To Pimp A Butterfly

perfect album

Just such a juggernaut of a hip hop album. Kendrick is so dynamic throughout switching through different rapping styles as if they’re characters and the lyrics to match are just incredible to read through. I’d say my favorite aspect is the instrumentals on here, which are pure jazzy deliciousness. On their own they could stand alone as an impressive jazz piece but together with Kendrick’s rapping and songwriting it’s everything you could want from any album. 9/10

Beautiful and mesmerizing storytelling. The use of jazz as a dream-like transitional tool was such a great touch.

5/5 from the period where i love kendrik

GREATEST ALBUM OF ALL TIME

hooooooooooly shit is this guy good or what Favorite Tracks: Wesley's Theory, Alright, King Kunta, The Blacker the Berry, Complexion, Hood Politics, i 5/5

One of the greatest rap albums of all time, what more even is there to say about this that hasn't already been said

an album ive listened to before, so many good songs. hard to pick standouts but im more of a fan of the songs that are songs and less talking/story talking for the purpose of the album. i have all songs but 8 and 9 downloaded

A true masterpiece through and through. One of the best albums of 2010's, one of the best rap albums, Kendrick's magnum opus. Everything here is amazing, the lyrics, the flows, the beats, it's all just great. What else is there to say about this album that's not been said before?

God damn I love this album

Masterpiece

We did it everyone, a rap album has received a five! It took over a year, but I kind of figured this would be the first, and I hadn't even heard it before. Kendrick Lamar has certainly become someone I highly respect since I got Good Kid a while ago, being such an excellent artist that I will happily praise in my free time, and this artist was my white whale that I was waiting for the right time to listen to, and after finally getting to, I understand all of the hype. Not only is the story and lyrical content interest enough that I'm invested throughout, something that a lot of hip-hop albums struggle to get me attached to, but the jazz influences throughout make the album something so wildly different from everything else in the genre that there is nothing to match it. Each song fits with the ones before and after it while still feeling wildly unique. Even the songs I would consider "lesser" on the album had me getting into them pretty closely, and despite the length of the album, I never once was dreading the next song. Features were well thought out and used incredibly well, and again I just have to praise the instrumentation. I can totally see why Bowie was influenced so much by this on Blackstar, and that just earns the album more praise from me. A true masterpiece.

Challenging, all over the musical map and grating at times. BUT, it's undeniably awesome.

Heard before: yes Ostensibly, this record was seen as a move to activism, but it's real strength is keeping things personal. Kendrick's ability to be vulnerable while presenting as hard and a leader is his greatest strength. Musically, it's rich and varied, a swirling mix of funk and jazz filtered through 90s hip hop, with hooks galore. The fits and stops of the songs, shifting from one vibe to another, are narratively driven rather than just there for fun or surprise. And it's the narrative that rules the day, the shift from "u" to "i" and the gradually revealing poem that questions the price of leadership to the individual, the degree of compromise that is required to succeed. The side skits that could be distracting from 90s hip hop have been absorbed into the main tracks, and the overall project is more than the sum of its parts. Cinematic and contextual, it acknowledges Kendrick, the person he is, while showing a glimpse of the person he might become. Top tracks: u, i, How Much A Dollar Cost

fucking immaculate.

5/5. I listened to this album many times in high school and although at first, this was much different than what I was used to, there is no denying this is a classic. Amazing instrumentation, deep lyrical flows and themes, and important lessons that go over your head if you refuse to listen to any rap. It’s not hard to listen to this album; it’s hard to go out of your way to hate something before even giving it a chance. You’re the only one missing out. Probably should get up and wash your ass. Classic. Masterpiece. Awesome album.

I yelled at 5 am when I saw that this was today’s album. I know some people love Maad City and Section.80 but I think this is Kendrick’s best work and, coincidentally, also the best rap album of all time. It stands out from the rest of Kendrick’s incredibly impressive discography by being jam packed with jazz, funk, more jazz, and spoken word. But what’s cooler I think is that he tells a story in three acts like it’s an opera. I like to think I understood it as a junior in high school as much as a 17 year old white guy could, but every time I listen I get it more and more. It’s a masterpiece, and the caterpillar/butterfly poem at the end is the perfect bow on top.

From a hits perspective, Kendrick Lamar is rightfully best known for Good Kid Maad City and Damn. But when looking at each album as its own work of art, To Pimp A Butterfly is Kendrick at his best, and the parallels with To Kill A Mockingbird go well beyond their respective titles. “King Kunta” is one of the greatest, most complete hip hop songs ever recorded. You might think a song with references from Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” and Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (among other literary works) would be overwhelming, but really it showcases Kendrick’s unmatched talent as a songwriter and a poet. It’s tough, if not impossible, to think of a song more closely associated with a social movement than “Alright” is with Black Lives Matter. I’ll admit that I prefer the simpler 2014 single version of “i” to the album version, but it’s still a centerpiece of the record. The album goes far deeper, both lyrically and stylistically, than the highlight tracks. “These Walls” sounds like late 20th century Compton, while the instrumental of “How Much A Dollar Cost” sounds so much like Prohibition-era Manhattan that I half-expected a Billie Holiday appearance. Some songs are soothing, like the R&B of “Complexion,” and some appear as painful for Kendrick as they are necessary for the audience, like “The Blacker The Berry.” “Mortal Man,” with its deep introspection and experimental mid-track interview, is the perfect way to end the album. From the repetition of “forty acres and a mule” to the all-time classic lyrics “I remembered you was conflicted / Misusing your influence,” there’s no wondering why Rolling Stone ranked To Pimp A Butterfly in its top 20 albums ever. Just like Harper Lee’s masterpiece, this record will stand the test of time as a shrine to decades of civil rights movements. I can only hope that high schoolers in the 2050s may write essays about both of them.

I think TPAB was the first rap album I ever listened to straight through. I'm aware of few other artists who have a voice as clear as Kendrick's. I didn't fully understand what he was trying to convey about being a Black person in America during my first listen back in 2015. Now, I get it a little better, but I'm still learning.

Kako je taj čovjek napravio ovaj album e.

Perfect

Very nice album, Kenny is goat, will keep listening to it

Easiest 10/10 of my life. TPAB not only changed the game for hip hop, but also raised the bar for what an album could be and how much societal impact it can have.

On rare occasions an album single-handedly revolutionizes an entire genre. This is one of those records.

