Artist: Kendrick Lamar featuring Gunplay and Anna Wise
Title: "Cartoon & Cereal"
Producer: J. LBS & T.H.C.
Album: N/A; released as a loose track (2012)
"Cartoon & Cereal" is a song that, to my knowledge, was never released in a proper fashion: Kendrick Lamar Duckworth simply threw it online and watched as hip hop bloggers went apeshit. That happened in February of 2012, eight months before the release of his major label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d. city, and on the day that he kicked off his supporting act on his first big tour, acting as an opener for Drake during his Club Paradise sessions. But while I can tell you what K-Dot was doing that day, I can't say shit about my own whereabouts at the time. I was probably not doing anything blog-related, let's be real, and as such, I did not hear this song when it first dropped.
My first time sitting down with "Cartoon & Cereal", Kendrick's ode to childhood regression that is forced upon him, either through his own doing or by outside influences (the song is pretty fucking dark, guys), wasn't me literally sitting down, that would be weird, I wouldn't know what to offer the song, my house isn't cleaned up the way I would like, I'd wonder what to do with my hands, etc. No, you can all thank the homey Ivan over at Hip Hop Is Read, who included the track on his Best of 2012 list; I had that baby running while I was getting ready (read: pre-gaming) to celebrate New Year's Eve (as one does when they like to drink), and when I heard the disquieting, unsettling instrumental (provided by T.H.C. and J. LBS, according to the Interweb), and also a sound bite of Wile E. Coyote used to creepy effect, it completely killed my buzz (this is probably for the best: don't drink and drive, kids) and forced me to pay attention.
"Creepy" is really the best way to describe "Cartoon & Cereal", at least if you conveniently forget that guest rapper Gunplay is a featured player, as his performance is anything but. This lone track is probably what made bloggers take notice of Gunplay, though, and I can see why: while he merely provided the hook and a short verse toward the end, he packs his bars with enough emotion, passion, and urgency to feed a small village, if one could subside off of intangible objects. He sounds really fucking good: tell me something doesn't go off in your brain when he says, "Nobody can mute me / But I never said nobody couldn't shoot me" (italics mine) that makes you wonder just why this particular guy is a part of Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group. It just seems like wasted potential, right? (See also: Stalley.)
But the star of the show is K-Dot, who, yeah, rhymes about cartoons and cereal, but the song is actually about, among other things (because Kendrick is dense like that), growing up in a household where his father was living that violent life to provide, and the rest of the family was frightened to see how that could impact young K-Dot, asking him to switch from the news to "cartoons". Hence, the forced regression. Obviously, Kendrick is too smart for that, but "Cartoon & Cereal" makes a good argument against willful ignorance. A lot of you two may also believe that cartoons and cereal are ingested by children, and K-Dot had to grow up very quickly in his household, but I don't think that tells the whole story, since I still watch cartoons and eat cereal. Maybe not at the same time now, but it still happens: hey, Adventure Time and Gravity Falls are some excellent television.
Anyway, "Cartoon & Cereal" was originally intended to appear on good kid, m.A.A.d. city, but ultimately disappeared from the tracklisting. It's a really long, disturbing track, so I can definitely see why it should have been an album cut, but at the same time, K-Dot altered the storyline of his Aftermath debut to such a degree that this song wouldn't have really fit. (It's thematic sequel, "County Building Blues", also failed to make the cut, appearing instead as a bonus track on the deluxe edition sold at Target.) But it most certainly serves as a bridge between Section.80 and good kid, m.A.A.d. city, and is also a great fucking song. It brings the energy down on the playlist just a little bit, but it's still a worthwhile listen.
Do you agree or disagree with this selection? Discuss below.
My first time sitting down with "Cartoon & Cereal", Kendrick's ode to childhood regression that is forced upon him, either through his own doing or by outside influences (the song is pretty fucking dark, guys), wasn't me literally sitting down, that would be weird, I wouldn't know what to offer the song, my house isn't cleaned up the way I would like, I'd wonder what to do with my hands, etc. No, you can all thank the homey Ivan over at Hip Hop Is Read, who included the track on his Best of 2012 list; I had that baby running while I was getting ready (read: pre-gaming) to celebrate New Year's Eve (as one does when they like to drink), and when I heard the disquieting, unsettling instrumental (provided by T.H.C. and J. LBS, according to the Interweb), and also a sound bite of Wile E. Coyote used to creepy effect, it completely killed my buzz (this is probably for the best: don't drink and drive, kids) and forced me to pay attention.
