To Pimp A Butterfly

Yes

Should have won the Pulitzer for this one

Kendrick is the best storyteller since Nas. TPAB is a cohesive vision that keeps giving the more you listen. It’s worthy of all the accolades.

Loved it when it came out. Listening to it again all these years later, and after Kendrick's big year with his most recent album and it's still as fresh as ever. There's a reason this is considered a classic!

A true modern classic

Banger after banger after banger after banger. Soundtrack of my college years

I don’t even know how to articulate how good this album is, and it’s not even his best album. Kendrick is a genius with his lyrics and the layers on his story telling and just rolls with a silky bouncy west coast flow. I will cut the review there because everything I want to say just comes off so hyperbolic. 9.6/10 #65/1001

Kind of hard for me to talk about this album without glazing it. If youre wondering and havent listened to it yes it is genuinely that good. The production and lyricisim on this album is absolutely top tier probably the best in its genre. The concept here is great aswell its the closest you can get to watching a movie when listening to an album imo. 9/10 Favourite: Mortal Man Least Favourite: For Sale? (Interlude)

IVE LISTENED TO THIS BEFORE AND IT FILLS ME WITH UNLIMITED PRIDE FOR MYSELF AND WHERE I COME FROM

INCREIBLEEE

First Listen: Jan 02 2023 good kid maad city always stuck with me more but still pretty goated

classic

I can't believe it's been 10 years since this album came out. In my mind this is still considered "fresh" and "new" which may stem from how much it has dominated music discussion, at least in online spheres since it came out. At this point it's been discussed so much that I almost don't even want to review it. What there is to say about this has already been said. Kendrick Lamar is one of the greatest songwriters of the modern era, and this remains his opus. Wesley's Theory Starting off strong with what might be my favourite rap song of all time. The groove is immaculate, the lyrics are clever, the rapping is sylistic and fresh. Fucking George Clinton is on this thing whooping ass straight from the can. There's nothing here that isn't perfect. An unforgettable opening track. The attention to detail here is insane, everything here just feels so intentional. Also Thundercat could be on almost anything and it would work. Amazing. 5/5 For Free? I just love the way the jazz instrumental compliments the rant at the start. Also it's just such a fun idea to hear this instrumental and decide to rap over it, it's really clever. Love his inflections on this thing, really makes the bars pop even harder. Full of personality with some really solid subtextual commentary which sorts itself into a really concise point at the end. Fantastic. 5/5 King Kunta Such a fun bassline. Very catchy hook. Feels like a bit of a victory lap. This song has so many memorable lines. Also that funk sections slaps. Fantastic. 5/5 Institutionalized Love the more laid back vibe for this specific theme. The switchup after the intro is a really clever way to grab the audience's attention. Really memorable hook. Honestly kind of a challenging track. It has many layers to it both lyrically and instrumentally. This song discusses the concept of institutionalism in such a nuanced and thought out way. There's never just one angle to it, talking about several ways institutions ruin people's lives. Fantastic. 5/5 These Walls The intro is haunting and ominous. Contrasts heavily to the poppy chorus. Love the subtle nods to classic hip hop production. The jazzier parts of the song have a lot going for them, feels really large and powerful, especially with the added vocal effect. Makes the concept hit much harder by slowing things down and making it darker, realer and more personal. Great. 4.5/5 u Feels dark, chaotic and kinda scary. Love the resentful aggressive performance. It's really dark and depressing. It's dramatic and theatrical and keeps you on your toes. Sure some may find the inflections and delivery to be annoying, but I think this added character sort of sells the concept. Without it perhaps one would overlook how difficult the themes of self hatred and regret are. The added drama puts an extra spotlight on the lyrical contents. Great. 4.5/5 Alright This has become sort of an anthem. I definitely appreciate the more upbeat track after the last one. There's a lot of empowerment in this track. The throwback hits really hard. Iconic hook. Fantastic. 5/5 For Sale? A strange, trippy experience through a watery psychedelic landscape. The rambling almost conversational style of the verses has a really chaotic feel to it. It's admitably a bit hard to follow, due to the busy nature of the track. Love the alluring devil figure hiding amongst the chaos. Great. 4.5/5 Momma That bass is crazy good. Awesome instrumental in general really. That last verse is something else really. Inspired track. Fantastic. 5/5 Hood Politics Feels really dense thematically. I find it a bit hard to follow sometimes. Really love some bars, others I don't fully get. Instrumentally though this song hits like a truck. Especially the start of the song. Good. 4/5 How Much A Dollar Cost That's thick. Feels a bit more on the nose than a few of the other songs on here. There's still plenty of great storytelling here. There's something angelic about those effect heavy vocals. Really like the intensity of the final verse. Good. 4/5 Complexion (A Zulu Love) It's really catchy. The feature really adds an entirely different vibe which is really appreciated after such a dense section of tracks. It's really nice to hear something that's much more positively coded. Great. 4.5/5 The Blacker The Berry The buildup to the first verse is very intense which really gives a great fealing of release when it first comes in. The first line just goes so hard. The aggression and resentment is very effective. Love the hook. It's so direct and hard hitting. Makes me feel a bit sad. Love the serenity of the climax. Fantastic. 5/5 You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said) There's an incredible smoothness to this track. Love the occasional g-funk vibe. The dismissive commentary makes it feel oddly personal, despite the almost aloof attitude. Great. 4.5/5 i A very fitting counterpart to "u". The perfect anthisesis to that depressing affair. Awesome guitar. Incredible vibe. Uplifting and empowering. Fantastic. 5/5 Mortal Man Feels like a prayer at times. Extremely serious and conflicted. This almost stream of conciousness like structure feels very dramatic and satisfying. Love how it contrasts to the very structured nature of the poem which finally gets its conclusion. It's hard to comment on the 2pac "interview" at the end, it's a very artistic way of summarizing the themes of the album, but it also sort of stretches out the album's climax, messing with the pacing a bit. Really like the caterpillar allegory though, it's a great way of explaining the thesis the album is trying to convey. Good. 4/5 I'll keep this brief: To Pimp A Butterfly does everything it's supposed to do, portraying the struggles and complexities that come with being black in America in a concise and effective way. Instrumentally it honors decades of black tradition through both sublte and unsubtle homages to different eras. Lyrically it stands out as being densly filled with precise and measured commentary while still being clever, emotionally mature and even funny at times. It has hooks, it has dancability, it has memorable lines, and plenty of drama. This makes it remain entertaining while dishing out strong commentary on difficult and messy societal issues as well as harsh realities when it comes to identity. A gripping and complex tale that builds its own character through a unique and unreplicable sound which makes it strangely timeless. A modern classic. 5/5

One of my all time favorite albums.

Instant classic

WE WANT THE FUNK (Loving you is complicated…)

this album is considered an all-timer for a reason. kendrick's flow is unmatched and the production here is so great. it's got influence from all over the place, from jazz to boom bap to funk. there is not a dull moment on here. from the jump, it's firing on all cylinders. so creative, so fascinating, just really, truly great.

5 one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time

UGH SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!! there's such a great through line from this album to DAMN. which is also incredible. Kendrick has the skill of making his albums feel fresh at every chapter, yet his body of work exists as a continuous narrative

Brilliant album

really good i love it

Goat 🐐

Favourite songs: King Kunta, Alright, I

This is literally my favorite album.

I picked cotton for you and made you rich, now this dick ain't free

Can’t believe it’s been 10 years since this came out - a modern masterpiece. An album the rewards a full listening experience. Music that is cathartic, clever , and is able to look back and forward in the scope of hip hop.

dope album 5/5 what an ensemble

Momentous. The interludes are better than some peoples whole discographies. Sometimes, when something is as obviously great as this album is, one sort of wants to be the contrarian, but TPAB is simple undeniable. Best: Wesley's Theory / Alright Worst: Hood Politics

One of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, with absolutely no debate attached. I can not believe how incredibly fresh and well-crafted this is. Every time I listen to this album, I am still taken aback at how solid it is. If you don't like it, you just don't get it, idk. 10/10

Such a stunningly wonderful Mix of Hip hop rap and funk. Brash and smart.

Taking hip hop to a different direction

ладно, ставлю репу 5 звезд, убедили. вайбово.

First KDot album I listened to and it still blows me away. Dense, layered, smart lyrics; phenomenal talent; and great production. Up there with Illmatic and Me Against the World. Was not surprised when his next album won a Pulitzer.

nice

Long time favorite. My intro to Kendrick. Peak Kendrick. Best album behind MAAD city. Expert story teller, which is what makes him the greatest rapper. He told his core story in this album. All the other albums are side stories.

Generational performances. Not even my favorite Kendrick but deserving of a 5 star nonetheless. I always point out how my rating system could benefit from half stars & this is a case where I think I’d give it a 4.5 if able, but a 5 is also fair so honestly it’s deserving.

rah rah rah rah 5/5 before I even listen rahhhhhhhhhh

Listen, as a white man who grew up in Indiana, this album isn't really "for me", but I remember when it came out and I have the same reaction now; it is an undeniable masterpiece of production, story-telling, and artistry. Like other great pieces of art, it can be appreciated casually and is pleasing on the surface, but there exist so many layers to peel back, and depths to explore. It feels like one of the most complete artistic statements in the last 10 years.

