with some great guests (Drake, Dr Dre & MC Eiht), a high-profile imprint (Dre's Aftermath) &  delicious production (Pharrell, Just Blaze…) this has been hailed as “the biggest debut since ‘Illmatic’.

Kendrick navigates his mad city (Compton) with a backpack of experience & wisdom, both beyond his years (25) & this journey through the concrete jungle is worth taking because of the artistic richness, plus the attraction of a whip-smart rapper flying high during his rookie season. Any hesitation about the horror of it all is quickly wiped away by Kendrick's mix of true talk, open heart, open mind & extended hand. Add it all up & subtract the hype & this one is still potent enough to rise to the top of the pile.