Kendrick Lamar's GNX Album RANKED!
Kendrick Lamar's GNX has been one of my favorite rap albums of all time since it released! Outside of one song that I think isn't great, the whole album is full of bangers that are honestly a little hard to put up against one another. It's always hard to choose favorites, but in today's Mr. Maestro article, I don't have a choice... so let's get into this! Thanks so much for joining me here on Mr. Maestro, and I hope you enjoy your time here!
#12 - "gnx" (feat...)
Mr. Maestro Score - 4
Unfortunately, I was not really impressed by the title track, and it is easily one of my last favorite Kendrick songs. I always forget this song even exists. The beat is cool and the "wha-" makes me smile, but it's not a song that I'm ever going to choose to listen to over practically any other Kendrick song. This is one of those rare times where a title track does nearly nothing for me...
#11 - "dodger blue" (feat...)
Mr. Maestro Score - 6
I have quite a few friends who like this song, but it just doesn't do much for me, unfortunately. It has a really distinct vibe to it, and I can see why people like it. I feel like the song doesn't really pick up until like the very end... It feels like it ends a little too abruptly, and didn't leave much of an impression on me. However, at least it's still a big step up from the title track...
#10 - "man at the garden"
Mr. Maestro Score - 7
While I "peekaboo" grew on me a lot the more I listened to it, this one was one I really enjoyed at first but it got stale much quicker than most of his songs. I really like the stripped-back, subtle beats here with the pretty vocals in the background, and the crescendoing climax is really powerful, but I feel like the song repeated the "I deserve it all" idea too many times. The lyrics end up sounding a little too pretentious on enough relistens, and the song isn't as catchy or emotional as other tracks on the album.
#9 - "hey now" (feat. dody6)
Mr. Maestro Score - 7
This song is so odd. The song starts pretty underwhelming for a Lamar song, perhaps even a little bit cringey. I like the beat in the background that sounds reminds me of a dripping faucet, but otherwise, it's nothing too special.
That is, until the beat starts to sound more like aliens invading, which switches to what sounds akin to guitar steel drum- instruments soon after, then into a Wait Until Dark-like score, then a Tomorrowland-esque beat. The song's climax is really interesting and fun to listen to, sounding straight out of a sci-fi movie. It's a very odd song, and I can't quite decide if I love it or not. It's not my first choice on the album by any means, especially since the song doesn't get too interesting until pretty late... But I can see why people love this one more than me!
#8 - "gloria" (with sza)
Mr. Maestro Score - 7
While SZA and Deyra Barrera have really pretty vocals in this song, and the beat is pretty and atmospheric, I don't really feel like I would ever choose to listen to this song over luther... even though the instrumentals here are more impressive.
Still, that doesn't mean this song is bad. I love the more orchestral background track that kind of feels like anime meets a café. While I'm listening to this song, I really do enjoy it, but this song isn't that memorable for me, and isn't one I've ever purposely thought about listening to outside of shuffling the album. Maybe it's that it sounds more like pop music than his other songs or something, but I just don't think about this song much.
#7 - "heart pt. 6"
Mr. Maestro Score - 8
This is a song that has so much creativity that, even though I don't seek out listening to it very often, I have to say it's really good. The background music in this song is so interesting, and ethereal in a way that I don't really expect from rap songs very often. While it's never my first choice on the album, and I don't have as much to say about it as many other songs on GNX, it's never a bad choice.
#6 - "peekaboo" (feat. azchike)
Mr. Maestro Score - 8
Okay, I originally didn't feel much of anything listening to this song when it released. But, now, writing this review, I can't help but feel like I was just so hyped by the other songs on the album to give this one a fair chance.
I thought that this song's lyrics were super cringy and some parts were quite repetitive. I felt the lyrics were words being said just to be said. While I still feel like this is the song's weakest aspect—that the song feels like it doesn't have much meaning or emotions behind it—it's got plenty to offer still.