Utterly out of left-field! Loved it! :)

Every complaint I have about Good Kidd is not present on this. It’s unbelievable.

DAMN

The best rap album of all time. Super deep and complicated, but still an absolute blast to listen to.

Rap. Normally not my thing but I liked this. It felt important, varied, and genuine. I can see why people would consider this a masterpiece.

A landmark concept album in hip-hop. Lamar combines lyricism, storytelling, allegory, passion, and high-fidelity production in this masterpiece.

This is Kendrick's best album. It is best served as a full album experience, so it doesn't get quite the amount of replay it deserves.

When I went to Osheaga and saw Kendrick Lamar perform, he was excellent and the whole production was quite amazing. He had large pieces of art behind him and was able to produce an incredibly engaging performance just being alone on the stage. The problem, however, was the fact that the white folks jumping up and down next to me were singing along to every word. Yes, every word. I mean, it's not shocking that people are ignorant, but it took away from the experience something significant.

Imagine this existing and choosing to listen to Drake.

PEAK

This album sounds so big and monumental. I love the instrumentals.

Perfect record, no notes

iconic album

Peak art

I don't listen to Kendrick often, but whenever I do I'm always blown away. Which probably means I should listen more. This album was an opus, blending all sorts of musical styles with powerful lyrics. Not surprised to learn Rolling Stone named this in the top 20 albums of all time.

Easiest 5 star so far. Absolute masterpiece. In the running for best album of all time.

10/10

Banger

kenny my goat. an artistic masterpiece, but i'm more partial to good kid Would I listen again: always Does it belong on this list: Yes 4.8

Ambitious convergence of influences and thought provoking lyrics and storytelling. This is not a casual anytime listen with the exception of maybe a few tracks for me. It is a rewarding one though with some focus. My only complaint is that it runs just a smidge long for me. Still an extremely worthy 5 star rating to me.

Another kd banger. Some great songs, most are interesting and unique.

Absolute Classic. Everything about new hip hop that I love. It's so good and also not for me, I sometimes feel sheepish about grooving to it so much.

Nothing I can say that hasn’t been said 100 times before. Of course it’s 10/10

10/10 Favorite Tracks: Wesley’s Theory, King Kunta, These Walls, Alright, Momma, How Much A Dollar Cost, The Blacker the Berry No least favorites

Love TPAB. Great commentary with great beats and lyrics

Phenomenal Album. This is an album that you have to listen to, not just put on in the background. Kendrick uses a lot of complexity in what he does to express himself and it is an enjoyable endeavor start to end.

Hip-hop at its finest – a masterpiece album. “We gon’ be alright.”

perfection

One of the best jazz hip hop records with some of the best features by one of the best rappers ever. Come on maaaaaan

Illmatic is to What’s Going on as To Pimp A Butterfly is to There’s A Riot Goin On. I will not offer any further clarification.

One of the greatest albums of all time.

100/100 this shi js perfect

I originally knew this album from King Kunta but hadn't listened to the whole album. What a great listen though. I had to go back and listen to it like 3 times to come up with anything more that, this is vibes. Through the whole album he's great at developing a great beat. Some tracks are more successful than others but the whole album does a great job of starting a conversation. Also the form used in the songs is so interesting, mixing interviews, spoken word, and more traditional rapping. Mortal Man is quite successful with the mix of styles and lyrics. Also what an ending to the album, with a pop, very smart. Some other stand out tracks were King Kunta and i (just such a fun track and beat, infectious energy). I would it a 4.5 because not every track is a home run, but it's really close to that and I would definitely listen to again.

Jaw-dropping.

wesleys theory- thank you thundercat for the bass. 6 or 7 for free- toby when theres jazz at the function. 7 or 8 king kunta- 7 or 8 institutionalized- 6 these walls- i remember you was conflicted. 7 u- 6 or 7 alright- 7 for sale- 6 momma- bro... 6 hood politics- 6 or 7 how much a dollar cost- 7 complexion- 6 the blacker the berry- 7 or 8 you aint gotta lie- 7 i- 9 mortal man- 8

Standing on the shoulders of giants, this album is a fantastic unification of black music.

I was going to call it a modern masterpiece despite being 10 years old, so many tracks off this hold up and the album as a whole is just great from start to finish. Kendrick grabs you and doesnt let go. Great features (George Clinton on the intro!) and the inclusion of funk on top of his creative songwriting.

A landmark hip hop album. Kendrick’s best. Such an interesting and enjoyable mix of jazz and rap. So many great songs like “King Kunta” “The Blacker the Berry” “Alright” “You Ain’t Gotta Lie” “Complexion” “If these walls could talk”… ok damn near every song on the album. I enjoy the single version of “I” more than the album version but that’s my only gripe. I don’t even mind how long it is! A classic

Immer noch gut, immer noch großartig. ☺️

definition of a modern classic. the library of congress decided rap was cool this one time

Finally a good album!

One of my most favorite albums

4.5 - He really has so much more depth to his music than other hip hop I've listened to.

I think Good Kid Maad City is better. I am definitely not a fan of the "I remember you were conflicted..." interjections. Solely because of the repetition where Kendrick gradually reveals more and more of his poem. Its just a waste of time, after the first time it makes me groan at the end of each of those songs. Still, this album is fantastic. It has a ton of bops and bangers, some incredible instrumentals, and of course plenty of the headiest bars. But this is an album that should flow seamlessly, and for me at times it just doesn't - "i" is a great track, but its so out of place on this album. I think its still just about a 5 star album, but not RYM best album of all time level. Fave Tracks: For Free?, King Kunta, These Walls. Alright, How Much a Dollar Cost, i 4.5/5

Great Album, loved the interludes, loved complexion, king kunta, wesleys theory, i, blacker the berry

Perfect

This is easily one of the best albums of the 2010s. Kendrick's album here is a must-listen for any hip-hop fan, and probably his best album overall.

95/100.

two kendrick Lamar albums in a two week span!! what a treat!!! Wesleys theory is such a cool and awesomely layered track, just one million things that my brain catches onto. Thematically has some connecting threads to good kid m.A.A.d city-- similar ideas of bravado and rap music/industries glorification of excess is more harmful to the community making the music(and to America in general), as well as Lamars commentary on black peoples experience in America. Additionally- religious guilt and the devil being entwined with this same ideal of lavish living and overconsumption!! Agh!!! While I loved m.A.A.d city, I think I enjoy the instrumental composition of this one -- I'm discovering via this project I'm a sucker for horns. Some other disjointed thoughts: Alright is one of the best songs ever made and I will stand by that until the day I die!!! Blacker the berry is one of the best tracks on this, lyrically dense and rich. The difference between "I" on this album versus the single version is interesting

wow, the layerings, the effects, musicality... everything 100000000/10

5

Classic. Historical timestamp.

I listened to this record at 5am, running into a rain cloud that had been perched off Penguin Island but – and quite suddenly, though it was dark so perhaps not – made landfall just as I approached the turnaround point of my usual 10km route. The rain was so hard that it reorientated me toward home early, waterlogged my headphones and made me a couple of kgs heavier. Totally blinding, completely exhilarating. At 11am I told the story to colleagues during our weekly meeting’s “emotional check-in” agenda item, self-scoring my wellbeing at 8/10. Never one to miss an opportunity to belittle or undermine, my manager opted to play some Kendrick for the room. As the phone came out and Spotify opened, “Oh god, we’re doing this are we?” was both the general mood of the room and something one colleague said aloud. After an excruciating period where I was challenged to prove my knowledge of Lamar – the detail that I had been listening to the album for the first time was ignored in the frenzy to out-hip hop a subordinate – I was forced to tell everyone which track on TPAB had most stood out to me. “Track two,” I answered. “And what was it called?” “I’m not sure, it was about the commodification of relationships; or the introduction of market logic to them anyway.” A moment of smugness as a ribald ‘got him’ face is beamed around the now mortally creased room. “It’s not even a song, it’s an interlude!” “Ain’t free” produced in those seated in the room a silence so complete that it felt like it was sucking volume out of the air. It might have only played for a minute, but it’s a minute likely to live on in the memories of all who endured it. Great songs survive such situations. And while I don’t wish to try it with the rest of the record – forcing bleak awkwardness into the lives of innocent bystanders – I’m pretty sure many of TPAB’s riches would live to fight another day too. This dick ain’t free, indeed. Luckily, I get paid to tolerate the ones in my life.

Still hits. Can’t believe it’s 10 years old!!!! I want some sort of stage adaptation. Not full musical, just elements.

yep

This album has gotten so much critical praise over the years, but honestly, all I can say is that it’s just really, really good.

Such an easy 5, a true magnum opus. TPAB attempts to say so much and do so much in and most all of it works for me. The poetry, the eclectic sounds, the atmosphere and musicality of it all. There's even hits here, which is the criticism I see most unfairly leveled at Kendrick. I also saw reviews saying Kendrick is not a strong lyricist/rapper. Are we joking?? I find myself lost in the story, the experience that gets created, and this dude can absolutely RAP. A prime example of why the album format is so important, even in a streaming age.

isn't this what got him his pulitzer prize? it's deserved. kendrick truly is the goat. this album is a poster child of socially conscious and lyrical rap. the layers of meanings, the history lesson - not just in the lyrics, but also in the musical styles (jazz, parliament/funkadelic...) i remember when this came out and i was in grad school, grinding away at literally grinding of metal to characterize. i listened to this during the late nights of this task, and listened on repeat because it took me time to understand his message. those were some of the grad school moments that i cherish.

