It’s genuinely mind-boggling how people idolize mediocrity (Kendrick Lamar) to the point where he’s seen as God status in rap. This man isn’t even cracking the top 50 rappers in terms of actual talent, yet people slap him ahead of legends like 2Pac, Biggie, Nas, and Rakim, as if he’s even in the same league. Spoiler alert: he’s not.
First of all, let’s talk about his voice. He sounds like a whiny, nasally child who can’t rap properly, and instead of embracing his natural voice, he resorts to exaggerated antics and corny inflections. He tries so hard to be different that it comes off as gimmicky. Half the time, he’s doing this weird high-pitched, “jokey” tone that makes him sound like a circus clown on a bad trip.
And then there’s his so-called flow. People love to hype it up, but let’s be honest—it’s basic. Most of his flows are the same tired 1-2, 1-2, 1-2 rhythm repeated endlessly, like a metronome that’s lost all creativity. It’s like he discovered one cadence that kind of works for him and decided to run it into the ground. Nothing stands out, nothing challenges the listener, and it’s definitely not enough to justify the absurd pedestal he’s placed on. He’s a master of taking something boring and dressing it up as if it’s revolutionary, and apparently, people fall for it.
Let’s move on to his lyricism—the part where his fans really embarrass themselves. The man is not deep. The man is not a philosopher. His fans throw around words like “genius” and even compare him to Socrates, but whenever I ask someone to name five genuinely thought-provoking or brilliant bars, they can’t even give me one. And I don’t mean surface-level, pseudo-intellectual lines like A minor—I mean bars that hold up against true greats like Nas’s storytelling, Big L’s punchlines, or Biggie’s clever wordplay. What does Kendrick have that even comes close? Nothing. His “insightful” reputation is built on fluff, not substance.
Take his album To Pimp a Butterfly, which people act like is some groundbreaking masterpiece. Yes, it’s “political” and talks about important topics, but since when does talking about a topic automatically make something good? If you actually break down the writing, most of it is surface-level observations that anyone could make, wrapped in pretentious delivery. People mistake subject matter for skill, which is why someone as mediocre as Kendrick gets a free pass.
Let’s not even get started on his hooks. Half of them sound like nursery rhymes (HUMBLE., anyone?), and the other half are outright annoying (Alright sounds like something a children’s choir would perform at a bad school assembly). Even the tracks people swear by—like Money Trees or Backseat Freestyle—are just average at best, carried by production or features. On Money Trees, Jay Rock easily outshines him, and on Control, Big Sean of all people gave him a run for his money. Let that sink in: Big Sean.
The only songs I’ve ever genuinely enjoyed from him are Swimming Pools, Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe, and ADHD, and even then, I was stoned out of my mind when I heard them. A little retardation is tolerable when you’re drifting in the sky, but if I listened sober, I’d probably skip them entirely.
The truth is, Kendrick Lamar is a glorified marketing product. He’s great at crafting an image of being “deep” and “artistic” without actually delivering much substance. I’ll give him props for that—his PR team deserves a raise, and I’m sure his bank account looks amazing. But let’s not confuse his hype machine with actual talent.
And here’s the kicker: you can’t even criticize him without his fanbase losing their collective shit. The moment someone dares to call him out, they immediately start whining about “troll posts” or accuse you of not understanding his music. Imagine being so insecure about your favorite rapper that you can’t even tolerate a differing opinion. If you think this post is trolling, congratulations, you’re part of the problem. Stop putting mediocrity on a pedestal and acting like anyone who disagrees with you is the Antichrist.