To Pimp A Butterfly

I don’t think this was quite might thing even if I could appreciate the production values and craft that has gone into this. The album is rather long, and that seems par for the genre, but it perhaps didn’t feel as long as its 1 hour 20 minute run time suggested it would.

Finally an album from my prime. Love Kendrick, but this is my least favorite of his albums aside from the most recent one. Admittedly haven’t listened all the way through since around when it came out so def room for improvement. Slow fade in for Wesley’s theory is how every album should start. Sample on this song is really cool. Really good production. The bass line is really weird tho. Don’t think I like it. As is with every Kendrick song, it’s Extremly well written. Love the music on for free. Greta piano, great horns. Lyrics are eh, the hook is dumb. King kunta is one of the best songs of the 2010s. So catchy. Incredible production. Could listen 1000 times in a row and not get sick of it. And then Great fade into institutionalized. I hate the weird voice Kendrick randomly uses. I wish he would just rap normal on all of his songs, they’re always so much better when he does. Production is really good again tho. Once he stops using the dumb voice at abt a minute it’s a really good song. These walls is another banger. This is just a classic Kendrick song. Love the guitar on it. Chorus is super catchy. I don’t like “u”. It’s over produced and he’s doing the dumb voice again. Mid song. It just never picks up when it seems like it wants to the whole time. Followed by alright which is the complete opposite. Great song end to end, all components. No notes. Love the production on the for sale interlude. Good lyrics to. This song is really good too. Verses and production on momma are really good, if it had a catchy chorus it would be a great song but it doesn’t. Good not great. Hood politics is a banger. What a beat. This is the closest to a GKMC song so far. Classic Kendrick. How much a dollar cost is not as good but still a good song. Best writing of any song I’d say. Love the story telling, that’s when kdot is at his best. Complexion is fine, nothing special. I like the piano. I like rapsodys verse. Blacker the berry is the most underrated song on the album. Should have the commercial play of alright or king kunta but it doesn’t for some reason. Production is sososo good. Lyrics too as always. You ain’t gotta lie is fine, again nothing special. I like how this one at least has a real chorus. “I” is another classic. Production is the best in any song of the album. This song will last the test of time. Wis it ended with this one. With that being said I am a sucker for a 10+ min outro so can’t really complain. The super long songs are my favorite on all 3 of his other albums, this one is not as good as those 3 (sing about me, fear, mother I sober) but it another really good long songs doesn’t feel like 11 mins at all. He just goes and goes and goes, these songs are always the best written. Wish the beat kept going in the middle poem section, could’ve made it real quiet and I think it would’ve added a lot, as seen by when they come back in with the piano and it adds a good bit . Really good message. As a whole, my opinion on the album hasn’t changed much which I’m honestly shocked abt. I still don’t think it’s one of his three best albums. There are some really good songs, but also some songs I’ll never listen to again which I would not say abt any of his other albums. This album is more abt the message than the music IMO. But I’m rating purely off music. 3.4 stars.

This was alright, I think some songs are certainly stronger than others, I preferred those where he was singing/rapping in a more 'normal' voice for want of a better word where I could hear the lyrics. On the subject the lyrics, they varied in quality, sometimes they felt very strong, especially those relating to racial inequality and the black experience, others were less interesting. I've said this in my other review and I'll say again that, without being a prude, I'm not really a fan of the more sexual songs that seem to objectify women, I understand this tends to be a theme with rap but still doesn't sit right with me. How Much A Dollar Cost was one of the better songs alongside institutionalized. Mortal Man was interesting, I enjoyed listening to it but it was less of a song and more a conversation with music, either way nice to listen to. I don't know how this compares to Good Kid M.A.A.D city, I think it may be marginally better, and I know this is the more renowned album but there's not much in it for me. I can see why people like Kendrick either way. 66/100 (perhaps)

meio q me lembrou racionais vibes

Couple bangers

Not bad

You can tell that Kendrick Lamar put a lot of thought and care into this album, and he draws from a wide range of musical influences. I like this album, but I’m not crazy about it like most music nerds seem to be.

2026.02.03.

So much to enjoy. So much to hate. It's all over the place. And that's kind of a good thing? A ton of work must have gone in to combining all the sounds and styles on this album. It pulls your attention all over the place. Over indulgent? Probably. It's ruined by some of the words and language used, which is a shame. Can I get a version without the profanity and N-words? I liked it when Snoop Dogg popped up like he had just walked through the room. I can understand why rap and hip-hop fans consider this an important album, can't be many other like it in this genre. I can't give yet another 3/5 can I?

pas mon préféré de kendrick mais vraiment inspirant

I’m gonna have to revisit this & actually read the lyrics cuz my dumbass can’t keep up/its all over my head.

What a ride. Some really very different music on this. Emphasized when my player finished and went back to the start. Like two (or three, four, five) different albums in one.

This only gets a 3 because the instrumentals are pretty cool.

Some songs were awsome. There's a lot about black people

Great album.

Meh

Interesting album, important messages. Lots of collaborators. I liked the slightly jazzy beat. Alright, Momma and The Blacker the Berry were standouts for me. Mortal Man in the end really ties the album together.

An incredibly dense album musically and lyrically, I respect this more than I actually enjoy listening to it. I found it somewhat lacking in hooks/earworms, with some exceptions (e.g. ‘King Kunta’, ‘These Walls’, ‘The Blacker the Berry’, ‘I’). Like my previous album, Kanye’s MBDTF, musically it’s very strong, with influences from soul, funk and jazz, but vocally and lyrically it grates after a while and feels overlong; by the halfway point I was pretty fatigued. Given that it’s almost universally regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop albums ever made, perhaps this genre largely just isn’t for me.

This was slightly better than the previous album I listened to. I listened to this with even more of an open mind, but again, this type of hip-hop it is just not my thing. I am not going to seek it out and I will not listen to it again. Nothing stood out and caught my attention, but at the same time it was not unbearable. Standout track was probably "I" or "The blacker the berry". 3 Stars

Ikke mitt favoritt-album av Kendrick Lamar, og tror ikke det kommer til å forandre seg denne gangen heller. Men er jo alltid kos å høre på, uten at det treffer helt. 3.4 / 5

I had heard For Free, King Kunta, and All Right before. Those songs were played at parties I went to. Overall it was pretty good for a rap album.

Cant say it's bad but definetly not my taste.

It's fine. I don't really understand why this is supposed to be uber profound or anything. It's better than most rap albums but that's really not saying much. It's too long like most rap albums.

was not impressed but nice

Thankfully Kendrick grew up and got better. He sounds like a chipmunk in some of these tracks. Immature but the skill was building.

Würde subjektiv sogar fast auf die 2 gehen, aber man muss auch etwas Respekt zollen vor diesem Konzept mit seinen stilistischen Left-Moves. Für mich funktionieren die meisten Beats hier überhaupt nicht, obwohl ich sonst kein Problem mit P-Funk oder Jazz habe. Dazu ist Kendrick auf vielen Songs in seiner anstrengendsten Theater-Kid-Mood, wenige Songs kommen ohne irgendwelche verstellten Stimmen aus ("u" ist komplett unhörbar). Dazu finde ich die titelgebende Metapher weiterhin höchst bemüht. Zum Ende hin wird die Platte etwas konventioneller und damit für mich damit deutlich interessanter. Dazu mit "Alright" und "These Walls" auch zwei hervorragende Songs, die auch ohne den Albumkontext funktionieren. Frage mich aber trotzdem manchmal, wie oft die Personen, die das hier in den Himmel loben, die Platte tatsächlich anschmeißen oder ob sie sich aufgrund des Kritikerlobs und der wie immer tollen Rap-Skills auch ein wenig selbst gaslighten.