So many great moments in this album that puts it at #1 on rym's top album of all time. It undeniably has the best intro song of all time. It may be a 100-way tie with other incredible albums, but #1 nonetheless. Sonically, the incorporation of jazz into the album and keeping the listener engaged through the funky interludes is masterful. The use of the low strings and horns to build an ominous feeling as the "remember you was conflicted" unravels is so good. The first time I listened to Mortal Man and it's revealed that he's reading the poem to Tupac, my mind was blown. The second verse on Blacker the Berry has to be one of the tightest verses in all of rap, and Assassin's feature verse is unbelievable. The music video for Alright blew my 18 y.o. mind. I also learned that if you leave a voicemail on a rapper's phone, good chance you make the next album or mixed tape. This is also perfect evidence that 60+ min albums don't HAVE to be too long, but only the most perfectly curated albums can be 78 minutes and still capture attention the whole time. The fact that the "single version" of i exists is so depressing. Imagine listening to this album your main takeaway being "wow i don't like how he says the police want to see a black man dead." It's the same energy as watching an episode of Queer Eye and the main take-away being "why is that dude wearing a dress." I hate revealing how white I am, but listening to these conscious rap albums from Kendrick and Vince after watching Menace II Society makes me respect these artists for sharing their art with the world so much more, recognizing that the average listener won't understand their lived experience. It's impossible to pick out a favorite line, but I whimsically love "The devil wanna put me in a bowtie" 5/5 ofc

I'm not gonna justify 5 stars because I think it's pretty self-evident--this is one of the greatest albums of all time. But Alex told me I should still write some thoughts. One thing that occurs to me is that this album works on so many levels. King Kunta is a fun top 40-friendly song, but it has enormous depth for those who want to plumb it. The interludes, backed up by jazzy something or other (I think Kamasi Washington), are clever and add a lot. On a lesser (but still great), the more philosophical stuff would be more separated from the broader experience. This is the perfect album to illustrate how far hip hop has come from Tribe Called Quest. Both great albums, but the minimalism of ATCQ stands in contrast to the over the top production of this album. Thundercat on bass, Kamasi Washington on brass. Every piece of this album is clever, thought through, and perfect. And the central poem as a organizing device for the whole album is inspired. I won't pretend to understand the full work. But this is what music, at its finest, is capable of, and it communicates something for which words on their own are insufficient.

Like the notes and the skips, there are no comments necessary about this masterpiece.

there's nothing I can say about this album that more accomplished scholars haven't written about

unmatched. 5/5

It's sublime. Guy uses more words on one song than some artists will use in their entire career. And he's smarter, and funnier, and angrier. How anybody could fail to enjoy King Kunta, I could never understand. The fact that this is considered one of the controversial albums on this generator is mind boggling to me. I know all music opinions are subjective, but subjectively, some of you guys have appalling taste. This is a 5 everyday of the week. Iconic album cover.

it’s to pimp a butterfly man what do you want me to say

My review I will let someone smarter than I describe this album. However what I will say is this is Modern Day Art will go down in History as one of the greatest albums of this decade and of all time. It may take a few listens but this is more than just Music to vibe too. This is an experience and a message. It is poetry, jazz, hip-hop , etc etc . It is all put together with some of the most interesting music and lyrics. This is an Easy 5/5 , no album from the past 15 or so years will top this album. To be truthful I’m not even really a Rap or Hip-Hop guy and more into Alternative Music (rock 90s) and this broke through for me Kendrick Lamar is 100% one of the greatest Rappers alive and it’ll be hard for even him to ever top this Masterpiece. (Still glad he keeps making music and pushes himself)

I love this record, it's an absolute masterpiece. But listening to it now, ten (!!!!) years later, it's kinda bittersweet. It seemed like hip-hop—and the whole world—was heading in a certain direction in 2015, and it sure did swerve in 2016. You hear this on Damn, I think, and I suspect it's part of the reason that we never got a Black Hippy record. The world changed that year, for the worse, and we're still living in it. Don't get me wrong, K.Dot is still at the top of his game, but TPAB is a bittersweet listen.

Well, Kendrick's second album, or this, his third album, which is better? I mean they're both obvious 5 star albums, and I guess it doesn't matter what the answer is, as it's such fun listening to either album. The sheer talent on display here is quite honestly astounding. I can't think of anything I would fault about this. It makes me happy that somehow someone is putting out music that stands up against "golden age" hip-hop and doesn't come away bruised and beaten to a pulp. But it's also worth noting that this isn't just a homage to the great albums from three decades back. This is far more than that, truly ground breaking.

Dialogic explosion.

Banger

I love this album - has some great music

fantastic! not a single dull moment in a 1hr19min album. Bringing new sound blending jazz, funk, etc with interesting chord changes and sharp rap. Favorite track: King kunta other picks: these walls, alright, hood politics, how much a dollar cost.

The citizen Kane of rap, no doubt a masterpiece but not something I’m going to come back to a lot. Probably the most ambitious rap album of all time considering the scope of the storytelling. He pretty successfully weaves together his experience growing up and becoming successful with the history of black people in America and the use of the poem to tie it al together with the 2pac reveal at the end is almost cinematic. It’s long and not always an easy listen but it’s unquestionably and all time album

One of the best hip-hop albums of all time

the greatest rap album ever

Great

okay i will listen to it again. i think i have heard it too much, to the point where i even gave away my TPAB vinyl to a friend - mostly because i was excited to share the experience and i thought he might appreciate it more since he had never heard it and i may have overplayed it for myself. he love it ofc so i'm glad....i might need to buy it again though we'll see. Kendrick has caused such a shift in music and culture recently. i think it is time for me to revisit this,maybe the context will add something. I am writing this a day or two after Not Like Us won 5 grammys, and 5 days before Super Bowl LIX. Tbh i kinda wish I had gotten DAMN or good kid instead because I dont feel like I've given those proper attention. gonna try to listen to this on my headphones when I can instead of my left airpod at work. man....I dont even have much to say. It's still a 5 of course. note to self: don't go that long without relistening to this again. It's such a dense record, always something new you can find. Maybe show it to your dad or something

9.5/10 Another one I already new, an easy 5 star and contender for best rap album ever. Hugely ambitious musically and lyrically, basically delivers 100%. Not a wasted second until the very end. Kendrick is amazing, his voice and what he is saying. The music is incredible, hardly a surprise when you see what an all-star lineup it is. The single version of i is definitely better than the album one. Best: King Kunta

A masterpiece.

Also better than the one that won the Pulitzer

This is the top album on RYM, and for a good reason. It is a great hip-hop album, and its lyrics are really good.

already said this but Kendrick is one of maybe 3 working artists who can stop the world when new music drops. it’s so so special. I vividly remember this coming out.

I love everything about this. The vibes, the music, the lyrics. Is Kendrick eating puss in a Rockford baseball diamond outfield? Cause he’s in a league of his own.

A Hip Hop tour de force.

Banger!

Very good. The pure poetry sections, make it clear why he won a Pulitzer. Love Kendrick.

greatest album of all time

This is the 18th album I’m rating. I’m not really familiar with any if these songs except for How Much a Dollar Cost because it’s Obama’s favorite song. This is one of the most acclaimed albums of all time so this better be good. Wesley’s Theory - Adding to my Playlist. Sounds pretty cool. For Free? (Interlude) - Adding to my Playlist. I definitely listened to this song. King Kunta - Adding to my Playlist. Kendrick’s good. Only critically acclaimed album that’s actually good. Institutionalized - Adding to my Playlist. This is much better than The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. These Walls - Adding to my Playlist. I need to listen to more Kendrick. U - Adding to my Playlist. Worst song so far but sill good. It’s looking like a top 10 album so far. Alright - Adding to my Playlist. I hate to be the guy praising critically acclaimed albums endlessly but this is fantastic. For Sale? (Interlude) - Adding to my Playlist. Easily the worst song. Makes sense because it’s an interlude. Momma - Adding to my Playlist. This was bad at the start but that ending pulled me in. Hood Politics - Adding to my Playlist. Liked the start but gradually got worse. How Much a Dollar Cost - Adding to my Playlist. Obama’s favorite song. When I first listened to this I thought Kendrick was an asshole for not giving him the money. He’s still an asshole. Good song though. Complexion (a Zulu Love) - Adding to my Playlist. The only things I know about Zulus are from reading Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. The Blacker The Berry - Adding to my Playlist. Pretty good. You Ain’t Gotta Lie (Momma Said) - Adding to my Playlist. This isn’t the greatest still good enough. I - Adding to my Playlist. That last part wasn’t too great. Mortal Man - Adding to my Playlist. Ending the album with a fantastic 12 minute long song. All in all I liked 16/16 songs. This is one of the greatest albums I’ve ever listened to and in my top 10. Unlike every other album on this list it matched expectations. This was truly fantastic.

Goated

White guy here reporting in with a hip hop review. Kendrick Lamar shows us with this record why he is the best in game for the 2010s. An innovative masterpiece here that draws many different music influences including funk and jazz.

