The album title perfectly explains my feelings toward this drop.

When Kendrick rapped “Y’all got ’til April the 7th to get your sh*t together,” in The Heart Part 4, many of us took that as the release date of DAMN. Although it wasn’t released until a week later on April 14th, the drop was worth the wait.

Kendrick has always hit us with creative, fire lines with really meaningful messages. DAMN. is no exception. Lamar uses music as a medium to speak about police brutality, prejudice towards black people in America, gang violence, and he even takes shots at Donald Trump and Fox News. As well as speaking about issues in America, the artist uses his own hardships and struggles growing up to make the album even more intimate.

In Lamar’s previous albums, he almost had a philosophical way to him, with lines such as “If I told you that a flower bloomed in a dark room, would you trust it?” and  “Everybody gon’ respect the shooter but the one in front of the gun lives forever”. However, in DAMN., Kendrick is more blunt with his lines, making sure his message is understood by whoever hears it.

DAMN. almost takes me back to early 2000’s or late 90’s rap at times, with the record scratches and edge in XXX. FEAT. U2. Lamar does a beautiful job of staying true to his style while incorporating new sounds and styles. Kendrick has always used R&B sounds in his music, and it’s definitely not left out in DAMN. In the track FEAR. Lamar uses a tranquil beat with soft, soulful, voices in the background.

Current, important topics were beautifully addressed in what may be one of the biggest Hip-Hop albums of 2017.

FINAL RATING: 9.5/10

BEST TRACKS: DNA., XXX., BLOOD. (It’s hard to choose, this album is fire)

WORST TRACKS: LOYALTY., GOD.