Scheint zu funktionieren. Nach einem Durchgang ist mir 1:18 aber auch zu viel, um die ganze Zeit konzentriert genug zu sein. Sind natürlich auch entsprechend viele Filler, aber das verstehe ich als Konzept.

Es ist etwas lang geraten aber richtig richtig stark. Aber definitiv nicht Kendricks bestes Werk doch zumindest das ambitionierteste. Am Ende entschädigt 'i' auch über die Längen die das Album vorher hat.

I know this is influential but for me it’s just ok - some songs I really like and some I couldn’t stand. So it’s a middle of the road album for me

3.5 loved it!!

I'm not a rap guy, so it's hard for me to evaluate. More diverse than other stuff I've heard.

Fand ich ganz ok bis ganz gut, aber auch nicht mehr. Kann den Hype nicht ganz nachvollziehen.

this is such a powerful album with a powerful message, great production and brilliant lyricism. i did find some tracks weaker than others, but overall this project is spectacular and deffo worth a listen

Nice album 2 songs to playlist

Language KL, language! Lol

Svårt att ge betyg på tycker jag. Det är så många duktiga musiker som gör så feta arrangemang och produktioner. Älskar det jazziga, funkiga och souliga i albumet, men jag har så svårt för hiphop. Det får bli tre, vilket är högt för mig när det kommer till hiphop.

Får mig nästan att gilla hip hop. Hör ju att det finns kvalle här men det är inte min genre tyvärr!

Så mycket sjukare än vad jag trodde. Också bättre än vad jag trodde.

As a blonde white European girl I am definitely not the intended audience, and most of these songs I will most likely never listen to again, but I can absolutely see why this album gets high praise. Feels like every choice is made with intention. Loved the poem.

3/5

Don't see myself choosing to listen to the whole album again but there are definite songs I'd put on. Over long and would be much stronger at half the length, but King Kunta pushes it up from a 2 to 3 star.

Yeah, I just don't know. I enjoyed the jazzy backing tracks and the rhythms, I can appreciate his rhymes and tapping approach, I love that his lyrics are often political but man I find it really draining to just listen to aggressive rapping especially when it is laced with n words and, although perhaps not derogatory meaning, but certainly a lot of use of derogatory language. Even when it is using that to prove a point I just find it so grating to hear. I'm glad it exists, I hope it helps some people learn about bigotry and changes people's lines, but if your around did I enjoy listening to it... Not really.

I liked it, and i was surprised to like it. But i did not save some titles, i think it is more or less my type of music

Idkkkk i dont get it

Jazz hip-hop overlayed by rap. Felt like a forerunner to what Beyoncé did touring Black music. Decent, some lyrically powerful things. Doesn't leave me wanting to come back to it. Felt more like a conceptual experience than an album

Respect it but not my thing. More like a 4.5

Hade den ju högt på årsbästalistan och den har hållit rätt bra. Kanske inget mästerverk som vissa tungor gör gällade, men hiphop med genuin jazzfunk senaste 20 åren är man inte bortskämd med. Tveklöst lite för lång med ett och annat spår utfyllnad, men höjdpunkterna är många och ju mer funk och party desto bättre. Kendrick är en rätt ordinär rappare men kommer undan med det för inramning är vad som betyder nåt. Man kan säkert babbla en massa om budskap men sanningen är den att det är precis lika mycket "...this dick ain't free" som det är budskap så vi släpper det. Vi sätter på mästarfunken i "King Kunta" istället och dansar loss och stämner in i kören "we want the funk!" Stark trea

Skivan ger ett lite splittrat intryck musikaliskt. Här trycks in mycket och det är många olika producenter och gästartister, vilket väl är brukligt inom hiphopen. Det är väldigt bra i raka rapnummer där Kendrick tar mycket utrymme, så som King Kunta, The blacker the berry och How much a dollar cost. Mortal man måste också nämnas. Inledningsvis en av de bästa låtarna. Sedan lite tjatig i konversationen mellan Lamar och Tupac. Men ändå kul att det används en Nileskär-intervju. Det är möjligt att fler lyssningar hade höjt betyget. Men just nu en stadig trea.

3.5

definitely not the kind of music I would usually listen to, however, it’s really good, I like it

Ei vaan jotenkin tää Kendrickin väitetty nerous osu. 2,5/5.

Best Track - "King Kunta"

Thundercat and George Clinton immediately??? And then a full jazz interlude!? And then Bilal? Wow. The first half of this album is so good. It really tails off and the explicit sexual references are a bit much but I really enjoyed a lot of it, especially the funky stuff. The best song (i) is based on an Isley Brothers instrumental.

Haven’t finished but so far it’s good. 3 stars means it’s okay, I didn’t disliked it but I’m also not sure I would go back and listen to it again.

Some interesting stuff in here. Overall, it definitely takes time to adjust, get used to, and feel the vibes of it. I think first listen through is rough but after you give it a few listens I can tell it's good. I think I will revisit it, and eventually be a fan but not so much on just one listen through. I have high hopes though. 6.9/10, but I am sure it'll increase the more I listen to it.

king kunta 🔥🔥🔥 heat

I really enjoyed "m.a.a.d. city," and I've only heard good things about this one, so I had high hopes. But - I don't know - this one didn't float my boat. Maybe it was Kendrick's super-dopey character voices, or the vulgarity of the lyrics - I don't know. The jazz samples were great, and I liked the backing tracks for the most part. My issue with listening to rap that's new to me is that the lyric-deciphering part of my brain has degraded over time, and it isn't something I do easily anymore. I mean - any new music with lyrics, it takes a massive amount of concentration for me to pay attention to them, so listening to rap now is a bit of a nightmare. I'll give this one another chance down the road but for right now it's only THREE STARS

Ein sehr gutes Rap Album- ist aber leider nicht mein Musikgeschmack. Die Texte sind aber super interessant die Lamar schreibt

Good, but uneven. Some good tunes, some good beats, but then the skits. And some okay-at-best songs.

Usually not my thing. This slaps though.

3/5 7.5/10 the instrumentals and back tracks are some of the most surreal i’ve heard.. like elevator music from a dream

An album I was very familiar with upon its release, but had not been in the rotation for many years. It was better than I remember it being, but a bit bloated. Some weak tracks that aren't bad, just simply don't live up to the peaks of the record. I understand the importance of the lyricism on this record, but Good Kid m.A.A.d. City is a record I enjoy more.

I think if I smashed this ten times in a row this week I'd probably fall in love with it, but it's hard to really appreciate something this arty on the one listen I give these. On one listen, it's quite a difficult album to listen to.

I think we had a Kendrick. He’s excellent but one is enough.

sehr experimental, gutes Album, nicht ganz mein Geschmack, muss wahrscheinlich öfters reinhören Lieblingslied: Mortal man

Not really a big rap person, but for rap it’s not terrible. Not really something I would listen to, but I can appreciate what it’s trying to do.

Töff og flottir textar

Það er erfitt að láta mig hrífast mikið af rappi og þetta breytir ekki miklu. Þetta eru samt rúmlega þrjár. Flottir taktar og textinn líka ef maður hlustar á hann.

