to is white, because white boys love Em) is just ridiculous to me, because you can find a lot of awesome rappers in the underground scene.
The reason that I bring up that I love southern hip-hop is because the album I’ll be talking about today is from the artist that essentially got me into that style of hip-hop. That would be the third studio album from Mississippi rapper Big K.R.I.T., entitled 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time. I came across Big K.R.I.T. about two years ago. I’ve been aware of his music for even longer, but I listened to his last mixtape, 2015’s It’s Better This Way, just for kicks, because I was getting more into hip-hop when it came out, and I thought it would be interesting to listen to. Sure enough, I was right, because I love that tape. It’s one of my favorite projects from him, but I was really entranced by southern hip-hop. Earlier this year, I got into a lot more of it, including a lot of K.R.I.T.’s other projects. One issue that I do have with him, even before I get into the review of this LP (which is interesting to talk about on its own), is that his stuff tends to be repetitive, but he does that style really, really well, so I don’t mind hearing a lot of the same ideas and sounds over and over again, only because he manages to make everything sound oddly fresh. Anyway, 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time is an interesting record, because this is his first independent release. K.R.I.T. released a couple of albums on Def Jam, but he was let go from his contract last year. I’ve gathered that it was because he didn’t want to “water down” his sound for mainstream audiences, which is basically what he kind of did on his last couple studio projects. A lot of fans were very disappointed with 2012’s Live From The Underground, as well as 2014’s Cadillactica, even though I love the latter. The former one, eh, but the latter album is great. I was definitely looking forward to a new album from Big K.R.I.T., and I purposely didn’t listen to the couple of songs released from the record before it came out, just because I wanted to go into this album totally fresh. I’m glad I did, too, because this album is awesome. It’s easily his best studio album, which isn’t too hard to achieve, but it’s also one of his projects period. I’ll be blunt, folks – while I hate it when people say that someone like Kendrick Lamar should be more popular, because he’s already mainstream beyond belief, I want Big K.R.I.T. to be more popular.
For whatever reason, Big K.R.I.T. isn’t popular, and there are a lot of people that don’t know about him, but goddamn, they should. Hell, 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time is a great place to start, too, because this features his most accessible and “experimental” work to date. I put that in quotes, because this LP isn’t super groundbreaking, but it is interesting in a lot of aspects. If anything, it’s more experimental in terms of K.R.I.T.’s own sound. He has ideas and sounds that he hasn’t played with much here. Before I listened to this record, the one thing that put me off on it was that it was a double album. At 85 minutes, this LP is a bit too lengthy for its own good. I’ll get that criticism out the way right now, because it’s one of the only few that I have, and if anything, it’s a nitpick, because this thing is two discs, and both discs have a distinct sound. I mentioned in my brief little review of Ty Dolla $ign’s new record, Beach House 3 (which you can find on my Facebook page, just search Bradley’s Reviews and Ramblings) that there was an attempt of a concept on that record. You could tell that Dolla was trying to say something, because there were a lot of little interludes that were variations on things that could be “famous,” but I didn’t know what he was trying to say. There is more of a loose concept on this record, however, but the concept is easier to follow. I really like it, too, but each disc represents who Big K.R.I.T. is as both the persona and the person behind the persona. The first disc deals with K.R.I.T.’s persona, so you get a lot of his very accessible, bass-heavy, and energetic bangers that are more focused on flexing, attracting women, and stuff like that. It’s nothing new for him, which I think is the point, but I’ll be damned if some of these songs aren’t in my all-time favorites of his. “Subenstein (My Sub IV),” “1999,” “Big Bank,” “Ride Wit Me,” and “Aux Cord” are utterly amazing, even though they don’t do anything he hasn’t done before, but the thing is, K.R.I.T. has a way of being very clever, interesting, and unique with his brand of “brag-rap.” The second disc is where things get more interesting, because the second disc starts off with an almost-instrumental track entitled “Justin Scott.” I was confused about who that was, but that’s K.R.I.T.’s real name. That’s the man behind the persona.
