Kendrick Lamar - DAMN. (album reaction) 

if you've been here since the original MMBS reaction in May, I SEE KENDRICK THIS WEEKEND!!!! THIS IS MY BRAIN RN: CC available for this one, loves. sorry no cool intro tho, i couldnt find any good promo material that spoke to me lol

This is definitely the lightest album in his discography, which is something I appreciate because I do not wanna have to listen to aunty diaries when I'm just tryna chill

I believe this is Kendrick’s darkest and most cynical album. He’s searching for some meaning; each album is essentially him trying to become a better person. But on DAMN., it’s like the snake eating it’s own tail, and he doesn’t find any closure. He’s right back where he’s started. I’m glad that he shed most of his demons on Mr. Morale. Despite the heavy content on that album, I feel it’s the only one that has an uplifting ending. He finally finds peace within himself.

Coming back after Kendrick bodied Drake and took his fake crown

Aye this girls editing is crazy. Everything just works so well together. the community favs, perfect cuts, revised commentary, and transitions of the next song. it’s just amazing.

I can't wait for the TPAB reaction. Easily my favorite album by Kendrick to date.

Alot of people dismiss "DAMN." because they felt that Kendrick was going "pop" at the time, but that's just because the more poppy tracks are the most streamed, but I find that the best tracks on the album are also some of his most experimental and interesting, tracks like "FEEL" "PRIDE" and "LUST"

10:58 There's actually a reason for this and it's kinda insane to think about: playing the album in reverse (as mentioned in the beginning of DUCKWORTH.) results in a completely new album that tells a whole new story. DAMN. shows the chaoticness of these emotions/concepts easing into resolution. He resolves himself in tracks like LOYALTY. after being conflicted about his raw feelings in FEEL. the same can be said in other tracks like PRIDE./HUMBLE., LUST./LOVE. etc., showing the importance of the duality concept in the album. At the beginning of the album he's surrounded by wickedness, but discovers his way into a less sinful version of himself, surviving the story he tells in DUCKWORTH. .NMAD Shows how different it could have all been. He may have started feeling fine living through his own weakness, but slowly the weakness evolves into wickedness without his father guiding him. The gunshot at the end of BLOOD. represents the consequences he would have faced (maybe even literally) had this happened. There was also some belief that he would drop another album on Easter Sunday (This dropped Good Friday) called NATION. (DAMN. + NATION. = DAMNATION.), but the fact that he didn't shows that he really is just a mortal man. Jesus died and rose again, Kendrick didn't. However, personally I feel like .NMAD is the second album that continues to show his mortality through the fact that he devolves as the album progresses. Lot to think about!

Funfact: The second half of DNA was recorded vocally with no beat. Kendrick told his Producer he wanted the beat to be "pure Chaos". I think it really makes a unique feel, I love when Lyrics are laid and the music is made around it, however in this case I think it feels intentionally disjointed. Yet somehow, it works. Many times on this album I hear things and it sounds, yknow catchy, but its executed so strangely. Sometimes not even catchy but still strange, yet it works anyway. I think it really exccentuates the damaged and confused headspace he was in at the time. Songs like XXX starting so slow and drawn out, then flipping to aggrivation and absolute energy. Like he's appearing worn out but at any moment could just snap. A great reaction btw, all the love as usual!

I remember listening to the whole album without even realising it it was so relaxing

I cannot confirm this, but to me kung fu kenny indicates him battling with duality, the righteousness, spirituality, love, lust, loyalty, what being real is and of course his own thoughts Also: the reason why he had Rihanna on LOYALTY, because Rihannas accountants disloyalty caused Ri to lose the money One more actually last thing (I SWEAR): i saw him yesterday in Stockholm, his presence and energy is impeccable, he builds up the songs so well and finishes so grandly, you will be blown away

I find myself relistening to DAMN more often than any other kdot album

The album cover of DAMN is one of my favorites ever. He looks at us and through us at the same time. His eyes look defeated but there's a hint of rage and hate, like he is about to snap at any moment.

