Review: untitled unmastered. - @kendricklamar; A Niles P. Joint.

I feel like after you drop one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the last few years, you get a grace period and don’t have to release anything for at least three years if you choose.  Kendrick Lamar begs to differ.  After LeBron James took to Twitter to ask the TDE brass (Top Dawg specifically) about releasing some of Kendrick’s hidden catalogue, untitled unmastered. dropped as a surprise release late last Thursday.  When I say “hidden catalogue” I’m referring to songs that were performed at the Grammys and on the late nite talk show circuit that had no official releases.  While every rapper has loads of gems locked in a vault somewhere that are usually only speculated about, Kendrick & TDE turned the drafts from the seminal To Pimp a Butterfly into a cohesive project.  

The first thing you’ll notice about this album is that none of the songs have any actual titles, instead using numbers and dates of when they were made.  So on untitled 01 the first voice you actually hear is Bilal’s, being lusty on the intro as the instrumentation builds.  Over a simple yet prominent bassline courtesy of Terrace Martin, Kendrick visualizes judgement day and pleads his case to God as to why he should see the pearly gates.  The chant “Pimp pimp, hooray!” is first used on untitled 02, in which K Dot struggles with his Compton upbringing clashing with his newfound success over a wailing saxophone riff and a rattling piano.  The lengthy second verse is very much a celebration of his team’s prosperity.

untitled 03 was originally on The Colbert Report and has Kendrick getting advice from an Asian, Indian, and Black man.  In the end a white record exec rolls through and declares his intention to capitalize on Lamar’s rap talents anyway.  Bilal shows up again and provides the hook.  It isn’t as good as the live version but is still compelling.  The shortest track on the album is untitled 04 but is still well-layered and features sultry vocals from SZA and somewhat surprisingly, Jay Rock in a rare singing appearance.  Despite being under two minutes, it packs a punch and is still satisfying.

For what it’s worth, untitled 05 is my favorite track on the album.  Every time you listen to it, you’ll find another intricacy in the music that stands out but still melts into the song as a whole.  Anna Wise’s buttery vocals on the hook really make the song for me, but a rumbling bassline and theatrical horns can’t be overlooked, especially the wily saxophone by Terrace Martin.  Pianists will also be able to appreciate this one as Robert Glasper tickles the ivory.  Lyrically Kendrick is at his most ravenous and rambunctious on the first verse.  Punch and Jay Rock round out the song nicely with their guest spots.  Adrian Younge & Ali Shaheed Muhammad form a dynamic producer duo for untitled 06.  It’s got an easily accessible topic (self confidence) and gives off a smooth jazz vibe that sounds like an Esperanza Spalding joint, which is dope.  Cee-Lo drops by and infuses the song with his signature falsetto.  

You get a three for one deal with untitled 07.  In the first part, Kendrick declares that the material possessions of the world are meaningless and urges the listener to “Levitate.”  While I generally hate modern percussion trends in hip hop, I have to admit that Kendrick makes it work here.  On the second part, he throws down the gauntlet and sends thinly veiled shots at rival rappers over uncomplicated production.  The third and final part is a recording of him arranging the vocals in untitled 04 in the studio with producer Taz Arnold.  It’s a great example of K Dot’s talent in the song making process.  The album ends on an upbeat note with untitled 08. Even though the song talks about the Black community’s fiscal struggles.  The subject matter is serious, but the beat is certified funk and would fit in at any cookout this summer.

Usually when an artist or group releases a collection of rarities or songs that didn’t make the album, it’s more of a niche type of thing meant only for the diehard fans.  But Kendrick Lamar and TDE’s “scraps” are better than a lot of albums you’ll here.  This speaks volumes of how talented Kendrick and his camp are.  It’s an all star effort, with big name producers stopping through to play a single instrument on songs.  All of these songs came from the TPAB and while they don’t have the same cultural impact as last year’s instant classic, they still form a cohesive and concise album of their own.  It’s good enough to earn the same end of year accolades and Grammys as its predecessor.  This is nothing short of remarkable.  While it’s too early to claim this as Album of the Year, it makes a strong case in its artistry and craftsmanship.  Kendrick Lamar came in on his day off and dropped a gem.  untitled unmastered. earns him an even longer grace period. I doubt he takes it though.

Rating: 4.9 out of 5.