This album was foundational to my understanding of rap and hip hop in high school and made me seek out new music instead of sticking to the boring ass music taste of rural midwestern white people; so not only is this album a landmark in contemporary rap but it’s also personally important to me to some extent. I’ve listened to tpab countless times but what made this listen fresh is that it came in the second half of the list for me after a number of albums that exposed me to the full history of hip hop. I think I came out of this listen with an even greater appreciation of it because I better (but not fully) understand its influences from dj shadow to a tribe called quest. As for my thoughts on the album itself it’s mindblowingly well produced and accompanies songs focusing on interesting and thought provoking subject matter. Every song is an absolute banger except for maybe you ain’t gotta lie and mortal man only because the Tupac convo at the end goes on too long.

Absolutely phenomenal. You know an album is pretty great when the worst song on here is pretty good. There's some deep shit in this Album of you care about that kinda stuff but what I love about this is unique form of Hip Hop this is and man every single beat in this Album goes hard. Wesley's Theory, King Kunta, how Much a Dollar Cost, The Blacker The Berry and the Mortal Man are all certified classics. This Album is an experience and highly reccomended to anyone that wants to listen to music focusing on black culture because there's some really good shit here.

This is tied for me as one of his best albums

Wow. Pretty much a modern rap Dark Side of the Moon. Always loved Kenny, and a few songs on this album are my favorites. But! So glad I finally took the chance to listen all the way through! 5/5

The greatest album of all time.

- Heard this album many times before - Simply one of the greatest hip hop records of all time, if not one of the greatest records of all time full stop - Every song on this is brilliant, one of very few albums that I would describe as flawless - Fav songs: All of them but really: These Walls, i, Institutionalized

Banger

Need to keep this short, but oh my god. If GKMC was a concept album in perfect execution, then TPAB is an absolutely transcendental piece of art. Sonically richer, lyrically more dense and infinitely much more intense of a listening experience, with production unlike anything I'd ever heard before (GOSH was this album just a sonic experience through and through). After my first listen I had still said I preferred GKMC more (it's a little rawer, less refined/polished), but what's important to note is that they're really just... different, overall. TPAB sounds much more matured and cleaner, but also less "listenable" (wrt. individual tracks), per se--it feels like an album designed to be noskipped from start to finish, and I can appreciate that. Sorta like the Suburbs, ha ha. Big problem on my end is that it's just such a dense piece of art that processing it is really overwhelming. I'm going back in for a third listen currently and there's just more to unpack. This definitely detracts from replayability. It's an actual brain exercise listening to this with any form of intention (unless you just want to melt to the music, which is aight too). I might not revisit after a couple of plays, honestly. Maybe a listen every couple of months. But it's a masterpiece, and that's all that matters.

i mean yeah as good as everyone says it is

First time listening this one from beginning to end and, pretty legendary.

Another near perfect album that fails to get old and remains interesting every time I listen 4.8/5

Amazing combo of jazz, funk and rap. I had already listened to this several times, but it def holds up on the re-listen. 4.5/5

One of the best ever

I'm

Possibly the best hip hop album of the century so far. The man is a genius, and I am now going to watch his Glastonbury headline set (for the 99th time!).

Thrilled to have a chance to dive in with Kendrick. To Pimp a Butterfly is such a phenomenal album and really plays with the idea of what hip hop can and should look like. His poetry is incredible and the themes he deals with continue to be salient today. 10/10

I love this album already and I’m surprised i got it my first day. Amazing commentary on African-American Culture and Racism. Also a great insight into Kendrick’s personal life. 10/10

Mhmm

What else is there to say I love this album

it's TPAB 9,5/10 (5/5)

I've complained a lot of times on here about not getting any Kendrick Lamar albums. Well, we finally made it here I love this album. It's perfect. It's so deeply personal, yet looking outward at all these social issues. His rapping and lyrics are sublime. The music is so far beyond what most of hip-hop was doing at the time, yet it still feels like hip-hop. This is the greatest rap album of all time. It's everything I ever wanted in hip-hop. In a weird way, I didn't want to put this album on today because I knew it would eventually end, and then I would never get to review it for this list again. This is one of the top 5 albums made since 2000 5/5

In the context of the time of its release, a Kendrick record doesn't sound like anything else. He doesn't chase popular sounds, he doesn't chase what's happening on the charts, he just makes work that stands on its own as a cohesive, singular whole. And when you listen to it ten years on? It still sounds like nothing around it. A masterwork like virtually everything he's released, a meditation on fame, success, and what it means to be an American in an America that has suppressed and sidelined you and everyone you know.

Such an insanely good album that I will never be smart enough to completely understand. I come away with something new each time I listen. Kendrick has a way of blending intellectual ideas into enjoyable songs. Not only were there hits on hits, but all of them were also full of substance. One of the best albums of all time. I think that final song could have been cut in half, but whatever. 5/5

Don’t know why I slept on this Kendrick album since he’s my goat but it’s amazing

- I am quite possibly the only person in history to prefer GKMC and DAMN. to this - Still an incredible piece of music with a great message and lyrics - Can't wait to see Kenny again at Bonnaroo, he's one of the greats - Wesley's Theory, King Kunta, The Blacker the Berry

- One of the most profound rap albums I’ve ever heard - Tells a coherent story in literal and metaphorical ways - Reaches a self-awareness that few albums ever have

An album that helped shape my perspective like very few albums do, while being an incredibly vibrant and inventive album. Possibly the most important album of the 2010s.

a fucking great album

The album that got me into hip hop. Even if you took away the lyrics, the beats are amazing, it's an honest to God jazz rap album.

puta que o pariu. isso é muito bom, é como whats going on do marvin gaye so que de hoje em dia. é como se as coisas tivessem piorado tanto que um album como esse foi criado a partir do whats going on so que com a verdade e raiva que realmente precisa pra que algo mude de verdade. e o jazz... o jazz nesse album, o sax os teclados, caralho muito foda, eu passo me arrepiando nisso e cada vez que ele fala "i remember you was conflicted..." vai ficando cada vez mais forte. é um album com letras tão poderosas que minha bunda branca não entende metade delas e mesmo assim elas me atingem que nem um trem. os corais de fundo cantando completamente fora do tempo e funcionando é algo que eu acho que nunca vou entender como que me afeta tanto. é minha primeira experiencia inteira com rap e eu to me julgando por não ter ouvido isso antes. que mundo que acabou de abrir pros meus ouvidos.

