This Kendrick Lamar-Childish Gambino Mashup Is More Than ‘Alright’

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Somehow, Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino have never collaborated together. It’s unfortunate; they have decidedly different approaches to their work, and one can only speculate at what vibrant, original results, a team-up would produce. Well, while that team-up may be a long ways off, we now have the next best thing: a mashup album entitled Good Boy, d.E.E.p Web that features songs from Childish Gambino’s Because the Internet mixed with tracks from throughout Lamar’s career. The result is a fascinating listen in which the rappers’ differing styles are brought together in highly intriguing ways.

Consider “Vibe Ave.,” which, as you might guess, is a combination of Lamar’s “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” and Gambino’s “Telegraph Ave.” Somehow, when combined with the beat from “Telegraph,” Lamar’s vocals sound even more hypnotic than on the original. Elsewhere, “Sweatpants Freestyle” gives us a mellow beat from Gambino that acts as a counter to Lamar’s ferocious vocals. The mashup album ultimately makes a strong case for Lamar and Gambino working together, as it shows how their contradicting approaches might ultimately result in an album that combines the best of both of their abilities. Will the two rappers hear this mash-up and decide to get in the studio together? For now, we can only guess.

But for now, this album is a wonderful substitute.

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