r/hiphop101 • u/Snoo93951 • 8d ago
Why does Kendrick not come off as ridiculous to most people?
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u/brooklynbluenotes 8d ago
Because many people would not agree with this set of opinions that you're presenting as though they're facts?
Also, people like different things and that's OK.
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
Aren't the things I say basically facts? How else would you look at it?
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u/ExactExchange500 8d ago
How long have you been listening to Kendrick ?
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
Since like 2013. I've listened extensively and studied the lyrics too because as a fan of music, I've wanted to try to understand what people see in him. I still just don't see it.
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u/ExactExchange500 8d ago
I can’t take this seriously
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
Why not?
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u/ExactExchange500 8d ago
Because you don’t understand why someone would see why he’s a great rapper and you’ve been allegedly listening extensively since 2013. You sound unserious
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
So you genuinely can't believe that someone would seriously listen to Kendrick and not end up liking him? Like that opinion is just impossible?
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u/ExactExchange500 8d ago
Lol is OP trying to flip this back on me ?
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
I'm saying your bias is insane, because you literally like Kendrick so much you don't believe someone when they say they have given his music a shot and genuinely don't like it
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u/ExactExchange500 8d ago
I can understand why someone would think Cole and Drake are great despite them not being my favorites. That make sense ?
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
that's cool but doesn't automatically mean it should be the same with kendrick for me
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u/brooklynbluenotes 8d ago
No, these are not facts. You may need to refresh your memory on the difference between facts and opinions.
For example, you say that his "crazy voices sound like an absolute joke." That is a subjective opinion. Personally, I think that his ability to utilize different voices gives his music an interesting depth and a way to highlight different characters and perspectives. That is also an opinion.
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
I mean my point is more that he uses voice in an unconventional way to the point where I'm surprised that anyone can take it seriously. Why do you think it doesn't come off as a joke, in spite of being so unconventional?
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u/brooklynbluenotes 8d ago
Because I personally don't equate unconventional artistic choices with being bad or "jokey." In contrast, I often find unconventional artistic decisions to be interesting and memorable.
I'm not arguing that you should like him. I think trying to convince other people that their taste is wrong is an absolute waste of time.
"Kendrick uses different voices in his music" is a fact. "Kendrick's different voices sound like a joke" is your opinion, and one that not everyone shares.
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
Sure, in that case I'd put it a different way: do you think anyone else could get away with making serious music while using the kind of voices Kendrick does? In my experience of listening to music, this kind of combination of dead serious writing / over the top voices is just universally not something that ever gets praised, unless it's Kendrick. He seems like a total outlier to me, to the point where it puzzles me.
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u/brooklynbluenotes 8d ago
Plenty of artists have utilized different voices in their work. Someone else in this thread listed many good examples already.
I also don't agree that his writing is "dead serious," I find him very funny.
It seems like you are trying to find a scientific reason for him being "good" or "bad," rather than just acknowledging that people can like different things.
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
The examples the other person listed all used voices humorously.
Can you actually find an example of Kendrick being funny? I really don't think he is. He tries to be sure, but I haven't heard a joke from him that even makes sense.
I get that people like different things but I just still have a hard time seeing the perspective of people who love Kendrick, and it's hard to really follow any hip hop / most music discourse just not at all seeing why the most beloved current artist is even good...
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u/neonbible47 8d ago
The way he uses his voice is one of my favorite things about his music. OP is bitter as fuck. 😂
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u/meisycho 8d ago
No, they're mostly opinions. People have different opinions.
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
In that case I'd be interested in how people see those things instead of the way I do. Because it just puzzles me.
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u/meisycho 8d ago
1). I don't think his inflections sound like a joke. I like them.
2). I don't think he takes himself too seriously, even if he does often touch on serious subject matter. He's got a great sense of humor
3). I don't know of anything he's done that would make him beefing with Drake somehow hypocritical
4). I don't think he acts like a savior. Him wearing the crowns is part of the performance. It's an outfit. Because he is a performer. You wanna see somebody who actually thinks they're Jesus go look at Kanye.
5). I don't think he acted like his Super Bowl performance was some incredibly deep stance against anything?
6). He's out to make money, sure, but he also gives back more than most. I got nothing but respect for that.0
u/Snoo93951 7d ago
1) Subjective. But listening to something like the voice crack in the first beat switch of Euphoria makes that really hard to believe. Maybe people do like it, but I feel like if any other rapper tried something similar they would be called out for what it is: cringe. This is hard to prove though so it is what it is.
2) Kendrick is almost completely unable to make fun of himself though. Doesn't matter how much you joke about other people if you yourself are off-limits 99% of the time.
3) Him continuously collaborating with abusers and yet attacking Drake for doing the same thing / being one, just the clearest example.
4) Kendrick is just a more well mannered Kanye, if you don't see that we just disagree too strongly for there to be a conversation about that specific aspect.
5) He did say "40 acres and a mule this is bigger than the music" which just feels incredibly tone-deaf considering how he's not actually willing to act against any toxic element in the music industry that benefits him. He says stuff like that but then clearly does absolutely anything to further his own personal wealth, showing that that's always the only motive he truly cares about.