This feels like such a spiritual prelude to "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers". He breaks down every emotion he feels in a very abstract way, and then makes them 100% literal in MM&TBS. Not my favorite of his, but a great project for sure.

I remember this album came out a few days after my 17th birthday, and hearing him say “I’ll probably die cause that’s what you do when you’re seventeen” was one of the most eye opening things I’ve ever experienced

GOD. DAMN. this video was good. I'm not even joking. I literally LOVE. these videos. I FEEL. like they have a unique ELEMENT. to them

A Path video feels like hearing from a friend you haven’t heard from in a while fr😂

This album was Kendrick flexing to his peers that he can be the biggest rap star in the world, dominate the charts and still make a conscious and critically acclaimed album. This album outsold Drake’s that year. Had 5-6 huge chart topping songs. Every song at minimum went gold. He won multiple Grammy’s including rap album of the year. He won a VMA for best music video for Humble. And for the real artsy folk he because the first non-jazz or classical artist to win a Pulitzer Prize. He achieved what his mainstream peers had but went way beyond them.

7 years later and you just made my jaw drop with the idea of pride and humble having their instrumentals switched. such a crazy good catch path!!

16:41 Kendrick has had one of these pseudonyms for every one of his albums. K. dot on Section 80 and GKMC, Good Kid on GKMC, King Kunta on TPAB, Cornrow Kenny on Untitled Unmastered, Kung Fu Kenny on Damn, and Oklama and Mr.Morale on MMTBS. It’s rlly cool imo, and I like how he has a different one for each album.

DAMN IS A MASTERPIECE!!

Another note, the album distinguishes Kendrick’s confliction with good vs evil. For example right after the song PRIDE is HUMBLE and right after LUST is LOVE. Also Kendrick talks about growing up from evil to good but when you reverse the album play he turns from good to evil.

She's going to absolutely love TPAB, so much to unpack with that album

your editing is so underrated, can’t wait for TPAB!!!

Another important thing about this album is that it was intended to be possible to listen to it from DUCKWORTH to BLOOD as well as BLOOD to DUCKWORTH. This explains the placement of LOVE and LUST.

Saving the best album for last 😎 I like it. Don’t worry he only plays two TPAB songs at the concert so you won’t be spoiled if you don’t listen before the concert

I love how the meaning of the album changes with the collectors edition. The reversal of the track order works so well to frame the narrative in a different light.

The inclusion of your Skrillex remix find and the transition to match the end of XXX at 18:15 is the cherry on top

I saw him live last week that show is so fire. Great reaction as always

HUGE upload, just saw Kendrick live in Copenhagen the other day and oh my god he's so good. Damn is def different but i love it.

one of my fav albums by him for sure and the music video for ELEMENT is a piece of art in itself, so beautiful

FEEL is such an impressive song

going to see kendrick in a week, hype hypee

Tbh, this album is my favorite of his, right behind good kid. It's very cohesive musically in a similar but different way to good kid. I loved listening to it when it came out, and I still love listening to it today

It's crazy how Kendrick managed to create two narratives and an alter-ego with their own backstory all in one album.

Lmaooo no way he doesn't play "Humble" at his concert 🤣by far his most popular song! Also, you need to tell us how "DNA" goes live. That song is absurdly hype and I wish I could get that experience of hearing it at a concert. The last minute is such an adrenaline rush!

Love's gonna get you killed, but pride's gonna be the death of you and you and me and you and you and you...this is the line you will forever think about when you hear the word pride. It haunts me like a pleasant spirit.

There's a reason this album won a Pulitzer Prize. From top to bottom, and from bottom to top, the way it dissects Kendrick's (and in some ways, the average person's) material conditions in America is, in my book, on par with TPAB, all while maintaining mainstream appeal. Truly awe-inspiring.

