Reviews (page 5 of 15)
I can really appreciate this wild ride, but it's not for me on a typical day. Great stuff, though.
This album is so good. The hooks are so catchy. I love how clearly Kendrick sticks out over the mix. I really like this album. Solid 4 stars Liked Songs: "Wesley's Theory" , "King Kunta" , "Institutionalized" , "These Walls" , "Alright" , "For Sale? - Interlude" , "Momma" , "Hood Politics" , "How Much A Dollar Cost" , "The Blacker The Berry" , "You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said)"
Those lyrics. That brass. That acapella.
never liked rap and don't think I'll ever do but holy shit this is really good
pas mon préféré de kendrick mais vraiment inspirant
I was excited to listen to this today. The only album of his I've heard before was DAMN and I recall liking it a lot, but for some reason never played this one before. Not sure why I never played this before, but I was very glad to. My only mistake upon starting to listen is that I was driving around doing some errands, so I wasn't able to give the lyrics my full attention. Musically it was very cool, but I knew I needed to be more focused to appreciate it. When I got home I restarted it, and that was definitely the correct thing to do. My main thought about this record was "Wow!" The music, the production, but mainly the lyrics and the rapping were top notch. So many songs have parts that really stand out, and then some are just hard to describe. By the time it ended with Mortal Man I flabbergasted. What a conceit to have a 12 minute song that has more than half be a conversation with Kendrick and Tupac, and it totally worked. I'm saving so many songs to my playlists-King Kunta, These Walls, Alright, How Much a Dollar Cost, and i were such standouts. There's maybe one or two songs that didn't totally grab me, but they're not bad at all. And a disclaimer. I'm not a huge fan of rap. There's some I really love, and most of that is old school stuff like Public Enemy. This project is giving me more of an appreciation of other hip hop artists, while also confirming many I knew I wouldn't like all that much.
Lot of really great tongue-in-cheek lyrics to carry the track narrative. I love these kind of dark poetry albums.
I’m gonna have to revisit this & actually read the lyrics cuz my dumbass can’t keep up/its all over my head.
A few standouts but overall just a little too long for my cracker ass
Hated it. I’ve never heard so many uses of the word “nigga”, “pussy”, “dick”… you get the idea.
Not my cup of tea. There were very few things I actually enjoyed.
It's been almost 5 years since I last heard this album. I was a bit hesitant when I saw this was today's album. It demands attention to its concept and asks the listener to reflect on societal issues. I'm not always prepared to commit that level of focus. What a treat that I got to experience such incredible art today.
No way, is that actually music I remember being popular when I was growing up?? This is one you definitely want the lyric sheet for. Kendrick’s a master wordsmith and effectively conveys his experience with racism and mental health, as well as commentary on society as a whole. I really like the variety here; you got a ton of featured vocalists to keep the sound fresh, whereas stylistically you can see everything from funk elements to hardcore hip hop. I can’t count how many times I heard King Kunta and Alright growing up, and I still don’t get tired of them. Keep in mind I am usually not a rap/hip hop guy, but I still think this is a super worthwhile listen. I will say the album was probably a bit longer than it needed to be and there’s some wasted time in there, so it’s not perfect.
I will preface this by saying that I'm one of the least qualified people to be talking about rap and hip hop It's good. Really good. Each song, each lyric, hits like a freight train. This is one where you need to read the lyrics to really get it, but the variety in tracks is great. I don't want to say my favorite is i because it's the most tranditionally song-like, but I can't lie to you. I don't think I would put it on casually for myself, and my ratings are more for how likely am I to put on a given album in my free time so
So now I know who Kendrick Lamar is... Big whoop. Not my style. Musical stylings good, and they change, but I agree with Allison. The whole thing makes me uncomfortable. Like the only way I (white middle-aged male) could TRY to groove on this would be on headphones. Alone. Isolated in the spare room.
I really don’t like rap. This album has good instrumentals and the background music and vocals hit hard, I just don’t like the rapping. Every line needs to have a swear for some reason and I just can’t enjoy this album. Each song would start and I would think that it’s about to be a baller song, and then the rapping starts and I lose all faith in it.
This was a challenging album for me. Some of it was simply uncomfortable to listen to. And I realize that his album wasn't made for me, but lines like "this dick ain't free" just made me embarrassed. Needless to say I'm not playing this album where anyone else can hear ever again... While I'm not really a fan of Lamar's voice I do think that the musical styling, especially in the beginning are phenomenal. Wesley's Theory was unique and then followed up by a slam poetry interlude For Free?. King Kunta is one of my favorites on this album, it has great beats and less grating vocals, plus real clever lyrics. Institutionalized and These Walls also have unique stylings with the latter having an almost 70s funk feel. u and i is where I think the lyrics really shine and is overall just a solid song. Still, I found the album dragged, especially from Alright to Complexion. There's some decent lyrics in there but the vocals are too stilted and the beats are underwhelming. The Blacker the Berry is pretty good, but I wanted more of that. This project has made me realize how much I dislike double albums. I think if you are a die hard fan of a certain artist they're great, but as a new listener it's just hard to get into. Die I need to hear this before I die? Yeah, I'd say so.
Some real depth and some real groove. Only through it a couple of times so I know I’m missing a lot lyrically but something I wouldn’t mind diving into more.
poetic and meaningful
One of the greatest albums of all time. Lyrics, production, aesthetic and vibes. Once in a decade type of album
Favorite Tracks: i | Alright | How Much A Dollar Cost
One of the greatest rap albums of all time. Captures the end of the Obama era, where hope was fading into malaise, and Kendrick seems to almost predict what was coming next by reminding us of our history. Brilliant.
What can be said that hasn't been said before? Amazing album.
Truly one of the greatest to ever do it. No skip album. King Kunta, Alright, Mortal Man. Institutionalized. Skämtar du vilket album eller? Kendricks lyrics är så tasteful, smarta, hans rhymes och sätt att leka runt med ord och rytmer. Jag satt o gapa på en av låtarna för att det bara fortsatte och fortsatte och fortsatte, jag trodde det skulle ta slut, men det fortsatte. Vilken storyteller. 9/10
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.
it’s about time we get this album. LETME SAY THIS FIRST THIS ALVUM ISMAGNIFICENT IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE. The Goddamn intro song pulls you in like nothing and it’s an amazing start to the album. The LYRICISM is top tier. The storytelling?? The emotion in the songs? especially like u. This album has so many hits, songs to dance to, to think to, to cry to, to have a crisis to and more. Amazing production, thundercat does his thing PERFECTLY. This album is acclaimed to be the best rap album ever and i can see why. The premise around this album is about systemic racism, survivors guilt and the exploitation of black artists in the industry and this album brings justice to it. that’s why it’s so good, the album name being to pimp a butterfly is meaning of growing from a caterpillar to a butterfly (maturing). Of course i’ve listened to this before but this album has been with be since it came out to be honest. This album has #1 on RYM and i think AOTY. EVEN OBAMA SAYS IT GREAT. This album also won a grammy for best rap album of the year. To be a rapper to release 3 classics in a row is rare. Kendrick deserves any award he wins. Nothing to say wrong about this album honestly. it’s good to dissect the lyrics to this album too but i’m done with my review this album is obviously perfect km glad i got this opportunity to relisten. Before go i want to mention Mortal Man, what a song “when shit hits the fan, are you still a fan??”And the fact that when the album ends it just leaves you in shock, how could it just end ?? 11/10
This only gets a 3 because the instrumentals are pretty cool.
Listening to this album in contrast to other hip hop or rap albums already on this list, it really shows how TPAB stands head and shoulders above the others. The sound is layered and complex. We have effectively free verse poems in between tracks. Just really well executed and interesting to listen to.