Intelligent and interesting, but I just can’t stand his voice

Standouts: u (ending) Complextion Mortal Man This is some of the better lyrical flow(??) I've heard from hip-hop/rap. I find I can actually understand what they are saying rather than trying decipher a long syllable shoved into a fast beat. Lyrics in general were very hit or miss. Some lyrics hit me quite hard (especially the end of u). I also felt some references went flying 10 feet over my head. Sometimes they were just talking about sex and I couldn't care less. I kept on hearing "So I went runnin for answers" throughout the album which turns out to be part of the poem read at the end of Mortal Man. It's a neat way to tie an entire album together, makes it feel like even though he is clearly working through a lot of difficulty he won't stop until he finds what he's looking for? or maybe the time he finds an answer it leads to another question? I found the album improved as it went on for me. I'm not sure why really. Just feel like it was easier to digest. More interesting topics and less jazz. The little interview/conversation at the end was interesting. I did some digging and found it was fictional, I was hoping it was something like GY!BE does.

This album has some great production and some of the tracks I think are really good in terms of the songwriting. Unfortunately it just doesn't really make me feel much, and I'm just not a huge fan of lyrics being this front and center in music, and that's a general problem I have with rap. I'll likely give it a couple more listens in the future in case it grows on me, but it doesn't really strike me as one of the greatest albums ever made despite its clear ambition.

I'd never listened to this album before. It's got a nice chill vibe to it that makes it easy to listen to but I'd need to spend more time with it to see if it interests me lyrically. At this point, it's a good listen but definitely more "produced" than "played" and doesn't really get its hooks into me.

3.5

3.5

Did not care for on first listen, felt really disjointed, but subsequent listens have opened up some sonic understanding. Excited to see how this one ages for me

One of the most critically acclaimed albums of all time. It has a lot of memorable lines and I like quite a few of the songs here, such as I, The Blacker The Berry, King Kunta and a few others. The album is a bit too long for my taste though. The interludes I don't really care for the the latter part of Mortal man doesn't feel necessary IMO. Production is really good as well. Just not really my thing though and too long for my tastes.

Loved the funky George Clinton stuff at the beginning.

Indulgência. Essa palavra descreve este disco. Tudo aqui é indulgente ao máximo, ao ponto de gerar repulsa. Só consigo comparar este álbum àquelas sobremesas grotescas que vai brigadeiro, nutella, leite ninho, m&m, ferrero rocher, paçoca, tudo junto e misturado. Dá isso aí pra uma criança e ela vai amar, mas qualquer pessoa com uma palheta gustativa minimamente maturada vai achar a experiência nojenta. Isso aqui não é um disco de Jazz Rap. Jazz Rap é Tribe, isso aqui é um álbum de Jazz E Rap. A diferença? Os dois elementos estão em constante embate um com o outro. Não há harmonia entre os instrumentais e os vocais. E eu digo com confiança que o próprio Kendrick é o elo mais fraco na corrente que é To Pimp A Butterfly. A produção aqui é astronomicamente boa, é imaculada, é perfeita, é pristina, todo adjetivo positivo que você conseguir pensar, você aplica à produção deste álbum. A instrumentalização, os samples, é tudo perfeito e complexo. A faixa inicial é um ótimo exemplo. Mas aí, chega o Kendrick e a estraga com versos medíocres e um conteúdo lírico francamente vergonhoso. Isso continua na canção seguinte, For Free, o mesmo padrão, instrumental maravilhoso e intrinsecamente construído e letras estúpidas acompanhadas da voz Gobliniana de Lamar. Isso acontece no disco inteiro. De vez em quando ele puxa um assunto mais interessante pra rimar, como em Institutionalized, mas é incomum. Ele consistentemente se mostra a pior parte de cada uma dessas faixas, e nem me faça falar sobre quando ele empenha algum truque em sua voz que sempre acaba sendo extremamente desagradavel, como em “u” ou no final de Momma. E aí cria-se em mim uma dúvida tremenda: Por que Kendrick simplesmente não produziu um álbum de Rap de forma mais direta? Com esse nível de produção aqui, facilmente superaria Good Kid e ganharia o título de melhor álbum de sua carreira. Uma escolha bizarra. 1 hora e 19 minutos, tá aí outro aspecto indulgente deste disco. Há muitos deles aqui, interludes, gemidos, sons de tiro, sinos e assobios e etc. Fica a seu critério se tudo isso te conquista, mas não me conquista, ao menos não mais. Quando eu era mais novo eu gostava mais desse álbum e do Kendrick em geral, mas acho que caí numa grande desilusão com esse álbum. Lança uma versão instrumental desse álbum e seria o 5 mais fácil dessa vida. Com a presença do goblin, a nota recebe uma severa penalidade. 3.5/5

Not a great sign when your daily album reveal is immediately followed by a loud groan. This is an album you listen to once or twice and never go back to again and I've listened to it three times. The album is fine but bloated. It's 2025 and I'm suffering from Kendrick fatigue so To Pimp A Butterfly on a Wednesday is a tall ask.

Did not enjoy

I’ve listened to Kendrick Lamar’s hits for a while now. I was surprised how much of this I’m was like a jazzy improvisational poetry session as much as it was rap. He’s an artist, super deep and also weird. Cool listen.

One of the most overrated albums ever, and not even the best Kendrick album (that would be m.a.a.d city). Still a good album though

It's interesting. Creative. Has some jazzy elements with saxophone and trumpet, and interesting synth(?) noises. The song Alright has an apt title. Mid-album gets boring, missing what makes the first songs interesting. Mortal Men has some nice orchestral elements. Many songs end with a monologue that's the same poem that gets a bit longer each time. It's an interesting idea.

Great beats and lyrics

If anything it showcases just how good Dr Dre’s production is. Lamar’s obviously a good MC but it’s elevated by Dre. Also a solid 3 (rounding down from 3.5)

Suprisingly good. It has depth, distinct tracks that still feel like they fit together. I need to pay attention to the lyrics, but currently I'm listening to it in the background. Deserves more listens, but again, I quite like it.

I like Kendrick but had never heard this album before. I appreciate it as art, I see the statement being made, but it's not something I'd want to turn on for fun or listen to while driving around

I can't possibly say it's a BAD album, but I can confidently say it's not an album for me. It's DENSE. This album opens up as a firehose of emotion and beats and lyrics. It's too much at once. I feel like I discovered the marble in the oatmeal. And it doesn't let up. There's no room to breathe, Kendrick.

Not my style of music.

I haven’t listened to hip hop or rap since the 90’s. So that is my last frame of reference for this review. And I had no idea what to expect going in, I’ve never listened to him before. I thought it was really creative and engaging. I love the different styles he brought musically, a nice range of influence. A couple of songs reminded me of Arrested Development (musically, not lyrically). Great transitions between songs, a cohesive flow, and he definitely commands the mic. I can see why he’s so widely acclaimed. Not the type of music I listen to, but I’m glad we got this album so I got the chance to. It should have been shorter, an hour and 20 minutes is too long for any studio album. A strong 3 for me.

Kendrick is quite the lyricist with rhymes that make you stop and think. The speed with which he delivers his message is mesmerizing and on multiple tracks the beat continues to evolve mid-song which makes what he’s doing even more impressive. A cohesive, thoughtful album.