DAMN is my favorite Kendrick Album. Not because it's revolutionary but the amount of replayability in this album is for me top notch.

loved the video! maybe you could make some the community favorite sections a bit longer in the next one? was kind of hard to read without pausing, also I’m so proud of how much you’ve grown, definitely deserved!

i absolutely loved the editing on this one, the community favoraites aaaaaaaa they were soo good. thank you path 💌

Ahhh I’m so excited for this one! One of my favorite albums of his, sound wise anyways. I’m really excited to see your takes on it!

i feel like this series with reacting to Kendrick Lamar’s discography has been like an anime lol, with you getting to know him more through his albums and each album getting better and better and now the climactic moment of watching you react/discover TPAB!! 😭😭

What I love about DAMN is that it really has some fire bangers🤠

FEEL. is my favorite song of all time by kendrick. Every lyric hits the heart 🥲

FInally!!! I been waiting for this reaction, your reaction style is unique and amazing!

I've sat with each Kendrick album for several years, it's pretty surreal watching you digest them all in the same timeframe. Great reaction channel, very honest and personal, but also nuanced with regards to appreciating the musicality and digesting the subject matter. Tetsuo & Youth by Lupe Fiasco is a great album that is in this vein, though it is hard to react to because it is so lyrically dense.

the editing has gotten so much better since the last time I watched ur channel. the great things about ur reactions stayed and the improvements made make these long videos so watchable

THIS BROUGHT ME BACK INTO THIS ERA OF KENDRICK AND I LOVE IT!!! This was the album that REALLY made me appreciate the depth lyrics can go in Hip-Hop / Rap SO GLAD you experienced this and I got to re-live it through this video, GREAT VIDEO AS ALWAYS!

its been 5 days im fiening for another reaction. Your reactions are so realtable to me. Makes me feel like Im listening to the album all over again for the first time. Emotion, analyzing, and everything.

i have listened to PRIDE like 100x and i just now realize Steve Lacy is featured

in an interview around the album's release, kendrick was asked if he thinks he's written his best verse yet and he said no, but the 2nd verse on FEEL. is the closest he's gotten to it. imagine hearing that verse acapella. my god... great video as always, you've become one of my favorite reactors in a short period of time!!!

At the time (2017) DAMN. came out this is also where new age rap/mumble/melodic rap took over the hip hop scene so I definitely feel like Kendrick wanted to try to experiment with that style in his own way in the project (don’t think he ever did adlibs before damn which is very 2017) which is why it came off so mainstream. During this time he also made tracks with new age rappers and artists like Rich the Kid, Sway Lee, Future, The Weeknd etc., which I think is cool cause at the time, established lyricists and critics gave the new age a lot of hate.

Not gonna lie. Path is gorgeous.

that beat drop on DNA still hits like a fucking train holy shit-

She's skrilex guys

Fun fact, Steve Lacy produced PRIDE on GarageBand. Goated 🐐

This album is incredible because many truly feel this is his lightest album, when to me it's by far his darkest - which is such an incredible reflection of his artistry

Been waiting for this reaction ! Amazing video

Yes yes yes yes, this is my personal fav Kdot album. Love, Pride, and Loyalty are still heavy in my rotation

Crazy to me that you see Kendrick this weekend. Enjoy it. I commented on one of your other videos explaining how amazing it was when I got to see him. He is an AMAZING performer and you can tell he puts effort into making the shows great. Have fun path!!

You have my favorite reacts about albums. It’s like reexperiencing an album I love through another’s eyes. Your commentary is insightful and interesting.

Ahhhhh I've beeeen waiiiting. For thissss letss goooooo🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿. UR AMAZING ❤❤❤❤

Tons of Drake disses especially looking back now.

new community favorite thing is so cool

HER VOICE AND HOW HE INTERPRET THE GREATEST RAPPER TO EVER EXIST, OH I'M IN LOVE 😍 😍

Great to see another Kendrick reaction! Love the videos Path. Keep working hard we love ya!

Really good editing on every single reaction. Unreal. You have a lot of talent

So basically the album was re-released on Spotify in the reverse order. I noticed you talked about song placements and all so the album can be played backwards, from Duckworth to Blood. Its honestly like the red pill or blue pill situation, you're proposed two different options in the album; Salvation or Damnation. Although this is my least favorite album from Kendrick, this probably has the best writing imo? Idk I'm stupid but I honestly think all of his projects are great

I really appreciate this channel. There is an obvious attention to quality here and I appreciate how your thoughts are given during and after the initial listen. The new community comments addition is also very cool. Great work.