This is where the album gets more interesting, personal, introspective, and experimental to a degree. A lot of these songs on the next half of the album deal with more personal topics, such as everlasting love (“Everlasting” and “Higher Calling”), his disdain for Def Jam (“Drinking Sessions”), and his realization that fame isn’t everything (“The Price Of Fame”), just to name a few. The album gets more personal, introspective, and deeper, and I like that, because you get another side to K.R.I.T.’s music. I wouldn’t want a whole entire double album of “Substenstein” songs, because as awesome as that song is, and it really is, that would get old. You have some energetic bangers on the second disc, such as “Keep The Devil Off,” but they have more of a point to them. Like I said, the concept is super loose here, because there’s not much to it. I would have liked for the concept to be a bit more cemented in, or at least have a clearer idea of what he’s trying to do, but I can pick up on it. It’s a noble idea, and the lack of a concise concept doesn’t bother me whatsoever, but like I said, some songs do a drag a bit. They feel a bit too long, and the album does feel a bit too long for its own good. It doesn’t bother me a lot, only because the album still is very accessible, easy to get into, as well as just a flowing listen, so it’s not like the album is full of a lot of filler. Like I mentioned earlier, too, Big K.R.I.T. needs to be bigger. This is one of the best albums of the year, and truth be told, K.R.I.T. is one of my favorite rappers, maybe even my favorite (definitely my favorite in terms of modern rappers), because he’s got a sound that I love. It’s a good mix of southern hip-hop, soul, funk, R&B, and gospel. That’s what this LP has, too, as the second disc has a lot of soul, R&B, and gospel sounds in it, so as I mentioned earlier, if you love OutKast, Goodie Mob, and all of those artists and acts, you’ll definitely love this record. I feel like this LP is worth listening to, too, if you’re not into hip-hop. You’re one of those music fans that listens to a little bit, whether it’s merely Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, or something like that, or none at all, but you want something great to start off, and I think this LP is definitely a good album to sink your teeth into.
#big krit#big k.r.i.t.#4eva is a mighty long time#t.i.#ugk#jill scott#hip-hop#southern hip-hop#southern rap#outkast#goodie mob#ceelo green#mississippi#justin scott#rap#keep the devil off#confetti
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Reviewing Kendrick Lamar- DAMN.
DAMN. Released: April 14, 2017 Label: Top Dawg Entertainment, Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records First Week Sales: 603,000 Equivalent Units (353,000 Traditional Sales) Certifications: Platinum Peak Chart Position: 1 (US Billboard 200), 1 (US Top RnB/ Hip Hop Albums)
When Kendrick Lamar pops up, the world pays attention. While being active as a rapper for thirteen years, the Compton M.C. has captivated the masses with two of the most critically acclaimed albums of this decade: good kid, m.A.A.d city and To Pimp a Butterfly. So, when he released The Heart Part IV in late March, the single that would act as the precursor to an all-new body of work, it is needless to say that people lost their minds.
Three weeks later, Kendrick Lamar would release DAMN, his third studio album under a major record label (fourth studio album overall because we cannot overlook the wonderful debut album Section.80). This album is already radically different from any previous album released by Cornrow Kenny: with a minimalistic yet bold album cover, a relatively short track listing with no features from other rappers and a simplistic title that is less of a name but more of a proclamation made whenever you listen to the content, DAMN is clearly…special.
The Front and Back Cover
Upon listening to DAMN, it was clear that my previous feeling about it was true…it was unlike any of the previous three albums in Kendrick’s discography. Unlike the previous efforts, DAMN generates a more accessible sound. Gone are the over-elaborate jazz and funk influenced beats of its direct predecessor TPAB and in comes more traditional hip hop beats as well as trap influenced instrumentation. This album is not a “short film” nor did it include a large number of concepts talking about a million things at once. This formula has been able to do something that has been holding Kendrick back…garner the immense commercial success that a celebrated artist deserves. Gaining his first solo number 1 hit with the highly addictive HUMBLE and outselling Drake in first week sales by a large margin, DAMN is already, on paper, Kendrick’s most successful album and it is clear it can only go higher.