I've never been a big fan of rap and over time I've become less and less of a fan. After my first listen I was disappointed, I've heard some Kendrick Lamar songs and enjoyed them, but the album as a whole was a tough listen. After learning some of the nuance to the music I gave the album a second, more focused, listen. I did get a better appreciation for the writing, this is indeed modern poetry. I now understand all the accolades Kendrick recieves and why this album makes the list, but I still don't understand the album. I like some of the songs, Kendricks voice and cadence are unique and the beats are great. Unfortunately, the album went over my head,

I like how this is constructed as an album, how the songs lead into each other and how it all builds to the butterfly / caterpillar bit at the end. I appreciate that it brings in a lot of different styles, some of that worked for me and some of it didn’t. I probably wouldn’t listen again but I can definitely see why it’s here and I enjoyed listening to it. Fav song: Momma Least fav: For Free?

I did some reading both of and about the lyrics to really understand what he was crafting with this album and I can see why people rate it so so highly, there's a lot of lyrical depth that is easy to miss on first listen. That being said there were some songs I just didn't enjoy listening to- I found the voices he gave some characters annoying, the line "shit don't change until you wash yo' ass" might be a good message but its not fun to keep hearing and I understand For Free? is meant to be a metaphor but the way the woman is presented gave me the ick. I'm glad to have listened and learnt about it and there were songs I really enjoyed but as a whole I won't be coming back to the album. Favourite song: i Least: U

I don't like rap. But I did like smooth transitions in this album. 5.6/10

vo allne hip-hop/rap albe won ich bisher glost han isch das sicher eis vo de beste: es isch sehr variabel und interessant zum alose. isch aber eif nöd so mini musig..

This is a tough listen. The songs are good but it is rough and there is not a lot of flow. Not my style.

Hit and miss but the sting message carries it

To me, not as good as good kid maad city but still some really great bangers.

I can see why he became famous. Some songs feel like they were just thrown together though. Swears so much it loses all meaning.

Interesting but not my jam

This isn't really for me and even though it's good, I just wouldn't listen to it

This one is hard for me to rate. I really liked it but at the same time there is something that bothers me. It would be a 3.5 and I could honestly round it up or down. I chose to round it down based on the lower expectation of actually wanting to hear the whole album again

Never really listened to Kendrick Lamar before. Perfectly enjoyable, but I don't think I'll be humming it to myself later. Solid album, and I like the thematically paired songs like u and i, and for Free? and For Sale? Could probably use a few more listens for it to really sink in properly.

There’s a strong sense he’s more talented than to use the particular language he does. Could’ve been great. 3.5

Being black and LSD-level creative musical free association are two things I don't identify with. He sounds like a poet though. There's genius here but maybe it's not for me? Can hear the fingerprints all over Blackstar though. That last track through where he brings it all together is boss.

this is a good hip hop album. the only thing I really know about Kendrick Lamar is that he had a big beef with Drake where he just absolutely destroyed him. later he got to do a Superbowl performance of the song where he accused Drake of being a pedophile.

Respect for the message. The bars are phenomenal. But the endless funk-jazz slog just doesn’t do it for me.

Not my favourite style but loved the influences from other music styles. Unique.

A solid listen and one I'm going to return to, but wasn't in love with it.

Not an ordinary Rap akbum - but Rap.

This isn't the first time I've tried to get into this album or indeed Kendrick. Following last year's _GNX_, which I thought was excellent, I thought I finally got him. But sadly this one just isn't landing the same way. I don't think how it starts helps, although I believe there's layers of meaning here lyrically in a man talking about the size of his dick, I probably need to spend some time with Genius to unearth the reasons. The first few songs are the put off I think and as we get towards the middle and end, songs like _Alright_ and _How Much A Dollar Cost_ are bangers. The runtime doesn't help, no album needs to be this long! Musically it's excellent and Kendrick's flow is incredibly creative, but lyrically I'm finding it jarring. I probably will listen again at some point because I know there's something here.

Solid mix of musical influences

Kendrick is een hele goede rapper, maar ik ik vind dit album niet echt super catchy. Ik denk dat na een paar listens deze wel beter wordt, maar het hele culturele significante sluit niet helemaal aan bij mij.

i get it buy not my cup of tea. Yeah the needle head gave it a 10, don't care

Can appreciate the musical talent and musical variety on the album. Thoughtful lyrics if unnecessarily crass. Not sure the rapping is all that, and definitely not my scene.

I appreciate what Kendrick is trying to do here. I appreciate it more than the actual end product. I know he can write a solid track, and there are a couple of those on here. But some of this record is just a snore. 3/5

2015 There's some seriously good tracks here. There's some serious messages here. There's some self-indulgence here. There's some rude words and dodgy lyrics here. There's some 25 minutes run-time too much here. Heard before ✅️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ✅️ IT'S TOO LONG ★★★☆☆ (6/10)

High-grade hip hop, but not the best of Kendrick imo

I‘m not saying this lightly: *clears throat good kid, m.A.A.d city sittin’ top of the throne, That Compton storytelling still sends shivers down my bones. While To Pimp a Butterfly is complex, preachin’ deep, Evry other skit feels like homework soon to put me to sleep *mic drop

Fine

Hm. I listened to it all the way through. The music is fine but many of the song lyrics' topics remind me of 80s cock rock - which is not a compliment. When there is a good tune+lyrics, it's pretty good but it's also combined with, in my opinion, too many n-words, which reduces the power of that word.

loved when he said boo boo

This one frustrates me. I can definitely see why it's so highly touted. The beats are unique, the lyrics are amazing, but for some reason I just can't get into it as much as I feel like I should, and I can't even put my finger on why. Favorite track: Alright

I really liked it

Appreciate why it’s held in high regard due to the lyrically content, production and engineering. Not my favorite genre-style.

Getting a 3, since I can't see myself coming back to this. Glad I got to hear it tho, and his Superbowl appearance was A+. 3/5

Belle basi, soprattutto quelle un po’jazz, se avessi studiato anche i testi forse sarebbe stato anche migliore

Onesto, not my shit, man.

k dot. not his strongest album, but there is a lot to talk about for sure. kendrick is one of my faves. he has such a solid style and he raps with such variation, giving credit to the shoulders he stands on. mainstream rap can be kinda lame a lot of the time, but this has meaningful calculation to it. taking that genre and pushing as high up as it can go. this has that song where he has the "conversation" with tupac, whether that's AI or old interview footage, it comes outta no where and is very impactful as means of translating what has happened in rap since he has been gone. most of these songs are skips for me, but there are a couple of good ones. 3/5 just for being his 3rd and very artsy record.

I know Kendrick's great. I also know that I don't actually know that.

Au delà du sentiment mitigé que j’éprouve vis-à-vis des messages que Kendrick Lamar tend à faire passer à travers cet album, j’ai passé un plutôt bon moment à l’écouter (malgré mon desamour général pour le rap et le hip-hop).

Maybe 10 more listens and I would appreciate so muc more; hugely ambitious with a broad reach of topics/ styles, but it just didn't catch my attention

Clearly I'm not the target audience for this album. There's alot here between the "songs" and interlude pieces. I get the anger and frustration from his emotional delivery. Not quite sure why it earned a Pulitzer Prize though.

Jazzy..cool. good

I respect and appreciate Kendrick because he makes interesting music. But a lot of the songs on this one just aren't very enjoyable to listen to.

