Category: Music

Welcome to Album Rush, where I go through a random album every week for my amusement.

Illmatic Review

Classic

Standout

NY State Of Mind – Bangers and Mash

ONE TAKE. TO MAKE THIS. AT 19

Nas’s lyrics on “NY State of Mind” are incredibly dense and complex, with intricate rhymes and wordplay that demand repeated listens to fully appreciate. He raps about everything from drug deals and shootouts to police brutality and racism, all with a sense of urgency and authenticity that is rare in hip-hop.

On tracks like “One Love” and “Represent,” Nas paints a vivid picture of the daily grind of survival in the projects.

One of my personal favorite tracks on the album, “Memory Lane” sees him reflecting on his childhood and coming of age in the projects.

9/10

Kendrick Lamar – Good Kid, M.A.A.D City

“I don’t want a Sherane in my life but I’d love to have a Whitney” – Me, rn

I love this album, listened to it a lot. It introduced me to Kendrick, who is easily my #1 artist. I wrote (and trashed) a review on each individual song about 2 years ago, but now I want to do this again.

Good Kid, M.A.A.D City is the second studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar, released in 2012. The album is a concept record that tells the story of Lamar’s upbringing in Compton, California, exploring themes of family, violence, drugs, and the struggle to overcome the challenges of life in a crime-ridden environment.

It does so by being structured like a movie or a play, with each song serving as a chapter in the larger narrative. However, these chapters are not in chronological order.

By leaving behind the linear narrative structure and adopting the somewhat cohesive list, Kendrick is able to explore the themes of the album in a more layered way. He’s able to examine the effects of violence, drugs, and gang culture on his community from multiple perspectives, rather than simply presenting a straightforward story. This lays the groundwork for his future albums, To Pimp a Butterfly and Mr Morale & The Big Steppers, both of which examine the effects of generational trauma. The album’s non-linear structure also allows for moments of reflection, as Kendrick looks back on his past experiences and realizes the significance of the events he’s lived through.

Part 1/3 Of the Trilogy

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Here’s a link to a playlist which will contain my fav songs from these albums. (Album Rush albums)

If you wanna read about some of the other stuff I write about then
here

Hey there!

Recently, I’ve been in a bit of a music rut. I’ve been listening to the same songs over and over again. Finding recommendations for good music isn’t hard, it’s forcing myself to listen to it that is. I like my comfort zone, I’m not a fan of getting out of it.

Which is why I decided to try push myself out of it. So from this week onwards, I’ll force myself to listen to a new album (or well… an album I haven’t listened to).

Let’s start of with the below list since it’s got some albums that I actually have listened to and love (I’m a huge Kendrick fan so… :shrug: )

In order:

1. Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
2. Madvillain – Madvillainy
3. Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d City
4. Nas – Illmatic
5. Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
6. Wu-Tang Clan – Enter The Wu-Tang : 36 Chambers
7. A Tribe Called Quest – The Low End Theory
8. Death Grips – The Money Store
9. Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition
10. Kanye West – The College Dropout

First though…

Illmatic – Nas

Illmatic is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential hip-hop albums of all time. Released in 1994, it was the debut studio album of rapper Nas, who was just 20 years old at the time.

The album features 10 tracks that paint a vivid picture of life in the Queensbridge housing projects in New York City, where Nas grew up. Through this album, Nas reflects on his experiences with poverty, violence, and crime, as well as the social and political issues affecting his community.

Illmatic was highly acclaimed upon its release, with critics praising Nas’s lyricism, storytelling, and flow.

The tracks on Illmatic are often cited as some of the greatest in hip-hop history, including “NY State of Mind,” “The World is Yours,” and “It Ain’t Hard to Tell.”

In addition to its critical acclaim, Illmatic has had a significant impact on hip-hop culture. Nas’s storytelling and portrayal of life in the projects set a new standard, and the album has been praised for its social commentary and its ability to shed light on issues affecting marginalized communities.

I’ve listened to a few songs from Illmatic before, the main one being “NY State Of Mind”.

Oh wait! First, here’s a link to a playlist which will contain my fav songs from these albums.

If you wanna read about some of the other stuff I write about then.
here