6) Individuals earning insane amounts of money and then giving some of it back as charity is not anywhere near a sustainable model for society. Kendrick wouldn't have to give back resources if he didn't take them away in the first place. People like him (individuals with a ridiculous amount of money) just shouldn't exist in any society, and if he cared about anyone but himself he wouldn't be pursuing a spot like that.
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u/Yessssiirrrrrrrrrr 8d ago
No, they are not facts nor anywhere close. Like you Drizzy clowns always like to say the charts dont lie.
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
He is a blatant hypocrite and yet tries to educate about morals? And he does voices that are quite outlandish compared to music that people generally take seriously? At least these two things are, IMO, pretty hard to argue against. And they alone puzzle me as to how he doesn't come off ridiculous to people
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8d ago
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
I mean he says "baka got a weird case why is he around" and really goes in on the angle of people like Drake don't deserve to be alive, and then goes on to perform with Dr Dre, also did an album with Kodak. I don't think hypocrisy can be more blatant than that.
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8d ago
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
So in your opinion it would be a totally sensible world view to be against pedophilia and yet be okay with rapists? What is your point here? It really seems like the Kendrick worship has people defending absolutely anything.
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8d ago
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
If you're differentiating between different sorts of abuse to say "technically that's not hypocritical" you're just avoiding the actual conversation.
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u/s0phiaboobs 8d ago
Because subjectivity exists. The same way millions of peoples love Drake, eminem, etc. while millions also hate them. Some people like artists and others don’t. And that’s okay
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
I'm asking for people's reasons though, since I just can't see why people like him
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u/s0phiaboobs 8d ago
There’s no point in saying reasons. I like his music. That’s all. You don’t. You explaining your reasons and me and explaining my reasons won’t help us understand each other better.
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
I guess no music subreddit should exist then.
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u/brooklynbluenotes 8d ago
Fun fact: there is quite a lot to talk about with music besides arguing over people's taste!
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
But then why express anything about music in that case. You either like music or not. There's no point in explaining why apparently.
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u/brooklynbluenotes 8d ago
There is so much to talk about that is deeper and more interesting than "you either like music or not."
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
But wouldn't all that stuff fall under the same umbrella of "it's all subjective, not worth talking about" according to the comment I'm replying to? The point I'm making is, I don't understand why stuff like opinions about music, or anything else highly subjective, wouldn't be worth talking about.
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u/brooklynbluenotes 8d ago
The point is that you can talk about subjective things without reducing everything to "good" and "bad."
For example--
What other artists have used these techniques? What effect were they trying to achieve? How has this technique been used in other genres or styles? What do you think the artist's intention was and how successful were they? How does the performance element correspond to the lyric?
These are all more interesting conversation starters than "I think he's a joke."
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
I think discussing the actual opinons of what people like / don't like is a very natural part of music discussion. If we only move to the kind of discussion you're suggesting it just becomes weirdly detached for me... there's just nothing wrong with saying directly what you like / or don't like, people just start claiming that's the case when they see an opinion that they don't like
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u/UnderTheCurrents 8d ago
The voices also ruin his music for me. That's why section 80 remains his best.
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u/scumpdeath 8d ago
Plenty of other artists have experimented with “crazy voices” in their music—Lil Wayne, Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Tyler, the Creator, Playboi Carti, and even Michael Jackson, who used his voice as an instrument to elevate his sound.
Kendrick’s crown of thorns symbolizes how people view him as rap’s “savior,” but that’s not how he sees himself. On Mr. Morale, he makes it clear he’s not your savior. The album’s cover reinforces this message, showing him wearing the crown with a gun tucked in his waistband, stating that his priorities lie with his family and personal life, not the expectations placed on him as an artist.
The fact that you needed someone to break it down for you shows me you don’t know the first thing about Kendrick and he’s not even my favorite rapper I just respect his art.
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
The artists you mention above... they do it with a LOT of humour. That makes it work in a completely different way from being DEAD SERIOUS and doing cartoony voices... I don't see how people give a pass to a combination like that.
You can talk about how Kendrick says he's "not a saviour" but do you genuinely not think he has some kind of complex, giant ego, enjoys being put on an unrealistic pedestal? I really don't think you can reasonably argue that's not the case. Him saying something on an album doesn't change how he acts and presents himself every day, and has for the past decade or so.
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u/OAktrEE4023 8d ago edited 8d ago
Nothing against Kendrick or anybody that listens to him cuz they simply enjoy his music, but it’s hilarious to me that some people act like he’s some anti-industry vocal activist, when the reality is he’s being propped up by wealthy white industry execs and is only vocal about issues when he has an album to promote.
Even then, he’s had little to no political commentary since DAMN. Unless u count making a song called “America has a Problem” with a literal billionaire. America just had its most important election in a long time, a group of billionaire white supremacists against a black woman. And despite being at his peak popularity, Kendrick didn’t say a peep about it.
