• Record Label: RCA
  • Release Date: Jan 7, 2014
Metascore
65

Generally favorable reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 6
  2. Negative: 0 out of 6
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  1. Jan 21, 2014
    60
    Kid Ink hasn't so much found his own lane, but taken the well-worn stretch of road that's littered with empty beer bottles and discarded condoms; a road frequented by beautiful video-models and catchy hooks. Despite this, My Own Lane is tasteful, smooth and if taken at face value, an enjoyable example of radio-friendly hip hop.
  2. Jan 14, 2014
    60
    Influenced by what The Pharcyde did two decades ago, what Drake perfected a few years ago, and what many others have attempted since, Ink’s melodic tastes and rhyming style draws from all of these influencers. The problem is, he can’t quite charm like Wiz Khalifa, rhyme like Big Sean, or create art like Drake. Yet.
  3. Jan 14, 2014
    60
    What My Own Lane ultimately lacks is a true sense of creative risk from Kid Ink.
  4. Jan 14, 2014
    50
    Ink mostly relies on a nasal singsong flow that, too often, accidentally detours into monotony over slickly produced club beats borrowed from better sources.
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 36 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 36
  2. Negative: 8 out of 36
  1. Feb 15, 2014
    4
    There is never anything worse than an artist who makes poppy radio songs yet have no pop appeal and are still an unknown. These artists areThere is never anything worse than an artist who makes poppy radio songs yet have no pop appeal and are still an unknown. These artists are usually recognized by having multiple Chris Brown features (check), songs about obscure and vague women (check), bad singing (check), and party boy lyrics (check). There are a few solid tracks here, such as "Murda" (thanks Pusha for saving this one), "Rollin", "Tattoo of My Name", and the obligatory wannabe popular artists "deep" track "No Miracles". He has some small appeal, in that some of his tracks are listenable and enjoyable when I'm in the mood to listen to something horrible, but other than that, this was the wrong way to start rap in 2014. Full Review »
  2. Jan 19, 2014
    3
    Based on the fact that there are 4 damn near perfect scores for this album on the user side, I'm willing to wager 5 of Kid Ink's biggestBased on the fact that there are 4 damn near perfect scores for this album on the user side, I'm willing to wager 5 of Kid Ink's biggest fans/weed carriers scored it here in hopes that the people's message would come through to convince people to buy this album. My Own Lane, the debut album from LA rapper Kid Ink is anything but the title: contrived, repetitive, by the numbers pop rap that fills our air waves like any other album made by someone willing to churn out club hits for a spin or two. The guy is at least self aware about it on songs like "We Just Came to Party", checking any semblance of substance out the door, which is completely fine! Guys like A$AP Rocky and 2 Chainz have materialistic lyrics and are doing perfectly well and deserve their popularity despite shallow themes at the core. However, unlike those two, Kid Ink has no honest purpose or is remotely interesting, leaving many of the guests (9 on the 13 track standard edition) to pick up the slack. He doesn't have the lyrical cadence to match guys like Pusha T on "Murda" or King Los on "No Option" (Los delivering the most solid performance this album has) nor the vocal prowess or singularity of Chris Brown on the album's lead single "Show Me" and it's really apparent. The track "Iz U Down" with Young Money strip anthem court jester Tyga just affirms that he's more likely ready to churn out something for a spin with none of the pop. The closest thing we get to honest clarity is possibly the corniest song (or at least beat) here with "No Miracles", having Ink and MGK rap over a beat that sounds like it came straight from the producers of 7th Heaven. And surprisingly that happens to be one of the few memorable and good songs here. I really didn't want to give this as low a score as I did; he's got a flow and unique voice and CAN say some witty things every now and again on songs like "The Movement". However, Kid Ink released a by the numbers pop rap album playing into all of the old tropes of recent radio hits with none of the flavor added into the mix. After RCA signed Flacko, I would've expected more, but with his album only selling 50,000 despite having a Top 20 hit single with Chris Brown, it's just letting the audience know how we see him: a guy who likes to party but has nothing interesting to say, and even less interesting ways to say it. Full Review »
  3. Jan 6, 2015
    10
    This album is very well put together and produced and tracks like show me and main chick are what kind of tracks are popular with the people right now