"Creepy" is really the best way to describe "Cartoon & Cereal", at least if you conveniently forget that guest rapper Gunplay is a featured player, as his performance is anything but. This lone track is probably what made bloggers take notice of Gunplay, though, and I can see why: while he merely provided the hook and a short verse toward the end, he packs his bars with enough emotion, passion, and urgency to feed a small village, if one could subside off of intangible objects. He sounds really fucking good: tell me something doesn't go off in your brain when he says, "Nobody can mute me / But I never said nobody couldn't shoot me" (italics mine) that makes you wonder just why this particular guy is a part of Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group. It just seems like wasted potential, right? (See also: Stalley.)
But the star of the show is K-Dot, who, yeah, rhymes about cartoons and cereal, but the song is actually about, among other things (because Kendrick is dense like that), growing up in a household where his father was living that violent life to provide, and the rest of the family was frightened to see how that could impact young K-Dot, asking him to switch from the news to "cartoons". Hence, the forced regression. Obviously, Kendrick is too smart for that, but "Cartoon & Cereal" makes a good argument against willful ignorance. A lot of you two may also believe that cartoons and cereal are ingested by children, and K-Dot had to grow up very quickly in his household, but I don't think that tells the whole story, since I still watch cartoons and eat cereal. Maybe not at the same time now, but it still happens: hey, Adventure Time and Gravity Falls are some excellent television.
Anyway, "Cartoon & Cereal" was originally intended to appear on good kid, m.A.A.d. city, but ultimately disappeared from the tracklisting. It's a really long, disturbing track, so I can definitely see why it should have been an album cut, but at the same time, K-Dot altered the storyline of his Aftermath debut to such a degree that this song wouldn't have really fit. (It's thematic sequel, "County Building Blues", also failed to make the cut, appearing instead as a bonus track on the deluxe edition sold at Target.) But it most certainly serves as a bridge between Section.80 and good kid, m.A.A.d. city, and is also a great fucking song. It brings the energy down on the playlist just a little bit, but it's still a worthwhile listen.
Do you agree or disagree with this selection? Discuss below.
-Max
100% cosign. This might be my favorite Kendrick track. Gunplay almost steals his shine though, which I found to be quite shocking.
ReplyDeleteThis is dark, but it still goes hard.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was implied by my writing, but I don't think I actually said it, so I'll agree: this goes hard, indeed.
DeleteBig ups and all the best to you, Max, it's 9 May and we get into whoever can, Puffin on Blunts in my speakers so feeding the block with the good rhythm
ReplyDeletejust made some MJ) Sevastopol, Central Hill, 2015 represent for all y'all peoples!
Another brilliant track from Kendrick, dark and thought-provoking (the kind of songs he always excels on) also, I do not rate Gunplay as a rapper in the slightest however, his verse here really made me think that he dumbs down his raps when on tracks with Officer Ricky and his MMG labelmates... or maybe he just stepped up his lyrics/delivery here because he was on a track with Kendrick.. who knows? Anyway, a great addition to the mixtape Max.
ReplyDeleteI love the way this tune starts with the flicking through the TV channels etc. Kendricks verses are dense and hard hitting and the beat is eerie (but still bangs) as fuck, this tune contains the best verse Gunplay will ever spit in his rap career.
ReplyDeleteListen to Gunplay on Bible on the Dash, he has some bars.
DeleteTerrible read :) I actually learnt absolutely nothing from reading the whole of this, I especially like how you spent ages writing this crap. I'm looking backward to seeing what's up next!!!
ReplyDeleteWanna lose weight? Lol.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, I find Kendrick Lamar's introduction overlong but this is one cool song with great, dense lyrics and hard-hitting production work. Nice choice.
ReplyDeleteElmer Fudd said Shoot Em Down! Serious track from K Dot!
ReplyDeleteWhat's Gunplay contributed to Hip Hop since this track was released... hmm anyway Kendrick goes off on this one, another song where there is a deeper meaning residing inside the intial meaning (that does make sense.. I think)
ReplyDeleteI'll never understand the hype behind Kendrick. This track is wack to me and even if I ease up a bit, I can't see how this is anything more than mediocre.
ReplyDeleteYour comment is mediocre and you obviously have no sense if you cannot understand why Kendrick receives the accolades he does, you probably believe that Lil Wayne is the best rapper alive Tochi. GTFOH.
ReplyDeletewhy do Kendrick stans always come with the same mediocre vitriol? I know way more about hip hop than you do, homie. Just by the simple fact you rushed to strawman Weezy as a counter-argument.
DeleteStan!?I aint nobody's Stan Tochi, I used Wayne as an example as the name you've used reads and sounds like one of the stupid nicknames he uses, anyway if you know so much about hip hop then you would appreciate what Kendrick is actually bringing to a genre that has remained stagnant for the past.. hmm... 10 + years. Unfortunately, this songs concept may be too much for your simple mind to comprehend, don't worry homie, you'll figure it out soon enough.
ReplyDeleteshit is bangn! But had to edit out that long-ass intro
ReplyDelete