I'm certain every track is essential. I can't stop listening to this and, like you mentioned, some of the aural thematic elements are still revealing themselves to me.

I'm basically at the point where I'd let this album cum on my back without so much as a dry towel to clean it up.

I think one of its strongest aspects is how limited the guests are. Rare to get a major rap album without 25 different features.

The hook to "Love" has been stuck in my head for the last week. I've been humming it incessantly. I'm sure it's driving my coworkers nuts.

Yea, after a week with this album, I'm finally starting to realize how hummable it actually is. It's definitely forward thinking in its production, but its ultimately made to be bumping those car woofers and keep the heads bobbing. All sorts of great hooks buried in here. "Loyalty loyalty loyalty! 10-4, no switches..."

Rihanna is perfect on Loyalty. She's great on her own and man they sound perfect together. I love how she's used on this track as opposed to the rap verse/girl sings chorus, repeat formula.

Such a great song.

The last few morning I've woken up with a different song, Love, Lust, Yah, and Loyalty, playing in my head as if I'd spent all night listening to that track. I have to be driving my wife insane constantly singing/humming/rapping various lines over and over and over.

She sounds great on that octave-harmony during the refrain. It's a real sweet spot for her voice's timbre -- it's the same effect when she comes in behind Drake on "Work."

Agree with all of you and want to add that it also sounds like a creative extension of ANTI.

I think this album is going to end up being the perfect pairing with TPAB. I'm just starting to focus on themes and whatnot, but my early thought is that this one is very inward-looking, all about examining his own/the listener's own intentions. TPAB I think did a lot of that as well, but often in a more outward focusing way: It was more the story of him becoming the King, wrestling with the devil's temptations, struggles of the black community, being out of the hood but still wanting to be real, all that stuff. This album has those same issues but now I think he's looking deeply at himself and instead of telling us the story, this time he's judging himself, maybe to see if he can pass God's judgement.

Maybe something like that. Idk. That's an early rough draft of a thought, anyway. I'm definitely buying into the mirror line in XXX. Because this album definitely seems to be about looking at yourself in the mirror and figuring out what's really looking back at you.

I can't argue that she's a great fit for that song, I just really don't like her voice overall, so I can't say I enjoy it. Probably my least favorite track on the album simply bc of her. I know, that's dumb, I just can't get past it.

I'm sure there are many other voices that could have sounded great on there, but I guess Rihanna sells records

Let me put the head in.

I can't fake humble just 'cause your ass is insecure

Have been thinking about this line all day!

This album has crossed over to that rare place where I think about it when I'm not listening to it; I look forward to the next time I can just be alone with it. Too soon to say for sure, but I think this could go down as one of my favorite records of all time.

45 minutes well spent.

Kinda disappointed he's playing arenas. I'm not sure I can justify the prices for good seats, and it won't be worth it to sit in the back.

This guy seems very average.

DAMN. is an above average album, though.