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To Pimp A Butterfly By Kendrick Lamar Turns 5 Years Old

To Pimp A Butterfly By Kendrick Lamar Turns 5 Years Old

To Pimp A Butterfly By Kendrick Lamar Turns 5 Years Old

‘To Pimp A Butterfly’ by Kendrick Lamar reminds us of an album that defined Black America both musically and lyrically. Kendrick Lamar isn’t just another rapper. He’s different.

To Pimp a Butterfly is the third studio album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was released on March 15, 2015, by Top Dawg Entertainment; as well as a few other labels. Furthermore, Lamar’s choice in his album theme was inspired by Lamar’s tour of historic sites. During his trip to South Africa, he would visit sites such as Nelson Mandela‘s jail cell on Robben Island.

“I felt like I belonged in Africa. I saw all the things that I wasn’t taught,” Lamar says in an interview. “Probably one of the hardest things to do is put [together] a concept on how beautiful a place can be, and tell a person this while they’re still in the ghettos of Compton. I wanted to put that experience in the music.”

To Pimp A Butterfly By Kendrick Lamar Turns 5 Years Old

 

The tracklist of To Pimp a Butterfly includes a variety of styles from traditional African-American music which includes; jazz, funk, soul, spoken word, and avant-garde. It lyrically features political commentary as well as personal themes. These themes featured concerns of African-American culture, racial inequality, depression, and institutional discrimination. Moreover, it was as if Lamar was attempting to create an album that would tell the story of Black America as vividly as he would in his lyrics.

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Furthermore, Kendrick Lamar has acknowledged the album was not designed for a wide audience. During an interview with New York Times, he explains that he’s not talking to “people from the suburbs.”

Instead, Kendrick Lamar explains that he’s talking “as somebody who’s been snatched out of cars and had rifles” pointed at him. Despite it not being intended for a huge audience, To Pimp a Butterfly has wide appeal. This is thanks to the great beats and production that inject energy into eventful tracks.

Funky bass line turns deep records like “King Kunta” into party songs. Additionally, “Alright,” produced by Pharrell Williams, is a certified hit rap-along. The jazzy “Complexion (A Zulu Love)” featuring Rapsody will make your grandmother shimmy, even with its powerful lyrics. To Pimp a Butterfly is the best album of the 21st century. It cements Kendrick Lamar’s spot as an all-time great. The last artist who debuted with two classic albums was Notorious B.I.G.

With To Pimp A Butterfly, Kendrick Lamar delivered on expectations and then some. ‘Till this day, the album remains a visionary, landmark album that will resonate for generations to come.

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