Hip-hop, especially modern hip-hop, can be hit or miss with me. But when it hits, it hits and Kendrick's magnum opus definitely hits. Don't get me wrong I have not read all the dissertations written about this album but I can greatly appreciate the messaging in many of the songs as well as the wide mix of style and influences he has on this album. This is one of those rare albums that is over an hour long but doesn't drag at any moment and feels shorter than it is. While not my favorite hip-hip album of all time. Its definitely my favorite one I've heard so far during this experience.
O maior anão da história do rap. 6 estrelas
É o goat
I'm aware that this site has an anti hip hop bias but I was hoping that this album would be an exception at least. Sigh, I guess a 3.62 is good enough. Anyways this is one of those albums that deserves every ounce of praise it receives. Arguably the most significant record of the 2010s. Favorite track: i 4.5/5
Masterpiece
All time classic, possibly the best hip hop album ever made. I've listened to this many times over the years and it flows beautifully. Deserves all the praise it gets, rather than seeing for stardom, it sought credibility through innovation and musicianship. It's so well crafted, it'll take a long time for someone to have quite this level of vision again.
The sheer depth of musical knowledge this man has is incredible. Can hear the influence from several genres and somehow he makes it work.
Some songs were awsome. There's a lot about black people
Great album.
the last song, where is just stops and have a freaking interview was so deep omg. this dick ain't free🗣️🗣️
Too erratic. Not a lot of flow with the beats and delivery. It’s jangled and tough to follow
Tight
Pre-listen: One of my top albums of all time. An absolutely staggering achievement and just excited to write something down about it. During listen: First 3 tracks: Didn’t quite realise how similar in thematic movement it is to GKMC, bragadocious in the beginning. Of course with undertones aplenty but much like ‘f the world for 72 hrs’ you have ‘this d ain’t free’. Sonically, reflects this. Just one observation of many you could make. Institutionalised: Wow, stunning. And the start of a creep towards something more sinister and dark that the album starts to move through. These Walls: Christ, forgetting the brilliance of the lyrics, musically this is astounding - simultaneously sexy, groovy, and bitter, conflicted (that word again), genuinely sad. Middle: Album is a journey. Never quite realised the weight of Momma. Lots of extremes of feelings around it, it’s a sanctuary in the middle of a storm. Also, first few times I listened I thought it’s quite dissonant, then the sweetness came through, then I think the underlying sourness hit me. Now musically I get taken through all of those and the brilliance of it is depending on which layer you focus on it has something different. But let it all hit you it’s really something. HMADC: Everything. Isley bro at the end is so perfectly executed. I’m not religious, but this is the something that makes you almost convert! Towards end: Drops in music (the pauses or pulls back) to emphasise words or gaps is great, just the attention to detail stunning. You Ain’t Gotta Lie is a really sweet tonic after Blacker Berry, sets up i so well, what a run (whole thing is). Mortal Man: Wow. Post-listen: A masterpiece. Gets better every time I listen. The poetry of it, abstract but never afraid to go full-throated. So intricate; full of moving parts that had to come together just right and did. There’s obviously so much here about the black experience and how wealth plays into that, I can’t relate but it puts me right there, so I can feel all of that and get taken on the journey. The themes of change and time shaping new ideas (sometimes for better, sometimes for worse) really forces you to map your own feelings onto it. It’s a one off, it won’t be done again. True moment in musical history - hip hop history but also just musical history.
so many good features, amazing storytelling, politically-charged lyrics. For sure purchasing this album!
What an album. The jazz and funk beats, Thundercat, the lyrics and flow. It all meshes together into something really special. I love the Radiohead sound on ‘How Much a Dollar Cost’. A lot of other songs really hit as well. Even the interludes are great.
Moving beyond the rote rhythms of the brothers Auerbach (are they brothers? Is it just the one Auerbach guy?) and onto something really unique. The second Kendrick Lamar effort we've experienced here, and my word, the far superior one. I feel as though most of the tracks that your general chart enjoyer will enjoy come from Good Kid M.A.A.D City. This thing? Man. We have spoken word poetry, free jazz samples, and fantastic sonic atmospheres all underpinning the dense, deeply personal lyrics that paint a picture of one individual's experience as a black person in the states. On top of all of that, you have technically brilliant rapping and thunderous beats that would stand alone as one of the better hip-hop albums of the modern era. Despite coming from just about as opposite a worldview as one can, To Pimp a Butterfly expertly crafts its viewpoint and makes comprehending its message(s) a thoroughly engaging exercise. Even as a white, Canadian suburbanite, It truly does get better with each listen. I hope that butterfly gets the help it needs, and that rascally pimp gets the chair. She's barely metamorphosized for god's sake! 4.5-5 HIGHLIGHTS: For Free?, u, Hood Poltics, How Much a Dollar Cost, The Blacker the Berry, Mortal Man
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.
Wow. I’ve played many of these songs on repeat, but I’ve never actually listened to the whole album. Shocking, I know. It’s a beautiful album.
Not for me
Peak. The Blacker the Berry and HMADC are goated. Love the message of the lyrics, I love the skits. Perfect album.
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.
Another K Dot Masterpiece
of COURSE
Okay so I feel like this obviously deserves a five for its lyricism, Kendrick’s vocal inflections, etc. but I feel like this list is supposed to be about what I like and I only like this as much as a 4. I understand why Kendrick manipulates his voice so much but honestly I find it a little annoying and grating? Anyways the rest of the album is pretty amazing. Kendrick pretty flawlessly weaves pieces of history into each song and how much detail goes into each track. Besides the obvious historical significance to the songs they also just sound really good. Fav songs: Wesley’s theory, alright, I
Can’t stand newer Kendrick
2.5/5
Possibly the greatest album ever
Magnum opus of what I think is the goat rapper
Favorite Track: King Kunta
great fucking album they really got the funk uh
fun to listen to, good vibe
One of my favorites; King Kunta was my intro to Kendrick.
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
Did not like it. Didn't finish it.
Not my thing
i like this 2026/2/11
I was in Barcelona when Kendrick was having a show last summer, I’m not a big fan of hip hop so I didn’t even think about going to the concert. Now I feel like I missed something super cool!!!! Amazing album loved “i”
absolute cinema
wesley's theory es una de las mejores canciones iniciales que he escuchado en un disco. a la altura de baba o'riley, de so what, de running up that hill (por decir algunas de entre los discos que ya nos han salido). también es de las mejores canciones con buenos aplausos. que el resto del disco esté a la altura de esa canción de por sí es milagroso, y que encima esté tan variado, tan bien estructurado y tan repleto de hooks y momentitos, se ha vuelto una obviedad su estatus pero ni modo que no sea un cinco
An incredibly dense album that reveals more brilliance with every listen. Built for vinyl listening.
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
Greit nok, noe kult innimellom men ikke så altfor mye som fester seg. Kommer nok ikke sette det på igjen
Heilt greitt. Ræpp er ikkje heilt mi greie trur eg, men til tider bra.
En gammel favoritt. Mange bangers, musikalsk og lyrisk interessant. Spennende, gode fortellinger. Fortelles med følelse. Funky, variert.
Too long, some of the songs had interesting parts but as I am bad at listening to meanings or lyrics on the first listen I got nothing out of the album.
Somehow never actually listened, and I see how this changed so many people's lives and music taste
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.
è kendrick cmon, tpab è supreme
I am not a fan of rap but this was incredibly creative, loads of variety, powerful message. Still, it’s not going to make me a Lamar fan but I see why he‘s so popular
Something in the production and the way this album is structured somehow reminded me of Eliveitie - Helvetios lol. Could be the roughness and commentary between tracks. I have never listened to Kendrick’s work I think. But I’m content with what I heard, it was nostalgic, like listening to Kanye’s albums back when they were good. I’ll probably listen to him more. Is this a 5/5 album though? Maybe, but I don’t feel it 100%.
I understand why he won a Grammy for this. No misses.