Holy shit this is a long album. The first half combined funk, jazz, 80s/90s hip hop influences with a modern flow lyrically. It is the more commercially know part of the album just off a first listen and the fact that almost every song has a music video with high production value. The latter half seems to be a more self centered segment where he talks more on social strifes, his own standing and political views from his perspective. It’s also much more grounded in the sense of having a concurrent theme in style and topics vs the first half. This album feels like two albums split down the middle where they took all the tracks that would be singles or chart toppers and put them in the first half while the second half is more for Lamar himself. This especially rings true where the last song is 6minutes of a song and 6minutes of an interview that talks focuses on the topic of self. I could go without the near constant degradation of women that is prevalent throughout the entire album. He speaks on revenge, grudges and vendettas consistently but at some point you would think he would realize that the people he surrounds himself with cause these problems and that not everyone in the world is like what he describes. In the end, still not my genre of music and I simply cannot fully enjoy his work. I do see that it’s production value is higher than most other rap even 10 years out from it’s release and he does speak on more complicated topics than just sex, drugs, and violence. It’s just not for me. 5/10

Listened before, like it but not my favorite ever

sound best in the car

Maybe I'm just getting old, but the asynchronous parts of modern hip hop and electronic music are distracting at best and awful at worst. George Clinton in a rap song?!? What's old is new again. An intro and an interlude in the first three tracks...not a good start. King Kunta is a step in the right direction though. These Walls has that Thundercat sound, I like it. I think I need to pay more attention to his lyrics because the music and his flow just don't add up to him being considered one of the greatest rappers of all time. I don't like his crying voice on u at all. Ronald Isley too? The Blacker the Berry is militant but it is good. i is the best song on the album...I love The Isley's That Lady. The last song is 12 minutes long. Not a strong way to end an album. A simulated conversation between Kendrick and his hero Tupac...make it a YouTube video.

lyrical and profound

Need to re-listen.

Wesley’s Theory, King Kunta are the best. I’ll give it a high three, feels like a four but don’t know how much I’ll actually listen to it

Ok

listenable

Not my favorite Kendrick album, but not bad. Powerful content but not a lot of music actually, a lot more talking.

The Blacker The Berry, The Sweeter The Juice 1001 Albums Generator 77 (07/18/2025) To Pimp A Butterfly is an album that I used to like a lot more than I do now. It oft gets called the best hip hop album of all time, and sometimes the best album of all time, but I don't believe that it is. I don't even think that it's the best Kendrick album, since I think the two that bookend it are better in almost every way. It feels like this review is going to be really negative, but guys it's still like a 7/10 for me. It just feels like defending this album as a 3.5 is like trying to argue that MJ is not the GOAT. I have to talk about the negatives because everyone already knows the positives. The positives are, pretty much, everything that isn't Kendrick. The instrumentals on this album are insane and they range from live jazz instrumentation to cool West Coast hip hop vibes. Even on songs that I don't like, like Mortal Man, the jazzy instrumentation is really fucking good. Production on songs like King Kunta and Alright is fucking amazing. A lot of the features are also really good, particularly on Wesley's Theory and Institutionalized. Some of Kendrick's contributions are really stellar as well. The lyrics on These Walls, How Much A Dollar Cost, and The Blacker The Berry are all as good as people say they are, more or less. How Much A Dollar Cost is a particularly moving parable. However, Kendrick's voice throughout this album really rubs me the wrong way. It is especially annoying on For Free? and u, but I just was noticing his timbre bringing my experience down a lot throughout. His rapping on Alright is also very skibidi-ribidi in a way that I see people make fun of Eminem for all the time. I don't even mind when Eminem does it, and I like this song, but come on. Again, I know this is a really hot take since this is supposed to be the best album ever, but I just struggle to see it to be honest. The poem is also not bad, and I understand thematically why he kept repeating and extending it between tracks, but I do find that a bit annoying on a full album listen. It's really not bad at all. To Pimp A Butterfly is absolutely iconic and deserves its spot on the list, but it's just not entirely my thing. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3. Favs: Wesley's Theory These Walls The Blacker The Berry Least Fav: Complexion

Mas o menos

Bra album! Tydlig vision, tydlig ambition. Gillar produktionerna, dynamisk eklektiskt och mycket. Första tre fyra och sista tre typ väldigt bra. En del kul texter. Dock alldeles för långt. Särskilt för en icke/hip-hopareOch pratorna gör att det mer blir en storyskiva än musikskiva. Får inte heller någon supertydlig bild av Kendricks stil eller persona men antar växer ju mer lyssnar. Kommer lyssna igen: ev vissa låtar Bästa spår: the blacker the berry Betyg: 6 av 10 (ev 6,5 -7)

Really Jazzie with Rap —> interesting Mix kinda good 6/10

Ikke min kopp te, men helt ok.

Liked a few songs

Some pretty good tunes, but overall not my cup of tea

Interesting.

Not for me, I understand that a lot of people like it and that might be what turned me off. Super pretentious thing to say but it feels like this would be a crazy album to listen to if you haven't heard that much music. Also I absolutely hate the double tracked singing he does, sounds like shit.

Not my thing

I like Kendrick Lamar but realise I’m not his target demographic 😂 Enjoyed this

There's some nice flows, and jazz shit fits real nice with rap. Sometimes it gets a little annoying/grating, and honestly sometimes his voice is a little thin or high pitched for my tastes. And sometimes the message is just that a community shouldn't tear itself apart. Fucking duh, man, it's 2015 when you're saying this. Some songs are pretty hard, i like King Kunta, but man I cannot shake the idea that dudes overrated.

# Playlist Track - King Kunta # Notes - Note that I'm not taking lyrics into account, as I listen to the albums while doing something else. - Musically, it's particularly interesting. - It's not bad! I dig the jazzy references and samples in the beginning. - This doesn't have enough for over an hour, tho.

I feel the same way about Kendrick as I do Jay-Z: brilliant production and lyrics, but I’m not a fan of his voice. I like Kendrick’s voice when he’s doing a more laid-back song, but when he gets aggressive his voice hits my ears all wrong. I would love to hear this entire album with Nas in his place!

Not my favorite Kendrick album, but it's okay.

I do occasionally listen to rap and gave this a fair chance, knowing its reputation. Over in-ear headphones, it felt overwhelming and almost stressful to me – Kendrick’s vocal delivery just didn’t connect. But after re-listening to key tracks on speakers, the production really opened up and I could appreciate the musical depth more. Still, the skits and spoken word parts pulled me out repeatedly. In the end, it’s not really my kind of album, but I can respect the ambition. 3 out of 5.

This isn’t typically my kind of music, but I enjoyed it.