Purchase untitled unmastered. on iTunes here

Review: Late Knight Special - @KirkKnight; A Niles P. Joint

Over the past few years, Hip Hop has seen a resurgence of young dual threat emcees/producers. I have been watching three in particular, and since I’ve already covered Bishop Nehru and Raz Fresco, it’s time to analyze the final section of this three headed monster. Kirk Knight cut his teeth with a membership in Brooklyn collective Pro Era, specifically producing for Joey Bada$$’ major label debut. His production style fit Pro Era’s signature Beast Coast grime and he showed skills as a budding rapper. Somewhat surprisingly, Knight decided to forego the mixtape route and dropped Late Knight Special as his debut album. My boy Ramsey previewed it earlier and now I’m here to bat cleanup and check it out in depth.

Since Knight’s body of work isn't as long as peers’ as of yet, this serves as his long-form introduction to the world on the solo tip. He starts out with a celestial sound on both Start Running and Heaven Is For Real. The former makes good use of a vocal sample about teleportation music through harps, with a standout bassline and great drums. Speaking of great drums, the snare is excellent on the latter. I think there’s also an uncredited by Kris (formerly T’Nah Apex.) Both show a great scope of his beatmaking talent. Kirk gets straight hype/gutter on Brokeland which was the first single released some time ago. It’s very ODB/Wu Tang inspired, or so it seems. The hardcore aesthetic continues on 5 Minutes which features team captain Joey Bada$$. The horror movie piano works as it creates a soundscape that is somber yet has replay value. Joey complements the song without overshadowing his boy. Thus far, the songs have stylistically come in pairs.
   
Here’s where things go off the rails though. Knight Time is a turn up type track. It has the dreaded machine gun drums that I hate and is a 180 degree turn in approach. One Knight (Kirk really likes wedging his name into song titles) has very good guitar work but the beat is too busy and is the obligatory smooth single. This would be forgivable but he goes down the same route THREE SONGS IN A ROW with Scorpio and Down. They’re almost interchangeable and mostly forgettable. At this point the album feels more like a collection of songs than anything truly cohesive. More on this later.


Mick Jenkins shows up on I Know which is decent but suffers from drums that use too many modern motifs. The hi-hats are just distracting, which is a shame because the rest of the song is dope. Chicago is in the house again along with L.A. in the form of guest spots from Noname Gypsy and Thundercat on Dead Friends. It’s just what it says it is, a sentimental reflection on dead friends. Noname continues to slay every guest appearance she sees and Thundercat lays down some glorious guitar riffs. The Future features this guy called The Mind who is apparently some sort of genetic hybrid between Kid Cudi and Chance The Rapper vocally. Despite the guest’s style biting, Kirk lays down some solid reflective bars. The album closes with All for Nothing. It’s probably the best song on the album and gives the best indication of Kirk Knight’s potential talent on the mic and behind the boards. It’s a very intricate song both instrumentally and flow-wise as he switches it up within the song without it sounding gimmicky at all.
   
I mentioned before that this album was kind of all over the place It seems like Kirk Knight was torn between pleasing the older fans who liked his crew’s classic style and the younger ones in his age bracket who enjoy trap/drill music to get them hype. It’s good that Knight strives to be versatile but at the same time you can’t help but notice that the album is almost broken up into thirds, with each one sounding different than the others. Editing and song sequencing plays a big part in this gaffe; the album as a whole doesn’t have one consistent vibe. This is compounded because he went for broke and released a studio album before wading into the treacherous waters of the rap game with a mixtape or EP first. Even his crew mates have treaded lightly instead of immediately diving in.
   
At the same time, you have to remember that Late Knight Special is still his first solo project. While ultimately disjointed, it does have some gems that show what he’s capable of both as an emcee and producer. This album is ambitious if nothing else. The wetness behind his ears will go away and the ride will be smoother the next time around. It’s a testament to the adventure of youth when the world was infinitely possible and you could try everything once before settling down. While it didn’t always work, Kirk Knight has more than enough musical prowess to hammer out an enduring berth in Hip Hop.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Watch: These Walls - @KendrickLamar feat. @annathewise @Bilal & @Thundercat

Its been while since we last heard from Kendrick Lamar and out from left field he goes and releases his video for These Walls. 

Comedian Corey Holcomb narratives this wild tale of a house party gone wrong or well depending on who you were. The video is similar to the i video in terms of lighting and mood. It offers some comical scenes and other times confusion. Why is he hitting that Quan with Terry Crews? Who is Miss Thickie who behind strong enough to throw you through walls? And how did black hippy miss this banger? SZA and Isaiah Rashad made a cameo running around or in bed with a few beautiful women. Either way, the visual is funny and at other times serious. Check out the visual for These Walls after the break.

