Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly | (Discussion Thread) *Stream*

[Sad Bunny]

this album is just beautiful.... had me tearing up cant see how anyone can not feel this
Kendrick just came through and reset the scales, lotta artists gonna have to scrap some projects and start over
A 7/10 before this is now a good 5. Compton should be proud birthed a fukkin genius out there
And that ether from These Walls was just....gonna be some Shawshank Redemption "Brooks was here" vibes in that cell

It's fukked up in a way too, morally speaking. A lot that lies underneath the track.

Please explain these walls to me.

Was there a deeper meaning behind it?

 

[blackslash]

Alright Im finally gon listen to this tape

LETS GOOOOOOO

 

[Grand Conde]

Only tracks that are kind of skippable are entirely down to whatever weird shyt Kendrick is doing with his voice.

 

[Middle Finga U]

Just heard the whole album for the first time today. Now listening to it for the third time today. Fam!!! This shyt hotter than GMKC! This short-ass genius did it again!! Got me two stepping and actin' a fool in public. This nikka man.

Why are some nikkas hating on this beyond cac levels of hate? Y'all got me worried and shyt for nothing. This shyt bangs!
Sure the beats sound different, but not unheard of if you remember joints from the 90's. That "You ain't gotta lie" (a personal favorite) joint is a lot like that Q-tip ft. Janet Jackson song from back in the days, I forget the title. The one with the Jodi Mitchell Big Yellow Taxi sample, mixed in with 2pac's Do For Love.

Plus the parallel between hood politics and money trees – Bish = Boo Boo for one – makes this record not at all unfamiliar from GKMC.

What's wrong with y'all nikkas man? I was starting to think this was gonna be some Yeezus type of shyt (I don't listen to that record at all, even though I respect it), and the fact that I'm a skeptic by nature only made me start to rationalize the reasons for K.Dot to have succumbed to the pressure. Before even listening to the album.
On the other hand, cacs not liking this soulful ass album just makes it that much better. It's too early for the C-word but I can see myself bumping this album with my son/daughter in the car, especially that Alright and Complexion joint. My little ones gon' have to hear Rapsody tell them that their shades are beautiful as soon as they get out the womb!
to the homie Kendrick Lamar. Compton's got the juice brehs.

 

[Drew Wonder]

For Free is the most important song on the album. If you listen to it and your reaction is simply "wtf, why does Kendrick sound like a fa**ot? What is this dumb shyt," then this album ain't for you and you might as well just turn the whole thing off

But if you listen and realize it's a critique of America's exploitation of black culture, then the album is for you

How Much a Dollar Cost might be my favorite. That ending...

 

[Drew Wonder]

I totally understand why a lot of people ain't feeling this album, it's extremely abstract and the sound is polarizing. and one can argue that Kendrick is trying too hard to be cryptic and metaphorical with his themes instead of just simply being more staightforward with what he's trying to say

but if you say this album was "made for cacs" then you're a fukkin idiot. I'm sorry. You're just not a smart person and incredibly ignorant. This album is one of the most blatant and honest statements on what it means to be a black artist I've ever heard. This album was specifically made for black people

 

[Drew Wonder]

it's a shame with the rise of kendrick, dudes like mos def and talib coulda been eating so well with this return of conscious rap. especially mos. dude had the flow, the image, and the lyrics. kendrick birthed a new golden age all by himself.

It's funny you mention Mos, because this album reminds me a LOT of the New Danger, which looking back at it was really ahead of its time.

 

[Drew Wonder]

Kendrick owes DMX a check for "Lucy." Thought I was hearing Damien part 8 for a second lol

 

[Mike Otherz]

the way hood politic slides into how much a dollar cost
just beautiful!!!
how much a dollar cost is awe-inspiring!!!

thats the album center piece to me..

 

[IVS]

the production is good. But Kendrick is hella mediocre. So as far as the sound I'd give the album an 8, and lyrics it gets a 6, some nice lines here and there, only a couple memorable verses if that (so far). I will give it a fourth listen on the way home today and see if I feel any different.

 

[shopthatwrecks]

Kendrick owes DMX a check for "Lucy." Thought I was hearing Damien part 8 for a second lol

everytime i hear lucy..no think of the movie scarlett was In..not the devil

 

[Lex218]

The piano at the 1:12 mark on King Kunta has Dre written all over it. Authentic Compton/Training Day sound

 

[koopz]

Please explain these walls to me.

Was there a deeper meaning behind it?

Kendrick "misusing his influence" to sleep with the girl of the guy who killed his homie while he's locked up.

"So when you play this song rewind the first verse
About me abusing my power so you can hurt"

Every time I listen to it I feel I get a new meaning but that was the one that stood out to me on 1st couple listens

Shout out to the birthday girl say hey

 

[Drew Wonder]

the production is good. But Kendrick is hella mediocre. So as far as the sound I'd give the album an 8, and lyrics it gets a 6, some nice lines here and there, only a couple memorable verses if that (so far). I will give it a fourth listen on the way home today and see if I feel any different.

If you're looking for quick punchlines you're listening to this album the wrong way. Kendrick's lyrics are more about overarching concepts and extended metaphors than quick and immediate punchlines

don't know how you could think the lyrics on here are mediocre. very few rappers could make a song as vivid as How Much a Dollar Cost

 

[MaNu Minu]

atm, its the most acclaimed hip hop album of the last 5 years