Kendrick Lamar came into the limelight of the hip-hop world last year with his excellent sophomore mixtape, Section.80.His endlessly inventive style on tracks like Rigamortis and HiiiPoWer raised the expectations for his major label debut good kid, m.A.A.d city to almost unattainable levels.The 25 year-old was then signed by fellow Compton native Dr. Dres Aftermath label, becoming the first artist aside from Eminem or 50 Cent to release a record on Aftermath in the last six years. Could K.dot live up to the hype? Yes. Yes he can.good kid, m.A.A.d city is an album that, in order to be fully appreciated, must be listened to in one continuous sitting. Thats not to say that none of the tracks stand out on their own, but perhaps the most intriguing part of the record is the storyline.Like many rap albums, the story is interwoven with skits. It follows a young Kendrick as he is jumped and beaten up over his girl Sherane, robs a suburban house with his crew, witnesses the shooting of his friend, and is preached at by an older woman for sinning. He agrees to change his ways as she makes him repeat a prayer of repentance.This side-story can be hard to follow at times, but the lack of cohesiveness barely takes away from the artistry displayed on this record. In this age of rampant trap beats, brag-rap and misogyny, Kendrick Lamar sits alone on top of the lyricism game.His style is fresh, his wordplay is top notch, and his flow is as original as it is unorthodox. Kendrick offers the listener a very real perspective of a day in the life of his 17-year old self and a more abstract, reflective look at his childhood as a whole and the culture that surrounded him growing up in Compton.On the surprisingly radio-friendly single Swimming Pools (Drank), Kendrick examines the influence of alcohol on himself, his friends, and his family. He further contemplates the effects of peer pressure on his past decision making on The Art of Peer Pressure and shows the dont give a f*ck attitude that he developed as a teenager on the Hit-Boy produced Backseat Freestyle, which he later denounces in the album.On the bonus track Bad Boy Fly, Kendrick explains the jealousy and pride he felt watching basketball player Aaron Afflolo and fellow rapper The Game rise out of Compton and make something of themselves, explaining that he wasnt jealous of the talents they got but instead was terrified theyll be the last black boys to fly out of Compton, which of course turned out to be false.The album ultimately shows the listener both the egotistical side and the introspective side of Lamar, and how each side influenced his life and his career.So how does good kid, m.A.A.d city pay homage to the neighborhood that produced the likes of Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and The Game? While it doesnt exactly place Compton in a positive light, it seems that Dr. Dre has faith in the young emcee. Dre is passing the torch to Lamar, overseeing the project, jumping on a few of the tracks himself, such as Compton and The Recipe, and bringing in big name features like Drake and Mary J. Blige.As far as Im concerned, if good kid m.A.A.d city isnt the best rap album to come out in 2012, then Im not sure what is. Be a Good Kid and go listen to it. Seriously.