Kendrick Lamar - “HiiiPower”

I’m pretty damn ambivalent when it comes to the Compton rapper and current notable dude Kendrick Lamar. The recent chatter about the man formerly known as K.Dot has been heavy and positive, with some going as far to consider him the best rapper the West has produced in some time and the future of hip-hop. Well, I don’t know if I’d go as far to say that, but I’ll admit he is promising. While Kendrick proves that he does have some pretty solid skills when it comes down to it (like the time he stopped me from finding him and punching him in the brain), it seems that for every hot song he has out, he has one which doesn’t quite gel, and this can be seen on his previous mixtapes, 2009’s Kendrick Lamar EP and 2010’s Overly Dedicated, two tapes I’ve given quite a bit of play.

The trend continues on his latest release, Section.80. A proper debut this time around, Section.80 (I always wondered why that decimal point was there) revolves around the concept of ’80s kids (the “Ronald Regan Era” he calls ‘em) coming of age in the 2000s and 2010s (er, that sounds off), dealing with issues of identity, drugs, their environment, and a general feeling of malaise and being “lost.” Think Less Than Zero, kinda.

Though, to go on a bit of a tangent, Kendrick’s speaking out for a decade of people seems odd to me, since the dude was born in 1987 (which he mentions several times on record). I mean really, how much of the “Ronald Regan Era” have you witnessed when you were only three years old. But then again, he may be also speaking of the effects and spectre of the Era on later years and generations, but whatev.

But let’s get back to the music. From the production to the rhyming, Section.80 is a stronger effort than his last works, though the same ambivalence issue rears its head. Let me say straight up: Kendrick has some goofy ass hooks and ad-libs. Really. Some of them are cruddy enough for you to take note. Also, I’m not a fan of the slower tracks with singers on them. Kendrick is still a bit awkward in spots, but more often than not he entertains.

And on “HiiiPower,” he does his damn thing.

On this track, Kendrick goes like they are about to cut the damn lights off. He gets into that “all-rap, no bullshit”-groove that he channels on “Vanity Slaves” (and makes you wish that Section.80 had more of) and delivers an utterly fantastic performance about his passion to inspire, change, and succeed. Along with a great instrumental from J. Cole (which, Cole always has a knack for these solemn, determined beats which don’t work well with some emcees, but kicks ass right here), “HiiiPower” is, well, high powered (I hear ya groanin’!), making for one of Section.80’s finest moments and one of 2011’s best singles. Yeah, it’s that good.