šŖ©Patreon Overview & Update - 06/05/2025šŖ©
Hi Hello!
First off, I want to thank each and every one of you for all your support. I honestly cannot express just how much it means to have you here for the journey. Our Patreon community has grown more than my Wildest Dreams (couldnāt help but throw in a Taylor referenceš¹), and there are many past chats, posts, and comments that you would need to go through to get up to date. This is a consolidation of all things āVambie Reactsā related that I hope will answer questions and ensure I donāt miss things you all want. Even if you arenāt interested in the deep dive, if you would be willing to take a couple of minutes to read through the first GENERAL section, I would really appreciate itš¤ Apologies in advance for the novel, Iām sure this will end up being lol.
GENERAL:
There are Patreon group chat(s) that I post quick updates in, but you have to join them. Located in the Patreon ācommunityā section / at the bottom of the app, click the second icon from the left (looks like two message bubbles overlapping). If you are worried about receiving a bunch of notifications, you can customize that in the notifications section of the app.
My ideal music experience involves first listening to the song with lyrics, listening without lyrics, watching a connected music video, and then live performance(s)/interview(s). There are exceptions to this rule, and an upcoming one is The Heart V. The plan is to listen to that song for the first time by watching the music video.
I rarely look things up during the initial reaction, because I like to use it as a bit of a gauge for what I do or donāt pick up on. After I finish posting all the associated videos, I really enjoy giving myself an opportunity to read through comments to see other perspectives before I jump into any annotation like Genius. I also have to be careful with Genius because many times they will include connections to future works which Iām trying to avoid until after I react to his albums šš½ I think Genius can be very insightful especially with learning the cultural context of things, but another reason I like to pull from various sources, if possible, is because from my experience with Taylor Swiftās music especially; I often find that deeper meanings and interpretations are missing (or in her case a lot of times are completely incorrect on Genius).
In that same vein, while this music reactor/creator journey is new for me, I have been a viewer of reactors and music content creators for a long time. Iām going to love learning other creatorsā perspectives on Kendrickās music. That said, I try to be very conscious of āspoilers,ā or things that could skew my perception too much, not only because I want to ensure I am giving you all my authentic reactions, but my favorite part of listening to artists like Kendrick and Taylor whose music has so many layers, many of them hidden and woven through their discography for me is diving into the mysteries and unraveling themš¤ I love and appreciate receiving recommendations not only for Kendrick, but other creators I should check out. I would be extremely grateful if you wouldnāt mind just confirming if a rec. is something that should wait until after I finish his discography, a particular album, etc. šš¼ I know this can be a bit of a grey area, Iām exploring some options like having a chat in the community tab for recs. that I donāt go into where maybe some moderators can help verify or something like that.
All-Access Members get āextended versionsā which include additional commentary, behind-the-scenes, and other general chaos like pet interruptions that are visible lol. I'm not sure I will ever be a creator who can post a full, uncut version, at least not in the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, my filming environment is not ideal as I often get interrupted and stop frequently. I have an almost 11-year-old great dane, Legend, who has a lot of health issues, including seizures, + two indoor/outdoor cats (Osiyo and Salem) who all have to be let in and out frequently. I also saved two kittens, Dobby and Fang (who are little demons and cause much chaos; fingers crossed they grow out of it, lol), in the fall last year. Plus, a disabled grandparent who needs assistance every once in a while.
KENDRICK JOURNEY BREAKDOWN:
*pdf document attached
As we get closer to things, I confirm details about the content I will soon be filming. For example, double-checking the links I have, the release order I should watch in, if there are any live performances or interview requests, etc. However, I have attached a general overview of the order + couple of detailed breakdowns of what I see brought up the most, i.e., Kendrick vs. Drake, Kendrick features, missed content, and unreleased music.
AFTER KENDRICK:
I donāt want to get too ahead of myself and get overwhelmed, but I know there have been questions about what is next so I did want to mention that a few weeks ago I gathered the top three requested artist and did a poll asking if people wanted me to add in another artist to break things up between Kendrick/ wait until I finished his discography + which was their choice of next artist. The poll decided to keep it Kendrick focused, then move on to the next artist, which ended up being Tyler, The Creator, then Frank Ocean.
That said, from a content creation standpoint, having things to break up albums really helps me keep up with the drops. For example, the control verse and then BET Cypher really helped me stay afloat. I wouldn't mind exploring mixing things in if it isn't full albums. Iāll definitely post another post like this when we get closer, because I want you all to be a driving force in this, so Iāll definitely want to hear your thoughts and feedback before any decisions are made, š¤šš½š„¹
If youāre still reading, please know I really appreciate you taking the time to do so and you are incredibleš¤ Again, apologies for the length of this post! As always, thank you for all your support, and I hope you have a great night or day wherever you are :)
- Vambie
Comments (41)
im super late to seeing this but, is the pdf what you plan to react to on recording and post on here and or youtube?
