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I encountered a really interesting theory on TikTok regarding the storytelling devices used on Kendrick Lamar's first two albums and I wanted to expand it to the rest of his discography. To paraphrase the existing portion of the theory Section. 80 is a book (the campfire motif), Good Kid Maad City is a movie (the linear story telling), and To Pimp a Butterfly is a poem which I shouldn't have to explain. That leaves Kendrick's two newest albums to examine. Mr Moral and the Big Steppers is a play centered around therapy, most evident in songs like We Cry Together, Worldwide Steppers, and Auntie Diaries. Despite arguably being his most approachable album, Damn was the hardest for be to figure out. Initially I thought of it as a journal taking a deep dive into each of Kendrick's emotions. Unfortunately the lack of a linear story-line largely ruled this device out. Each song on this album seems to live in it's own self-contained world. The only thing comparable to this style of story-telling is a TV Show.

Hey, it's Jaden. I feel like I should better explain the point of this thing. Preamble I want opium.press to be a platform for people to freely express themselves without the distractions present on other social media websites. There's no likes, friends, or any concept of "fame". It's just your ideas and the stream of other people's ideas on the home page. There's not a targeted timeline of content because in all honesty I don't care if you stay on my website or not, just try to write the most meaningful essay's you can. This isn't a place to grow a fan-base or achieve internet fame. If you want other people to see your content then tell them to. I'm working on making it easier to share essays to other platforms. What is an Essay Basically a body of text. Think beyond the essays you wrote in school. It can be anything: arguments, opinion pieces, poems, or whatever else comes to your mind. There's virtually no limit to the length of an essay and don't feel pressed to follow any kind of conventions. Expressing yourself is the number one priority. Why the Embargo It comes from a rule I use when shopping. I wait 3 days before I buy something to give myself time to second-guess my decision. This helps to mitigate wasteful spending and impulse purchases. One of my least favorite parts of other social media platforms is the impulsivity that leads to people making polarizing content without fully understanding the topic at hand and how their message will be received. While you're waiting on the embargo to be lifted please think about your message. I only hope my platform encourages creative expression and productive discussion. Bye

To be completely honest I can't believe this thing works. Currently everything is hosted on google cloud. I wanted to go with Linode so I could support an independent server hosting platform but that was too expensive. It's taken months to come up with the idea and code it. It feels like its taken even longer to get a working version of it out on the open internet. Currently the last major step is getting an SSL cert. In all, I'm pretty proud of this thing, bye

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ive lived with this album for the past two years. listening to this album is truly a transformative experience. The album has the ability to build these psychedelic environments for each of its tracks to exist in. In large part I think this is due to NAV’s ability as a producer and less to do with his rapping ability. Which brings me to the reason I was so hesitant to review this album. A lot of rap fans don’t like this album due to NAV’s rapping ability and his vocal performance. While those are both legitimate hindrances to the album, I’d be disingenuous if I said I still didn’t enjoy it. NAV’s delivery is stiff and robotic and the occasional cliche lines do take you out of the experience of the album (shoot a 30 no curry). But in a very strange sense I feel like this almost adds to the character of the album. NAV’s delivery has a very interesting contrast to the atmospheric beats he raps on and the corny lines add a sense of humor. Overall, a very good listen Favorite tracks: - Myself (the outdo is heavenly) - My mind - Nav (Nav by Nav on Nav[the album]) - Some way (Justin beiber diss track) - Up

“It is always a good idea to challenge the definitions of words to make sure that we are using them in a way that is helpful and moving conversations forward”

• https://youtu.be/3AgijQaNPGw

Being your own person is one of the hardest things anyone will struggle with. It's not a new phenomenon. Although there is some merit to attributing the degratidation of ones identity to the rise of social media, in truth it is something that humans have always struggled with. I'm not proposing a solution; I am only making a call to action to truly think about who you are, who you think you are, and perhaps why you think that way

the album that got me into cocaine rap. this album brings so much to the table. luxurious production from kanye a pharrell, bar after bar from pusha t him self, and a plethora of cocaine references. this album taught me so many new words, processes, and measuring systems. This album definitely lacks any type of consistent narrative the cocaine motif keeps the album feeling coherent. while perhaps not on the same level of its predecessor DAYTONA the trap influenced beats and more traditional delivery do a good job of entrancing casual rap fan. this album does have a few noticeable weak points where it feels dry(call my bluff) which is especially disappointing given the short length of the album. overall a really great album with a lot of good replay value. favorite songs - neck and write (the single that got me into the album) - let the smokers shine the coups (the beat is insane) - brembleton - diet coke (i didn’t like it when it was just the single but after listening to the album i enjoy it) - dreaming of the past (minus the kanye verse)

An amazing showing of skill. Anyone who’s listened to his previous work with the internet knows exactly how good his production and instrumentation can be especially given his often limited resources. this album pairs that creativity with his beautiful voice. the album is short and memorable. while not necessarily being super cohesive in story telling or in overall sound, the breadth of sounds covered in this album keeps it feeling fresh even after a few listens. the album does seem to falter towards the end but still finishes strong. overall a great breakout project for steve lacy. id highly recommend this album to anyone who enjoys pop/r&b and even to the more open-minded fans of rap. i can only hope his next project lives up to the expectations set by this one. songs i am in love with - mercury - bad habit - static

On the surface level a phenomenal project from uzi. Easily one of his best projects in recent memory. His flows are on point and his energy is as punchy as ever. The production is fast paced with his signature other-worldly aesthetic. While the mixing throughout the album is rough, especially compared to Eternal Atake, in many instances this only serves to make the songs slap harder (Issa Hit as a prime example). It was a very enjoyable project to listen to and put a smile on my face the whole way through. Still, at the end of the day im left with a question. Can Uzi ever truly evolve. What makes the project great is that it’s a regression to his old style. With a fanbase that is self-admittedly stuck in the past will Uzi truly ever be able to evolve and grow as an artist. Hopefully Uzi next album will answer this question, only time will tell… Favorite Songs - Issa Hit - Hittin my shoulder - Gl*ck in my purse - Cigarette

This album was a tough listen for me. Uncovering the underlining story was difficult due to the mountains of amazing production on top of it. Something is truly special about the synthesized arpeggios on RUNNING OUT OF TIME. The albums lead single is a hit in its own right. The hidden features laced through out the album are especial satisfying to catch. While the story isn’t especially complex it honestly doesn’t have to be. This album is still great Favorite Songs - GONE, GONE / THANK YOU - RUNNING OUT OF TIME - I THINK - EARFQUAKE - PUPPET