NOOOO all my notes deleted bruh what da hell. Well I've basically just been glazing this album it's very interesting and the composition is unlike anything I've heard. It has a lot of depth and is quite enjoyable and provoking. Big fan. Favourite: These Walls/King Kunta Least favourite: Hood Politics
this was very good. i love how smooth his rapping style is
366/1089 - Wow! It's been one year doing this listening project. I'm enjoying it so far. To be honest, I don't like Kendrick's voice or beats and I remember listening to this album a few times and disliking it in the past. I'll give it another try and see if my opinion has changed: The production is impeccable and there are some really cool instrumentals like Institutionalized and Alright. I'm not a fan of the Funkadelic/Thundercat sounds but that's more a personal taste thing and nothing against the album itself. The main problem with the instrumentals is how repetitive they are. I also liked "i" but by "liked" i I mean I liked "That Lady" by the Isley Brothers and was trying to ignore the rest of the sounds which brings me to my main problem with Kendrick Lamar: his vocals. I still think Kendrick's vocal timbre sounds like Spongebob if his balls dropped and he had throat cancer. I just can't really get into his music for whatever reason.
Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly is easily one of the best albums of all time and is definitely the best rap album (closely followed by Mos Def's Black on Both Sides). Like most conscious hip-hop records, this relies heavily on its lyricism, which in this case is great. It's aided by fantastic production and vocals, and this album has grown on me ever since my first listen. I am eagerly awaiting good kid, m.A.A.d city.
Perfect album. The best MC of his ever supported by the likes of George Clinton and Thundercat, and the spirt of Tupac.
Very creative and well done
beautiful hip-hop art
I like Kendrick. I also think he's overrated and sometimes difficult to listen to - his virtuosity sometimes means the hooks leave a little something to be desired because he's so busy flexing on everyone. And yet, here: this is a great album. It's good musically, it's tight and expansive, it's Kendrick at his peak. There's just too much good shit here, complex beats that draw from everywhere. I always wanna listen toS D'angelo's black messiah when I hear this. And yet...it's not like, super fun to listen to all the way through - some of the spoken word-ish stuff is a little too on the nose, a little too self absorbed, and it doesn't really kill momentum but it kind of takes you out of the whole thing. But that can't knock it down, it's a masterpiece.
Cant say it's bad but definetly not my taste.
the smile on my face when i saw a kendrick lamar album for me to play. i still prefer DAMN, but, this one is good too.
I only gave it 5 stars because I couldn’t give it more…
This album has too much language and corse lyrics for me.
Not his best at all
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.
again-another album that I just don't get the hype. musically it's interesting. vocals go between some introspection & reflection.....and objectifying women/overuse of certain words (which makes them less effective). just way too long
flowing, bopping, swinging
Amazing story building through spoken dialogue, and interesting that essentially an entire interview was included. Catchy with strong political themes
Its really good, har jo hørt det før, 9/10 album!
These days, I really dont for this type of language in the music I listen to. Lemar, you are clearly very talented, but this will never for for me
There's so many layers to this record. Those who gave this album a score lower than 3 never even gave it a chance. Probably #1 hiphop album ever.
One of my favorite rap albums. A masterpiece.
Great album. King Kunta is such a great track.
Really good album, enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting to, amazing blend of genres and styles, fantastic lyricism, I can see why it’s so well regarded
Very good, enjoyed more than I thought I would!
was not impressed but nice
5 stars for my brother's favourite artist! <3
Always a good day when I get an excuse to relisten to this
This album didn’t click for me the first time I listened. Today it seemed way better than I remembered. The second half especially is full of good songs. I’m not a rap fan as such, but I thoroughly appreciate the production in particular of this album
Hip hop is not for me but I gave it a go. Too long, too same. Vocal and orchestral arrangements with jazz influences were interesting. I appreciate the words, the intent, the vibe; and I get a Prince influence here and there, so there's that. Listened before? N Saved tracks? N Favorite tracks? How Much a Dollar Cost ⭐⭐ Didn't hate it. Didn't like it. I can only try to really relate to most of it
Wow. The beats, the flow, the storytelling and themes, the emotion, the jazz, funk, and soul. Think I'll listen again with the lyrics pulled up when I get a chance. Maybe fall into a Wikipedia rabbit hole...
Haven't listened to this in a minute, so I'm looking forward to hearing how it sounds now. Yep, "Wesley's Theory" starts it off with a solid bang. Great use of George Clinton in a song that doesn't sound like a Clinton clone. And, Interludes. Still ain't so interested in these, but they're not awful. "King Kunta" still sounds like The Coup in every way. "Institutionalized" still not a suicidal tendencies cover but I love it. Most things on this album are an homage. Bilal and Snoop help realize that feeling here. "u" has some great Kamasi runs "alright" is more than that, featuring some more great Kamasi runs. the band is just great on "to pimp" no doubt "for sale" the second interlude is seemingly a different interlude. it's a complete song. or is it? neither interlude so far sounds like the 90s interludes that kendrick is probably alluding to. by "momma" this album feels like a continuous stream. the songs are different enough but are connected by a vibe and sometimes by an instrument "hood politics"/"how much a dollar cost" engages this connection specifically. these 2 seem to be the album highlights
Fantastic album, soulful, jazz, rap and thoughtful
One of the top contenders for most overrated record. No particular voice, hectic rapping, what's the fuss - that he's gay? I couldn't care less.
I really liked it, lots of different sounds, great instrumentals (drums + piano), amazing flow, lyrics about the evils of fame and about his early life. Favorites were Wesley’s theory, these walls, king kunta, how much a dollar cost, the blacker the berry
Greatest album in existence
Not for me.
A love letter to Americas strongest people
Really not my cup of tea, only made it through 3 tracks
Musically this has some interesting elements. There's lots of experimentation, and the sound is quite rich; there's never really just one element to it - parts of it even lean into psychedelia. That aside, this is fundamentally rap, and as such, lyrics are important... the issue is that these lyrics don't resonate with me in the slightest. I can appreciate some of the skill in putting together the rhyming structure, but there's also a hell of a lot of pure cringe. I also really don't understand the hype around the social commentary aspect; the vast majority of this album is about sex (with a wildly misogynistic slant). I feel like rapping about your dick, nutting, painting all women as gold-diggers etc. etc. etc. somewhat takes away from any attempt at making astute observations on how society functions beyond "racism exists". Is including some random spoken word sections between tracks really all it takes to elevate this particular rap album to "art" status above all others? None of this was close to making me take my headphones off, and it was an interesting experience, but I'm clearly not the target audience and I wouldn't listen to more outside of this list.
every listen is a better experience. can’t believe we’re approaching 10 years on this masterpiece.
This is fantastic. I know everyone regards Kendrick as 🐐, and this album makes it clear why. Even the skits are 🔥, and I tend to cringe at rap skits. Lots of dance-y tunes. Lots of deep lyrics. Fun features. Just all around good music.
I don't really have the knowledge or the effort to dissect the meanings of everything in this album. So I'll leave that to other people. To put it simply, Kendrick Lamar is a phenomenal rapper who makes phenomenal beats. This is his best album, and what an album it is. Funky and catchy at times, powerful at others. One of the greatest hip-hop albums ever.
Thankfully Kendrick grew up and got better. He sounds like a chipmunk in some of these tracks. Immature but the skill was building.