This one was a ride, in terms of what I wanted to rate it. Kendrick has a lot to say, and a really compelling way of saying it. The album drags a bit and can be repetitive, but man, this album rules. Equal parts exorcism and meditation. I think I just convinced myself to give it the 5. Standouts: King Kunta, Alright, Momma, How Much A Dollar Cost, The Blacker The Berry, i, Mortal Man

Banger banger banger album, this is *the* rap album, incredibly complex and meaningful, with huge variation throughout. This is Kendricks Magnum opus in a discography already filled with all time great albums

An obvious five

Ce que dise les gens sur cette album. C'est vrai. C'est un chef d'oeuvre modern du Hip hop 5

The best rap album ever

One of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. Kendrick Lamar incorporates a diverse set of sounds grounded by classic funk to tell a story of how the music industry in particular and the United States in general exploits Black talent to enrich itself while objectifying and othering them. The story is told masterfully and ends in a stirring conversation between Kendrick and Tupac. I love everything about this album and have been listening to it since it came out.

Top 10

Great album.

I cannot put into words how much I appreciate and love this stroke of genius. It‘s a political, personal, historicistical, and yet very open and rather song than track oriented hiphop album with a few key patterns and threads that make this a totally conceptual work without pulling out its pop appeal. One of my lifetime top10 or even top5 picks. 6/5 Stars! forever!

muzyka płynie na tym albumie, nawet skit-y mają flow świetna płyta 4,5 sex

One the greatest albums of the 2010s

Best Kendrick album

Pretty good, but it's not like it's going to win a Pulitzer prize or anything.

This is not the best hip hop album ever. It's not even Kendrick's best album ever. However, I am fairly certain this is the most artistic hip hop album ever written. Just an absolutely stunning mixture of everything you could possibly consider when writing music. Genuine pleasure to listen to this every time. The best track on the album is Hood Politics, and it's not particularly close

A magnum opus

Já ouvi tpab há algum tempo, muito bom e lendário, o álbum tem um pouco de tudo, as partes que acabam por se mais "aborrecidas" com o storyteling nunca deixam de ser interessantes se prestarmos atenção às letras e é facilmente compensado pelos bangers, é um álbum que não há muito a dizer, é objetivamente perfeito como álbum.

An absolute masterpiece. Brought so many artists together to collaborate and capture lightning in a bottle. Dives into so many raw topics and does it well.

I don't need to listen to this album to know it is great. One of my favourite album in the genre. 5/5!!

Just when you think the album is starting to drone on with some filler songs, Kendrick comes out of nowhere and kills it.

From ‘King Kunta’ onwards this is fire. Lyrically and thematically deep, with cinematic, jazzy production and an all-star, who’s who of guests and cameos, TPAB is legitimately in the conversation for the best rap album this century, if not all time.

A great, deep, meaningful album. Great cover art. Angry, sad, funny, all rolled into one.

I've tried to listen to this before and it didn't grab me.... I listened to this twice this time, by on the second time I enjoyed it much more! Think the same happened with MAAD city... Although that album was a bit better I enjoyed Wesley's theory and king kunta, great bass. Alright is the best track by far for me How much a dollar cost was good too. I think Kendrick is better when it's a bit more serious l.... I'll be going back to this

I’ve listened to this probably 20 times

Classic. Perfect.

words were nicely placed here😅😁🤭

The album is not without it's shortcomings, but the highs are high enough, as is the overall listening experience from start to finish, to offset any misguided moments. 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

One of the greatest albums of the 21st century and Kendrick's magnum opus. A brilliant collage of soul, jazz, funk and hip-hop.

Huge Kendrick fan, since his early EPs & mixtapes.

LP

One of the greatest albums of all time

This is a monster of an album. Ridiculous beats, intelligent writing, and phenomenal performances. The themes and lyrical content are clever, substantial, and important, especially in these times. 9/10

Hip-Hop's answer to The Wall by Pink Floyd. One of the easiest 5/5's I've ever given on this site.

I was gonna re-listen to U, today, anyways!

very important

Fucking classic 10/10 gg no re what honestly hasnt beeen said about this damn masterpiece chefs kiss mwa

I mean, cmon.

smooth transitions - each song flows directly into the next

Listened to this one a lot on college. Loooove this album. King kunta alone gets a 5!

This is incredible and I need to listen to it like 100 more times. Definitely lives up to its reputation, I don't even know what to say about it, this just fucking rules. Favorite track: King Kunta

This album was a very nice surprise. I knew about the song Alright already, but this album takes concept to a whole new level. It's brilliant and refreshing with hints of jazz, blues, and rock masked by the hip-hop/rap. Really creative stuff.

One of the greatest rap albums of all time, period.

Cmon now its the hippity hoppity how could i not

a modern classic.

10 out of 5 stars. Astounding. Amazing. Unbelievable. Love love love!!!

I don’t pretend to fully understand it but it still sounds amazing.

Awesome album. 5/5

What more can be said about this that hasn't already been said, a perfect record, a modern classic that actually deserves to be called that!

An absolute masterpiece.

Uno de los mejores discos de hip-hop de la historia. No hay mucho más que agregar

Joya absoluta.

Thought this album was a bit too long at the time (like "20 minutes too long" and certainly like last-song-too-long) but once got I into it again, liked it very much and the less catchy songs started to become alive.

I remember you was conflicted

As this album was coming out, I was slowly becoming a Kendrick fan. My brother would play GKMC in our college apartment as we chilled around the house and I knew right away I liked this guy. But when TPAB came out, everything changed. This was an incredibly special album, not just for its content, but where I was when it came out. 2015, I think spring break, Stevie and I had flown to Georgia to hang with the Pankows and I remember it released early and I think we listened to it in the car as we were picked up super late at night from the airport. Stevie burned a CD. That entire trip, anytime we were in a car, or there was a lull, we were listening to this. Every song on this album reminds me of specific moments whether that was cruising down the roads watching the trees and houses fly by, or going to eat bbq, or playing ping pong in the basement. This album will be forever tied to that experience and I think that is a good thing. This album is one of the best of all time. Certainly of that year, but it threw such a huge wrench into what people thought hip hop could be. Kendrick was not only able to craft amazing tracks with key samples and guests, but each song had something to say. And it wasn't just the typical "I'm the greatest rapper" but him questioning things. Questioning society and all the racial divides that are in the face of so many people of color. But he went even further and explored what an album would look like blending so many different Afro influences such as Jazz and Funk. This album has so many layers in that regard, and there is a beautiful poem that he slowly builds on throughout the album that is just one more layer. From tough songs like u to more radio friendlies like King Kunta and Alright, there is a song on here for everyone. And I am not as versed in the Kendrick lore, but I think he begins his talks on "Lucy" in this album that carry over into Damn. I also love this album because of the last song, Mortal Man, and his conversation's he has with what I think is his "dad". Not just the conversation, but tying all the verses of the poem together and then finishing on a description of the title of the album. Something I think many people struggle to find within albums, the meaning, but here Kendrick lays out exactly why it was titled TPAB. True masterpiece.