Not a genre I usually listen to but wow this made an impression. I've been missing out on something that is mentally engaging. It's doing more than just giving me lyrics and a melody that repeats three times. Just refreshing and looking for more

One of my favorite albums. My first Kendrick album which sent me on a journey.

An incredible album. My favourite so far (even though i've just started). An album i'll be coming back to regularly from time to time. The production and creativity behind the record is amazing, really interesting and unique sounds, slick vocal delivery and incredibly creative lyric wise. I'd listened a few times but felt i'd only really scratched the surface of what this album has the offer. I love Thundercat's contributions, you can really hear his sound shining through in some of the tracks. The sample usage and beats are dope as well. You can really feel Kendrick's attitude come across in the entire album, it's kind of laid back but incredibly coherent and visceral in a way. I would continue listening heavily if i didn't need to move onto other albums.

Perfection

Fuuuuuuuck yeah. This is a masterpiece on so many levels. First, Kendrick might be one of the best rappers? I'm not expert on rap, so @ me if I'm wrong, but there's moments where I'm absolutely amazed at his flow. Secondly, there's a lot of masterful blending of genres. The jazz, funk, and soul music backdrops to Kendrick tickle my brain in all the right places. Lastly, this is lyrical genius. I'm still not great at picking up lyrics in rap, unless I'm focusing on doing so, but doing so at any point in the album is a treat. His lyrics are really, really good, while he's also trying to say something really important. This is an album worth listening to multiple times, because I believe that you'll find something new to love in it every time you do. Favorite Song(s): For Free?, u, Hood Politics, i

Wow! This blew me away. Really impressive on multiple fronts from the flow to the inventiveness, and the funk/jazzy feel of many of the tracks. Really strong stuff.

So textured and fascinating, there's something a bit Radiohead/OneOhTrixPointNever going on here, but with a totally unique hip-hop take that's political and fun. I favourited "How Much a Dollar Cost" because it's the shit.

Listened before, knew beforehand would be a 5/5, but good excuse to relisten. Don't think it's perfect, not a fan of "For Free? (Interlude)" and the album version of "i" is not as good as the pre-release demo version IMO, but this is a modern classic. Can't get anymore 5/5 than this. Absolute masterpiece.

One of the best albums ever. Amazingly ambitious and grows with each listen. Crazy highlights like King Kunta, How Much a Dollar Cost, Alright. Deep soul, funk and jazz influences with amazing musicians colloborating on different tracks.

I see why this is one of the highest rated albums from the 21th century. I love the free jazz touch some of the songs have -sorry, but still dislike the “this dick ain’t free” lyric. I cannot say anything new about TPAB. Everyone needs to listen to it once in their lifetime.

AT FIRST I DID LOVE YOU NOW I JUST WANNA FUCK

The arrangement of "u" alone is worth 5 stars. Great album.

Greatest mfing album oat. Kendrick is the goat of rap

This album is phenomenal. The music, the flow. Lyrically, it doesn't resonate with me, but I'm not the target audience. While I don't listen to hip-hop very often, this is definitely one I would reach for again. 5 stars.

GREAT

Absolutely fantastic album. So much creativity with lyrics and accompanying instrumentals. What a pleasure to listen to.

10/10 Favorite Song: Wesley's Theory Least Favorite Song: You Aint Gotta Lie (Still love the song though)

10/10 I don't think there's anything I can say that hasn't been said in the last decade. It's a journey, a poem, a manifesto, an Avant Garde jazz concept album, a greatest hits compilation, a funky pop tape. It's a celebration of the past and a message to the future. God this is so good

This was my first time listening to a Kendrick Lamar album from cover to cover and WOW. I suppose there is a reason that he won a Pulitzer for his writing because his lyrics are so deep. The features are so good, especially the Thundercat ones and the technically an interview with Tupac in Mortal Man? Also the production is so clean on all of them that this really is an album you can just close your eyes and enjoy it for all parts of it

FANTASTIC. This is what I'm talking about. The last few albums for me have been "there is a hit song on this album", which does not a great album make. This is a play the whole album start to finish, the jazz and bebop are killer, even a purely instrumental rendition of this would make a sick album, so with Kendrick's lyrics on top its elevated to the next level.

Endnu en nem 5’er. Jeg er lidt overrasket over at GKMC er vokset til at være ca lige så god som denne i mit hoved, da de kom ud foretrak jeg klart den her

Altid en fornøjelse, et af de mest åbenlyse musik-mesterværker i min tid

Already listened to this one man dafuq?

9.3/10. The flow of the album was amazing.

Heavy and cool

Znałem ten album od tak dawna, że mam wrażenie, że pomyślałem już o nim wszystko. Przez to ciężko mi się ustosunkować do niego w słowach. Wydaje mi się, że idealnym tagiem dla tego albumu byłoby "artistic rap". Przy całej swojej wulgarności (która zawsze będzie dla mnie problemem we współczesnym rapie) i złości, krążek jest bardzo przemyślany, głęboki i wielowarstwowy. Muzycznie absolutna perełka - wielość głosów i instrumentów, melodyjność, pomieszanie chwytliwych, "radiowych" kawałków ("Alright") z jazzowym brzmieniem (pierwsze "For Free?"), funkiem ("King Kunta") i nawarstwiającą się historią z interludiów. "u" to fantastyczny kawałek, który wymyka się klasyfikacji. Zresztą wszystkie moje powyższe próby katalogowania utworów są dyskusyjne i na wyrost. Ten album meandruje, przeskakuje, totalny rollercoaster stylów i emocji. Przekrój historii czarnej muzyki i historii, zwłaszcza w wydaniu amerykańskim, ale sięgający też do afrykańskich korzeni. Skala tego albumu jest porażająca. Refren z "The Blacker The Berry" to insta ciary. Absolutny klasyk w momencie wydania, a jego wartość tylko rośnie z czasem.

I think this album well deserves a spot on the list. This is music that will be remembered years later. I think you can take off layers of each track and find something better and better every time. I was a fool to sleep on Kendrick Lamar and it's an easy 5.

Znacie moje zdanie o tym albumie. 5/5

ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVOURTIES! This dick aint free

Psh— I am much more familiar with DAMN. than this album, but this was approximately 700x better than some of the other assigned albums. King Kunta is suuuuuch a jam. Alright is another perfect song. Why is “i” so fucking good?? I had never heard the whole track, and it’s incredible.

This thing is such a ride. Musical styles all over the place. Seems like there’s a literary or pop culture reference in every line. This is a dense, heavy listen, and I’m not too proud to admit that a lot of it goes over my head. And yet, while playing 4D chess, Kendrick has a way of making you bob your head and keep coming back for more in hopes that maybe you’ll peel back another layer on the next listen. Plenty of iconic names blazed the hip hop trail, but I don’t think anyone has ever done it better than K.Dot. This one proved GKMC wasn’t a flash in the pan.

One of the best hip hop albums to ever grace my ears. But is it Kendrick’s best? I’m not so sure.

De metafoor, van roekeloze rups, via claustrofobische cocon, naar filosofische vlinder, maakt van dit album één van de best doordachte en tot op de detail rake concept album ooit geproduceerd. Zelfs na vele luisterbeurten intrigeert dit verhaal nog steeds, en ik kan me alleen maar voorstellen dat het de levens van vele zwarte jeugd in vergelijkbare context zal blijven verrijken en inspireren voor de rest van deze eeuw (al is het wenselijk dat het niet meer nodig is). En naast de complexe en emotionele reis door de psyche van Kendrick, en daarmee ook vele lotgenoten, is het ook gewoon één van de meest interessante muziekstukken op productie-technisch en muzikaal vlak. Op een enkele uitzondering na voelt alles zo vol met leven, en is het een ultiem voorbeeld van hoe Hip Hop de kwaliteit heeft om te schakelen tussen allerlei stijlvormen. R&B, neo-soul, funk, avant garde jazz.. moeiteloos, en het draagt allemaal bij aan het vertelsel. Die hints aan free form jazz bijvoorbeeld, die dragen bij aan de chaos in verscheidene passages van het de evolutie van rups naar vlinder in de ghetto, terwijl het ook echt de magie onderstreept van een dergelijke ontwikkeling. En dan die guest appearances, ze lijken allemaal in dezelfde spirituele trip als Kendrick te zitten (The Isley Brothers in het speciaal). Ze sluiten eigenlijk allemaal naadloos aan in de narrative. Ik raak als de rups in het verhaal zelfs na tal van luisterbeurten niet verzadigd. Top 5 hip hop albums ooit. 10/10 Highlights: Wesley's Theory King Kunta These Walls How Much A Dollar Cost The Blacker The Berry

Duurde even voor ik tijd had deze LP op te zetten en echt de tijd te nemen. Want dat verdiend deze plaat. Waanzinnig hoe het album zich langzaam evolueert. Ik vind het gruwelijk hoe sommige nummers zo manisch zijn ('u'), om vervolgens weer heerlijk door te zweven door een nieuw verhaal of conversatie. De interludes en korte tracks plakken het fantastisch aan elkaar. Terwijl de losstaande tracks op zichzelf waanzinnig zijn. King Kunta haalt zelfs de Top2000! De tracks zijn manisch, grimmig en toch is de plaat toegankelijk. Deze zet je echt niet zomaar af en moet afgeluisterd worden tot het eind. Het is een hiphop plaat maar raakt zoveel andere genres, en door de gastoptredens wordt een groot muzikaal spectrum aangeraakt. En toch valt het album telkens weer terug op een kern, enkele melodieën en zinnetjes komen steeds weer terug. De thuishonk van To Pimp A Butterfly. Hiphop en rap is niet mijn favoriete genre, en Kendrick rapt over problemen die ik niet ken. Maar als er een hiphop album is de ik een 10 kan geven is het deze. Dus waarom zou ik het laten? 10/10 Highlights King Kunta Alright The Black er the Berry

Кендрик сразу 5 звезд, очень клевый и разнообразный альбом

Instant classic when this came out

Funk and fury makes it one of the definitive albums of the 10's.