Wesley's Theory - 5/5 For Free? - Interlude - 4/5 King Kunta - 5/5 Institutionalized - 4.5/5 These Walls - 4.5/5 u - 4/5 Alright - 4/5 For Sale? - Interlude - 4/5 Momma - 4/5 Hood Politics - 3.5/5 How Much A Dollar Cost - 3.5/5 Complexion (A Zulu Love) - 4/5 The Blacker The Berry - 4/5 You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said) - 3.5/5 i - 4.5/5 Moral Man - 3/5
The mix of Hip Hip with other genres like jazz and soul in To Pimp A Butterfly is insane. This album sounds so creative and is filled with subtleties. It feels so varied, but at the same time it's cohesive. The production is on point too. I haven't listened to much Hip Hop in my life, but it's plain to see that To Pimp A Butterfly is spectacular. No wonder it's so critically acclaimed. "Wesley's Theory" is an incredible opening. I also really liked "u", "Momma", "How Much A Dollar Cost" and "The Blacker The Berry". It's a shame I got this during one my busiest weeks of the year, as I don't have time for a second listen right now to pay more attention to the lyrics. This is surely going to my list of albums I have to re-listen (hopefully soon).
Obwohl ich es sehr lange nicht mehr gehört habe, war eigentlich direkt klar, dass hier wahrscheinlich die 5 fällt. So ist es auch. So ein vielschichtiges Album mit einem unvergleichlichen Vibe.
Es ist nicht zu 100% meine Baustelle, aber aufgrund der hochgradig relevanten Themen, des durchgängigen Konzepts und der vielseitigen musikalischen Einflüsse gibt es am Ende 5 Sterne.
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.
Ist überhaupt nicht meine Musik, da ich aber über weite Teile durchaus meinen Spaß damit hatte, muss ich das auch entsprechend einpreisen. Einige Längen gibt es aber, die mir negativ auffielen.
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 love this one. It’s interesting and dynamic. It kind of marked when Kendrick decided to get a little more experimental rather than the standard hip hop hits like Money Trees. The album draws on many influences and he collabs with cool people.
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
Oh yes. Legendary album. I nearly played it to death after my daughter was born. Listening to it while pushing her around in her buggy. So many individual highlights and the whole still adds up to more than it's parts. The variety of music on here and the scale of ambition (fully, fully realised) puts this easily in the realm of genius.
3.5 loved it!!
I guess I am out of touch...
Just a completely full album from start to finish.
Great album
It’s been a year and a half since I listened to good kid, m.A.A.d city as album #56 on my journey. Heck, it's been a long time since I first listened to the follow-up, To Pimp a Butterfly, back in 2018. Since then, these two records have been regarded among the classics, not just for conscious hip-hop, but music in general. There have been academic studies about these two albums that will capture more intricacy and layered details than I could possibly muster up in my reviews for this album generator website. All that said, there's still the matter of how these records hold up in my personal opinion. I enjoyed good kid before, and I will say right now that I ended up enjoying To Pimp a Butterfly once again, but let me see if I can dive into why. I think the first aspect of this record that has to be established is that Kendrick went for something ambitious here. After going for a more West Coast hip-hop broad appeal with good kid, he opted for the next record to be a little more challenging in the presentation. A progressive jazz rap album that touches upon multiple genres, running through the history of African-American music through a personal, introspective lens. Opening the record on "Wesley's Theory" with Thundercat's bubbling bassline and fragments of horns and synths, before giving way to a skittering free flow over frenetic saxophone play on "For Free?", followed by the early-80s funk stomp of "King Kunta", there's a certain mastery in flowing across these various musical styles. It also helps that this record maintains a crisp, organic production, while also taking cues from G-funk such as the chime and keyboard pairing of "These Walls" with the chorus vocals that has such a bounce to it. From the dancehall-inspired ferocity of "The Blacker The Berry" to the live performance of "i" with the sample of the Isley Brothers' "That Lady", to the dusty boom-bap of "Momma", the unsettling gang vocals and alto saxophone over the hard-hitting beat of "Alright" that give way to the glittering keyboards of "For Sale?", the dreary piano line over the cracking beat of "How Much a Dollar Cost", the subtle record-scratching over the hook of "Complexion (A Zulu Love)", even touches of spoken word throughout the album that culminates in the ending of "Mortal Man", there's not a single compositional idea here that Kendrick and the session personnel aren't able to execute effectively. Not to mention, there's the cavalde of guest musicians brought into the fold for some of their best moments, from Snoop Dogg's narration on "Institutionalized", to Anna Wise's hooks on the same track and "These Walls", to Rapsody's positive affirmations for blackness on "Complexion (A Zulu Love)", to even freaking George Clinton on the choruses of "Wesley's Theory". Of course, production and composition are only half the battle for a hip-rop record. Let's talk about lyrics and themes, as in mirroring the stylistic variety on display, To Pimp a Butterfly is not a full concept record so much as a series of vignettes, conveyed through Kendrick's multisyllable rhyming that's impeccably layered, to the point where even rapping over a busy jazz beat such as on "For Free?" becomes a cakewalk for him. On the surface, Kendrick does go for more sociopolitical content, openly critical of an exploitative record industry and the predominantly white audience that simulatoneously swallows the shallow crap and strikes down anything that steps out of line, or even succumb to the extremities of greed and lust. He's not even shy to drag the obvious comparisons to slavery to the forefront with language provocative enough to draw ire from across the board. But here's the thing with the framing - Kendrick paints himself as the main culprit, showing how enticing "Lucy" can be with her gifts, especially when the realization sinks in that he has to face the demons he released. That leads to the ultimate dramatic arc of this record, where Kendrick is not afraid to call himself a hypocrite. He talked about the distance he put between himself and his family, highlighting his own failures for not doing more and the temptation of taking the easy way out, be it through wealth, sex or a Glock. From there, he ventured home to try and reconnect with his roots, only to find himself further isolated in his own community due to his newfound success, a kind of survivor's guilt placed upon himself compared to those who face a broken system every day. The feeling of guilt reaches a tipping point in "How Much a Dollar Cost", where he refuses to help a homeless junkie who turned out to be God himself. That moment symbolized one of the primary metaphors of this album, that giving back or giving from yourself might bear no fruit or change to a larger system, but it can change lives on a smaller scale and that can make all the difference. It's a call not only to Kendrick himself, but to the larger whole to reject petty squabbles that can divide a community, to instead seek real enlightenment and passion within. What's super neat about this kind of messaging is that Kendrick is not being preachy about it, merely offering the options for people to choose on their own accord to better themselves. It's a strategy that works here, alongside the address to shallow rappers on "You Ain't Gonna Lie", or the positive call to action on "i", without fully giving up on contronting racial injustice on a visceral cut like "The Blacker The Berry". That brings us to the final track, "Mortal Man", where Kendrick makes a final call to his audience, to see if they are willing to follow him, even if the road ahead can be a tough one with all the temptations and challenges ahead. The refrain of "When shit hit the fan, is you still a fan" hits hard at this point in the album, knowing full well that Kendrick is a flawed man trying to rise above it all. Upon conclusion, Kendrick gets to recite the poem he'd been rehearsing throughout this record, each verse serving as a key thematical point for the various tracks throughout in highlighting his personal journey. It's a rather poignant poem that he reads out loud to - and I shit thee not - the late Tupac Shakur. In a rather transformative sample of an interview conducted back in 1994, Kendrick has a psuedo-conversation with his fallen idol, asking him questions to understand what the latter's come up was like and what he saw for future generations of black people. Kendrick then precedes to recite a second poem he had written, wherein he sums up the title of the album; the butterfly is the enlightened soul, the caterpillar represents those who would exploit it, and the cocoon is the system that perpetuates the exploitation, confined behind the walls. It's only when one breaks out of the system that they can be considered free, inspire other caterpillars to transform... yet at the same time the caterpillar and the butterfly can be considered the same person. Transcendence only truly matters when pitted against humanity, and it brings a message of universality that we can all get there, echoing what Tupac talked about with spirits, where "we ain't really rappin', we just lettin' our dead homies tell stories for us." It's only when Kendrick asks Tupac whether he agrees that he gets no answer. He's left alone, questioning whether his fallen legend would have agreed or thought the system can't be broken. There's no solace or clarity at the end, as it's really up to Kendrick, the audience, and the world at large to figure that answer out. My hope is that I've laid out, to the best of my abilities, why I consider To Pimp a Butterfly to be an amazing record that still holds up over a decade later. It's the kind of transformative record that pushed the envelope for how intellectual and layered conscious hip-hop can be, without needing to compromise itself to play to the very system it critiques. Kendrick himself would continue to innovate and carry the torch, and the bar was set pretty high here.
