It's been over two years since Kendrick Lamar graced us with his instant classic Good Kid, m.A.A.d City, featuring a plethora of songs that have strong staying power to this day. Well, the time has finally come for Kendrick to deliver his new release: To Pimp a Butterfly. Fans will come to learn that they will be encountering a project that is a quite different experience, but a very interesting one nonetheless.
The album introduces a very funky sound, and starts off perfectly with a feature from George Clinton on “Wesley's Theory," followed by a jazzy interlude that takes us into one of the leading tracks off the album: “King Kunta." It's at the tail end of this track where we begin to hear lines of a progressive poem: “I remember you was conflicted, misusing your influence." As the album continues, we begin to hear this meaningful poem unravel, discussing Kendrick's own issues.
The album's title, To Pimp a Butterfly, plays off of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, incorporating significant messages of race, culture and the music industry.
As the album moves forward, we are brought deeper into the mind of Kendrick Lamar through songs like the “Institutionalized," featuring Snoop Dogg, and “These Walls." Then there is “u," which is a song that digs almost too deep. Kendrick Lamar is in a dark state of mind at this point in the album, and such emotion and reality brought into his music is exactly why fans have appreciated him through the years. With this track, a new level of that same emotion and reality is brought into play.
“Alright," produced by Pharrell Williams, lightens the mood a bit with a sound eerily similar to Rick Ross' 2012 track “Presidential." Fortunately, Pharrell sampled his own track here, so no lawsuits will follow! This is followed by another soulful interlude that's even better than the first.
A notable complexity of the album's material comes with how Kendrick Lamar has been dealing with the effects of fame and how this new world is quite different from the one he had once called home: Compton. At this point in the album, it seems that Kendrick has now returned home for the next section of To Pimp a Butterfly with tracks like “Momma" and “Hood Politics."
We also have songs that show another one of Kendrick Lamar's strong suits: storytelling. In “How Much a Dollar Cost," Kendrick encounters a homeless man at a gas station who turns out to be God. The track once again goes into Kendrick's struggle with his still rather new fame. Another funky track, “Complexion," includes a solid feature from Rapsody.
“The Blacker The Berry" is a single that shows a very aggressive side of Kendrick Lamar, discussing the various racial issues throughout the United States as well as addressing the comments he has made on such issues in the past. This is followed by the laid back “You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said)," which is a song that can slowly grow on listeners after time. Next, a new and quite different version of Kendrick Lamar is seen in “i," which was originally released as a promotional single last fall. At the tail-end of this track, Kendrick uses “i" as a platform to continue further discussion of racial issues.
We are then brought into the final song of the album: “Mortal Man." This twelve minute track reminds fans of the last twelve minute Kendrick Lamar song heard on Good Kid, m.A.A.d. City: “Sing About Me I'm Dying of Thirst." However, we do not get a sequel to such a classic track. Fortunately, we get a completely original and standout piece of work instead. Remember, throughout the album, Kendrick's poem has slowly been progressing and we are brought into the poem in its entirety following six minutes of straight bars. After the poem concludes, the second half of “Mortal Man" becomes a spoken word song that includes a 'conversation' between Kendrick Lamar and the late Tupac Shakur. An explanation is given for the album's title, giving the piece closure. Needless to say, after a few listens, this track becomes an unforgettable conclusion.
So what's to say of To Pimp a Butterfly? For one thing, the album stands out on its own with its own theme and tone that differs from its predecessor. This is a blessing in disguise because Kendrick has progressed from the last time we've heard him. He has another instant classic with To Pimp a Butterfly, giving even better first impressions than m.A.A.d City. It may be different, but it's a great difference that allows for this album to become unique. Anyone who loves hip hop should give this album a few listens because you won't be able to stop listening after that.
Grade: A+
