Kendrick Lamar- To Pimp A Butterfly

Release Date- March 15, 2015

Rating: 6.5/10

Kendrick Kendrick Kendrick Lamar. I don’t think there can be enough said about him. Over the past few years since his first debut album Good Kid Mad City Kendrick has risen to be one of the top mc’s in the game. If this man isn’t on your top favorite rappers right now this moment, then you might want to listen to his music catalog again, again, then again once more. From his first single entitled song off the album “I” “I” knew To Pimp A Butterfly would be a beautifully constructed album that would catch listeners off of guard due to more complex yet conflicted subject matters that appear on the album. Though I may catch a lot of heat from many music listeners after listening to the album I disliked it. I can barely make it through the whole album without asking myself what was Kendrick Lamar thinking. This album is nothing like the first album which is a good thing, but I think this album should have been made for the third album. I think an artist has to have somewhat of a similar album, but more of a growth on the second album especially with the success of Kendricks first project. It seems that Lamar is somewhat torn between the success in the music industry and the world in which he grew up in. As a result this album to seems to preachy and most times doesn’t follow any type of pattern. I will say I do like the themes Kendrick touched on which is included racism, politics, and growing up in poverty which has an effect on its people in the worst environments. See when I listen to Kendrick Lamar I want to feel as though I am riding around Compton at 12:45 am with him sitting shot gun as he freestyles on beats blowing some California home grown kush weed. I didn’t get that type of effect with this album at all. I am fan of hip-hop and that’s what I feel Kendrick is, but not bound to which makes him a versatile artist. I am glad he choose a different path with this album, but I feel like there was something missing on this album that didn’t me bounce my head up and down ( which gives the notion that someone is feeling the music). None the less the production on this album is outstanding. The album blends du-wap, jazz, hip-hop, poetry, and lyricism all in one. Worthy tracks on this album include songs such as For Free, Alright, and Wesley’s Theory.