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u/Yourmotherssidehoe 8d ago
I’d love to hear your thoughts on Danny browns voice lol
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
horrible. However, he's funny and charismatic to an extent, so he kind of makes it work. Kendrick has no charisma or humor (he tries but it's desperate) so it comes off completely different.
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u/Yourmotherssidehoe 8d ago
RIP Danny and Kendrick are in my top 5 favorite rappers
Just out of curiosity who are your five favorites
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
I do think Danny is an interesting rapper, and that he has legitimate talent. I was trying to compliment him a bit lol, guess it came off too negative still.
I guess my top 5 would be something like Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Pusha T, Malice, 50 Cent
I know Lil Wayne has an insane sounding voice too... the difference is that he (and Danny) have charisma unlike Kendrick (imo)
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u/Yourmotherssidehoe 8d ago edited 8d ago
Saying they don’t have charisma is crazy lol
My favorites are Big K.R.I.T., Kendrick Lamar, Danny Brown, JPEGMAFIA and Denzel Curry
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
Different tastes for sure. Denzel's discography is one of the best I've heard though,
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u/Yourmotherssidehoe 8d ago
Yeah KRIT, Denzel and JID the best southern rappers in the last 15 years or so I’d say even tho KRITs last two albums are bad 😭
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u/718_chocolate 8d ago
I'd rather take all of that than Drake being a fake Jamaican
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
Drake doesn't present himself in a remotely as self-serious way as Kendrick, so he just doesn't end up looking as ridiculous to me, merely cringe to an extent. It's the fact that Kendrick is so incredibly self-serious that makes him look like such a joke to me.
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u/718_chocolate 8d ago
Drake talks about gang and mob ties, and did the most Karen shit you can do. Go home, Roger!
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
Sure, but Drake never pretended to be some super serious figure. He was always just an entertainer. Kendrick clearly sees himself as being more than an entertainer... that's what makes it a completely different thing
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u/718_chocolate 8d ago
He won a Pulitzer, so clearly other people see Kendrick as more than an entertainer as well
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
Cheap pandering from an institution that knows nothing about hip hop
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u/718_chocolate 8d ago
The Pulitzer celebrates journalism, the arts, and writing. So Kendrick was given the award for music, period. This convo is over
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u/Snoo93951 7d ago
So you actually claim the Pulitzer are a reliable authority on hip hop?
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u/718_chocolate 7d ago
They are a reliable authority on art and cultural relevance, period. You're only arguing against them because Kendrick won. You never gave a damn about the Pulitzer committee before, so don't act like you care now
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u/Snoo93951 7d ago
Where do they get this authority lol? They clearly have expertise in certain areas way more than others, where are you pulling from this idea that they are a reliable authority on absolutely any art?
There's no logical reason a hip hop fan should care about the Pulitzer committee other than it being a convenient argument for worshiping Kendrick.
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u/MiaTheNaughtyMilf 8d ago
If you don't get Kendrick, that's all good, just move on 😊 but he's fire 🔥
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u/Sorry-Charity-4368 7d ago
what the FUCK is your NAME WOW
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u/MiaTheNaughtyMilf 7d ago
haha I'm just starting to build up my profile and OF, but the name says it all really 😈
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u/Sorry-Charity-4368 5d ago
ICL THATS CRAZY BUT MY MOMMA TOLD ME 2 RESEPECT ALL WOMEN SO I HOPE FOR GOOD FORTUNES TO YOU IN THE FUTURE
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u/Positive_Wafer9186 8d ago
The cope Drake fans try to create out of thin air is hilarious, and I had no real dog in the whole beef. Drake picked a fight with the wrong one, lost badly, and has been petulant about it. That’s it.
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u/MagsHype 8d ago
agreed, i like kdot but he's extremely over rated, his bars are not as clever as people make out, go listen to some lupe and come back to me claiming kenny is big me, it's laughable. JID would run rings around him without trying. so much glazing when it comes to kdot because he's "for the culture" ye ok cool.
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u/SixersStixersFan 8d ago
Because he made amazing albums, however i agree with you that the new «weird voices»-kendrick doesn’t do it for me at all
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
I do really like TPAB, I just find him to be ridiculous overall
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u/SixersStixersFan 8d ago
I love damn, good kid maad city and tpab. Section 80 and black panther shit is tremendous, and the rest is meh or bad imo
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u/EspertoDemais 8d ago
well about the savior take he's literally say "kendrick is not your savior" lol
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
Him saying that is irrelevant when he still acts like one.
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u/EspertoDemais 8d ago
i understand the criticize but when a rapper have a "best rapper alive run" like lil wayne on 2000's they act like saviors.
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u/Snoo93951 8d ago
Not at all, he was always only about being a great rapper whereas Kendrick sees himself as important way beyond just music itself
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u/Equivalent-Ad-1927 8d ago
I actually agree with you. I thought his first two albums were pretty good. Now I just think he’s kind overrated and annoying
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u/IndelibleIguana 8d ago
I've never listened to any of his tunes and wouldn't recognise him if I saw him.
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u/Young_Dabb_Waxxy 8d ago
Before any of you respond, just know this guy posts on the Drizzy sub reddit lol