KOD is among the most important albums of this generation

[Mike the Executioner]

Why are yall mentioning Kendrick when he has no album even covering or addressing the things @Groovy Tony laid out that KOD clearly addresses and is about

TPAB, 80, nor TPAB cover the aspect of society and culture that KOD does. Yall just mentioning Kendrick just to mention him and spite Cole

I'm not saying Cole ripped Kendrick off or he didn't try to make something original. I just noticed an influence on the overall sound of KOD that came from DAMN. It's my theory, but if Cole ever came out and said DAMN influenced KOD, I wouldn't even flinch.

The albums both try to say something specific, almost like a concept. Obviously not the same concept, but the different voices, the concept following throughout the album, the way it opens (a dreamy type intro followed by a banger that establishes their dominance in the game). They follow a similar path. I noticed it when it came out and my best friend (who loves both Cole and Kendrick) noticed it too.

I even said it's not an insult. It's not a stretch to think that Cole probably had DAMN in mind when he was making KOD.

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

Yall love talking about concepts and framing and everything else outside of the fukking music

 

[ISO]

Replace Cole voice with Kendrick voice

Keep the same bars, beats, theme

99 on MetaCritic and a classic

 

[Cheese McNair]

I'm not saying Cole ripped Kendrick off or he didn't try to make something original. I just noticed an influence on the overall sound of KOD that came from DAMN. It's my theory, but if Cole ever came out and said DAMN influenced KOD, I wouldn't even flinch.

The albums both try to say something specific, almost like a concept. Obviously not the same concept, but the different voices, the concept following throughout the album, the way it opens (a dreamy type intro followed by a banger that establishes their dominance in the game). They follow a similar path. I noticed it when it came out and my best friend (who loves both Cole and Kendrick) noticed it too.

I even said it's not an insult. It's not a stretch to think that Cole probably had DAMN in mind when he was making KOD.

nah you not the only one. I thought the same thing(mainly with the use of bangers) and also thought it was a good idea for Cole. It was a refreshing sound for him

 

[Cadillac]

um, we listen to the same album? section 80 covers drug addiction, sex, and many of the other vices that plagues a generation of kids born in the 80's

we did, and its not the same as KOD which is more or less commentates, satirizes(i say this cause you can look at songs like PHOTOGRAPH where it seems hes kinda making fun of more simple rhyme rap styles via his flow and rhyme scheme) the culture with mumble rap, mumble rappers and drug addicted rappers and other subjects.

Plus KOD being more recent it has subjects that 80 doesnt have and is more relatable today (Photographs). Now that doesnt necessarilly mean its better tho. Plus this may be very semantical. But KOD comes off more as a concious album whereas 80 comes off more introspective( like all kendricks albums) than concious(with some elements of it in there)

i dont think KOD is that great so dont take this as me thinking its good. as 80 or anything. I just dont see how Kendricks albums are the same as it.

 

[Cadillac]

I'm not saying Cole ripped Kendrick off or he didn't try to make something original. I just noticed an influence on the overall sound of KOD that came from DAMN. It's my theory, but if Cole ever came out and said DAMN influenced KOD, I wouldn't even flinch.

The albums both try to say something specific, almost like a concept. Obviously not the same concept, but the different voices, the concept following throughout the album, the way it opens (a dreamy type intro followed by a banger that establishes their dominance in the game). They follow a similar path. I noticed it when it came out and my best friend (who loves both Cole and Kendrick) noticed it too.

I even said it's not an insult. It's not a stretch to think that Cole probably had DAMN in mind when he was making KOD.

im not seeing how DAMN influenced KOD, when i hear KOD the last thing i think of is DAMN

Cole made a concept album before, i dont think he needed influence from Kendrick on that part to make a concept album in KOD, he prolly was sketching it together seeing as the culture was going along with mumble rap, rappers dying of overdose, etc.

 

[A Pimp Named Slickback]

Yall love talking about concepts and framing and everything else outside of the fukking music

Once An Addict, Window Pain, and BRACKETS were 3 of the best songs that came out in 2018

ATM was a hit

The flows he used on the album were inspired by the SoundCloud rap that was out at the time. It was done on purpose to draw listeners in. Hiding medicine in the candy proverbially speaking

I personally had no issues with any song on the album besides Motiv8. That shyt was trash to me

But the reason I said KOD is one of the most important albums of the generation is because of it's overarching concept and message

An album speaking on addiction the way this one did was important for the culture. You had rappers like Lil Pump and Future rapping about xannys and percs. Having someone of Cole's stature make an entire project to speak to the drug problem in hip hop and society's overindulgence in unhealthy habits as a whole was monumental and probably won't be fully appreciated until years down the line. Thats where it's value is

Edit: and just because you don't like the music doesn't mean it's not a significant body of work for this generation

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

we did, and its not the same as KOD which is more or less commentates, satirizes(i say this cause you can look at songs like PHOTOGRAPH where it seems hes kinda making fun of more simple rhyme rap styles via his flow and rhyme scheme) the culture with mumble rap, mumble rappers and drug addicted rappers and other subjects.

