Four years ago, I don’t think anybody could’ve predicted how much success Kendrick Lamar would find with mainstream audiences. Born Kendrick Duckworth, Lamar initially garnered critical acclaim in the underground hip-hop community for his work under the name K-Dot. His debut studio album, Section.80, was yet another indicator of future critical and commercial success. His sophomore effort, good kid, m.A.A.d city, did just that when it debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200, received unanimous praise from multiple critics, and earned him five Grammy nominations. Its legacy has been unmatched by numerous efforts since its release. Fast forward two and a half years and we’ve been gifted Kendrick’s third solo album, To Pimp a Butterfly. At a nearly 80-minute runtime, Kendrick works his way through a flawless coalescence of rap, jazz, and soul; all acting as a backdrop to some very hard-hitting subject matter.
Opener “Wesley’s Theory” starts out with a distorted sample of Boris Gardner’s “Every [censored] is a Star” but dives right into a dark funk beat less than a minute in. The bass stands out quite well and the synths are very fitting. It’s a strong opening track and flows well into the following interlude, “For Free”. On this track, we’re treated to a multi-layered big-band jazz instrumental that’s complemented by an intricate spoken word piece from Kendrick. “King Kunta” follows. It’s a bass-driven funk piece that’s somewhere in between James Brown, Michael Jackson, & Ahmad as he samples all three. Lyrically, it’s an oxymoron based on the story of 18th century slave Kunta Kinte, whose leg was cut off as punishment for trying to escape his plantation. Kendrick uses it as a metaphor to talk about how he’s risen up from a low point in his life. “Institutionalized” starts out with an airy synth but quickly transitions into slow jazz. Anna Wise, Bilal & Snoop Dogg all show up for some guest work. The first two mentioned show back up in “These Walls” along with bassist Thundercat. The funk sound of “Wesley’s Theory” and “King Kunta” shows back up but it’s more laid back than its predecessors. I really enjoy the sweeping organ line throughout the bridge.
“u” starts out quite ominous as Kendrick says “loving you is complicated” multiple times, possibly referring to himself and his regrets. At one point we hear a maid asking to clean a room through multiple layers of distortion. It transitions into a “drunken” Kendrick continuing to contemplate his self-worth. Compared to the previously released “i”, it’s a lot darker, but almost feels essential to the story of the album. The following track “Alright” is one of my favorite tracks on the record as it’s a combination of every style on the record; mixing jazz, funk, and mainstream hip-hop. The additional vocal work and production from Pharrell Williams is appreciated. The following interlude, “For Sale” is similar to “For Free” in the fact that it’s mostly spoken word. We begin to hear about a character named Lucy, who is presumed to either represent temptation or The Devil given the overall nature of the lyricism.
“Momma” might initially sound like a brag of sorts that’s similar to the lyricism of most mainstream rap, but it’s quite introspective as the listener begins to realize that it’s more about Kendrick being thankful for everything he’s been given and how he lost himself in the success of his music. For listeners that were partial to the sound of good kid, m.A.A.d city, “Hood Politics” should satisfy. The track talks about a divided America in the form of “the hood” and “everyone else”. Parts of it are political but not necessarily biased. The synths are rooted in hip-hop, making it a satisfying listen between “Momma” and the following track “How Much a Dollar Cost”. Here, Kendrick has an encounter with God in the form of a homeless man at a gas station and questions his selfishness, his rise to fame, and his purpose as a rapper. The track is backed by some heavy clapping, some soulful piano work, and some guest work from James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley. It’s hard-hitting, musically and lyrically, and it’s definitely a highlight of the record. “Complexion (A Zulu Love)” features more exquisite lyricism from Kendrick about ridding ourselves of societal standards of beauty and focusing on what defines all of us: our humanity. A guest verse from North Carolina-based Rapsody complements Kendrick’s work well.
A dark outro in the previous track leads right into “The Blacker the Berry”. It ranks right with “u” as the darkest song on the record musically. Lyrically, Kendrick dives into the controversial topic of racialized hatred and even looks back to some of the themes found on good kid, m.A.A.d city such as murder. Hearing it for the first time in the context of the full record is quite rewarding. “You Ain’t Gotta Lie (Momma Said)” almost reminds me of “Wesley’s Theory” regarding instrumentation. Even though it’s undoubtedly hip-hop, the synth lines and structure are quite similar. The following track is a reworked version of Grammy-winning “i”. Whereas the original version was polarizing to some listeners, this new version sounds more like recent live performances that have received a more welcoming public response. The biggest change, however, is halfway through the track where Kendrick interrupts the “show” he’s playing to deal with an issue in the crowd. He then proceeds to discuss societal misconceptions of the “n-word”. It’s a surprising change of pace for the track that flows nicely into closing track “Mortal Man”. “Mortal Man” is a literal culmination of everything that’s happened on the record. The most noticeable element is almost halfway through the song. What once appeared as a poem gradually told at the end of several tracks transformed into an “interview” with the late Tupac Shakur, as Kendrick asks him about fame and image. The audio is pulled from a 1994 radio interview but in regards to the album it almost feels like he’s sitting alone in a room with Shakur. It’s unexpected but it’s extremely fitting to close out the album.
It’s very hard to describe what I’m hearing every time I listen to this body of work. Any time I hear a new Kendrick Lamar album I’m instantly mesmerized by his attention to detail and his focus on important issues often ignored in hip-hop. To Pimp a Butterfly has done just that and a lot more than I expected. Delving into a multitude of genres and subject matter, Kendrick has crafted a worthy followup to Section.80 and good kid, m.A.A.d city. Personally, I’m having a really hard time finding something to complain about, but that’s just me. The stylistic changes and heavy lyricism might polarize Kendrick’s fanbase, but that shouldn’t stop any listener from realizing that he’s embraced maximalism, excellence, and innovation more so than before. Any casual fan of hip-hop should spend time with this record. You might find yourself enjoying the hip-hop album of the year.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMxNYQ71LOk[/youtube]
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