The album actually has a reverse concept as well (hence the collectors edition) which is basically the other half of the entire concept.

"Community favorite," what a great add to the video. Well done!

You are at the quintessence of editing and formatting on any reaction video. Keep it up.

This is definitely one of my favorite albums right now! The first Kendrick album I've listened to and the final lines of DUCKWORTH just blew me away. Shivers. Your reaction to it was fantastic as well!

I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU FOR SO LONG OH MY GOD THANKS

love the new additions to the video with the comments/thoughts on the screen from you and community members.

cant wait to watch!! and just know we all support you no matter your conclusion on the kanye reactions situation

Loved the editing on this one! Great reaction as always

So glad you did this one, I really love it. Thanks as always for an insightful, lovely reaction.

14:30 this is a bit of a shot in the dark, but you might be thinking of _Sherane_ (opening track from GKMC). It personally reminds me of the production in the part where he says: “I pulled up a smile on my face, and then I see Two n***as, two black hoodies, I froze as my phone rang” Lmk if I was right.

Even though a lot of the songs have more mainstream appeal, I think this is one of Kendrick's most intricate pieces of work. I like how this album leaves a lot of thinking to the listener. I think my favorite idea is that you're listening to two stories play out and they're almost completely split by the dual themes. One where Kendrick is saved from the fate he encounters in the first track by choosing weakness and one where he's "damned" by choosing the "wicked" path (the one that's backwards). It makes it feel kind of like a branching story mode on a video game influenced by your choices. I think in the grand scheme of things it has a prominent place in Kendrick's discography because we see him kind of losing hope in the things that he took solace in on other projects. FEAR is probably one of my favorite and most relatable tracks from Kendrick in general. Poverty's Paradise which it samples is also a great and heartwrenching listen for me. Also, I was shook for you on BLOOD after I saw how the Sing About Me gunshots jumpscared you. 🤣I guess I was right to feel that way.

I never see a reaction chanel so unique i really love every video you make not because it has kendricks music in it but because i love how you analyse :)

your videos are so calming i love them, keep doing you

Pre-W, alr know it’ll be a great reaction! Thanks for the consistent quality content Path!

DAMN. was never intended to be overtly political, but more of a continuation of Lamar’s growth and response to the world around him. He brings his sharp-edged narrative skills to the album, employing a different method of storytelling in which the listener is encouraged to engage with the tracks repeatedly in order to uncover the balance and execution behind each verse. What a Beautiful Album, thanks for the reaction.

The community favourite section is such a cool idea! You keep on developing the style of your videos and it's amazing!

This is one of my all time favorite albums. Thank you for reacting to it!

DAMN. is probably the most new listener friendly out of his albums

“Kendrick says he feels like God, but he is not your Savior” you might be my favorite reactor after that 😂👏🏾

They are back!!!!!! Going to watch this when i get back from Uni, thanks for content!!! Love your videos!

He won a Pulitzer for this album btw. Quite an achievement for anyone.

ive never watched you until today, but I can tell you that I have watched a LOT of reaction videos to music and such, and i can tell you that you are now one of my favorites. The way you pick apart the album, Kendrick's messages, the way you PERSONALLY felt toward each track. Just in general, this reaction video is such a great video, especially how you break everything down. Great reaction video!!!

are you going to listen to section.80 as well? it’s a very solid mixtape where you can tell he was hungry for all the things that he regrets on Mr. Morale.

I think I just fell in love with your brain

man i love it when path posts

Is there anything more calming than a path video? 🐐

It’s a good day when path reacts drops a vid

Path just dropped, the game is in disarray

"Pride" s intro gets me everytime. very emotional. I love this album but those few seconds of intro ... MAN! I can listen to it on repeat for days and still feel the same! great video aswell!

just wanna say i really like the "community favorite" comment touches. they add a lot i think, and are integrated in a really nice way aesthetically. definitely feel your effort here, excited to see more from you!