Plus KOD being more recent it has subjects that 80 doesnt have and is more relatable today (Photographs). Now that doesnt necessarilly mean its better tho. Plus this may be very semantical. But KOD comes off more as a concious album whereas 80 comes off more introspective( like all kendricks albums) than concious(with some elements of it in there)

i dont think KOD is that great so dont take this as me thinking its good. as 80 or anything. I just dont see how Kendricks albums are the same as it.

Kendrick’s 80 covered the modern vices of a generation and so did KOD, just because they went about it differently, and they were 7 years apart so of course some themes change - ie social media being in a very different place than it was in 2011 - doesn’t mean they didn’t have similar content. And I’m one of the few who defended KOD in the discussion thread, so my comment wasn’t just to spite cole, I like the album, just don’t feel it captures generational trappings as well as section 80

 

[Cadillac]

Kendrick’s 80 covered the modern vices of a generation

If this thread was about repping generations then u prolly have a point.

But this thread isn't about that, It's about this generation we in. And KOD whether you like it or not is the closest we got to a album like that. Not only commentating on the generation but the culture to

 

[dora_da_destroyer]

If this thread was about repping generations then u prolly have a point.

But this thread isn't about that, It's about this generation we in. And KOD whether you like it or not is the closest we got to a album that reps present culture and gen.

The thread was about an album being important for critiquing/covering generational pitfalls. They both did that

of course they don’t cover the same things exactly being 7 years apart, but their subject matter is easily comparable and is the reason people said Kendrick did it better.

 

[Larry]

Dope album but you on the coli breh



wrong place for a thread like this

 

[Piff Perkins]

I think the biggest difference between Cole and Kendrick on these issues is that Cole presents himself as having answers, and Kendrick doesn't. Likewise Cole presents himself in a largely linear, straight forward way while Kendrick embraces contradiction. The reason nobody thinks Pac was preachy is because he presented both sides. Cole is the opposite of that and it turns people off, even when he’s being genuine.

So I don’t think Cole bit anything. I think they both influence each other but end of the day they’re different types of writers. In terms of KOD’s message I’m sure it reached some young kids. I used to fukk around with a young chick who loved Cole, lived that fast life, and said she liked the message but it was too preachy. Flip side I’m sure that album saved someone’s life.

To truly reach those kids you need someone like XXX. He understood that balance because he was fighting his own demons. Ironically Cole used to talk to him a lot apparently and was trying to steer him to the right path but inner turmoil is no joke.

 

[CaughtInTWebb]

Wow....

Man I love this album....didn’t realize it got so much hate.

 

[AAKing23]

My analysis from when it came out

The whole is album is based around the concept of trauma, pain and sadnesss. Every song in one way or another disects the ways we use to cope with and deal with that pain via drugs, women, money, avoidance and putting on a facade. Which is why you hear the words "Choose Wisely" how you deal with that pain at ends of the tracks. Cole not only sees this happening with other artists but also can relate to these ways of dealing with pain himself to fill a void inside him that he can't seem to fill despite the money sucess and fame. People are saying he's mimicking and dissing the younger nikkas but to be honest he's warning them and trying to put them up on game and relate to their mindstate which he has once felt before and is channeling throughout the album. If you listen to it, This is actually a very sad album but he contrasts it's melancholic vibe and nature with more uptempo and 808 infused beats to make it even more polarizing.

 

[Cadillac]

The thread was about an album being important for critiquing/covering generational pitfalls. They both did that

of course they don’t cover the same things exactly being 7 years apart, but their subject matter is easily comparable and is the reason people said Kendrick did it better.

@Bold: yes for THIS generation it's in the op fam

As for the comparison.

Two things covering mutual subject matters doesn't mean their the same.
things like perspective, point of view , purpose, narrative, etc is what makes KOD different from it(80) and other kdot albums.

MATW and RTD both cover death, having to sell drugs, etc. But they r not the same type of albums.

It's more than just subject matter that plays a part into this. Which is why I don't see the similarity.