The accentuation of each word keeps the verses feeling electric, and some of the phrases are so catchy rhythmically. The chorus is so odd but memorable, and it's not nearly as annoying as it feels like it should be. The lines "hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, that's my b****" and "bing-bap-boom-boom-boom-bap-bam" went way harder than they should've with how dumb the lyrics look on paper, but they are just fun.
However, the best part of the song is absolutely the ominous chords and beat in the background. It reminded me of World 4 in Paper Mario: Color Splash in the best way, if that means anything to anyone but me. The fact the song starts with "Give A Helping Hand" makes the mood even stronger, since it's such an odd contrast from how the rest of the song plays out. Let's just say I was a little embarrassed listening to this song again, knowing that at one point, I thought it wasn't good...
#5 - "wacced out murals"
Mr. Maestro Score - 8
I absolutely love the instrumentals and contributions from Deyra Barrera here! The mood of this song is impeccable and it really feels like the right sound for a song about struggles with external pressures of artistry. This song is a harder one for me to score, because it's one of the most interesting tracks of GNX, but it's long length and more subdued nature aren't quite as replayable as many of his other songs, nor as emotional as songs like luther or meet the grahams. It's still a song I've thrown on many of my playlists, but isn't quite up there as one of the best Lamar tracks. Besides, reincarnated kinda has the vibes of this song too, but does it better (in my opinion).
#4 - "luther" (with sza)
Mr. Maestro Score - 9
While I wish this song was the longest song on the album because it feels like it could've used an extra minute, I don't got any other complaints about this track. Along with gloria, this feels a lot more like pop music than typical Kendrick, but this song uses that balance a lot better (in my opinion). While I do love the cinematic instrumentals in gloria, this song just feels more cohesive and impactful.
luther is a wonderful tribute to one of my all-time favorite music artists, and its instrumentation (which reminds me of Ni No Kuni in the last minute of the song for some reason) and vocals come together to form a song that feels sentimental and nostalgic in a way that can't help but put a grin on my face. I hate to say it, but gloria just couldn't capture the je ne sais quoi that this song has.
If this song had a little more breathing room and got to crescendo even more, I probably would've placed this even higher. As-is, it's a shame that wacced out murals got to be five minutes and this one (and dodger blue) didn't quite get the length they deserved.
#3 - "squabble up"
Mr. Maestro Score - 9
With a funky energy and an infectious hook, "squabble up" is a West Coast-infused anthem with lyrics capturing the energy of how it feels to pull up for a confrontation. The song has a really punchy beat, with some wild screams and odd elements that shouldn't be as catchy as they are. With a fiery performance, a minimalistic beat that's intense and accessible, this song is just an absolute vibe, and an easy song to add to any rap playlist.
Also, love the fact he used the phrase "quid pro quo" here. Absolute vibe.
#2 - "tv off" (feat. lefty gunplay)
Mr. Maestro Score - 10
Exploding onto the scene with the insanely memorable line "All I ever wanted was a Black Grand National, f*** bein' rational, give them 'em what they ask for" with a cinematic opening beat, this song is an absolute vibe, even if it took multiple listens to fully click for me. The lyrics and rhymes in this song are catchy, and do a good job calling people out for being toxic and submitting to mediocrity.
This track is quite experimental in an odd way, having a sort of two-part structure. It goes from a more conventional rap beat to sounding more like a dystopian interpretation of a marching band at a football game due to the chaotic nature of the horns. While the first half is catchy as can be, the more aggressive second half is where the song truly shines, with “MUSTAAAARRRDDDD!” being just as impactful as an absolute meme and a genuinely fire beat drop.
#1 - "reincarnated" (feat. lefty gunplay)
Mr. Maestro Score - 10
Perhaps my favorite Lamar track, this song embodies everything I love about him as an artist. With his most interesting storytelling, the incredible piano sampling from Tupac's "Made Niggaz", funky instrumentals to support the sampling, and epic rhymes, this is definitely my favorite song from GNX, as much as "tv off" is the most iconic. The final verse especially is one of my favorite in all of rap, I just have such a great time every time I listen to it.
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