Published Sun, October 23, 2022 at 12:00 PM EDT
It’s been 10 years since Kendrick Lamar dropped his classic album GOOD KID, M.A.A.D CITY, his second album after dropping his debut SECTION.80, and his first release on a major label.
But what am I ‘posed to do when the blinkin’ of red or blue flash from the top of your roof and your dog has to say woof and you ask ‘lift up your shirt.’ Because you wonder if a tattoo of affiliation can make it a pleasure to put me through gang files, but that don’t matter because the matter is racial profile I heard ‘em chatter: ‘He’s prob’ly young, but I know that he’s down, step on you neck as hard as your bullet-proof vest he don’t mind, he know we’ll never respect the good kid, m.A.A.d city.”
You love fast cars and dead presidents old. You love fast women, you love keepin’ control. Of everything that you love, you love beef. You love streets, you love running, ducking police. You love your hood, might even love it death, but what love got to do with it when you don’t love yourself?”
It’s the last Hip-Hop album that reached me in a deep place.