For Sam

While imo this is a step down from Die Lit, WLR is Carti's most influential album. Which is why I recommend it, I don't picture you liking it as much, but It is responsible for the current generation of underground rap and he basically shaped the "RAGE" genre into what it is today. Its a bit messy, but has some iconic and amazing tracks. Now a bit of a tangent, the WLR we have today is technically the third version. The first version of the album was scrapped, it was basically Die Lit 2 and was heavenly. If you are interested I'll show you it. If Carti had released that first version, he would be even bigger than he already is.

Whole Lotta Red is an experimental hip-hop, rage, and trap album that incorporates punk and electronic influences. Its lyrical themes include guns, wealth, and hedonism. Music critics highlighted its loose structure and frenetic pace; several songs abandon traditional verse-chorus structures in favor of chants or ad-libbing with an emphasis on atmosphere over narrative. The album features a dark, vampire-themed tone in which Carti adopts the persona of a vampire rock star.

It's my favorite Kendrick album. I love the themes and it has so many iconic hits.

Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d city is a cinematic, semi-autobiographical concept album chronicling a turbulent day in his adolescence in Compton, exploring themes of gang violence, temptation, friendship, family, faith, and the struggle to find self amidst a "mad city"

This is Kendrick's highest rated album, and the highest rated album of all time on music forums. It's truly a masterpiece imo but it's not as replayable as his other albums. I'm only putting it here because you said you wanted to try it to understand black culture more. Even though it's considered his best work, I enjoy GKMC a lot more.

To Pimp a Butterfly is Kendrick Lamar's profound concept album exploring Black identity, systemic racism, fame, self-love, and depression through a narrative of artistic growth, using jazz/funk/soul to tell a story of a caterpillar (innocence) transforming into a butterfly (enlightened artist) while navigating temptations and societal pressures, culminating in a conversation with Tupac Shakur.

Now this is actually one of my least favorite Kendrick albums and I would probably be crucified for this statement by many people, but its not bad at all. Even the worst Kendrick album is better than Drake's entire discog imo. But the reason I reccomend it to you is that it has extreme mainstream appeal. It's probably his most popular album and is full of radio hits so I picture you enjoying this one the most.

Kendrick Lamar's DAMN. explores themes of damnation, duality, faith, and survival, telling a story about life, death, and the internal struggle with wickedness vs. weakness, which Kendrick confirmed can be played in reverse to reveal an alternate narrative of his fate. It's a deeply personal journey through religious questioning, racial politics, and the pressures of fame, framed by biblical references and culminating in a choice between succumbing to his flaws or finding redemption, with the album's title reflecting this profound, sometimes cursed, existence.

This is the last Kendrick I reccomend and his most recent and divisive. Like Tyler's "Don't Tap The Glass" it's divisive because its different from his usual style. This album doesn't have a deep theme or story, its more just for fun and replayable radio hits. Which is precisely why I recommended it to you, you don't have to focus too much here. If any of these albums interested you, Kendrick has plenty more. Just let me know.

GNX is a West Coast hip-hop album, drawing on both classic and contemporary conventions of the genre. According to Rolling Stone, the album is a tribute to Lamar's native Los Angeles, prominently infusing G-funk throughout its compositions.