It was urgent to hear which music he’s making, because I never had the need to. And now I can say, that I tried and it’s definitely not my taste; soooo… but thanks, now I know what he’s doing. But actually there was something… the song “for free” was a shocker (the lyric combined with a jazzy vibe). Lovely! Also I couldn’t hear the whole album, because there was nothing catching and my attention wasn’t there anymore.
“We gon’ be alright” Lauded as one of the greatest hiphop albums ever made “To Pimp A Butterfly”, often shortened to TPAB, cemented Kendrick Lamar as the voice of a generation for many. This title was so pervasive that Kendrick would end up releasing a whole album with the intention of dispelling the idea and lamenting on the thorniness of his crown (he’s not the messiah he’s just a very talented rapper). The astonishing thing is TPAB absolutely lives up to the hype. It is a masterpiece from start to finish and the layers peel back further with every listen. It contains some of my favourite Kendrick songs but when listened to as a complete experience the tracks elevate each other to a level far greater than the sum of their parts. The depth, anger, and importance of the racial commentary contained within these bars will go down in history as some of the best in the history of rap music. The cultural importance of TPAB is already apparent just ten years later. “Alright” was chanted at Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and Kendrick’s performance of “The Blacker The Berry” at The Grammy’s hits just as hard now as it did then. The album also grapples with Kendrick’s personal struggles with his new found fame as well as childhood traumas and how these two things intertwine. This culminates in a conversation between Kendrick and Tupac which was created by splicing together audio from a genuine interview with Kendrick’s late idol. Musically the album is an astonishing departure from its predecessor “good kid, m.A.A.d city”. Kendrick brought aboard some of the most talented musicians in the world to realise his vision and the result is a collection of lush and captivating jazz-inspired instrumentals which back the lyrics perfectly. “To Pimp A Butterfly” is for me the pinnacle of Conscious Hiphop and I can’t see anything toppling it for a very long time.
I'm not a rap guy, so it's hard for me to evaluate. More diverse than other stuff I've heard.
Heard a few of the hits off this like "This is America" but never sat and listened properly. Already enjoyed Wesley's Theory and King Kunta. These Walls has a sick beat. U is despairing. How much a dollar cost is great, too. This album is sweet
Whatever it is... it isn't for me.
N Künstler dessen Kunst ich anscheinend nicht verstehe
Fand ich ganz ok bis ganz gut, aber auch nicht mehr. Kann den Hype nicht ganz nachvollziehen.
Finds gut, aber leider nicht ganz so gut wie good kid, maad city. Teilweise zu stressig. Mag trotzdem seinen Rapflow, Texte und Beats. Gute 4 Sterne!
A couple of these rap tunes are bearable but for the most part I'd be more inclined to keep clicking next and fast forward rather than listen to each song through to the end 2 stars
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
Inspired. Profound. Still relevant. 'To Pimp a Butterfly' reaches far and wide, both in commentary and in its musical composition. Kendrick Lamar matures in a sense here, we heard his story in 'good kid, m.A.A.d city' a few years prior, now he leans on his culture and educates the listeners whilst also being his own critic. Love the production here too, as the album utilizes all of the best parts of funk, jazz, and soul in its various samples. For all of this list's...choices, I think the hip-hop/rap album representatives on here have been very apt.
100126 12:46 4.5
Este é o melhor álbum de todos os tempos de acordo com o site Rate Your Music. O que dizer da obra de Bob Dylan, Beatles, Zappa, Genesis, The Who, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, John Coltrane, Jethro Tull, Elton John, Yes, King Crimson, Supertramp, New Young, Peter Gabriel, Gentle Giant, Rush ou Van der Graaf Generator?
Loved it! Wish I could rap like him. Sound was eerie, beats were queasy, lyrics where drop dead gorgeous and emotional.
Nice album 2 songs to playlist
Wesley’s Theory, King Kunta, These Walls, U, Hood Politics, The Blacker The Berry, i
Phenomenal album. There's a use of blues, jazz, and R&B elements that really speak to the influence of African American in music. It's really a beautiful homage to the life and struggles of Black people in America. Kendrick does an amazing job setting up a narrative throughout the album. With a really incredible use of sampling and beats, this album will take you through a journey. "King Kunta" will always be my favorite. But after listening to the album as a whole, "Complexion (A Zulu Love)," "Blacker the Berry" and "i" have come up in my rank of Kendrick songs. Genius album. Even for those not into Kendrick or hip-hop in general, it's necessary listening.
nie no diament
I could say a million things about this album but the best way I can describe it is no words. Lots of love to this album what an inspiration
I don't feel like listening to Kendrick Lamar. So so much misogyny and sex. Not even in a cute, clever way. I genuinely hate this shit. Another 2/5 for KL. There are other artists i like better.
Shit
I’ll def listen again
Language KL, language! Lol
When it comes to hip hop in general, I think a lot of it ends up feeling like surface level music. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, and some of it is really good for what it is, but Kendrick Lamar is one of those rappers who clearly has real musical depth and individuality that separates him from the rest. His voice and style are instantly recognizable without having to think twice. The production on this album is truly unique and original. Some of it leans heavily into jazz, funk, and soul, while other parts dive into deep lo-fi and experimental territory. There are also moments that are more melodic and accessible. Just based on the production alone, this album really highlights Kendrick’s more experimental side and shows how willing he is to push boundaries within hip hop.
10-talets bästa hiphop-album? Ja förmodligen, men samtidigt en aning överskattat ändå. Älskar dom tydliga George Clinton och Outkast-influenserna, och Kendrik X Thundercat gifter sig extremt bra. Hade dock lätt kunnat kapa bort 3-4 fillers. 80 minuter är faktiskt liiiite väl. Hade nog gett 9/10, så det faller väl preciiiis på målsnöret för att vara en 5/5
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.
Grymt album som helhet med ett tidlöst hiphopsound som samtiden inte skämt bort en med. Hade dock kunnat kortas och tightas till lite för att verkligen nå högsta betyg! Är väl inte min grej att ha en åsikt om, men för min del hade kunnat kapa några n-ord också - speciellt runt mitten där det är en hög npm-ratio.
Äntligen första skivan där dr funkenstein himself, George Clinton, medverkar. Visserligen kort men hans dna finns överallt här. Välkommen! Tidiga Kendrick är perfekt hiphop för mig. Organiskt och jazzigt med en stor dos g-funk och neo soul. Dessutom är det inte tradig oreflekterad pangpang-romantik utan ärligt berättat och genomtänkt. Så satans svag både för kendricks svala och släpiga leverans och de teatrala gangsta-satir-gubbarna han gör ibland. Sånt jävla musikeruppställ här också med kamasi Washington på sax, Robert glasper på piano och thundercat på bas. Bara groovet i början av ”Hood politics” är nog för att nosa på 5an. Har svårt att välja mellan den här och ”good kid mad city” som kendricks mästerverk. Landade i att det nog är den sistnämnda ändå när låten ”the art of peer pressure” gick igång automatiskt efter att jag lyssnat klart på den här skivan. Sån satans kompakt hopplöshet, som att lyssna på en säsong av ”the wire”. Kanske den bästa låt kendrick gjort. Får landa i att både ”to pimp a butterfly” och ”mad city” är 5or, helt enkelt. Denna lite lite svagare än ”mad city”.
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.
Fyrafemmafyrafemmafyrafemmafyrafemma? Äh finns ju inte en dålig sekund här.