It was ok

Perus kentsu

I enjoy this album and know it well without loving it

I think I wasn't ready for this album. Like I missed a couple of decades of rap to get here, so I didn't see how it evolved to this state, and that made it a bit off putting for me? I also understand that I am not the target audience for this, as an old man. Favourite song: These Walls ft Bilal, Anna Wise, and Thundercat

I enjoyed it more than I thought. I’m definitely not the target audience but it was worth a listen. I thought it started and ended strong but the middle felt like a bit of a slog. Probably won’t re-visit but I’m happy I listened.

fe, fi, fo, fum - Kendrick hit out another one! Butterfly be very lyrical and pimping it is quite skeptical. Got some white chick to suck da big dick, rappin’ and hopin’ for sumpin’ bigga for all dem homies and _black people_. King Kunta leads the numbers, followed by i. So he went runnin’ for asses AND he made it to the superBowl. (3.4*s) Might wanna watch out for the poor ground opening up and eating him and the rest of the rich. I think Pops fell asleep before it was over…

I wouldn't consider myself a rap fan but found myself enjoying this more than expected. To Pimp A Butterfly was anything but a run-of-the-mill rap album for me. It's loaded with all sorts elements beyond the typical hip-hop and R&B world. I appreciate that Kendrick Lamar broke the mold a little bit on this one as there's clearly influence well beyond the streets of Compton. All of these elements combine to showcase many of Kendrick's rap style and skills. It's a little long at 78 minutes, but I didn't find myself struggling to get through it. Kendrick Lamar is probably the biggest rapper working today and as I am exposed to more of his work I can see why. Credit where it's due, To Pimp A Butterfly is a pretty creative album that served up a good listen. 2.69 stars

I feel like I dont gel with Kendrick stylistically. I appreciate his talent and the emotion he puts into his subject matter, but I find myself not enjoying a lot of his songs. Somethinf about his lyrics not aligning with the music- im not sure exactly how to describe it. Still- there were definitely some hits that I liked. Overall- 2.5/5

I never got the Kendick buzz, and I still don't.

Ok

zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom, zoom.

Ovo je kao malo čvršća trica. Ali dosta više rapa.

A good album, but more in like a listening as a documentary way rather than an enjoy the music kinda way. A lot of good beats, but a lot of the same funky jazzy music which i don't really enjoy. The lyrics are nice though and I liked him repeating a few lines over the course of the album

Some of the beats are really good. But his voice annoys me.

"i" is a banger thanks in large part to the sample of "That Lady" I understand why this album is celebrated, but I don't foresee listening to it with any frequency

I just can't get into the angry poetry stuff. Anderson Paak does it better.

Not all of it was to my liking, but some songs were really good.

Not really my thing, but I can see why it is highly rated.

Liked the other Kendrick album I had heard on here, and had been told this was his best, so looking forward to this but Just from my own stance, found it very dense to get much or any musical point of reference on 1 listen. Was expecting something different, maybe more immediate musically, guessing the hype is more if you relate to the situation, I don’t begin to understand the black American inner city perspective, I’m not American to start, so musically or emotionally didn’t really get it, 3 Star.

Not a fan of overtly violent music, and can't relate to the experience, but this album is well produced and written. Three stars, it's alright! (something something we gon' be alright)

This is my first listen because hip-hop isn’t my genre. However, it’s there is a lot of jazz and funk on it. I love his powerful lyrics and the challenge they throw down, particularly on The Blacker the Berry, which was a highlight. The album is KL’s self awareness and understanding of the social and political environment he is living in, which comes to a point on Mortal Man. While the album wasn’t made for me, it’s an excellent piece of social and optical commentary.

Idk much about this type of music but there's a lot happening and I like that

not an easy listen the first time. It becomes better towards the end so perhaps a repeated listen may make it more enjoyable. But for me not at all at the level of dre, snoop and eminem

The other reviews criticizing the lyrics clearly have not actually listened to the lyrics. Lamar has always been a powerhouse of political, astute, and culturally critical lyricism. Some of it is subtle and Lamar has been known to play with listener expectations by loading lyrics with the strong language and violence that is associated with rap. In other words, the exact listeners who don't dive beneath the skits and the n-words to process Lamar's actual message are ironically the listeners he is criticizing and poking fun at. When listeners fall into this trap of their own bigotry I picture Lamar saying "dance, monkey". This album was a central musical point in my life, played on repeat for almost an entire year alongside Good Kid, mAAd City in my friend group during the third year of our undergrad. It was the backdrop to a lot of formative memories and it's hard to listen to it now 8 years later trying to separate those memories from the "listen before you die" experience of this list. The first thing that strikes me after those 8 years is how dated this album already sounds after not even a decade. I'm a big FlyLo and Thundercat fan, and their influences shine clearly on this album, but they're also the biggest contributors to it sounding dated. The keyboard and synth tones and progression choices are so clearly 2015-era FlyLo and Thundercat. To me, Lamar's later stuff has a bit less of this fingerprint. I like Kendrick's voice and flow because he exercises both in a way that not a lot of other rappers do, he has more range and he explores it fully. I don't like his teenage voice crack affect in u, but I admire the musical experiment of it all. I still love this album 8 years later, but its excellence now pales next to Good Kid. Even DAMN and Mr. Morale stand out above this album in my eyes. Once again a surprising choice from this list.

This album is so dense. Too dense for my taste. So many lyrics, genre mixes, tracks, interludes, .... It's quite an achievement to release a 1h18 album that doesn't feel watered down. Still, I think a little streamlining would have done the album good. 3.5/5

This is not really my type of music, so it wasn't that great, to be honest, but I know that a lot of people like it and also it seems that pretty much all of the songs from the album have hundreds of millions of listens. I would say that for me it's a bit meh, especially for a first listen.

Современный реп. Я его не люблю и не любил. Но я попробовал задвинуть своё эго и снобизм и заценить, и вот мое мнение - я не понимаю чего все так тащатся с кембрика. Окей, он не такой современный, без завываний автотюновых, и на том спасибо. Биты клёвые, тут моё почтение, но в принципе, в этом альбоме я не встретил ни одной зацепившей песни, чтоб прям завайбовать. Такой реп с репом и всё. Короче рекомендовать не буду, кому-то наверное такое заходит

Better than I expected. Now I understand why he’s one of the modern greats.

Dos trés

Why does every rap album, no matter how serious, always have a cringe-inducing song about sex that totally undercuts the message of the work as a whole? Such a silly trope. A couple decent songs tho.

Not for me but I get it.

I love hip hop but have always struggled to get into Kendrick. For every track I hear that catches my ears, there's two I just can't get into. His flow is fantastic, but I find the broken, stop/start beats interrupt my listening experience.

is it worse to pimp a butterfly or kill a mockingbird, do you think

I wasn’t a huge Kendrick fan before this, but there were lots of things I liked about this record. It is produced exceptionally well and has some great hooks and beats. It’s not all great, but there’s things I like here.

я очень внимательно слушала; поняла только что та песня у Эминема на которой я думала Лил Уэйн - это Кендрик! уот так поворот

Never really been a Kendrick fan but this was better than I thought it would be. I don’t really get the hype about how great he is tho.

This was a much better album than the previous album by this artist. The music was better and more creative, however there still was a lot of talking..

Kendrick sure had a star turn (Superbowl 2025) since our last album from him. As before, I really like these songs, with one major caveat (=good tracks, S.L.U.r city). I don't have enough mental wherewithal to separate the message & musicality from my instinctive "augh" reaction every few seconds, so, this one gets a 3. Maybe in the future it'd be a higher score. I do appreciate how naturally each song flows into the next one - you don't get that too much with albums anymore.

Lieblingssongs: These Walls, Hood Politics, The Blacker the Berry, You Ain't Gotta Lie, i Kleine Herausforderung, nicht das eingängiste für mein hip hop ungeschultes Ohr. Aber erstaunlich abwechslungsreich und teilweise sehr experimentell mit den verschiedenen Musikstilen. It might grow on me. Habe vorher noch nichts wirklich von Kendrick Lamar gehört.

