haven't read through the thread, but considering the audience, I imagine there's a lot of ridiculous hyperbole like "by FAR the best album of the year" and "Kendrick the GAWD blessed us with an instant classic"
I imagine I'm in the minority, because I don't think it's the best thing since sliced bread. I'm a big fan of Kendrick's, listen to all of his work regularly. Also, the concept of the album, while admirable, could've been executed better. If you're gonna make a prolonged narrative, Lupe's Michael Young History is the gold standard IMO; and this isn't even close to that. This feels more along the lines of The Roots' Undun, where it's a running narrative, but some songs are a cop out because they're songs the artist would make anyway, they're just now slapped in between two actual story-driven songs almost as a "filler", but don't do anything to drive the supposed story along (this is typically where stans reach and try to make some philosophical connection between the filler song and the overarching theme of the album)
with that said I thought it was good, not great... I really like the "sound" of the album, the beats are great and the mixing is amazing, sounds great on high end headphones
the hooks are TERRIBLE imo... like really really bad... I dealt with them the first few spins because I wanted to hear it front to back, but after that, I found myself skipping songs because I couldn't deal with the atrocious hooks
the next fault isn't really Kendrick's fault, but still a knock against the album... his voice just isn't pleasant on the ears... I know he's one of the best spitters out, but at its core, on the most basic level, music should sound good to your ears... his voice sounds different here and is more nasally than it was on say Overly Dedicated... some songs got him sounding like the hip hop Keith Sweat, it literally sounds like he's speaking through his nose
bars are solid, though a bit underwhelming... the good songs are REALLY good... again, I'm gonna assume I'm in the minority, but I liked the bonus tracks a lot more than some of the ones on the retail
with that said, "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" is CLEARLY the standout track on here... one of the best songs of Kendrick's career, up there with stuff like Keisha's Song, Growing Apart, Ignorance Is Bliss, etc.... I wish there was more songs like that on the album, would've been much better to me; same goes from Black Boy Fly... THAT'S the Kendrick I wanted to hear, and it wasn't prevalent enough on the album
cool album, nothing spectacular though; certainly not on the same level as F&L2, Life Is Good, or A Dream Deferred to me... I'd give it a 3.5/5
*waits for the neg rep and "shut up fakkit, Kendrick dropped a classic, get your ears checked" stan brigade*
Drake was perfect on this song. It sounds like a throwaway track from his last album. This is a potential single. No body wants to hear Ab Soul compare girls to about nribuis, pyramids, and other abstract shyt. When will u geeks realize this?
i admit Drake is good doing his R&B sh1t but rapping hes not very good at. 
. but what Ab-Soul song about b1tches does he compare them to pyramids and sh1t bruh? did you even listen to the song Lust Demons? 
the Gawd Kendrick for making these fakkits mad. 
this nikka said he outshined Kendrick.