As it currently stands (unless there is an issue with YouTube), I plan to post everything on the overview on YT. If a video is blocked, it will be available here for all members. I will also occasionally drop a YT video here early for all members, or will make an extended all-access member video available for all members. All-Access Patreon (paid memberships) is always a few weeks ahead of YT as they get everything first (All-Access Drop for Thursday =MM&TBS) + extended versions + the connected visuals reactions (music videos, requested live performances/interviews) š¤
Hey vambie you should also listen to World Negatives with Ab-Soul its an absolute banger but barely anyone knows the song lol
Maybe start the drake vs Kendrick diss at first person shooter since thatās the song that got Kendrick to respond on like that if not like that is a good start too
Also would like to add watching the GNX snippet video before the album
If you want to watch other reactors, whether it be for content or personal enjoyment, Iād recommend watching Path Reactsā journey with Kendrick. Her first exposure to Kendrick was Mr Morale and the Big Steppers, and (not including UU and GNX) ends at To Pimp a Butterfly. It might be interesting to compare how your experience differs from hers
You should also check out JIDās 2022 album the forever story
After you listen to Mr. Morale, you should definitely watch his Big Steppers Tour that was streamed on Amazon. https://archive.org/details/kendrick-lamar-live-from-paris
Amazing
Iām probably speaking for many when I say I really appreciate how much research and effort youāve put into optimizing the experience for yourself (and us)š With all the feedback Iām sure you have a lot to go off but youāve been the most organized and thorough reactor Iāve seen yet
America has a problem ft Kendrick Really Doe ft Kendrick
Hey, Iām mostly a lurker, but just wanted to throw in a quick thought around the context deep dive. I think itād be really cool if you recorded your reaction to the videos. If you canāt do both, I really think Iām What the Cultureās Feeling is one you shouldnāt skip. Youāve always been super respectful when engaging with topics you donāt have direct experience with, and youāve mentioned in a few videos that you feel like you're missing some context, since you're kind of a guest in the space. The first few parts of that video (like parts 1ā5) are really well put together and give a solid, if basic, overview of the history of hip hop and rapāsuper helpful for anyone who didnāt grow up with that background. Itās just a really informative and well-structured video overall. Part of why I enjoy reaction videos is because it feels like reliving that first experience through someone elseās eyes, and even with a decent grasp on hip hop history myself, watching that video was amazing. Seeing someone come in with fresh eyes and a willingness to learn would honestly be great to watch. Just wanted to put that out there!
Second this. Wouldnāt mind a reaction, hearing your thoughts.
Oh shit one thing I wish I mentioned earlier, there's a REALLY GOOD interview of Kendrick by Rob Markman who was with MTV at the time right after TPAB released. It really gives a lot of insight into how he was feeling at the time. Some say it's the Definitive Kendrick interview. It was released in 4 parts on YouTube. I can't find a playlist of just those 4 videos, but it's the first 4videos in this playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlWHa9rUlERre2r1hsEfclhOoOzqyLO8T
I'll add it to the missed content! Thank you so much :)
There's honestly so many more Kendrick features that could be added that the list would feel never ending and that's not even counting the regular Black Hippy tracks
I have no idea why some of the songs got removed or duplicated in the document. The place in my tracking software I copied and pasted from has them listed š¤¦š»āāļø , but I wanted to confirm that I do have 7 Minute Drill, The Heart Part 6, & Port Antonio
The break down plan looks Great! Just a few things I would add. The J Cole song āTale of 2 Citiezā (yes spelled that way) from his 2014 album Forest Hills Drive would be good to hear before listening to their Black Friday collaboration if you havenāt already. In the Pre round, thereās a couple songs to consider if you havenāt already. Drakeās āCharged Upā and āBack to Backā. These were his diss tracks to Meek Mill after he said that Drake had Ghostwriters (this is after king kunta came out). You donāt have hear anything from meek millās side, just take note of when Drake released those songs. This beef factors into his beef with Pusha T and Kendrick. Now onto Pusha T, while āThe story of Adidonā is the standout and most important, it started from Pusha Tās Song āInfraredā. Drake then responded to that with his diss track āDuppy Freestyleā, and THIS is what prompted Pusha T to make āThe Story of Adidonā. Also, the songās title and instrumental is taken from Jay Zās song āThe Story of O.J.ā And if you need context for how and why Drake and Pusha T had beef there are videos on YouTube. This one appears to be the most clear https://youtu.be/C4EvYkPSdP8?si=GoZ5-eMlM30adEdw But the gist is, Pusha T and Pharrell had issues with Lil Wayne and his mentor Birdman aka Baby. And Drake who had been taken under Lil Wayneās wing inherited that beef. This also comes up in Kendrick and Drakeās beef. In the diss track timeline, Drake put out one last song after not like us called āThe Heart Part 6ā. Itās stealing the name from Kendrickās series of songs because Kendrick called his second track ā6:16 in LAā which is stealing from Drakeās own series of songs called the timestamp series like ā4pm in Calabasasā or ā5am in Torontoā. Whether you react or not is up to you but itās important to know that he did this.
