Avg Rating: 
3.8 ( 20 total votes )
Kendrick Lamar - Ronald Reagan Era
Artist: Kendrick Lamar
Featuring: RZA
Producer: Tae Beast
Album: #Section80
Label: TDE/Aftermath/Interscope
As Charles Dickens would say, ”It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times.” While The Reagan Era was a lousy one for economic policy (sorry, Republicans—wait, no I’m not), the very conditions that made life a struggle for inner-city dwellers helped ferment the musical movement we know and love. On his latest album leak, West Coast phenom Kendrick Lamar tackles the bittersweet nostalgia that characterizes hip-hop’s relationship with those formative years. Over the wistful, string-sampled production of Tae Beast, the XXL Freshman and freestyle series alum spits a lyrically dazzling account of his hometown’s tumultuous past, peppering his bars with throwback references (“Even the legs of Michael Johnson don’t mean nothin’...”) and expressionistic imagery (“1987, the children of Ronald Reagan raked the leaves off your front porch with a machine blowtorch.”). Complete with an extremely minimal hook by RZA (not sampled from any previous record, to my knowledge) this musical tour de force should only increase listener anticipation for Lamar’s new digital album, #Section80, dropping July 2.
This song first appeared on the
Independent Chart
on June 27, 2011
Listen to More: Kendrick Lamar , RZA , Hitmaker Written by richard
More From Kendrick Lamar
Submit a Review and/or Rating
Member Reviews and Ratings
|
DJ Booth Crew  Total Ratings: 11676 |
Rating:
Songs like this are going to ensure a long career. Its a pleasure to hear Kendrick's growth as an artist. He is really blossoming into a star.
|
| Posted on Jun 20, 2011 |
|
Tastemaker  Total Ratings: 4267 |
Rating:
And the anticipation for "#Section80" continues to grow like a Cali wildfire. Kendrick is three for three here, as he keeps it going and continues where he left of with his last two leaks.
The lyrical content is cocky and full of cryptic suggestion that you will probably have to listen to a few times and put some thoughts into figuring out the thought behind the concept. It feels like the work of a rapper so secure in his raw abilities that he don't have to sweat the details. And the unforgiving hook is certainly evocative, turning the song into a sure-fire anthem of the new West! The complex nature of the lyrics is well supported by the composition, which never forgets to make itself well heard, in every department. The gritty drums, looped eerie strings that sustain throughout in the background, alongside the high dosage of window-shaking bass adds a dark cinematic ambiance to production. It’s ominous without being extra dramatic. Stirring stuff indeed, and much like "HiiiPoWer" & "Sex With Society", this is a painful reminder of how polished, increasingly stylized yet unfailingly ineffectual a lot of music from other artists sounds these days. |
| Posted on Jun 20, 2011 |
|
DJ Booth Member  Total Ratings: 177 |
Rating:
i definitely like this song.
|
| Posted on Jun 20, 2011 |
|
Tastemaker  Total Ratings: 2919 |
Rating:
Now this is the Kendrick Lamaar I want to hear, this is up there with 'Hiii Power'. That song before was rubbish, my hopes are back up, awesome.
|
| Posted on Jun 20, 2011 |
|
|
Rating:
|
| Posted on Jun 20, 2011 |
|
|
Rating:
|
| Posted on Jun 20, 2011 |
|
Tastemaker  Total Ratings: 1069 |
Rating:
This is a solid track...Dope
|
| Posted on Jun 20, 2011 |
|
DJ Booth Member  Total Ratings: 32 |
Rating:
I'm in love with this intro!!
|
| Posted on Jun 21, 2011 |
|
DJ Booth Member  Total Ratings: 5 |
Rating:
Always good to hear Bobby Digital on a track. I'm feeling this cat Kendrick Lamar. One of the best new lyricists out right now. Hot track.
|
| Posted on Jun 21, 2011 |
|
DJ Booth Member  Total Ratings: 68 |
Rating:
This guy is definitely dope! I love what he's doin and i can't wait for his next album!
|
| Posted on Jun 21, 2011 |
|
Tastemaker |
Rating:
He killing it lyrically! That is messed up how he dissed Marcus Camby. Then the RZA makes it more hot with hook.
|
| Posted on Jun 22, 2011 |
|
DJ Booth Member |
Rating:
K. Dot once again!!
|
| Posted on Jun 22, 2011 |
|
DJ Booth Member |
Rating:
love k.dot...i might need this one to grow on me a little more tho
|
| Posted on Jun 22, 2011 |
|
DJ Booth Member Total Ratings: 125 |
Rating:
Nice track and I love the lyrics! Definitely provokes some thought compared to everything else these days. *cough* Wiz Kalifa *cough*
|
| Posted on Jun 22, 2011 |
|
Tastemaker |
Rating:
Not bad, didn't like the hook much tho...
|
| Posted on Jun 22, 2011 |
|
DJ Booth Member |
Rating:
Whoever wrote this review should do some actual research and not just go with what they hear from msnbc and cnn. if it wernt for reagans build up of the military russia would not have had to face imminant destruction by us if they attacked. In short if reagan hadnt spent the money he speant you would be here to write ur bullsh* review. And at least reagn didnt take money from people who earn it and give it to people who dont. Sorry obama o wait no im not
|
| Posted on Jun 27, 2011 |
|
|
Rating:
|
| Posted on Jun 29, 2011 |
|
DJ Booth Member |
Rating:
#section80 is jus way too dope!!
|
| Posted on Jul 03, 2011 |
|
DJ Booth Member |
Rating:
this shit is dope
|
| Posted on Jul 20, 2011 |
|
|
Rating:
|
| Posted on Jul 23, 2011 |
FEATURED ARTIST
FEATURED ALBUM
TOP 20 MUSIC CHARTS
The top rated new Hip Hop & R&B songs on DJBooth, updated every Sunday.
