good kid, m.A.A.d. city: A visual montage
good kid, m.A.A.d. city is a concept album
by rapper Kendrick Lamar
released on 22 October, 2012
This project celebrates its artistry by means of visual narration.
Frame animation: Flower blooms in a dark room
Framerate: 8-12 fps
Music: Sherane aka Master Splinter's Daughter
Software: Adobe Photoshop
Title introduction animation. If a flower bloomed in dark room would you trust it - is essentially a representative line of entire good kid, m.A.A.d city album. Flowers do not bloom in dark. Kendrick is the flower that bloomed (good kid) in a dark room (m.A.A.d city).
The light beam in the beginning of the video represents the influence of his parents and idols at an early age while the sound of gunfire is a tribute and represents (besides the loudness of city) the assassination of Tupac Shakur, one of Kendrick's major influences
The Conflict The Pivot The Resurrection
Illustration: Hand Gestures
The above illustrations represents the 3 acts of the album narrative after the setup
The conflict phase introduces us to the challenges of the character: violence, substance abuse, racism etc. mostly as a result of ignorant peer influence.
In the pivot phase, the character comes to terms with these conflicts. Acknowledging them, the character struggles to fight back.
The resurrection stage is the final phase of the narrative where the character finds resolution and is 'reborn'
Illustration: Pussy on a pedestal / Shaded under a money tree
Depicting the perception, ideologies and living conditions of African-Americans and questioning the equity in the songs Bi*ch don't kill my vibe and Money Trees.
Illustration: Gang Sign
Tupac Shakur flashes a gang sign 'W' representative of Westcoast hip hop allegiance surrounded by his peers. The illustration projects the peer influence component of the album narrative mainly from the song The Art of peer pressure.
Reference Picture: Chi Modu (IG: @chimodu)
Illustration: Flower blooming in dark room
Song - Poetic Justice
Illustration: My Angels on Angel Dust
On alcoholism and substance abuse from song Swimming Pools (Drank). Angels in My Angels on Angel Dust or m.A.A.d. refers to his peers meaning that everyone is born 'pure' while Angel Dust is a slang for drugs.
Illustration: Introspection
The resolution phase of the character where Kendrick reflects in introspection. Illustration inspired from Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam conveying the notion of Resurrection from the song Sing About me, I'm dying of thirst.
- - -