@KirkKnight Late Knight Special Preview

For a long time I felt as if Kirk Knight was overlooked in comparison to his labelmates and colleagues. When hearing the announcement of an entire project, I knew that wasn't the case.

If any of you are Pro Era fans, like myself I know you couldn't wait to hear this Kirk Knight offering. For a long time we knew him as a producer as he's laid beats for his labelmates and others including Joey Bada$$, CJ Fly, and even Chelsea Reject. Not only is he a producer but he's talented as a rapper and does well providing guest verses for the aforementioned artists and many more. Since hearing his verse on Amethyst Rockstar from Joey's Summer Knights mixtape and his spot on the Pro Era Cypher I knew this cat was ready for stardom.

According to the Pro Era site "This fall Kirk Knight will deliver his debut project, Late Knight Special via Pro Era/Cinematic on October 30th. The project features, Joey Bada$$, Mick Jenkins, Thundercat, & more and is fully produced by Kirk Knight himself with coproduction by Thempeople." It's safe to say we have a lot to look forward to. It's safe to say his last name's play on words is a recurring theme we can expect from the Brooklyn spitter. He's actually released a few singles that you can listen to after the break. It's also safe to say you can expect a review of the project in it's entirety soon after. You can pre-order Late Knight Special on iTunes now!

@KendrickLamar's #TPAB Review by @Best_ofda_Worst

We all know what Kendrick Lamar is capable of as an artist. I am going to start by saying this: I do not think this album is better than Good Kid MAAD City. That’s the only negative thing I can say about this album. Now that that’s out the way its time to give my feedback on what I like about To Pimp A Butterfly.

I knew I was going to love this album from the moment the beat dropped on track one, Wesley’s Theory. With a feature from George Clinton & Thundercat , this album wasted no time drawing you in with a spellbinding instrumental and equally hypnotizing hook this song is easily one of my favorites on the album. Following up is an interlude/poem called For Free.  The piece is about a man who’s been through too much to continue doing things as favors to people. This is a great set up to King Kunta. Me and Niles touched base on the track here. In addition I feel like Kendrick was channeling his inner Pac with how aggressive he approached in the track.

Let's fast forward a few songs to track six titled U. It hits of close to home for me. The first words are "Loving U is complicated." You feel hurt, guilt and failure to meet the standards and expectations we give ourselves. Sometimes we even feel as though we let family and friends down. That depressing inner demon won't let you forget all the negatives about you. I’d like to imagine Kendrick was looking into a mirror in a hotel room by himself when the concept of this song came to mind. Anyone who's ever internally battled themselves probably fought back a tear or two listening to U. I say this because I've personally come from the same place this song portrays. The only way out of this feeling is to face yourself and believe that all the good about you will come. That leads to a perfect transition into his next song, Alright.

U is great but I'd rather not remember the feeling that comes attached with it (haha). Alright serves as a great pick-me-up from the last depressing a** song. The next track contains the only "real" feature (person with a verse) in Rapsody. The song is titled Complexion. Here she steals this track as her verse is soulful and fits right along with the central theme of the album (poetic blackness). It was pretty tight, and each time I hear it I get more excited to here her voice than Kendrick's. Looking forward I'm excited to hear more from the North Carolina spitter in the near future. The album version of I is better than the single. It's the second deepest track on the whole album. I'd rather not give away too much so listen after the break.

 

The album closes off with Mortal Man. If you haven't heard it already I'll tell you, it's the deepest track on the album. Jonathan breaks down the track here. I serves as a great closing and a tremendous finale to this poetic album we call To Pimp a Butterfly. As Wesley’s Theory drew you in, track after track opened to a new piece of the ongoing poem presented throughout the album. Mortal Man finalizes the poem and puts it all together. You actually find out that the album was really just a conversation between K. Dot and Tupac! After little exchange of question and answer he ends the conversation with one more poem. It leaves the listeners wanting more like "This can't seriously be it. Pac got to have more to say! Kendrick got to have another song! 


I always felt like I knew Kendrick as if he were a personal friend of mine. That's the feeling GKMC gave me. I felt like I was in the van with him or maybe Compton and Rosecrans was a block in my city where I used to hang out. This album made me relate to Kendrick on a more emotional level, I'm glad it happened that way. My favorite tracks were Wesley's Theory, King Kunta, U, Alright  Hood Politics, and How Much a Dollar Cost. It's been so long since I could relate to music in such a way. I don't want to call this album a classic yet because of it's youth and early stages. However I can say I'm happy with this purchase. If you haven't already go grab this album. It's a great buy.

To Pimp a Butterfly - @Kendrick Lamar album review by @Niles_C

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