Also for the diss tracks, be aware that Drake has two singles called āIām upsetā and āGodās Planā and an Album (he calls it a playlist) called More Life. You donāt need to react to them or anything just know they exist. And Drake has song called ā6 godā and itās used as a nickname for him, referring to Toronto being āThe 6ā.
i know nothings concrete but hearing frank ocean and tyler the creator makes me so happy. 3 of my fav artists hahaha
Youāre killing it, Vambie! Thank you for your continued dedication to this. Your thoroughness is unparalleled. One important track was missed for the beef, and that was Drakeās āThe Heart Part 6ā that came out May 5, 2024. On October 9, 2024, J. Cole released āPort Antonioā, which explained why he bowed out of the conflict and distanced himself from it. It goes beyond the apology video, and gets referenced by Kendrick on GNX.
1) As other people have mentioned, the J Cole song 7 Minute Drill is probably essential for someone doing such a comprehensive journey through all this. 2) There is also the Buried Alive "parody" song that Drake released on Instagram simultaneously with Family Matters. A lot of people actually missed it and don't know it exists, as it wasn't necessarily a "full" diss track. 3) For another Kendrick feature, I'll throw in the song Power by Rapsody (who you might remember from the TPAB song Complexion). Not essential, just wanted to mention it.
Love the outline. Thanks for sharing. Here is what I would add. Duppy Freestyle by Drake. This is the diss from Drake to Pusha T in which Pusha T responded with The Story of Adidon. 7 Minute Drill by J Cole. This is the diss from J Cole to Kendrick after Like That which he apologized for. I could see why these apparently havenāt been recommended yet but you need the full context of both sides when it comes to beef. The tracklist order for Overly Dedicated on Spotify has changed and itās missing Heaven & Hell, Night of the Living Junkies, and The Heart Pt2. I recommend you listen to the original tracklist. Features The City by The Game Autumn Leaves by Chris Brown Holy Ghost Remix by Young Jeezy Turn Me Up by Ab-Soul Say Wassup by Black Hippy + music video Zip That Chop That by Black Hippy + music video His Pain by BJ the Chicago Kid No More Parties in LA by Kanye Hood Gone Love It by Jay Rock Fragile by Tech N9ne Kendrick Lamar Interlude by Ab-Soul Never Catch Me by Flying Lotus Black Lip Bastard by Black Hippy Loose Tracks Live Again Outrageous Monster Freestyle A Little Appalled Freestyle 6 Foot 7 Foot Freestyle The Jig is Up I Hate You Bitch Iām in the Club (lol) My People Compton State of Mind + music video Believe it or not, I would suggest way more but Iāll cut myself off here lol
Isn't Cut You Off on there too and P&P 2.0?
Canāt wait. So many kdot songs. Cant wait to hear your analysis and thoughts!!
Can't wait for Tyler!
I definitely recommend you listen to Overly Dedicated.. you will absolutely LOVE IT.. your reactions and insight and takes on that album i know would be amazing
Wow I love the document and couldn't be happier with the plan you have!! I'm definitely sticking around post Kendrick, you're one of the best doing it rn!
THAT PART!!!!!
The Tyler the creator Journey is gonna go crazy!
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I could not be more proud of the progress youāve made as a content creator/reactor. Youāre a natural! Keep doing everything youāve been and keep being you! Canāt wait for whatās to come
Only thing missing is listening to J Coles diss to Kendrick (7 Minute Drill) to understand the apology that came afterwards
Also would love to see your reaction to the context videos, not super important but if youāre up for it ofc - can be a Patreon exclusive or something. The lore is just as fun as the music šš
Awesome pdf Lmaoo, love the design. IMPORTANT: before the J Cole apology you should react to his diss track ā7 Minute Drillā, itās on YouTube but itās been removed from Spotify/Apple Music by J Cole himself. Wouldnāt make sense if you donāt know what he was apologizing for.
I was gonna recommend some stuff for you to check out but I just saw your kendrick journey file and they're all there lol
Watching you react to Kendrick's discography has been very dope. Thanks for the updates. Very š„š„š„
Fire I can't wait!
This is just my opinion but with Kendrick being a complex rapper I do agree his work should be reacted to all together but after I think you should diversify the next artists reactions. Idk if people would agree though š¤
May I ??
Yeah right & goosebumps are on there twice can we suggest two more to replace ??