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HUMBLE. The first single of DAMN and one of the most exciting songs of the year. With its infectious beat produced by Mike WiLL Made-It, a varitey of flows and memorable lyrics, it was an amazing choice as the first thing to hear from the new album
One thing that makes this album so accessible is its high repeatability. I love all his albums but it took a long time to truly understand them. I was 16 when I first heard GKMC and 18 when I first heard TPAB…nearly everything he was speaking about flew over my head. My views and my ideals had not fully matured so it took me years to gather what he was truly saying. While this is not the fault of the artist, it can put off an entire youth portion of the rap audience as “he is too political” or “he raps about boring stuff”. They just want a hot beat and a catchy hook (a wise man by the name of Marshall Mathers said that once) and they would not want to listen to a Kendrick project more than a couple times (if they listen at all). With its shorter length, more impactful beats and catchier lyrics, DAMN becomes remarkably easy for listeners to just leave this album on repeat and play it over and over.
Get it? Because I mentioned Eminem…? Taken from Eminem- Bezerk
It is not all flash and no substance, though as DAMN is still a KENDRICK LAMAR album. DAMN is riddled with socio-political commentary, religious references and personal anguishes like any other project and is not a watered-down version of himself. One of the most prominent takeaways from the album was the Black Israelite Theory, which he references in YAH before it is fully explained in the outro of FEAR. To briefly paraphrase Deuteronomy 28, the Israelites are God’s chosen people and they were destined to live in the promise land however if they were to disobey God, the Israelites would become cursed, becoming the ill and persecuted people of the world. Verse 43, in particular, says “the foreigners who reside among you will rise above you higher and higher but you will sink lower and lower”. If you now place American minorities (African Americans, Latino Americans, Native Americans etc) into this context, they can be seen as the cursed people of America after disobeying God, suffering through racism, economic inequality, mass incarceration, police brutality and so much more all while white people (the foreigners in this context) continue to rise higher. Despite this rather bleak outlook on the destiny of coloured people, Kendrick has been able to take this all in and use it as a means of empowerment, believing that he is one of God’s chosen people and uses it as his strength against the adversity he faces.
He is able to bounce between so many subjects in a far more concise manner in this project. He frequently discredits Fox News reporters who ignorantly dismissed a lyric from the 2015 single Alright, labelling him as a negative force in the world (One of the reporters said that hip hop was more damaging to young African Americans than racism…is he functioning correctly?). He references the failings of the American system and the mentalities of the American people. He looks within himself, addressing his past feelings of depression and is able to raise through his own fears or pride, discovering his own strength. When you sit down to truly listen, DAMN is a thought-provoking experience.
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Geraldo Riveria and other Fox News Reporters discrediting Kendrick Lamar following his 2015 BET Awards Performance
BUT, here is a problem with DAMN. While it is thought-provoking and it talks about a lot of topics…it feels too simple. With the exception of the discussion regarding the Israelites (which takes one Google search or reading Genius annotations), DAMN can be taken at face value. Unlike its predecessors, you can listen to this album a few times and understand nearly everything that is being said instantly. It does not feel layered in my opinion. While this would not be an issue for some other artists, Kung-Fu Kenny has created this expectation for grander concepts regarding his albums and it leaves fans wanting more from it or generating wacky theories in an attempt to make it more than what it is (For example, the day the album was released, there was a theory that stated there was a second album called NATION that was supposed to be released on Easter Sunday, a few days after DAMN was released, to signify the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ).