Instant classic

🔥

great

9.9

Holy shit this album is 10 years old. Anyways, it’s one of my favorite albums ever and rightfully considered an all-time rap record. Lamar’s an incredible writer and versatile performer, and the production rises to the occasion. The poem that reveals itself throughout the record is also one of my favorite recurring themes in any given concept album. “I remember you was conflicted/Misusing your influence/Sometimes I did the same/Abusing my power, full of resentment/Resentment that turned into a deep depression.” Et cetera. It’s the best.

One of the greatest albums of alll time. Would give it more stars if I could

Such a great album. ofc the tracks I love continue to be amazing, but I was kinda shocked by how great some of the other tracks like Hood Politics and i are. One of those albums that's just so cohesive and strong as a unit.

Duh

Gooooooozer 5 sterren anders wordt Fantano boos

Tuvimos la suerte de entre todas la basuras que sonaban en el género allá por esos años, Kendrick Lamar estaba por allí. One of the GOATS

Tells a powerful story. Great album to run to

if you really care about replay value this is a 4, but otherwise it's undeniably a 5 listening to it front to back is the only way to experience it, listening to it by singles only is much worse *IN COMPARISON*, although you can argue that's not the right way to listen to any album and that it shouldn't be punished for that

Brilliant

I thought the Leftfield album would be my favorite album I’ve been given for a while, and it just so happens that my very next album is arguably the greatest album in the history of hip hop. Crazy how life works

9.5/10

This was an incredible listen. The lyrics are tight and his flow is great but the instrumental work and way is all blends is wild. Lots of cool genre work through it. I don't know if it's the best song of the album but King Kunta is so easy to keep listening to. What the heck was Drake thinking.

A pretty tight album. Blends a lot of influences really well. Decided to read the lyrics along with my second listen. It was like sitting down with an interesting book. This is an album. Requires more than one listen. I missed out by not listening to this when it came out.

A generational artistic achievement and truly worthy of all the acclaim. Kendrick is a master of storytelling in rhymes and this entire record, as it's ever unfolding form reflects, is a work of poetry above everything else. I am not a hip-hop aficionado myself but I am familiar with it enough to know that what Kendrick does on this record on every level is unprecedented and a groundbreaking feat. From funky bangers like King Kunta to life-affirming anthems like Alright, TPAB tells a profound story that only an artist in Kendrick's position is able to bring to light and make it sound so damn good. Certainly a more difficult record to approach than GKMC or DAMN but all the more rewarding for it. I don't think one listen is enough to fully comprehend the scope and depth of this record and I look forward to revisiting it many times more. This is what got Kendrick the Pulitzer prize, DAMN was just a confirmation. Literature put in sonic domain.

This was really freaking good. I really stopped paying attention to most current music starting in the 2010s, and honestly my only real regret is missing out on Kendrick until now. His two albums on this list are both fantastic, but I give a slight edge to this one. Just top to bottom great songs, great lyrics, great production, etc. Kendrick expertly continues the legacy of West Coast hip hop. “Wesley’s Theory” is a perfect way to start the album and “Mortal Man” is the best way to end it. “Alright” is another highlight. The only real drawback to this is that it drags at times. Some of these songs could have benefited from brevity. Still a fantastic record, though. Wish I could give this a 4.5, as it’s not quite a 5 for me. Edit: Considering how much I’ve listened to this since this album was generated for me and how long “Wesley’s Theory” has been my most repeated song on Spotify, I have to give this 5 stars.

Such groovy rap. I love Kendrick's stuff and listening to this was amazing. He definately thinks about the meaning of his lyrics and the composition. Great album!

Ok cool

The pinnacle of rap. The one before (good kid maad city) and the one after (untitled unmastered) are there with it, but nothing else comes close, in my opinion.

Listening to this for the first time since the Super Bowl, it's fascinating how that performance feels so deeply indebted to everything that's going on here, despite the fact that the two share zero songs in common. Someone more talented than I should write some longform piece about this, I'd read the hell out of it.

ITS THE GREATEST ALBUM OF ALL TIME, YOU CANT DISAGREE WITH BANGERS LIKE WESLEY THEORYS AND HMADC, I LOVE KENDRICK LAMAR THE BEST RAP ALBUM IF NOT THE BEST ALBUM OAT

One of the best modern hip hop records. Creative jazz beats coupled with politically charged lyricism.

Powerful, profound, pointed and provocative. An incredible blend of fantastic lyrics with wild melodies and beats to make every song matter, both to the album and to the listener. Unmatched in creativity. Top tracks: Wesley's Theory, Alright, Hood Politics, The Blacker The Berry, Mortal Man

If you take a look at any critical list of 'Top 10 Albums of the 2010's', you're likely to find this one on every list somewhere. It's widely agreed upon at this point that this album is cemented as one of, if not, the best album in the last decade. Who am I to disagree? Regardless of its status as "best" or whatever, it's by far one of the most introspective albums I've ever heard. After years of revisiting it and peeling back the layers, it has genuinely changed the way I think; the way I think about America, the way I think about the Black experience, the way I think about materialism, and so much more. It's rare that you have an album that gets better and even more interesting every time you listen to it; and that's just through the lyrics and themes. I haven't even scratched the surface on how good the production is. Flying Lotus, Thundercat and George Clinton offer their jazzy influence all across the record, and guest spots from Snoop, Pharrell Williams, Rapsody and more just boost already great songs to another level. "The only hope we have left is music and vibrations." I think that quote a lot. I also think about this one: "Life ain't shit but a fat vagina."

The greatest rapper's greatest achievement; an album sharing space not just with other GOAT albums but with other GOAT works of art, regardless of medium.

A top ten album for me. I could write a thousand words on what makes this so good or why the themes hit so hard and feel so relevant a decade on. It’s just someone else has written it better. That first listen though, coming off a 16 hour shift and finding out it had released. Hearing that Flying Lotus production on the opening track sounded like nothing else out there. The emotional peaks of u. The Radiohead samples on How Much a Dollar Cost. The shift i has on the album. How raw and hard The Blacker The Berry hits. The conversation it created with GKMC. Not leaving my car until the first listen was done. That was a special experience that fueled a decade of listening habits. What Kendrick excels at is imperfect answers to complicated questions that are honest rather than truth because his experience is always at the center of them. A dense high mark for emotional honesty and storytelling in a genre that can often get misaligned by its content.

Sublime, a joy from start to finish. The next album is going to do well not to be a disappointment compared to this.

I'm not too much in the mood today - on a Cure binge interspersed with the angry, desperate spoken word black metal of Ashenspire, see? Not in the mood - but I remember how a longer while ago I asked my social media peers what would be the contemporary, progressive equivalent to Jazzmatazz and Kendrick Lamar was pretty much the consensus. Indeed it is.

How not

Incredible, iconic, magical

heilige makrele, guete morge kung fu kenny dim lieblingsalbum sis lieblingsalbum, bessers storytelling als die meiste hollywood blockbusters und das projekt wo mir vor paar jahr d'kunstform vom album lose wieder neu ufzeigt hed es musikalischs, lyrischs und konzeptionells meisterwerk, egal öb guet oder schlecht gluunt: TPAB gad immer mis zweitliebschte projekt vo mim favourite artist, top 3 of all time also ich glaub ihr wüssed alli wie vill mir das album bedütet <3

One of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. Not as immediately hard hitting as GKMC but it’s better as an overall album experience

Already know love and appreciation this album

I've been meaning to actually listen to this for ages, ever since Music League turned me into a Kendrick enjoyer, so thanks for that - and I do mean "thanks", because hot *damn* was that everything it's cracked up to be.

The evils of Luci are all around me!

CLASSIC.

To Pimp A Butterfly is without a doubt the best rap album of all time, and maybe just standalone album. From the intro to the poem to the interview to the interludes, it is all done to perfection. Even songs like i, released as single before the album to negative reviews, was changed by Kendrick to make it one of the most captivating songs on the album. The cover too, it is one of my favourite covers of all time with the black men outside the White House, and the dead white man all in front of them, and K-Dot right in the middle. This is my favourite album OAT. 10/10.