I think the easiest way to describe this album for me is that it's like a QOTSA album....which is a compliment. It is alllllllll over the place, and it truly doesn't care. And when it hits, it hits (i and Wesley's Theory, particularly good). When it doesn't, it's still listenable, which is also saying something because it's not a genre I hang out in much. I don't think it's far enough above to warrant a 4 like some of the other albums, but absolutely would listen again and maybe move it up.

Rap/hip-hop with ambient jazz/other conceptual elements. In places breathless and claustrophobic. Builds up to quite intense thematically by the end Reminded me of Floyd's The Wall (trip in hotel room, track called Momma). Not my cup of tea but interesting Best track - The Blacker the Berry Another fun track is 'i'

3/5

Wasn't bad at all, but probably won't listen again

Kendrick Lamar is unquestionably an important voice in hip-hop, and I respect his contributions to the genre. The ideas delivered throughout this album clearly have thought put into them, and he speaks a lot of truth. There are also a few fun tracks to shake things up and keep it from being too serious. On the music side I like the variety of sounds and influences, they also keep it interesting. I find the overall experience to be a mixed bag though, and it lost my interest at times. The back half of the album really dragged for me for the most part. I'm sure most of that is just my personal taste though and not just a result of what he's doing. So yeah, I see why a lot of other people love it, and I'm bummed that I'm on the outside of that somewhat. That's fine though, if you want to throw on "King Kunta" I'll get down with you.

Haven't listened to this one before, but some songs I really didn't like and others I thought were good and clever.

This is not my genre on so many levels. I generally don't like modern hip hop. I generally don't like R&B/Soul much. I generally don't like dance club pseudo disco. This is a blend of all of that. And with all that said, I'm finding I'm enjoying this more than I expected. The production and cohesiveness are impressive. It's still not my style, but I am seeing why he's given the respect he receives. Personal taste, it' s a 2, but it will at least be a 3 and may end up a 4 if it ends as strong as it's started. OK, the degree of vocoder crap singing, I can't get to 4.

The lyrics are great, the beats are ok.

Good

Highlights: For Free?, Institutionalised, Alright. In a nutshell: “this isn’t an album. This is an experience.” Compared to Lamar’s second album Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City, this is jumping up a few levels in production. Definitely experimental. And that album cover! Wow. Overall: 6/10

I'm not the right person to judge this. I do like the ambition on this album and really love some of the tracks, though.

Not a genre I’m keen on, so it was a struggle. Has all the mudda fukkas and niggas in there as you’d expect but also some interesting bits and bats in the backing tracks. I’m never going to be convinced it’s a classic but better than a lot of similar things from the genre

I have to be in the mood for hip hop. Parts of this album get me and other parts do not.

Not too shabby. Not really my style but I didn't think this album was bad or anything, pretty pleasant.

The best of our current generation, good flow and tells stories in song. 7/10.

Es muy buen disco, quizá mejor que good kid mad city. Arranca increíble pero después se cae e incluso se pone aburrido de lo largo.

It was ok

ok for rap

звучит пиздато и расслабляюще, но автотюн бесит

Heavy!

Heard it before. Not massively into Kendrick but this album is the best I've heard from him I think. The instrumentals on this one are interesting, especially Wesley's Theory. But the album is toooo loooong. 3/5

Never really liked this one and always found it overrated. It's better though than I thought.

Bra, komplekst, mykje, men litt kjedelig

Great album

Was ok

About time I gave this one a listen Old school vibe Love kunta

There's a lot of different styles on the album and a great vibe.. There's a LOT of words.. I think there's a few good songs, but there's also a lot of "noise" that doesn't really catch my attention. This album is soooo long...

Not bad - start was kinda wierd... but end was definitely better - probably not my favorite album of Kendricks tho - he definitely has done better.

Meh— I used to really like a lot of the songs and listened to it often, but I’m just not into it anymore. 3 out of respect

Tough call. I hear brilliance though in honesty it's too raw, too hard, and the language is too charged for me to find it an enjoyable listen. That's not even really a critique, just that I'm not the core audience and I absolutely *should* feel uncomfortable around some of the material.

Better than the other one I had to listen to of his. I'm a hip hop fan, but Kendrick just doesn't grab me. King Kunta is a great tune though, and the production feels much nicer on this album. But they whole thing feels very much "throw everything at the wall, some bits WILL stick"

between 3 and 4

An undeniable talent which I appreciate from afar more than enjoying the entire album. Some amazing moments - especially on the back half of the album. The interludes are great. No for me as a whole but spots are great.

It was pretty good.

Its alright

very enjoyable, I guess I should read the lyrics

Interesting music killed by the words

Not the biggest fan, but can tell why people like it. King Kunta was pretty fun.

Some good songs some boring ones. 6.5/10

People always assume if your name is Ken then you’re a Kenneth. There’s always great surprise when people find out my full name is Kenry Daylesford Rickworth Chutney. It’s even more a surprise when they find out Kendrick has the same name! 2.6

Good rhythm and beat but not my favorite lyrics

I liked the spoken word poetry bits, and the incorporation of other musical styles beyond just Rap. Overall a pretty solid album, with depth to it. I think it's one that probably rewards relistens.

I thought initially that I was going to hate it, but I was surprised!

This was quite varied and interesting musically. 3.5 rounded down due to length. Stand-out: Wesley's Theory

Sick beats, I'm just really not into rap

Pretty good as far as rap records go. I listened to the whole thing

I don’t usually like Kendrick Lamar songs. They’re just not my style, but I kind of liked this album. It just had a different feel than his other music I’ve listened to

Got some important topics in here. But overall it’s just not grabbing me like I want it to. Probably partly because I’m not a jazz fan. Not an album that I instantly want to listen to again.

Good shit. Not a super cohesive album though so 3 stars

Production is excellent on this album. Some good songs like King Kunta, These Walls and You Ain’t Gotta Lie About 3/5

I listened to this album when it came out several times, but didn't revisit it. I really want to like Kendrick Lamar more than I do; I appreciate so much about the production, the samples, the instrumentals, the references, and the message/concept (it's interesting to read people's comments--I get the sense that they're not really getting the lyrics or listening to them; there's a lot going on here). For whatever reason, none of his albums really stick with me--I love certain tracks and admire what he's doing with this dense album, even if I don't feel like it moves me as I feel like it should. "King Kunta" and "Alright" are still my favorite tracks off this album. I'd give this a 5 for all of the good points I listed (objectively 5 stars?) but I can't see myself revisiting it in the way I do (so not 5 stars for me, personally?). I'll give it a 3, I guess.

I heard a lot good things about this album and I’ve been left really disappointed. For me the album gets better towards the end but no track stands out a classic. I don’t like jazz so those jazz infused tracks were not nice. A generous 3 stars.

Kendrick gfallt mer scho und hed au mega skill und gueti Text. Das Album hed mi aber weniger abgholt, liet felecht au dra, das echs zum falsche Ziitpunkt glost ha. Sorry Noah aber es länged nur für es 3.

I found this album difficult - overlong with good ideas and a range of styles, but overall too much

I’m not really into rap but I did enjoy this album. But not enough to listen to again…

There is a richness and complexity to Lamar's music that I just don't hear from other artists of the same genre. To Pimp A Butterfly fuses social consciousness with funk and jazz. Some of the tracks have misogynistic overtones ... too bad, otherwise it's one of the best hip-hop albums, ever.

