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“good kid, m.A.A.d city,” Kendrick Lamar’s breakthrough album, has done more than ruffle the feathers of those mentioned (or not mentioned) in the Compton rapper’s verse on Big Sean’s “Control.” In fact, it seems that the album will be further established as a classic thanks to professor Adam Diehl from Georgia Regents University. Professor Diehl will be dissecting the 2012 album to shed light and emphasize the core narrative and societal influences it possesses according to REVOLT. More info after the jump.

Jamaal Fisher

The course is said to be built around the vast medium of political sentiments confined to the city of Compton, as per REVOLT. Using the album’s numerous references to inner-city warfare, Diehl looks to find historical references to add additional consciousness to the unfortunate tragedies inner-city youth see on a daily basis. “The course will also serve as a prism to explore to the works by James Baldwin, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Spike Lee among others.”

It’s official description reads:

Taking its name from Kendrick Lamar’s 2012 album, this course will examine the role of urban living on the development of young people. In Kendrick’s case, “the streets sure to release the worst side of my best” (Lamar 58). By studying and analyzing various literature, films, and K. Dot’s album, we will consider what effects our characters’ surroundings have on who they become as adults. The cities we will be visiting, in our imaginations, are Dublin, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Assignments will include a substantial research paper, stemming from the topics inherent in our texts; students should also expect other writing assignments, such as short papers and online discussion posts.

REVOLT