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DNA. The second single of DAMN and one of my personal favourite songs from the project. To put it simply, Kung-Fu Kenny absolutely murders this interesting trap beat all while saying introspective and self-empowering lyrics. Oh, and Don Cheadle is in the video lip-synching the song…which is nice
In addition, this will most likely go down as Kendrick Lamar’s most successful project but I believe it raises a few questions: Does DAMN push Kendrick down the path of more mainstream music and less elaborate concept albums? And due to DAMN being susceptible to the current trend of “viral music”, can it be as highly acclaimed as good kid, m.A.A.d city and To Pimp a Butterfly in the future? Is this album another classic album or will it just be stuck in the times? Who Knows?
What I do know is that DAMN is a spectacular project. It is a rollercoaster of production brilliance and lyrical content that is able to be catchy and memorable while being introspective and openly conscious, showing that Kendrick Lamar is able to move units without having to completely give up his artistic integrity.
Other recommended songs ELEMENT, LOYALTY featuring Rihanna, FEAR and DUCKWORTH
Rating: 4/5
#kendrick lamar#kdot#damn#dna#humble#kungfu kenny#cornrow kenny#good kid m.a.a.d city#to pimp a butterfly#section.80#untitled unmastered#rihanna#review#reviewer#album review#song review#hip hop#rapper#rap#syrhht
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RTARL presents: choose your own post
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Welcome to some sort of Saturday roundup because I didn’t form a complete idea for a post. So here are some that I considered but didn’t write.
New Kendrick Lamar came out! I think Humble is the first single from the new album whereas The Heart Part IV was more like promo material and probably won’t be on the proper track listing. I could be wrong about that. Humble is getting some heat as typical rap misogyny dressed up as a positive message hidden within another diss track. I honestly haven’t listened much to the lyrics yet so I can’t tell you any thought I might form on that topic.
WHY DID I WATCH THIS?
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How To Be Single was on HBO last night and I watched it from start to finish. I don’t have an explanation for that. I had considered that it might make me laugh a few times but it didn’t do that. It was sort of like the feeling you’d have after being really hungry but just eating candy as a meal. I spent a good amount of time trying to remember who Colin Jost is and I wish I hadn’t done that. Anders Holm continued his impressive streak of being in every movie over a three year period without having any name recognition.
MLB OPENING DAY!
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Opening Day is tomorrow but there’s a free preview of MLB.tv today if you’re considering buying it. I’ve had it for the last few years but not always for the full season. If you hold out until June they usually have a half price sale for Father’s Day. I like it, though, and I’ve got unlimited data on my phone now so I’ll listen to/watch even more than I normally do.
NCAA FINAL FOUR
I have watched zero seconds of live action throughout this year’s tournament but I’ll probably watch today’s games. Go South Carolina and Gonzaga, make the championship weird!
UCONN LOST!
I saw Miss State’s final possession. It’s the only non-NBA ball I’ve watched since February. The women’s game is wild. UConn had a 111-game winning streak that ended in the Final Four and they’ve owned the sport so much that it’s considered one of the biggest upsets of all time. Miss State was a 2-seed and it’s the Final Four and it’s a headline grabbing upset that they won. I guess it’s not really much different than when Duke beat UNLV back in 1991 but it still feels funny that Miss State was such a huge underdog.
GODZILLA FINAL WARS IS PRETTY KOOKY
Godzilla Final Wars is 13 years old but it’s still worth asking what the hell? Starz has been showing a bunch of Godzilla movies this week if you want to see something that has two dudes who are somehow mixed with kaiju in a sort of Godzilla-ish version of when George Lucas destroyed what being a Jedi means.
APRIL FOOL’S DAY
If you’re into this sort of thing here’s a thing to read. Or not. Whatever, I don’t know why this is a thing outside of grade school. It was mostly garbage then, too.
So there you have it. Make your own fine post out of these disparate threads.
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#april fool's day#saturday post#godzilla#final wars#miss state#morgan williams#uconn#duke#unlv#ncaa#final four#mlb#opening day#how to be single#bad movies#kendrick lamar#humble
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