Moderate rap fan, but if I had to take one rap album with me to a deserted island, this would probably be it, close call with vintage Kanye
As someone who don't like hip hop that much. I surprisingly like Kendrick. His flow is so fresh and unique. it might also be that he don't seem so be so focused on self-aggrandizing and more about struggles (Im not a huge lyric person so i might have missed the point) the beats really compliments Kendrick rap and really feels old school and new at the same time especially when a lot of modern rap has very sparse beats. I love the use of both jazz and funk. also the featuring by Bass genius Thundercat is a good addition and fits perfect.
it was absolutely beautiful i love kendrick so much
They are not like us 😈😎👱🏻
Great album. This is Kendrick storytelling and production at its best. Amazing message amazing work all around.
I have listened partially (first half). Sounds like art, love the interludes even tho rap is not my personal fav
Definitely not for me.
An album I I respect more than I could casually enjoy, very intentionally layered. My standouts: Alright, Momma, Complexion & How Much a Dollar Cost
no notes!!!
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
i didnt really like it. i think the themes it tackles in the album are spectacular and i do get the appeal
This is an interesting one. I like Kendrick, I thought this was a perfect album the first time I listened to it in 2015, and then I never listened to it in full again until today. The instrumentals are incredible, no doubt, and obviously Kendrick’s a talented lyricist and a great rapper. But this is a very political album, and the substance of the politics is just like, very basic? Did y'all know racism exists and has alienating, deleterious effects on the target community? Maybe (definitely) I could listen a bit more closely, but damn if I didn’t spend an hour and a half listening to this and got little more insight than that. Like, compare it to good kid, m.A.A.d city, which has far greater re-listenability and something fresh to say about masculinity in gang culture. Also, didn’t Kendrick get mad at Drake for bringing out AI Tupac? But this album ends with Kendrick interviewing an old recording of Tupac? After listening to College Dropout a few days ago for this project, I was looking at this album again through the lens of how much rap music actually inhibits class consciousness, and indeed, the prosperity gospel is strong yet again (especially on that Tupac outro).
One of the best modern hip hop albums.
I have nothing to say about this record that hasn't already been said. Very funny reading the dumbest fucking one-star reviews on this one though.
Greatest rap album of the 2010's
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.
Kendricks best work by far. Love the album front to back
I get it. There's a huge amount of ambition on here. Some really big tracks with actually something to say King Kunta, How Much.a Dollar Cost (on which I learnt about jazz while digging whether it was sampling Radiohead or Miles Davis) and The Blacker the Berry. Great sounds from across genres. I too. But all the biographical mild misogyny is still there. And why do American hip hop albums have to all be soooooo long. I'd probably score this higher with some editing. I was thinking that just as the last track Mortal Man started. And I saw it was 12 minutes. Interesting chat though. I'd listen to some songs again but can't see having the patience for the whole thing. High 3. 4 with some edits. Edit: fine. Low 4. 3 seemed a cop out.
the transition from for free (1/5) to king kunta (5/5) gave me whiplash. everything else is somewhere in between. i was looking forward to this album but didn’t quite live up to my expectations.
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.
FK
Quite Good
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
Interesting. Not collectively my style but I do like many of the individual components drawn from other genres you hear in each song.
Idkkkk i dont get it
Fire! Of course
NOW I RUN THE GAME GOT THE WHOLE WOLRD TALKING KING KUNTA. I knew most of the album in isolation but dedicating time to the collective was needed. You can feel his passion for his faith and what he wants to convey in each song. I has the passion of betrayal that I don't know how he gets the shakeyness in his voice.
Totale découverte et très bonne surprise. J'adore le flow, le rythme, la base jazzy même si peut-être un peu long.
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
4.0 stars Have mixed feelings about this album...Kendrick's talent is obvious, but having grown up on 90's rap, modern rap just pales in comparison...there's no "classic" tracks; there's no memorable lines; etc. BUT judging the album for what it is...it's very good. Favorite songs: the Blacker the Berry & Momma
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.
Intressant att vi får Butterflyn bara dagarna efter att Perna nämnt den i Frank Ocean-recensionen (där vi inte riktigt drog jämt i bedömningen). Nu är inte riktigt överens med göteborgaren om att dessa ingår i samma eller liknande genre heller. Kendrick är ju i grunden hiphop. Pratar vi neosoul kan vill i så fall paralleller dras till D’angelo i det jazziga anslaget. Oavsett vad är även detta riktigt bra. Albumet är för långt, men lyckas trots allt kravla sig upp på en fyra.
Bra gung i King Kunta och the blacker the Berry, övrigt är det rätt sömnigt. Jag hänger inte med i Kendricks texter och tycker inte hans flow är tillräckligt kul.
3.5
Aquesta recomanació ha sigut l'excusa perfecta per començar a escoltar Kendrick Lamar més enserio. De cançons seves ja n'havia escoltat abans, les de l'àlbum més nou. Aquest àlbum m'ha agradat prou i m'ha fet voler-lo tornar a escoltar, li donc un 4.
This album is pretty great. Lots of really great instrumentation and guest vocalists. I need to listen to more of Kendrick's catalog, but I will definitely be coming back to this one. 4/5
Loved this album already. Just a great album, and varied. I love the jazzy backgrounds. Wish there were more albums like this (there probably are and I don't know them) 4.75/5
Not really my style but I liked the variation and how every song seemed like its own thing. I also really appreciated some of the old school hip hop sounds used throughout. Great album.
Good album. I can see why it’s popular. Not my cup of tea for most days but I can see myself planning this album when I want to get hype
When I say that I generally can't stand hip hop, this album is one of several exceptions for me. It's dynamic, packed with rich textures, genuinely dangerous, cultured, thought provoking and impactful. It does err somewhat on the lengthy side, but virtually all of its length is warranted due to the variety from track to track, and the attention to songwriting craft paid throughout. I don't reach for this very often, but when I do, it's a firm reminder that even my least enjoyed genres can, and do have their bright spots.
definitely not the kind of music I would usually listen to, however, it’s really good, I like it
I’d rate it a personal 7.5.
Día 6, segundo álbum: por lo general el rap/hip hop no suele ser lo mío, y es verdad que a Kendrick Lamar lo conocía, pero nunca me tomé el tiempo de sentarme a escuchar nada suyo. Este álbum realmente me sorprendió gratamente, no era para nada lo que esperaba pero la producción, las influencias de otros sonidos, mucho jazz y voces en el coro, realmente muy muy bueno. Ni hablar del contenido, la mezcla de letras de denuncia y relato de experiencias personales
I don't know how I've gone this long and not listened to this album. So much variations, it's interesting listening to this after some of the other Rap albums that have been on my list. The evolution and difference is stark. I could relisten to this more often than the others.
One of fest hip hop artist of recent years
7/10
Superb, for listening to alone 4 - a great album, even among this list
Very few modern rappers have a unique and interesting style, a broad production style and the ability to get across fun, witty lyricism alongside real social commentary. Kendrick can do all that. This album is probably his best example of doing it.
GOAT.
Ei vaan jotenkin tää Kendrickin väitetty nerous osu. 2,5/5.
I was really looking forward to this one but it just wouldn't click for me. Am I realistically going to listen to sex noises? Am I realistically going to listen to some of the themes of this album? It just didnt connect with me at all and I love elements of jazz rap, but not for me this one!