This is just so much more than a hip hop album. It’s a true master class in just about every aspect it touches. It oscillates between soul, funk, jazz, and some of the purist rap you’ll ever hear. It almost feels like a fools errand to attempt to reduce this album to a few paragraphs, as there’s nothing one can say that hasn’t been said already. It’s an album with a clear vision that comes together to form one of the most powerful pieces of art in the past century. I could write a lot of words about this record, but nothing compares to the feelings this album inspires in you, and it’s impossible to explain the experience. 10/10

Of all the albums released this millennium, probably very few have been written about more than ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’, so I won’t spend too much time trying to say what surely many others have already. It’s a fantastic, inedible creative album that’s as lyric-driven and contemplative as it is full of danceable bangers. Instant classic that will remain relevant for a very long time. 9.5/10

Per quanto mi stia prepotentemente sulle balle Kendrick Lamar, album potentissimo

ANYBODY CAN GET IT THE HARD PART IS KEEPING IT MOTHERFUCKER

This is Kendrick's best album, hands down.

I remember you was conflicted Arguably the best hip-hop album of all time, and (along with Stankonia by Outkast) the one that really got me into the genre. I remember listening to this the day it came out, not too sure what to think, and despite the emotional rollercoaster it takes you on and the sheer length of it (at nearly 80 minutes) I immediately had to relisten as there was just so much I wanted to revisit and explore. It’s incredibly ambitious, both musically with the live jazz backing and lyrically with everything that is tackled on here from institutionalised racism and police brutality to sexism within the hip-hop community to faith and identity and legacy, and so much more. It’s such an important, complex and heavy album but also has some absolute bangers so you can listen to certain tracks like King Kunta, These Walls and Alright in basically any setting (while For Free? and u are maybe best kept off the aux and within the whole album experience) The features are amazing with everyone on their A game and really fitting with the concept of the record, whether it’s a fun Snoop verse, a really powerful Rapsody verse, George Clinton’s funk genius, Kamasi Washington’s otherworldly band leading with Thundercat’s ridiculous basslines, or a posthumous ‘interview’ with 2Pac - but Kendrick remains the star of the show, switching his voice and flow up dramatically whether he’s gliding over Dilla-style grooves on Hood Politics, aggressively spitting fire on The Blacker the Berry, or reciting poetry between the tracks. It’s a long album that never dips, never drags, stays focused, and is constantly impressive and moving Not too sure what else to add about this as I could end up talking about it for days, so let’s just say once again it’s very very good and leave it at that

Enjoyed this a lot, Kendrick really does excellent work.

*brain fog clearly providing a brief moment of lucidity and good taste* this is an Objectively Perfect Album

Best hip hop album i've ever listened to.

Such a great album. Has been a favorite for years. Nice to relisten after a while.

Fucking amazing

Amazing jazz infused beats with next level rapping.

En yleensä diggaa kendrickistä ku sen tyyli on jotenkin... Hyökkäävä ? Mut tää albumi ansaitsee kaiken hurmoksen mitä se on saanu!

This is the only album that I can think of that has a poem on it that ends with thee reveal that it’s being read to TUPAC. absolutely fucking PEAK

Probably my favorite hip hop album of all time. Takes a sledgehammer to the walls of what music can be behind rap. In the hall of fame of rap’s double entendre venereal jokes, “like a Chevy in quicksand” before that beat shorts out and comes to life is inner circle

One Of The Greatest Modern Rap Albums Out There

One of the best albums ever. Amazing jazz instrumentation, lyricism, and cohesion in the album. A story is told, and Kendrick Lamar has established himself as one of if not the greatest rappers of all time.

This album is exhibit A of how Lamar dogwalked Drake during their back-and-forth earlier this year. The man is sharp, smart, obviously well-read and extremely talented.

10/10. No notes

I don’t know where to start with this album. As much as I LOVE music, I still feel incapable having a full understanding of why this is a genius piece of art, but I know that it is. Musically, there is very little, or maybe nothing, in the hip hop world, that comes anywhere close to this. It’s like the album is equal parts rap / funk / jazz. Lyrically, Kendrick takes you on a trip through the corners of his mind with themes ranging from self love to systemic racism to the current climate of today’s hip hop culture. This is not just a collection of songs, this is a work of art. I’m not sure people have realized the true genius of this piece of art yet, me included.

For those leaving 1-2 star reviews, I may not be able to help you but I might know someone who can. Let me introduce you to Cole Cuchna the host of Dissect. Dissect is a podcast where each season does an in depth, song by song break down of an album. Season one tackles To Pimp a Butterfly. I’ve been a fan of Kendrick Lamar for a long time but had no idea how much of a genius he was until listening to this podcast. And I don’t use the term genius lightly. This album is an incredible work of art. Musically, I’m still preferential to good kid maad city, but tpab is a masterpiece. So even if you love this album, and especially if you don’t, I encourage everyone with an interest in music to check out Dissect. It’s not only given me new insights into this album and others. It’s altered the way I listen to music in a good way. I still enjoy music for what it is, just like surface level enjoyment. But I find myself noticing more when I actively listen than I did in the past.

don’t trust anyone who doesn’t give this a 5. Is and will always be the best rap album of its time. every single song takes you on another journey. THIS DICK AINT FREEEEEE

This is probably one of the most important albums ever made. Nearly a perfect project.

this is one of the two albums i would say qualifies as the greatest album i've ever heard. there are at least a couple dozen i like more than it, to be sure, but almost nothing compares to the depth you'll find in the lyrics, the instrumentation, the theming, etc. - truly grateful to be alive at the same time as this

One of the greatest albums of all time

This was a collage of ideas, a tapestry of art and sound and perspective. I have to say, it probably beats out MAAD City. There's so much to digest here. Incredibly long but worth the journey.

I’m feeling a light 10 on this one.

Always seen rap as the flip side of the coin of punk. Street music, street politics, rage against the system. This album was solid all the way through, with quite a few bangers I'm sure I'll listen to again: King Kunta, Alright, The Blacker the Berry (which is probably my favourite track on the album) though I also love Mortal Man, and the confessional/conversational nature at the end. I don't think I have a single complaint about this album, and I can see why you both own it,

Straight and clear, I've never been a huge fan of hip-hop. What I love about Kendrick is that he's not afraid to incorporate other musical elements into his tracks, thus eliminating my biggest gripe with hip-hop, repetitiveness. From the first track it immediately stands out as "This isn't just a a rapper on a beat". I remember listening to King Kunta for the first time and being absolutely blown away, from the opening all the way to the ending. Upbeat, catchy, funky.. one of my favourite lines "Most of y'all share bars like you got the bottom bunk in a 2 man cell". The biggest takeaway I had from this album was the poem that is read aloud after (almost) every track. You get a bit more every time and then an entire song is written about the last line he says in the poem. And by the end when he ties it all together, I was floored. Probably the first album, and maybe the only album, that did that to me. I think I remember sitting there in silence just taking it all in, trying to make sense of everything I just heard. I still don't listen to a lot of hip-hop, but I'll always listen to Kendrick Lamar.

GOATed rap album fr

Listed on so many music websites as THE #1 album of all time. I hadn't listened to it in awhile and really didn't have any memories on it. Upon relisten, however, I understand why it's earned it's place. Kendrick is King. Punches hard and rides smooth

lovely

Shimmering big band instrumentals, jazz, R&B vocals mixed into well thought-through verses. The album spends enough time having fun to balance the occasional angry, violent or drunken ramble. I don't know who specifically this album is for, but I think every American adult should listen to it. Not my favorite Kendrick Lamar album, but it is his best.

Absolute masterpiece that made me fall in music like no other album. I was blown away by the first 2 tracks I heard while shopping for CD's in the little booth where you used to be able to listen to CD's you put in it. The world of jazz has been an incredible discovery, and the discovery of hip-hop and its rich legacy and meaning has been as wonderful to discover. I still catch things from this album I hadn't noticed. This is such a classic, it's become standard that it's not going to be topped soon

Amazing. Got me thinking, made me feel, just beautiful and heartrenching.

I wish I had the words this album deserves. All I can say is it's one of the greatest albums ever made, and the one that solidified Kendrick as one of my favorite artists of all time. I am consistently awestruck by his artistic vision and and how brilliantly he realizes it. The rhythmic technicalities of his flow on this album blow my mind, and the way he works with his voice, the poem repeated throughout, the fusion of musical styles celebrating black heritage, the complexity of the subject matters covered - again, I really wish I had adequate words. It's a brilliant album that I learn from with every listen. Infinite stars out of 5.

Found additional songs I liked

Modern classic, amazing storytelling

Kendrick is generally considered the lyrical, insightful rapper of our generation. It upsets me because there's so many other artists making Hip Hop with more meaningful themes and subjects. Some of the songs were so full of nonsensical, abstract lyrics that it was difficult to follow exactly what was being communicated. There was a mix of profound ideas side by side with run of the mill sex drugs and money songs. With that being said, this album definitely deserves five stars. It has so many bangers and the production quality and style are fresh and unique. There was a consistent Jazzy undertone that worked really well with the different beats.

can you give it anything else. Best songs:The Blacker the Berry, i

I said this in my review of Good Kid / mAAd City, but hip hop has never been a genre I gravitate towards, so I hadn’t really heard much Kendrick Lamar before doing this list. I was blown away by Good Kid / mAAD City. Gave it a 5. Got this album and expected similar. But somehow, I’ve been blown away again. Astonishingly good. Maybe the best hip hop album I’ve ever heard.