Not really my wheelhouse, but I didn't mind it. Better than the Beastie Boys by a country mile.

There's a lot going on here, it's a complex album. For the most part the tracks are skillfully put together, even though I don't relate much to this particular album. Kendrick Lamar may be bigger than ever right now, with "Not Like Us" and his upcoming Superbowl halftime show. I just don't get it all, I guess.

To me this is more of a spoken word album than hip hop.

Agree, Sarah!

I was expecting more

The vocal style used on "u" got pretty grating, and there were a few other points where songs felt dense/overly long/like some phrases were being repeated. This is a classic case of an album where I recognize it gets critical acclaim for many good reasons, and there's a lot of lyrical interest, but to sit and listen to it front to back is too much for me personally.

I enjoyed the overall flow of the album, and the bass work was exquisite. That said, it's not for me. I just don't relate to it, and that's fine, I'm not the target market.

Powerful. Not much in the front half that grabbed me but the back had me locked in.

Solid album, still prefer Good Kid, Maad City.

Just not for me.

It was good. It didn't catch me the rest that M.A.D.D. city did though

No bounce✌️

i mean. i get the hype. la realidad es q tenía 0 expectativas y me sorprendió bastante!! BANCO el jazz, banco el tema de 12 minutos, banco lo conceptual... pero simplemente no me encantó. definitivamente voy a darle una segunda escucha mas adelante pero dentro de todo fue una bastante buena experiencia. mis temas favoritos king kunta, i y how much a dollar cost 🙂‍↕️ 3.5(3)/5 ☆

Great jazz/blues music, mid rapping

I enjoyed this more than Ghostface Killah or the Kanye West albums I've been subjected to listening to that are on this list. A decent blending the samples that were used making this album give it a timeless sound, but I can't see myself listening to this ever again. "...don't change until you get up and wash yo' ass!"

It was decent at times and I understand why he is so revered. This genre just isn't my favorite

Auf dieser tollen Challenge habe ich schon manche hervorragende RAP oder Hip-Hop platte entdeckt, obwohl ich nicht der Fan für dieses Genre bin. Dieses Album hat mich jetzt nicht überzeugt. Zu langatmig für mich. Obwohl ich schon betonen muss, dass es hervorragend produziert und gesammelt wurde. Reicht für mich nicht.

I was expecting a lot but was left disappointed. When I looked at the list of contributing artists it was either someone I'd never heard of, or someone I'd always enjoyed and admired. Musically it was ok in places, but generally I felt it was trying too hard to be edgy. The rapping was pretty similar, too edgy for me and made my ear hurt. On reflection, maybe it's my age, I am in my 50's - but I grew up listening to rap, funk, soul, hip-hop etc and they are my preferred genres. I'm confused, maybe if I listen to it again I will like it, but that is not on my agenda.

Far from my favourite kind of music, but actually listenable

I can appreciate the artistry here (interesting blend of genres, styles, subjects), but it doesn't really absorb me like it does many others.

I think I might be too white to get it

I think listening to this album on YouTube over 2 days is not the way to listen to this album. Also I'm tired and this needs your full attention to appreciate, on vinyl. This wasn't the time to listen to this album for me, so factor that into my review. It's very very good

Very layered, complex, powerful. These Walls made me sit up and pay close attention. U grabbed me as well. It’s not an easy listen though.

This is my second listen, and it's a little better on the second pass. Some great lo-fi-esque beats accompanying a standard (if not slightly substandard) vocal. The lyrics are all over the place in terms of rhythm, rhyming schemes, and general themes, towing the line between being oppressed and being the goshdarn king of the world. This is a problem I have with most hip-hop lyrics, and while Kendrick Lamar makes a small improvement on the generally bad poetry in the genre, it's a small improvement only. The lyrics in the interludes are particularly suspect: "Fuck you, motherfucker, you a ho-ass n-a / I don't know why you trying to go big, n-a, you ain't shit / Walking around like you God's gift to Earth, n-a, you ain't shit / You ain't even buy me no outfit for the Fourth / I need that Brazilian, wavy, twenty-eight inch, you playin'" ...Yeah. If this is the best the rap/hip-hop genre has to offer (and it clearly is, based on reviews from rateyourmusic), then that's a very bad sign. I'm also not a fan of Kendrick's husky, almost raspy voice, though it does somewhat stand out amongst the crowd. The instrumental behind the vocals, though, is pretty solid. Kendrick pulls out all the stops for adding little bits and bobs to the music – sound effects, synths, horns, backing vocals, and so on – to really spice up the texture. And he does it better than most, to the point where you feel like you're listening to something truly incredible. (Whether you are actually doing that is up for debate.) Tracks that are more texturally busy, like King Kunta and Alright, are some of the stronger ones for this reason. The cover art is iconic, and possibly my favourite aspect of this entire album. But the music could use a little work. Bin the interludes and some of the lyrically-suspect full tracks, and you have the scaffold of a masterpiece. 3/5 Key tracks: King Kunta, Alright, Momma, i

Never listened to this album in full or the Ramones intentionally really ever but I'm familiar with most of their music already. 3 tracks in and it's my favorite album I've heard on this so far. Started off strong but it really lost steam towards the latter half

Ikkje så glad i hip hop, men bra innimellom

I wasn't expecting much from this album - I decided a while ago that Kendrick is overrated (not untalented, just overrated). I still can't say I'm a big fan, but I did gain an appreciation for him after hearing this. It's similar to Common in the sense that it's spoken word-y and poetic in a lot of ways. I can get behind that.

I understand the allure at some level but just cannot get into it. Not my jam.

Not for me

Not that big a fan of rap but I liked King Kunta and Hood Politics.

Oh, the familiar pattern of the rap album I am finding. Starts off strong and intriguing, even with the dodgy lyrics, but then the novelty wears off. And they go on far too long. They don’t half overindulge. Still prefer him to Drake though

I liked this but I definitely didn’t listen enough to understand EVERYthing about it, but it was much more enjoyable than some of the other hip-hop records I’ve gotten here.

Eh, I feel like good kid and damn are better. This seems too overblown

Not nearly as good as Good Kid

Interesting listen. More of a political statement than MAAD City. Worth of at least a listen.

Are we nearly there yet? This album is so long I'm still not sure if I listened to it all, but it seemed varied, tuneful and with some great vocals. Three stars.

If I had a dollar for every time I had to tell someone that, "this dick ain't free." I prefer my hip hop to be Wu, or Nas or NWA, but this was better than the watered down shit that gets passed off on people.

That's not my taste in musik. But a lot of interesting Songs.

Relaxing, tanzbar, political

Interesting. This album is far more soulful than I anticipated, both musically and lyrically. I don’t see me ever listening to it again, but I wasn’t compelled to skip through it, either. I can see this being a stand out in a genre that I am not terribly familiar with, especially compared to others in its field that have also been on this list.

Although I am not normally into rap. This rap has melody rhythm and good vocals with narrative. I found myself enjoying it.

I didn't get this. It's strange to me, I really enjoy a lot of hip-hop and funk, but I generally don't like rap. It's just not a style I enjoy. There is the occasional exception, like I really enjoy Public Enemy, but typically anything that is rap dominant and from the 2000s or later, well, it just doesn't do anything for me. I'm not really interested in gratuitous profanity, or misogynist tropes, or gangster posing.