Amazing soul/jazz influenced beats, great flow (in all senses of the word). Even the interludes are good. Faves: For Free? - Interlude, King Kunta, These Walls, Alright
Best Track - "King Kunta"
Me sorprendió muchísimo, la variación en un solo tema, piensas que va a seguir de una manera y da volantazos. Para el final del disco me sentí un poco abrumada con todo lo que pasa en cada tema pero sin duda pasa a mi lista de nuevos artistas ❤️
Album’s best : These Walls/King Kunta
I am the furthest thing from a Hip Hop head, but to say TOAB isn’t anything but a cultural landmark is insanely disingenuous. You don’t have to be rap fan to see that this is one of the best works of the 21st century, released at a time when America stood on a dangerous precipice (which it unfortunately dived head first into.) In the ten years since it was first released this has aged like a fine wine, with Kendrick’s social commentaries feeling as relevant now as they did then. Musically, the seamless fusing of funk, jazz and soul elements into Kendrick’s verses are some of the smoothest production work I’ve heard. I’ve got a lot of albums I consider a ten through personal biases, but this is genuinely a perfect album.
that interlude lol Political of course, but so sassy—themes liberation, exploitation of black culture, but also giving black boy joy, we gon be ALRIGHT, I LOVE MYSELFFF! Fun blend of sounds, some of the tracks a little too funk-based/busy for my taste -King Kunta -Alright -Wesley’s Theory -Momma ( i know EVERYTHING) - i (hype self love anthem dance party song) Kendrick Lamar by far, realest Negus alive—when shit hit the fan is you still a fan?
Heard my son listening to this album before but never really listening. It’s complex but flows so well. Loved it!
Loved it when it came out, and still love it today.
Tupac came back to life for this! Favourite Songs: YES Least Favourite Songs: NO
This album came out as I moved to NYC. I remember my coworker, who was on /r/chiefkeef, was like "this album sucks". Kinda always stuck with me. The Drake stans are right when there aren't really jams on here. That said, I still love this album. It's jazz, and I like jazz. A lot of this is hokey, but sometimes art is like that tho. That ending is still great and very prescient.
Ja tinha ouvido
Love it, a lot of songs are very interesting and definitely worth listening to.
Cusses a little to much but I like the beats and flow
bangeeer
Not a 10 because of the song hood politics but very good. It’s not as good as most people say but still one of the best albums of the 2010s
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.
My son loves Kendrick, I think he would pick a different album to represent his work though.
10/10 album considered by many so of course I've listened to it. Wesley Theory top 10 song of all time and i being my favorite.
It’s just bad.
I remember you was conflicted... 11 days later and I get the only other Kendrick album on the list, how interesting. I said in my previous review that to me Good Kid MAAD City is Kendrick's finest work and I still hold that opinion but that isn't to say this isn't competition. A word I did miss in that previous review was "glorification", Kendrick discusses his growth and time in the music in this album and good lord does he not glorify it. I'm not sure how anyone can listen to this and give it a 1 unless they're REALLY trying to hate, like you're entirely bypassing the point of the album and the situations it presents. The world building, progression of the album's themes and even just the sound of the album are all incredibly interesting. I described a previous album in this list as "sitting at a bar listening to someone sing", but this feels like I'm say in a theatre watching a show of a musician and a man grow into himself. Beyond the incredible story telling, this album SOUNDS great, very obvious on its jazz influences with some incredible synth bass if there were no lyrics I'd still listen to a decent chunk of this. But there are lyrics, and I've seen some criticism of those too but within the world Kendrick is crafting nothing feels amiss to me. Kendrick himself, man what a talent. Songs like "u" remind you that he can really present himself, I've always heard him be so confident and yet at points on this album he feels small, he feels desperate. The album is a touch long, I said Good Kid was a little long for my feel and this album is even longer but much like a stage play I feel it justifies the length and while I wouldn't be able to remove much without affecting the story or message of the album I do think it makes the album a little hard to best take in. There is also a tiny dip in quality in the second half... third quarter? Anyway the last few songs pick it back up again and Mortal Man is an all timer. Best songs: King Kunta, Alright, Mortal Man Worst songs: N/A Rank compared to everything else so far: 4/35 (below Grace, above Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite)
A wild album. I think ill need to listen to this several times to get it.
Killer. Perfect soundtrack to almost anything.
This is one of my favorite albums of all time
Grooves, beats, blended with skilled lyrics make this a great album.
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
Such a great album! Kendrick is and has surrounded himself with such talent. I admittedly don't listen to much hip hop regularly, not that I dislike the genre, just that I don't often gravitate toward it. But this album is one I'll happily listen to when it pops up. The whole production is nuanced. Like much of his work, it rewards you for repeated listens.
I remember when To Pimp a Butterfly came out. I was in graduate school at the time, mostly working remotely from a local coffee shop. I had already decided that Good Kid, M.A.A.D City was the best rap album I had ever heard, maybe not my favorite, but the best. It was the only one I knew of that could tell a coherent personal narrative in a way that was both artistically authentic and easily accessible. It is like The Wall for South Central, all about how a sincere young man can get ground down by his environment and then overcome that oppression. With To Pimp a Butterfly, Kendrick Lamar went even more personal. Instead of a narrative plot, he gave listeners a hip-hop confessional. It's not a concept record like Good Kid. It's more akin to a collection of dark singer-songwriter tunes. Let's call it writer-rapper. It immediately resonated with me. I listened to it a lot when it came out, but the deeper I got into the album, the more emotionally taxing it became, and I had to put the record aside for years. In Good Kid, Lamar described the trap of the environment of South Central LA. His descriptions weren't cartoonish, like those of many gangster rappers of the '90s and '00s. Like the movie Boyz n the Hood, its frankness was startling. But To Pimp a Butterfly dives more deeply into the emotional response of the "Good Kid" to his frustrating environment, especially as he transitions from the dangers of his home to the new risks of worldwide superstardom. The first single, "I," appeared a few weeks before the record. I remember thinking how awesome it was that he made the declaration of "I love myself" the centerpiece of the song. Most of rap is braggadocious; that's one of the most common lyrical features of the genre. But I took "I love myself" as a celebratory declaration from a maturing young man who has found satisfaction in his artistic achievements. I was happy for, maybe even a bit proud of, the way the good kid had evolved. But taken within the context of To Pimp a Butterfly, this song takes on an entirely different purpose. One of the record's deepest recurring themes is Lamar's wrestling with his self-perceived hypocrisy and self-hatred. It's clear from the writing and performance that this self-hatred stems from environmental trauma. "I" is the penultimate track. If the album stopped there, we might take it as a revelation, a catharsis, like "Compton" was on Good Kid. We might think, "Great! The good kid has come to terms with his internal demons and defeated them." Then the final opus, "Mortal Man," with its admonitions to a live crowd, slam-like poetry, and faux interview with Tupac, reminds us that self-hate is the good kid's default mode, and he can achieve self-love only intermittently, and then only fleetingly. The good kid is the "butterfly" who is being "pimped." A side note: I read that the vinyl version of this album is much better sonically than the digital (streaming and CD) versions. I bought the vinyl specifically for this listen and can confirm that To Pimp a Butterfly sounds much less compressed on LP, which lets the record's funk and musicality really shine on my hi-fi. It's a world of difference, and I'm a bit pissed that it is only available to those with the money to buy the relatively expensive ($35) double LP and the setup to play it properly. I'm grateful to be in that position now, but for most of my life, I wasn't. If you don't have a good vinyl setup, you can try to find FLACs of a vinyl rip. To Pimp a Butterfly isn't hard to listen to, but it is difficult to digest. I listened to it twice yesterday and had to listen to a palate cleanser after the vinyl spin because the end of this record makes me so sad. This record is not background music. The listener must engage with it to understand it. That engagement, however, comes with an emotional cost. Five stars.
A masterpiece.
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
Pimpy as hell. Funny how many people are like just rapping about hoes and drugs. There's so much more to Kendrick. And here, its a whole concept album. They're ignoring so much of Kendrick's take on the Black experience in America with that statement... Anyway the album is a bit heavy handed at times, but comes from a genuine experience and wants to take you on a journey.