Listened to this album a few times before, and thoroughly enjoyed it each time. It’s engaging, lyrically dense, and makes me want to dance along to the songs.

Fav: Wesley’s Theory Least Fav: For Free? - Interlude Incredible album, and u has got to be the greatest song I never want to listen to again.

made me black

King Kunta Alright The Blacker the Berry i

A towering achievement. Dude's firing on all cylinders on this one. What a fantastic synthesis of sounds, music, and lyrics. The performances are stellar; the creativity is through the roof. This is peak music.

Love this album great to listen to it again in full

A must listen rap album. Love the way the narrative is woven between all of the songs. The songs are fun, loud, funky, introspective, and impactful. I’ve listened to it before, and I don’t like coming back casually because I enjoy sinking my teeth into the music. Standouts: Wesley’s Theory, King Kunta, These Walls, u, Alright, Momma, How Much A Dollar Cost, You Ain’t Gotta Lie (Momma Said), and i.

I've listened to this so many times, but still one of the all time great albums. Great songs, great variety, great storytelling, great features and sessions musicians, an overall thematic journey that ties the whole album together. Few albums reach the level this one does on any level, let alone across so many fronts at once. I probably prefer GKMC to this at the end of the day, but this album is easily one of the GOATs and it's criminally underrated on this site seemingly because its rap/hip-hop and contains profanity. Unfortunate.

i'm not surprised people talk about kendrick lamar so strongly when it comes to modern pioneers in the circle of hip hop. there's nobody like him, at least not that i know of. lamar's flow is unlike any other, unpredictable, fresh and varied. conscious and at the same time absolutely innovative and almost downright MAD when it comes to writing his bars. paired with his jazzy beats, it's a perfect mix of sound you don't hear in a lot of albums, let alone any hip hop albums.

I don't come back to this often because it's such an undertaking that requires so much attention. But every time I do I finish it thinking it might be the best album of all time. Kendrick's pinnacle. The poem and the Tupac track have maybe lost a bit of their initial impact but overall this is a masterpiece, and I'm amazed at the level of genius to create something like this, a record which you will never fully unpack.

Solid album. Much better than his other one I got from the generator. Listening to this on headphones sounds better than my phone or car speakers. A bit long but lots of good tracks on here if you're willing to look for them.

Emotionally resonant and complex. Between the freeform jazz production and Kendrick's impactful lyrics, it's hard not to rate it this high.

Cuando empecé hace ya casi un año a hacer esto de los 1001 álbumes, no tenía muy claro qué es lo que iba a sacar. Supongo que conocer nuevos artistas y reafirmarme en los que conozco de los géneros que ya amaba (rock, electrónica, dance...). Y si bien es cierto que me ha ayudado a conocer bastantes cosas chulas, yendo ya por una quinta parte de esto, lo que más me ha ayudado sin duda es a apreciar y amar el buen hip-hop/rap. Nunca había sido alguien de estos géneros, pero obligándome a oír primero a Kanye West (cosa que me ha hecho adentrarme y amar su carrera antes de que se volviera lo que es ahora) y ahora a Kendrick Lamar empiezo a apreciar lo que todo el mundo ama de esto. Y es que este álbum es la ostia. Quizá es el primer 5 en el que no puedo elegir un tema muy favorito porque el álbum fluye de principio a final como una entidad. Seguro que no llego a entender del todo todos los temas que trata, pero es que la forma de componer y rapear me tiene enamorado. Como ya hice con MBDTF, agradezco a esta página haber hecho esto para que, aunque a veces tenga que tragar mucha mierda, obligarme a escuchar joyas como esta que nunca habría escuchado hace un año. 5 estrellas.

Kendrick’s second full length album, I’ve always adored gkmc, in fact I consider it to be the closest to a modern illmatic if not better simply because it has the benefit of time on its side, As a sequel Kendrick smashes this out the park, pimp a butterfly is full of incredible lyricism , fantastic beat selection and deals with a range of topics, Kendrick is at his almost finest here and it’s a modern rap masterpiece.

Finally, an album that I was actually excited to listen to. The past 6 albums have ranged from albums that I really like to albums that I actively hate. But now, I can finally say that I have listened to the top album of all time on Rate Your Music. The people have called To Pimp a Butterfly the greatest album of all time. So, do I agree? Well, I personally wouldn't go that far, but I can absolutely see why others would. This is a truly wonderful album of a caliber that we only see every once in a while. I really only have praise to give to this album. The production on this thing is magnificent. The strong influences from funk, soul, and jazz create an aura that not many other hip-hop albums have. Even the interludes have a sense of musicality to them that you don't usually find in the interludes of other hip-hop albums. The writing is top-notch. The overarching themes of race, fame, and culture are utilized flawlessly alongside a few other songs that dive more into the mental state of Kendrick Lamar himself. Speaking of Kendrick, his rapping is some of the most unique rapping I've ever heard. The flow is certainly impressive and him changing the way he raps based on the perspective of the verse is just amazing. There's a deep personal core to this album that isn't the most accessible for newcomers. And yet there's still some pop sensibilities that allowed this album and Kendrick's music as a whole to become as popular as it has. I really don't know what else to say. Though I may like a few albums more than this, it would be hard for me to say that TPAB is anything less than a masterpiece. I get it. I see the appeal. To the surprise of nobody, I will be giving this album a 5/5.

Im not a rap lover only old school stuff usually. I do listen to the mew up amd comers to compare and shit on them and lack of skill or topics. That being said. This album is the best rap album Ive heard probably ever as an album. I had heard songles but thisbis not an album that you can take a song and listen. Its a real album with amazing storytelling and chronological order. It wrenches my gut to say it but its a masterpiece. I like Kendricks music but never a real consumer of it. I looked for his other albums amd listen to them as well and the are on the same level. Just some crazy producing and delivery. Every human on earth should listen to this.

no condoms they fuck with you, Obama

Y'know, while I was listening to this album I wasn't sure what exactly I was gonna say about it. 'Cuz, I mean, come on. It's TO PIMP A BUTTERFLY. Without a doubt, it's the most important and highly praised hip hop record I can remember. I know there's a lot of people who'd **heavily** disagree with that, but for my money, nothing else comes close. And therein lies the problem: I'd want whatever I'd say about the album to match how big I feel this thing is. But even after nearly ten years of living with it, I struggle to really come up with the words. It's not even a typical case where I can excuse myself 'cuz I don't really "understand" the album, because I do, and pretty well. Maybe I just don't have the vocabulary? I'm not sure, and I don't wanna bore you with speculation, so allow me to get to the one definitive thing I know I have to say. This album begins with a spectacular run. "Wesley's Theory" is... Like, maybe the best track on the album, honestly? "King Kunta" bangs so hard. "u" is, exactly as it set out to be, fucking depressing. And "Alright" is such an incredible groove that I can't even. But then we hit a strerch of songs where... Honestly, they just don't do too much for me? Excepting "How Much A Dollar Cost" and "The Blacker The Berry" (phenominal, both of them), the stretch from "Momma" to "You Ain't Gonna Lie (Momma Said)" just doesn't do it for me. Even understanding their place in the narrative. Now, of course, I don't not enjoy them enough to not give the album as a whole the 5 I believe it fully deserves, but... I'unno. I think it's just the beats? Comparing it to every think that comes before it and everything that comes after—well, there's some outros I love, but as a whole, they're just too laidback for me. So much smaller than what I expect from the rest of the album. It's always been a sticking point for me, and it's probably why whenever I listen to stuff from this album it's usually just the first three or five songs or just "Alright". Ultimately, at the end of the day. though, it's a nitpick. Not nearly enough to knock this thing upon the towering pedestal of importance where I've placed it. It deserves all the praise it's gotten, and whatever more can be said about it. So... I'unno, yeah. That's my perspective on that. What do you think about that, Pac? Pac? Pac—?

One of the greatest albums of all time, simple as. 5.

It’s a 10. I knew it was gonna be a 10 before I listened to it again, but I just had to be completely sure. Too many people have written too many words about this album for me to add anything truly meaningful to the praise it gets – hell, I even wrote a paper about “How Much a Dollar Cost” once, so I’m worn out on writing things about this album already. I can’t wait to read all of the thinkpieces when this album hits its 10th anniversary next year to reflect on just how special of a piece of art this is – people with bigger vocabularies and more introspection than I will be able to write some beautiful one-liners about its impact and its legacy in ways that I’ll only be able to appreciate and agree with. For my money’s worth, I truly have nothing but praise for it, and it’s praise that everyone else will regurgitate – brilliant lyricism, incredible flow, fantastic features, genre-bending instrumentals, great vocal work, and ultimately, just one of the more clear and concise visions ever laid out for a single album with damn near flawless execution, especially via the framing of the album provided by the poem and the payoff with the 2pac “interview” at the end. This is the easiest 10 I could possibly give. I’m sure there are better rap albums out there, I’m sure there are albums with bigger impacts out there, and I’m willing to admit that I know it so well inside and outside from the amount of times I’ve listened to it that I can’t really look at it with a deeply critical eye… but I just don’t care. I truly think it’s the best album of the 21st century, regardless of genre, a top 10 album of all time, and it cemented Kendrick Lamar’s legacy by just his third studio album. Everything since this has been a bonus, and they’ve been incredible bonuses in their own right. I hope this guy drops again soon. Drake could fucking never.