This album is one of the most important albums of 2010s. Musical journey from start to finish!

Best album of the 21st century so far. Fact. You want a party - King Kunta, you want rage - The Blacker the Berry, you want optimism - I and Alright, you want terrifying self loathing in the vein of Holy Bible era Manics, try u. The live musicians make it so much stronger (this album showed me what Thundercat can do - best bassist alive right now) and well, it just hits all the way through. Honestly, if you can't appreciate this one, I feel like you're going to struggle with this list... There's only a couple of Eagles albums and Kid Rock I suppose, but your musically limited tastes are going to make it a real struggle for you to get through the good stuff.

Ja dit heeft geen uitleg nodig. Lees de review van Jur maar haha. Wat een bangers!

yup! still the greatest rap album of all time. glad i took the time to check again, for like, the 10 millionth time

I have yet to meet someone who this album doesn't blow away. His flow and raps are fast, impressive, personal, and introspective, and they mesh perfectly with his production style. He incorporates funk, rock, soul, and jazz to create unforgettable songs that transition well from one to the next. The songs are immersive experiences, evolving by the second to create an engaging and cohesive experience. I was pulled in not only to see how each song would change, but where he would take us on the next one. There's something I love about nearly every song that I couldn't possibly spend time to describing here. You have some incredibly modern and unique songs like "u" that incorporate atmospheric synths, an unsettling sax, lo-fi chillwave samples, and a wacky yet emotional vocal performance. It gets much milder and more structured in the 2nd half, which takes more time to appreciate but is just as good.

Misschien wel het hardste hiphop album ooit gemaakt. Al lang niet geluisterd maar heel blij toen ik in de ochtend zag dat ik deze mocht luisteren!!

Zonder twijfel 5 sterren je bent doodziek als je dit niet 5 sterren vindt!!!!

Na alles wat er over dit album is geschreven, maakt mijn review nog uit? Ik doe het toch want dat moet hier. Dit album kun je denk ik veilig het beste album van de 21e eeuw te noemen, en misschien zelfs het beste hip hop album allertijden. Thema’s als armoede, racisme, ongelijkheid, familie en je relatie tot de rest van de wereld vloeien hier vloeiend in elkaar over. Met humor, scherpe opmerkingen en anekdotes en verhalen uit z’n eigen leven lukt het hem om dit feilloos over te brengen waardoor het voor iedereen mogelijk is een stukje van zichzelf erin terug te vinden. Ik probeer dit kort te houden, maar nog even over de featurings. Het is een album met wereldsterren erop, zonder dat iemand nadrukkelijk aanwezig is. Snoop dogg die zichzelf voor iedereen cent laat optrommelen voor een guest verse voegt hier ook echt iets toe als ‘oude wijze’ verhalenverteller uit Compton. Namen als thundercat of george clinton hebben geweldige bijdrages. Maar er is ook ruimte voor (voor de meesten) onbekenden als Rapsody of Anna Wise. Kendrick was niet bezig met de charts toppen, hij was bezig met een meesterwerk. Dit is waarschijnlijk mijn in z’n geheel meest geluisterde album aller tijden, en dat gaat waarschijnlijk ook niet veranderen. Een stempel op een generatie, en over 100 jaar wordt dit nog steeds geluisterd.

Haven't listened in years but it's always been one of my favorite rap albums. Incredible. Really blew me away more than it ever had. So expertly crafted in every way, it's not wonder he can't top it now.

I remember you was conflicted...

Fucking fantastic

95/100: A masterpiece. I recall reviewing "good kid, m.A.A.d city" by claiming it is my favorite Kendrick Lamar album. I think I might want to amend that. "good kid m.A.A.d city" means more to me as an album; however, I think "To Pimp a Butterfly" is objectively a better album, which is hard to do as "good kid, m.A.A.d city" is nearly perfect. This album is tightly written lyrically, Kendrick uses a self-written poem to propel his message from track to track; includes beats that, in and of themselves, would get the song playing over and over again on the radio; and displays a level of forethought and planning I've never detected when listening to an album before. This first and last point, I think, are either one and the same or at least complimentary. To write a poem and then slice that poem up into thematic verses that parallel each song of the track, clearly conspicuously hints at the amount of time Kendrick put into this album. It pays off by ensuring a tightly delivered message and beautiful storytelling. The final track on this album, "Mortal Man," includes an interview with 2Pac at the end. Obviously 2Pac is dead, but Kendrick brings him back to life by editing and clipping audio recordings of previous 2Pac interviews, stitching them together with questions of his own to create the appearance of Kendrick interviewing 2Pac. Even in description alone, that is a genius concept. In practice, it gives you goosebumps, it's chillingly impactful. Creating an interview with a dead rapper based on audio clips alone that actually ties into the message of your album, I imagine, is no easy undertaking. But Kendrick does it. And he does things like this over and over again throughout this album that scream "I toiled for years on this album and think what I'm saying here is important, and so should you." As a mere listener and consumer of this album, it's hard to not hear Kendrick screaming, both figuratively and literally in songs like "U." The one gripe I can potentially see with this album, and it's more so a gripe with Kendrick in general, is its density of content. Listening to Kendrick can sometimes feel like reading Kant or trying your hand at "Ulysses." Every song can feel like it has hundreds of allusions, double meanings, and subtleties to unpack. I can see that infuriating some listeners. To enjoy a song, you shouldn't have to know the entire history of rap as a genre or be forced to scour the internet to find a hidden double meaning in a relatively unknown slang phrase. This is the most aired grievance with "Ulysses," too. Reading that book, it can feel absurd how little of the message gets through without the aid of a companion book or explanatory video. So it goes with Kendrick sometimes; however, in the case of "Ulysses," I found setting aside the desire to know every little thing James Joyce meant in each allusion and parable wuite literally opened the book up for me. In doing so, you discover the beauty of the prose, the genius of the story-telling, and the profound ideas expressed. And so it goes, too, with Kendrick. Many of the songs on this album are bangers in and of themselves, even without analyzing his self-written poem or knowing what each line means; in fact, I think this is probably even more true for "To Pimp a Butterfly" than it is for "good kid, m.A.A.d city," which is partly why it's so hard for me to argue with myself that "good kid, m.A.A.d city" is actually a better album. "How Much a Dollar Cost," "King Kunta," "Alright," "The Blacker the Berry," and "i" are all easy to listen to, no in depth analysis needed to enjoy the music itself. What I love about this album, though, is that there is also an absolutely immense amount of thought and intent packed into these songs lyrically, too—a dichotomy damn near impossible to strike musically. As an aside, I also want to touch on a feature of this album that I feel in general is a great litmus test of "good" albums. That is, many of the tracks on this album blend into the next. Not many albums do this, but I feel like every album I know of that does is a fantastic album. To me, it's not because of this feature, but it's because of the attitude that attracts this feature. Artists who seamlessly transition from track to track have adopted an attitude in their creative process that holds the album in the highest esteem. They aren't writing individual songs, they're writing an album. When an album is written from this perspective, it shows. The message is coherent and unified. It's not an assortment of selfish songs battling to be hits. It's one album. Pink Floyd and Kendrick Lamar both do this well. They respect the album as an art piece more than most musicians and it's why their albums reside at the mountaintops of musical discourse. To wrap up my thoughts, I think I have to be objective here and admit that "To Pimp a Butterfly" is a better album than "good kid, m.A.A.d city." I have to give it a better review than that album because it is certainly a better album and I enjoyed listening to it more. There's genuinely little to nothing wrong with this album. The only people I could see disliking this are people who refuse to listen to rap at all, which is honestly a real shame but a topic I could talk about for 5 more paragraphs, so I will conclude my review here.