I'm a rap fan, first of all. Where to start? It is an important album, great production and of course a talented and capable rapper, albeit one's whose voice I don't find compelling. This is a tough listen, though. It is an ambitious effort that doesn't quite land at all times (and I'd count the poem and 2Pac conversation at the end in that too). It is not that is a dark album, it is simply not fun - and no, I don't need a club or dance track, I'd like a pleasant listen or a couple of songs to return to. The hype and almost universal acclaim and instant classic accolades that were bestowed upon it *didn't* help as the bar was set into the stratosphere.
a classic
9/10 really surprised by how much I liked this album considering I don’t tend to listen to rap. Really incredible
How does one review the best hip hop album of all time? This project is dense. It really requires more than a day to digest. Luckily for me, I've had this record in my rotation for a decade. TPAB is Kendrick's first real attempt at abstract storytelling. In terms of creativity, it is leaps and bounds ahead of his previous album, Good Kid Maad City (not saying that album isn't excellent in its own right). He tells the story of his life after immediately after becoming famous through a poem. He reads a line of the poem at the start of the album. For each song he rereads the poem and adds another line. Each new line is then expanded on as it is the subject of the next song. The payoff at the end when he finishes the poem is that we learn he is reading the poem to Tupac. The entire record is an homage to black music, history, and culture. It is not only telling Kendrick's personal story but the story of all black people. It is a true masterpiece in every sense of the word. For anybody who is intrigued by this album but doesn't really "get it". I don't blame you because there is so much to unpack. I would recommend looking into the Dissect podcast and listening to the first season where the host breaks down each song line by line. It's a rewarding listen.
This dropped while I was training for the 2015 Richmond Marathon and also the birth of our first son. The marathon playlist was a weird combo of both Kendrick and John Denver. Classic. Marathon at 45, 3:40 and change.
I loved it. Very nostalgic of when I was 19. Amazing drums
After listening to 'good kid, m.A.A.d city' I came back to this album and gave it another pass. Ultimately, I largely stand by my initial review (that is, there’s some great instrumentation here and there, but there’s also too much happening too quickly for me to grab onto most of it, and at nearly 80 minutes, that’s, frankly, more sensory overload than I can personally take and enjoy). However, I’m going to bump up my rating to a 2 (big deal, I know) because even though I can’t seem to connect with this (I really have tried, as evidenced by my return), and I genuinely do feel the message is overly longwinded, it doesn’t feel quite right dumping this into the failure pile with the truly terrible albums on this list. Another reviewer really hit the nail on the head for me: “The album is so caught up in presenting itself as high art that it forgets to be engaging, making for a bloated and self-indulgent listening experience.” This. This is exactly where I’m at with this album.
Oh man there was a lot going on with this one. I liked it a lot even with how busy this felt. I think with more time, and replays this could be a 5. I just don’t have the energy or time today to see.
I'm still not the intended audience for Kendrick Lamar, but he certainly has talent. This is more varied than MAAD City, and I like it better.
2.5 (78:51, 16 tracks, 2015, 3rd album) Hip-Hop ("Gangsta Rap done right"?) IMPORTANT NOTE: If you're not familiar with Kendrick or a hip-hop fan I highly recommend you start at track 13 (The Blacker the Berry) and loop through 14, 15, and 16. This is the best part of the album and Mortal Man (the spoken word parts) will help a lot understand what Kendrick is attempting. I still don't get it but I really wish someone had given me this advice as by track 12 I had all but checked out. Almost universal acclaim, I must not get it? I salute Lamar confronting racism but too many distractions. I don't hate the music but Lamar's vocalization style is annoying (U is just awful). Talking about boo-boo and all the sexual references just seems immature and doesn't add anything. Either do Gangsta Rap (Ice-T's O.G.) or do a political statement (Public Enemy's It takes a nation . .. well except for Flavor but you know his role is to be everyone's loveable but retarded little cousin.) Album was too long, too immature, not political enough (and/or not gansta enough), it wasn't catchy. Personally I think Lamar was riding a wave of good sentiment from the previous two. Not a terrible album for the community (obviously many love this stuff) but not a great album. Best track - The Blacker the Berry Best parts of the album - all spoken word 1. Wesley's Theory 4:47 2. For Free? (Interlude) 2:10 3. "King Kunta" 3:54 4. "Institutionalized" 4:31 5. "These Walls" 5:00 6. "U" 4:28 7. "Alright" 3:39 8. "For Sale? (Interlude)" 4:51 9. "Momma" 4:43 10. "Hood Politics" 4:52 11. "How Much a Dollar Cost" 4:21 12. "Complexion (A Zulu Love)" 4:23 13. "The Blacker the Berry" 5:28 14. "You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said)" 4:01 15. "I" 5:36 16. "Mortal Man" 12:07
I love this album. The theme threaded through it, the jams on it. Deserves all hype received.
Parts of this album feel just a little too experimental for my tastes. King Kunta is great, as These Walls and Alright. The rest of the album though, I just don't fuck with.
I think.. I just don't like Kendrick's voice. And from there it's hard to enjoy the affectations. And then from there it makes the rhymes annoying. The music is interesting but I know that's not the selling point. And I'm not really conflicted about it.
Shakespeare is alive + well don’t let them fool you.
Meh, I don’t get it.
Good, but uneven. Some good tunes, some good beats, but then the skits. And some okay-at-best songs.
Way better than I would imagine, just some songs that cut through the vibe.
top 10
Liked Songs: - King Kunta - These Walls - Alright - How Much A Dollar Cost - The Blacker The Berry
I mean, what else do i say its kendrick its really good but a lil overhyped
meh.
10/10 listen, Kendrick is a master at his craft. I wouldn’t listen to most of his music regularly, but I understand why people do.
I have to give this album a 5 just for having the sheer audacity to exist. This is a massive effort: in scope, in execution, in concept. Kamasi Washington imbues the instrumentation with a strange mix of futurism and homage to the past, while Kdot's penmanship reaches heights that are not seen in hip hop or any other genres for that matter.
This is the worst thing that could happen to music and poetry. Disgusting, bestial mediocrity. 0 of 10.
Yes.
Usually not my thing. This slaps though.
Incredibly impactful, deep, and meaningful coupled with great sounds and beats. Kendrick is, and always will be, one of the best artists of this millenia.
It was ok but I didn’t really get it
fantastic
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
the spoken word and poetry is really cool and interesting just don't know if id listen like normally. Storytelling albums are normally like that. I didn't really like the these walls beginning but the 1:00 mark is really good and cool. So far for sale interlude was my favorite. I need to listen again with the lyrics to really get into it ik. Momma kind of follows the same idea.
Would be better without the misogynistic lyrics.
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.
Talent in every direction. The songs are intricate but not always fleshed out; when they are it is magic
Sterk geproduceerd album. Love de jazz invloed dat dit album heeft. Wat grote hits op het album dat ik al kende. Om te beseffen dat dit album in 2015 is gemaakt is echt bizar. Groot fan!
It is interesting and probably the most unique rap album ive heard but i really cant listen to most of those songs. I like „i” though. Not my cup of tea overall
there was a cool song but i didnt finish it, boring to me
This was absolutely wonderful and definitely worthy of the high praise it's gotten over the years. I really don't have much else to say. I loved just about everything about this album, the music, the lyrics, the production, the message, just... everything. Kendrick is truly a master of his craft and a generational talent. 5/5
Coldplay left me well, cold
Skip, skip, skip, ... Just skip. Not bad per se, but totally not my type.
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.
Oh hey, an album I've listened to before. I really like Kendrick Lamar, but admittedly it's probably because I've spent most of my 20's hanging out in basketball gym listening to bad trap. Kendrick at least sounds like he's trying to do something with the medium and tries to get unique beats for his albums. The problem with Kendrick's songs is that you feel like you need to have Genius open on another monitor in order to catch every reference. I think you can enjoy TPAB without it, since that's how I listened to it the first time. But I'm not gonna pretend that some of the songs are more art than rap. Overall I still really enjoyed it, but I won't be surprised if people rank this lower than me.
Need to give this another listen with more focus but yep, turns out Kendrick is good at this!