Kendrick Lamar and Y.G. - Two Sides of The Same Coin

Kendrick Lamar released his album good kid, m.A.A.d city chronicling his life in Compton. YG released his album My Krazy Life. Like it or not, it could be described bad kid m.A.A.d city. Kendrick was doing good YG was doing bad. While Kendrick Lamar and YG are two different genres of hip hop, it doesn't change the fact that they are two sides of the same. The two albums both have 17 tracks and they both have a story about a kid growing into a man in Compton. But the two stories are entirely different, yet the same. Kendrick Lamar and YG are the modern day Doughboy and Tre form Boyz n the Hood.

good kid, m.A.A.d city starts with Kendrick falling in love with Sherane before departing on a day with his friends. Kendrick tries marijuana for the first time. He constantly wonders if what he's doing is the right thing, while staying in contact with his parents throughout the day, feeling bad for lying to them.

My Krazy Life starts with YG's mother telling him not to be "hanging with them gang bangers" because he'll end up just like his dad. Y.G doesn't care and hits up a block party with his friends. That's when the stories start to intertwine. Track 4 of good kid, m.A.A.d city is called "The Art of Peer Pressure," Kendrick is pressured by his friends to rob a house. On track 6 of My Krazy Life called "Meet The Flockers" YG tells the story of the same robbery. YG tells someone he doesn't name to "Don't be scared nigga you in now." This isn't necessarily Kendrick but Kendrick does name YG as an accomplice on his song "m.A.A.d. city."

This is where their stories part, yet remain the same. Kendrick takes YGs advice, he takes the jewelry box to the pawn shop and balls out on the song Money Trees, then spends the night with Sherane. YG celebrates with his friends on the song "My Niggas" then spends the night with some women of less than reputable morals.

The two stories come together one last time. Kendrick Lamar's song "Swimming Pools" discusses how people deal with their problems through drugs and alcohol, specifically drinking. YG has the song "Really Be" which covers the same issues, it also features Kendrick Lamar. You can assume that they were really drinking together. YG gets a phone call about making some fast money at the end of the song. Kendrick's friends plan to retaliate for the beating he received earlier.

Kendrick's friend Dave gets shot and dies when they attempt to retaliate. This leads to Kendrick finding God and changing his life for the better. Giving up the streets in pursuit of rapping and reconciling with his parents. YGs story also goes South. YG actually walked into him being robbed and he has a shootout with a person he thought was his friend. This leads to YG going to jail.

Kendrick Lamar's album features the bonus track "Collect Calls." The song is from the perspective of someone who has gone to jail and calls their mother apologizing. This perfectly mirrors YGs songs "Thank God" and "Sorry Momma." YG isn't even featured on the song "Thank God." This song takes place while he's in jail, his friends are calling his mother asking for help with bail. She silently obliges despite telling him on the song "1am" don't expect help because he did it to himself. The song "Sorry Momma" takes place after his mother and friends get him out. He argues with his mother. She stresses his actions hurt her when he's already in bad health (seizures, blind in one eye, frequent surgeries) He eventually admits his actions are bad and promises her he'll change.

While Kendrick's relationship with Sherane is most likely over after he took the beating for her. YGs relationship is definitely over. She didn't visit him in jail and on the song "When I was Gone" she was sleeping with other guys despite having him pull a gun on somebody in the past.

Kendrick Lamar and YG tell the same story. The same ending by two different means. YG doesn't feel bad about the actions he's done, he only feel bad for his mother. He even tried to justify his actions to her only to get smacked. Kendrick feels bad about everything, doing it knowing it was wrong. The story is the same Kendrick Lamar is the good kid, in the m.A.A.d city, YG is the bad kid, in the m.A.A.d city.

You can hear Darrell on the CP Time and Powerbomb Jutsu podcasts.
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