Already know this fucking slaps

You know when you go to a museum and stand in front of a gigantic Romantic painting and gawk at the immense detail and wonder how a human being could create something so immense and detailed and overwhelming? That’s what listening to this album is like.

I have never had this many recommendations for a contemporary album from people in my life. First it was songs like “Alright” & “King Kunta”, then more in-depth remarks about the album’s scope & themes. I listened to the whole thing eventually, after a Grammy award & Obama praised it or something, but I think the catalyst was learning that David Bowie took inspiration from TPAB for his final album. And I re-listened several times, concluding that the hype was for good reason. I think hearing it now, after getting albums by NWA & 2pac on this website, makes me appreciate Kendrick more for taking the best from those sounds/eras (plus all the soul & jazz), and for making something both more emotionally complex & analytical. the songs are good too. December 7, 2022

Masterpiece

5 masterpiece.

To pimp a butterfly. I remember I was conflicted but it’s a 5/5. granted some songs work better in the context of a lp and not an individual listen. It’s kinda hard to just sprinkle some songs into a playlist lol. What kinda play list are you gonna add the blacker the berry? Alright? These walls? Hood politics? It makes you think too much. On a side note: mortal man hits harder for me given what Kanye is doing right now. “When shit hits the fan, is you still a fan?” 😞 no. Bangers: For free 🔥 King kunta These walls 🔥🔥🔥🔥 U 🔥 Alright 🔥🔥🔥 For sale 🔥 Momma🔥 Hood politics🔥🔥 How much a dollar cost 🔥🔥🔥 The blacker the berry 🔥 I (single version) 🔥🔥 Mortal man🔥

So many great songs on this album. Alright, King Kunta, Wesley's Theory, The Blacker the Berry to name a few. Kendrick mixes rap and jazz to create a groundbreaking album. It is a critique of society, race relations, and much more

I’ve mentioned this many times before, but hip hop is one of my least familiar genres. I never really listened to it growing up, and it wasn’t really until I was in my mid-twenties that I gave it a proper chance. I’ve been meaning to listen to this album for a while, so I’m happy to listen today. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: King Kunta, Alright, i When listening to hip hop, the gold standard for me has always been Because The Internet by Childish Gambino. Everything gets compared to that in one way or another in my head because I love that album. However, Kendrick Lamar might have just taken that crown. This album was incredible from front to back. If there was no rapping at all on it, the music was still fantastic. If there was no music at all, the lyrics, rapping and poetry would still have me hooked. Putting the music together with the vocals brings it all together into something amazing. He has a very distinct voice too, which always makes for a good listen when it works, which it very much does here. I’d recommend this to anybody, but especially people who, like me in my younger years, didn’t really know or understand hip hop. This is excellence.

Need I say anything

A damn modern classic. 6 stars.

One of the greatest albums of all time.

incredible

This is a rap album that could never be mistaken for another ever. Shouldn’t be possible to make a rap album this good in every way that it is

Finally got some K Dot! While TPaB isn’t my favorite Kendrick album, I can’t deny it’s a brilliantly constructed collection of hip-hop, funk, jazz, and spoken word poetry. Different songs on this record have had different meanings for me growing up, be it loud locker room music or even songs that represented negative emotions. An absolute classic of the genre. If you “can’t get into this because it’s rap” or because he mentions money and women, I hate to break it to you: you have no critical thinking skills. Phooey.

Honestly thought I was losing my mind having heard the closing but never noticed it was the same

Jag har rätt rejäl nostalgi för TPAB... det var definitivt den första hiphopskivan jag föll för som helhet. Jag brukade lyssna på den om och om igen, försökte tolka vad allt betydde, fånga orden Kendrick sade. Albumet påminner mig lite om my beautiful dark twisted fantasy. Ingen annan skiva låter som någondera, och de låter inte som varann. Gemenskaperna ligger mer i att de bägge två är smakfullt maximalistiska och att alla låtar är intressanta och väldigt unika. Ännu en sak jag vill tillägga: folk gillar att tala om TPAB som om det vore den skarpaste kritiken av samhället någonsin och det känns ofta som att skivans känslomässiga kärna ignoreras. För mig är den delen det som gör TPAB bra.

All time great album! Alright is an all time great song!

Kendrick Lamar weaves an intricate tapestry of rhymes and beats to explore being black in 21st century America. He is both knowledgeable and eloquent, joined by guests ranging from George Clinton to Snoop Dogg.