Conscious Hip Hop, West Coast Hip Hop, Jazz Rap

Modern classic

This album proves that Kendrick is one of the all-time greatest.

I am more of a fan of 90s and early 2000s hip hop, but this one was surprisingly good. This album is cohesive and extremely well produced.

one of the best rap albums ever.

This didn’t win the Grammy and I will never forgive Taylor swift for it

All the people who don't like this are wrong.

This record is so sonically rich I can forgive some of the questionable lyrical choices. Though the Untitled, Unmastered record that followed was even better.

being someone who tends to hate modern rap, i was not expecting this to be good at all when going into this i leave with it being at least top 15 albums of all time, this shit it incredible and i finally understand the hype

I'll Wesley Snipe your ass before thirty-five!! 🔫 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

An absolute classic.

No notes required, it's my favourite album and I listen to it multiple times a month.

Kendrick Lamar is one of the most revered, respected hip-hop artists of this century, and the fact that this record is often considered his best just goes to show his quality of work. Between the beats, instrumentation, flow, and social issues touched on, this album is nearly flawless. Admittedly I don't listen to a ton of rap, but even with the 1 hour 17 minute runtime, I found myself engrossed throughout this record. For the life of me there's hardly anything to nit-pick about this album, so I won't! Notable Tracks: - Wesley's Theory - For Free? - Interlude - love the jazz backing track - King Kunta - Hood Politics - Complexion (A Zulu Love) - The Blacker The Berry - i - not as good as the live version from SNL, one of the best SNL performances all-time in my opinion 10/10

Hard hitting, inventive, mature, badass yet beautiful. Kendrick raps incredibly about fame, wealth, guilt, institutional racism, the black experience and above all the transformation of one's self through art. Music and instrumentation has a whole lot of inspirations from classic Gangsta rap, Jazz, Funk and soul yet feels so original and fresh. Lamar's monologue of 'I remember you was conflicted' gives a very human touch to the record and sort of encapsulates the album theme. Absolutely amazing! Favorites: Wesley's Theory, King Kunta, u, Alright, For Sale, The Blacker the Berry, i, Mortal man

I barely know how to describe this other than as it being one of the most artful, revolutionary and emblematic releases in music history.

Not explaining.

Rap-storytelling, a cohesive album, ending with a poem and conversation with 2Pac, mixing a lot of musical elements and at times reminding me of the innovative sound of André 3000. It's not every song I want to listen to for the vibe-sake, but I like the complete work.

I knew nothing about rap/hip-hop until I started this project. And I’ve been exposed to much more gorgeousness than awful, and this is gorgeous. Weirdly, the Apple version is some kind of radio-safe version with silenced profanity. And it takes away from it. Beautiful album.

Very good

To Pimp a Butterfly I saw this was on the list when Paul recommended it after Good Kid, so I wanted to wait until it came up before I listened to it. The list of guest stars and also musicians and producers is nuts - I counted 60 on the Wiki page - but it’s also nuts how much it all hangs together when you take all that into account. Wesley’s Theory is great, squelchy bass and funk vibes, despite neither Thundercat or Gorge Clinton actually playing bass on it. King Kunta is excellent, superb samples and interpolations and great, driving bass and percussion. Sounds like an instant classic to me. Institutionalized is also very good, really like the drum sound and drum pattern, and Snoop’s rap is great, his voice sounds really different, older and worn. These Walls is very Thundercat, I love that warm synth sound and again the drum sound is excellent, as are the little guitar lines. Alright I remember from Glastonbury the other year, and I’ve definitely heard it in other places. Momma is great and Hood Politics too, love the ‘bending’ synth sound. How Much a Dollar Cost feels like a succinct distillation of the themes he raps about, kind of despairing but not hopeless. Ronald Isley sounds fantastic on it. The Blacker the Berry is also excellent, has a similar feel to King Kunta, but brilliantly atmospheric and creepy. You Ain’t Gotta Lie has a similar feel to some of The Roots. I is excellent, great sample and interpolation. Great delivery and awesome drums/percussion. Mortal Man, what a closer. As a privileged person from the UK it’s hard to understand his experience, but this is very powerful. It’s definitely one of those albus where it all just sounds right. The feel of the whole album is great, again a bit nuts considering the disparate cast of people, players and producers. It feels like a very modern soul record, with funk and jazz all being big elements without being overbearing or distracting and all layered brilliantly with the instrumentation, and a great drum and percussion sound throughout. Lyrically and thematically it’s great too, carrying on from the previous album, but with a broader more widescreen feeling. I can easily see this becoming a favourite, up there with Illmatic, but I need to listen more and let it percolate further. It’s very dense, musically, lyrically and thematically, and it is long, but I’m looking forward to getting to know it more. It’s maybe a 4 right now, but I know with time it will be a 5, so I may as well give it the 5 now. 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

One of those albums that is an experience in and of itself. Manages to have a unique sound across its entirety, every track is distinct but flows into the next effortlessly, production is impeccable. My favorite of his albums, one of the greats

Very good album. From start to finish i loving it

Not my kind of music but it's influence is undeniable, the roster of musicians is incredible and certainly Lamar is an amazing rapper who seems to stand head and shoulders above his peers.

One of my favorite albums of all time, this maybe cemented Kendrick as one of, if not the best rap lyricists of all time.

I don't think I can write an adequate review for this album. It's amazing and dense. There's a whole season of Dissect dissecting this album line by line. It's very dense and experimental and incredibly interesting. My favorite art is the kind that gets better and better the more you listen to it and I think this album is that. It's dense enough and weird and creative enough that you could probably listen over a hundred times and still pick up new things. It feels like this album is the type to drive forward a genre and music in general.

This album really has everything you would ever want and need to create an incredible rap album. The music behind the rhymes alone would be enough. I could seriously just listen to an instrumental version of this record and still find it super cool and interesting. I love how he mixes so many genres but never in a way that it gets distracting or overbearing. The funk, soul, gospel, jazz influences make it so captivating and interesting. I also love how consistent this album is. In a lot of ways it feels like a concept album, there are themes in the music that appear and reappear throughout. And then the lyrics could wrong anyone to the core. He hits on the entire spectrum political and social issues in America and among Black Americans. I always finish this record with things to think about. For as groovy as this record is, there's always a few songs that make me uncomfortable. They're heavy, emotional and not comfortable. But they're true, honest and vulnerable. It's like a watching a really good movie, there's always that part of the story where the hero hits an all time low and you don't want to tarry there. I know DAMN gets all the praise and the Pulitzer Prize, but this is the record that I always come back to with Kendrick.

I had a Kendrick-sized hole in my hip hop knowledge leading into this, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but this wasn't it. It's messier, more complex, introspective, more uneven, less accessible but ultimately better than I thought it would be. It's also an excellent arguement for the value of albums as a single piece of art, versus just a string of songs. Was going to give it 4 stars, but a stronger second half and a desire to revisit it earn it 5.

SO many hip hop artists are knee capped by success - which maybe shouldn't be surprising given how Black urban culture is essentially baked into the genre. Either gritty authenticity gives way to out-of-touch commercialism (the best song on 'Life After Death' is still crappier than the worst song on 'Ready to Die'), earnest religiosity (there's no contest between 'Coloring Book' and 'Acid Rap,' see also West, Kanye), or the warping factors of fame and power combined with mental instability mean any artistic output takes a backseat to concerning antics (RIP ODB, see West, Kanye part two.) But Kendrick Lamar not only avoids the pitfalls of power, fame, and success, he has the self-awareness to assess those things and find them wanting - or even burdensome. Whether his lyrics touch on survivor's guilt, imposter syndrome, the fear and reality of being exploited and the through line in American history of how that exploitation is baked into our culture - or, in keeping with the tradition of the genre, how insanely dope and talented he is - his output remains raw and real and also unmitigatedly Black. In retrospect, To Pimp a Butterfly feels like just the beginning of Kendrick turning his focus to art & truth and giving a middle finger to commercial success. While it maybe isn't as cohesive as Damn or Mr. Morale, it's still an amazing album with so many references (Ralph Ellison, Alex Haley, Wallace Thurman, breaking out of hip hop constraints to bring in jazz instrumentation) that lift up and reflect Black culture – simultaneously proving success doesn’t have to be a barrier to doing so, while also demonstrating just how and why that happens.

really good album. Some of the songs seemed very experimental. Different than what you hear as popular tracks from Kendrick.

A bit of a fever dream. The opening tracks are from a completely different level, but I honestly think they lead into a bit of a lull before going full throttle at the end. Even if I think parts of the album are slightly boring, the total score can only be a solid 5.

Kendrick is simply the best. Every release of his demands attention, and this is no exception. Favorite track “King Kunta”.

Almost perfect album. There are a few songs I don’t listen to but work well in the context of the album. Rating: 4.8

Best album of the 21st Century so far? It could well be. A seminal effort from a seminal artist. Nothing alike it before, now or after. A shining example of what humans are capable of. Unparallelled.

Wesley's Theory King Kunta Alright How Much a Dollar Cost The Blacker The Berry I Mortal Man (Listen to the podcast 'Dissect' that analyzes this album)