10/10 the perfect hip hop album

eternal, magnificent

Instant Claasic

TPAB (To Pimp A Butterfly) literally was my first ever full album listening experience back in 2020. I mean I could talk for literal hours about this album about the details, but people have already dissected this album for years, so I want to keep this review simple. This album is hip-hop mixed with jazz, funk, neo-soul, and many more. The production on this record is pretty unique, I don't know how to describe it, but like it doesn't sound like your average hip-hop album, and it's pretty refreshing and new, even after 2 years of listening. The album only have 3 catchy songs, Wesley's Theory, Alright and King Kunta, but that doesn't mean the others are bad. Besides those 2, the songs on this album was designed to be sort of on the back, so we can focus more on what Kendrick is saying. In this album you realized why he is one of the best rappers alive, the lyrics, his flow, and his voice style changes throughout the album, his rapping skills, it's stellar. With his story combined with the incredibly lavish production on this album, you just don't listen, but you also feel the experience on this record. I think this album lives up to the definition of masterpiece and it totally deserves the title.

There is a reason Kendrick has won a Pulitzer; this is my second favorite album of his. This album defined the 2010s, and I believe it will define hip hop and music for the next century.

Such a good album. Kendrick is a fucking genius

Amazing hip hop album.

Great!

Album intelligent, bien fait et qui a impressionné bien des gens qui ne sont pas des adeptes du genre. C'est une de ses grandes qualités de plaire autant aux adeptes du style qu'aux gens qui y sont habituellement réfractaire. Et c'est l'album qui a poussé David Bowie a engager un petit band de jazz contemporain de New York pour son magistral dernier album Blackstar. La pièce Alright est une incontournable de cet album et est devenue très importante pour le mouvement Black Lives Matter. Album très important des années 2010.

Quite possible THE album of the 21st century so far. Melds decades of sounds, arrangements, anger, personal stories, and oppression into one monumental (and somehow cohesive) whole. It's a bit over-long, and the highs are incredibly high but not every track is outstanding. Still a fantastic achievement.

So, I missed out on Kendrick Lamar when this was first out because of the age of my kids, but I've always been a big rap fan. He's an amazing lyricist and there's some great tracks on this album. Supposing you ignored the lyrics entirely, the music is also first class. I'd listen to an instrumental version of Mortal Man any day.

Obviously this one is a 5. Even though I still don't connect with it personally as much as I do with "good kid, m.a.a.d. city", it's objectively an amazing album. "I" & "the blacker the berry" are suuuch bangers. Hadn't listened to this in years and ended up having it on repeat most of the day.

Super album, made me have faith in modern rappers again

Amazing front to back story telling song writing musically one of the best hip hop albymss ever nade

🐐

Honestly incredible, there's a reason this was everyone's best album of the year. It's thoughtful and angry and poignant while still having incredible beats and mixes

A fantastic album. To pump a butterfly is probably Kendrick’s best album. It’s my second favorite behind GKMC but not far behind. This album is really a step above so many other rap albums of the decade. The jazz influences, the production, the lyricism are all observed from beginning to end. Kendrick spent an strong portion of this album talking about a single issue which is also rare for many modern rap albums. Not many do it better. 9.3/10

4.75

4.5/5. I really can't say anything about this that hasn't been said, except that GKMC has more straight up bangers

5.0 + Of the 500 albums I’ve listened to so far, this one might be my favorite. It’s so dense with bars, and it rewards frequent listens. “Complexion” is my new favorite song off this.

5, masta peace

G.O.A.T.'d

Fuckin slaps

5.0

Poetry

A groove

I first listened to this last year. It was a hot summer's day and I spent it exploring some towns in land. I never listened to it before, but I chose To Pimp A Butterfly as one of the albums to listen on my trip because I wanted to depthen my music taste, and this was recommened a lot on music forums. Driving out past the first stop, Wesley's Theory came on and as it kicked into the main groove, it felt like the music equivalent of The Wizard Of Oz. "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore". The music production throughout is fantastic and despite not being a big fan of rap, I wasn't actually ever bored when listening to the nearly 80 minute album. Maybe it was the 40°C weather and barely any clouds in the sky that provided the positive mood, but the funky basslines and the jazz beats definitely helped the mood. Kendrick Lamar's vocal delivery was smooth for the most part and could get angry if required. I also liked the recurring poem that kept stopping throughout until it was played in full at the end of Mortal Man. That sequence including another poem named after the album title, and an edited recording of Lamar interviewing Tupac Shakur was a genuinely interesting way to end the record. While driving through some windy roads past a lake in the middle of nowhere, I felt solely in a room in the US with both rappers, listening to this intense interview with the jazz crescendo in the background. From the four albums I listened to that day, this stayed in my mind for a while. I've listened it a few times since, and everytime I do, I think of the time I was constantly sweating in the heat right in the middle of nowhere. Favourite songs were These Walls, Wesley's Theory, Alright, The Blacker The Berry, and i. Also the whole Mortal Man sequence is pretty fantastic too.

When a jazz infused, avant-garde, politically charged hip-hop album makes Kendrick one of the biggest pop stars on the planet and in the process partly restores my faith in the general music buying public.

An easy 5.

Let's go Kendrick. I don't have the best ears for lyrics, but Kendrick's beat and instrumentation is a real treat for the ears. i is such a release from a lot of the heaviness inside the album.

Love the jazziness, the flow, and the sheer all-over-the-place-ness of it. I lack historical perspective on and deep knowledge of the genre, but know full-on artistic commitment when I see (or hear) it and this is definitely that. Plus, lots of fun hooks and echoes – “we gonna be all right” indeed. Engaging and cool and a helluva lot of fun. 4.5 / 5.

This is probably my favorite album of the last 15 years, and I don't say that lightly. Kendrick is the best lyricist working today and this is his finest work in that area by far. My favorite tracks on this are "i", "Wesley's Theory", and "How Much a Dollar Cost", but the quality is so consistent across the nearly hour and a half album that I'll probably pick a different three the next time I listen.

One of the greatest albums of all time and one of my personal favorites. I still listen to this one very frequently. Insanely good.

Best hip hop album in years

Really good album. Went in not liking Lamar. Total 180. Incredibly interesting listen.

I love this album. Lyrically impressive with a great flow, great samples, cool jazz influences. An instant classic.

Very good album, good stuff, simply extravagant

Si heureux de retrouver cet album dans la liste. Prefs: Wesley's Theory, For Free? (Interlude), King Kunta, These Walls, Alright, Hood Politics, How Much a Dollar Cost, The Blacker The Berry, i, Mortal Man Moins pref: Momma

Loved it!

Great album, Kendrick always delivers

That Album Is A Ten Men 8ir Me Na7kou. Head Is Buzzing, I Shouldn't Put The People I Trust In Conditions Dra Kifech. Make Sure Of That.

This felt like one of the few original sounding albums I have heard in a while. There are so many layers of influence but combined it feels like something that is not made often or maybe ever.

I'm not always a big hip hop fan, but I really like Kendrick Lamar. This is very experimental and interesting.

Wow! If I listened to this 100 times, I doubt I'd catch all of the references.

In contention for the best album released in my lifetime.

Discazo, sí, aunque sea muy ignorante de estos géneros... o de cualesquiera, quizá. 10/10

Perfeito

Such a great album, lot of good moments and great messages. Love the influence Thundercat had as well as Steve Lacy but can’t understate the performance of Kendrick at all.

we already know this one is a 5

Love this album. Could easily play this for older dad type crowd and they'd enjoy. KING KUNTA BABY.

A stunning achievement, Lamar’s insightful, searing social commentary over a jazz infused hip hop soundtrack easily towers over most artists working in any genre today. And artist is the correct description- TPAB is a work of art which will be looked back upon and studied as an artefact of these times and the position of Black Americans in US society. Nobody else comes close to offering this whilst also making listenable, ostensibly mainstream music. Poetic, inventive, dynamic, essential. A masterpiece.

The production is really inspiring, and the extensive sampling of jazz and what feels to a white guy as "black" music gives this record a feel of being rooted not only in Kendrick's creativity but in a larger context of US history.

1001 is bringing the Christmas heat! Kendrick is easily the best rapper of our generation, although I'd argue the competition is pretty weak. GKMC is still my favorite, but this album is a masterpiece. King Kunta is a bop. Alright is infectious. How Much a Dollar Cost is reflective and beautiful. At times the album switches gears too fast and gives you whiplash. That said, Kendrick really branches out with more socio-political commentary and wide influences from classic soul to swing jazz. At times the absurdity gets in the way of the message, but I still think this is a bold and provocative statement from a rapper on top of his game. 9.5/10

Goddamn.

Oh my god … beautiful - how did I miss this album before

This album is perfect. My favorite iteration of Kendrick. Easily one of my all-time favorite hip hop albums and also pretty damn high on my all-time albums list.

perfection

Absolute masterpiece.

This is a modern classic. I'm not the biggest hip hop head but I know what I like and I REALLY like this. The music, the guests, the lyrical concepts. It's just a great piece of art. 10/10 all the way.

Love the genre blending in this album, great stuff.

Good album, have heard before

Quite possibly the best album of the 21st century so far. Lyrics, flow, production, themes are all 10/10. Not only a masterpiece of the Hip-Hop genre, but up there with all time greats such as Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon and Nirvana's Nevermind.

Jazzy Rap. The last track alone merits the disc five stars.

Definitely the most important hip-hop album of the 21st century so far in my opinion. Musically, it's incredible with gorgeous, jazzy, varied production. Lyrically it's Kendrick's peak which is saying something considering how consistent he is. The recurring poem to Tupac ties it together perfectly.

wow. ...what a tour de force. I had no Idea. The hip hop albums on this list have been, in general, the real slap in the face discovery for me. And this one may be the best so far and there have been great one's. In particular the Eminem album knocked me on its ass for its incredible wordplay and compelling music. To Pimp a Butterfly while not as shocking as The MM album, but my God the intricacies of the wordplay...of the poetry, is stunning in places and at the very least compelling and interesting and intelligent. This one's a KEEPER and is deserving of multiple listens 5 stars

Masterpiece!!! Poetic, threaded with amazing influences, and loaded with some of Kendrick's best bars.

Aj karamba, pojawily sie murzyny prorokowane podczas sluchowiska hookwormsow, ale nie do konca, bo nie mumblowy trap, a krol wspolczesnego lozenia rymow, ktory jednak mocno jest zwiazany, jesli chodzi o inspiracje murzynami zlotej ery, co slychac zwlaszcza na tym albumie, ktory sam w sobie jest pewnego rodzaju dialogiem z 2pacem, wydaje mi sie ze juz wystarczajaco sie napisalem na temat tego albumu gloszac murzynska ewangelie w internetach, wiec zbieranie tutaj antologii na ten temat troche mijaloby sie z celem tych opiso recenzjo notesow, wiec na tym koncze, a ocena oczywista, bo przeciez to pan Kendrick Lamar

Good. Really really good

An innovative work of art. Protest rap over funk, jazz, traditional boom-bap beats from one of the best in the game. Hell yes. Best track: King Kunta

This is the first album on this list so far that I've previously listened to in its entirety. Like, dozens of times before. To Pimp a Butterfly is probably one of my favourite albums so far. Its complexity and depth really stands out compared to the three albums I've listened to so far. It's not just a collection of songs, it's a cohesive artwork (a concept album!) and there's so much to be discovered in its depths.

Интересно будет посмотреть на общественное мнение по поводу этого альбома лет через 3-5, если антивоукизм и правая повесточка всё-таки умудрится стать доминирующей в культуре. А так хули тут говорить, у фантаны 20-минутный видос по сабжу есть, и во многом с ним можно согласиться, хотя его сойджак-позиция мультикультурного куколдизма и целования ботинок неграм не совсем в мой россиянский нрав въезжает. Но тут реально сложно что-то противопоставить - музыкально альбом просто охуенен процентов на 90, причём не по-задротски охуенен, а даже умудряется качать время от времени (хотя и меньше, чем его предшественник, которого я, вообще-то, повыше бы поставил). Короче вот это реально мастлисен перед смертью, даже если вам похуй на страдания негров - как минимум под Alright и The Blacker the Berry можно покачаться + потанцевать под These Walls и I (лучшая песня)+ подепрессовать под обе части U. Ну и ещё одна из любимых моих тем, внезапно - интерлюдия For Sale?, хз даже почему, просто этот странный немного оффбитный припев охуенно въезжает. К не самым лучшим песням могу отнести только всяческие негритянские завывания и причитания, типа Institutionalized, You Ain't Gotta Lie и, конечно, Mortal Man - это вообще кринжфест, для меня даже десять лет назад альбом заканчивался на охуительнешйей I, а то шо там происходит последние минут 15 это какой-то пиздец и руина. Но всё равно совесть не даёт ниже девятки ебашить, всё-таки в своё время плотнейше гонял, и даже сейчас переслушал с определённым кайфом, ну и сам Кальмар в то время ныл ещё не так сильно как он ноет сейчас, так что всё познаётся в сравнении. Вайт павер/10

Una meravella que transcendeix géneres. Lamar es trobava dos esglaons per sobre de la resta, ja fossin vaques sagrades com Jay-Z, Kanye West o Eminem, o noves lluminàries com Frank Ocean o Tyler, The Creator. Aquesta obra capital és una bogeria en la seva fusió de géneres, idees, ritmes, samples... Més enllà del seu enfocament polític i racial, tot i acceptant la seva importància, que no fa més que enfortir el missatge i la seva força, és un dels millors discos dels '10

First Kendrick Lamar album I listened to in the past. Blew my mind. Changed my favourite genre of music and send me on a unforgettable musical journey. Perfection.

What a start It's already a 5

Lyrically, it feels so real and full of insights and intelligence, like I'm getting a peek inside Kendrick's life and head. Musically it's just so dense and rich, throwing samples, beats, and riffs at you. Idea after idea. It's not the kind of album I could listen to again and again as I find it too overwhelming, but I do feel I could find something new in it every time.

Incredible album, start to finish.

Beautiful and possibly the best album ever made. The interstitial poem is ingrained in my head. RIP Pac

De las mejores recomendaciones de esta lista. Increíble en su totalidad. Sonido, ritmo, voces...

Come on - this is one of the best albums of all time. Have it on vinyl. A must-listen. 5/5

What the fuck can I say, March 2015 was largely occupied in my mind by this record being listened to over and over again. The production and lyricism are both so goddamn dense and ingenious that to this day six years later relistens still reveal me new brilliant angles. This thing is a fuckin accomplishment that transcends the soft centrist praise K-Dot's next record DAMN accumulated. 💣💣💣🔥🔥🔥

This album is unpredictable. The first listen is powerful experience.

"Shit don't change until you get up and wash your ass..." I've taken the past few days off and listened to this album during most of it however I could still listen to this for the next week before I was really ready to write a review of this. I think this is an important album and not one I would've found on my own. There is so much going on here with KL. It should be noted that KL is the real hero of this album, not the production or the instrumentation or guest appearances. This is all KL and he is a powerful force. His lyrical style is fast and his words are incredibly deep, insightful and full of meaning. Standout tracks, probably my favorite is the 'i' track. Toward the end of it, KL engages with the audience just prior to doing some a capella and starts off amongst audience chitter chatter and during the course, the audience calms and begins to listen. It's difficult to tell if this is produced or this is live, but the effect is moving. Other notables are "For Free? interlude", 'King Kunte', and worth mentioning is the sister track to 'i', 'u'. There is so much to unpack here, and I could stand another week to really feel comfortable enough to write a proper review. Really a great album on its own that everyone, yes everyone, should listen to at least twice if not more.

Already listened way too many times. Absolute classic right here

what an album, turned me on to rap after lupe

absolute masterpiece and milestone for hip hop / concious rap in general.

i love myself so much

There is a lot of more recent rap that I can't stand. The beats and the production are all too similar, following in the trap style of fast hi-hats and AutoTune and droning repetitive lyrics about drugs and girls. Kendrick Lamar is not that. And he stands out all the more amidst his peers for it. He has a voice that I feel like shouldn't work, but does (a bit of a theme lately for me with some of the recent albums). He is an amazing lyricist, writer, and rapper, with a flow that is unique and at times mind-blowing. He tells stories, he exposes raw truths. And he does it all with a seamlessly interwoven background of beats and horns. There is more soul and funk I can dig on this album than there was on Prince's "Sign 'O' The Times." Kendrick Lamar has so much to say, and it deserves and warrants repeated close listens. As an aside, with the relatively low number of hip hop albums on this list, I would expect that they are more likely to be the cream of the crop, 4 or 5 star albums. This one certainly sets the tone for that.

What do you even say? Mind-blowing, devastating, uplifting. This album is incredible.

I love this album. A modern classic, need I say more?

amazing fucking album.

Of fucking course this is one of my favourites of all time.

excelente me gustó mucho lo escucharé de vez en cuando

- the beginning of wesley's theory, wow the trumpets and the 1920s sounding instruments i love it - more lovely horn instrument noises in 'for free?' and ooooh i think it's gonna be a jazz rap album this is so !!!!! - king kunta is so catchy - the story telling voices in institutionalized is amazing - my fav bit of the song is 'if these walls could talk. i can be your (purple) rain when you cry'. i love the contrast between their voices and for a second, i swore i could've heard prince - i could write a scenario for 'u'. the way he repeated loving you is complicated like he was about to cry made me feel like we were both going insane and then that bit where i thought my headphones were broken and the trumpets abruptly coming up to the surface again... yeah. that's all i have to say. - but we gon be alright yes you will yes i will - bruv that plot twist at the end of 'for sale?' when it just keeps on spinning and spinning in a different pitch yeah it scared me man well done mr kendrick - awww 'momma' is nice - i cba to review the rest but i did listen

9/10

excellent

.

To Pimp a Butterfly (TPaB) might be one of the most important hip-hop albums of the decade, maybe even regardless of genre. It is masterfully structured, made with thoughtful social commentary and just all-around good music in general. We're exploring the best of funk, jazz, soul, and hip-hop (obviously). And it isn't just anyone on the credits, you've got Thundercat on bass, Dr. Dre producing, and a laundry list of great features worthy of admiration. I can't find much negative to say about this record, but I honestly don't want to because it is just so so good. It's simply the best at what it does.

The beats, the bars, the themes, this album is so powerful. I have one or two criticisms but it couldn’t be anything but a 10/10

One of my favorite albums of all time. My favorite track has been and always will be Momma, followed closely by King Kunta and Alright.

Awesome album, love all the features and kendrick using all the voices he can fit in there. Jazz and funk fills the album with incredible sound

One of the greatest hiphop albums of all time. I don't need to saymore. Go listen to it

Masterpiece. 10

I get why white people love this dude

Ya like jazz? 11/10, I'd sell my kidneys for another Kendrick album as good as this.

Legendary.

En una década en la que la mayoría de la música sonaba demasiado similar y gastada. Cuando el hip-hop estaba en un punto bajo entre mumble rap y con la idea de escuincles sin talento al máximo está este disco como un gran respiro. Kendrick Lamar es grande; es quizá de manera técnica entre los mejores raperos actuales y diría que casi seguro el mejor de los recientes. Lo que lo lleva a otro nivel es su capacidad y deseo de experimentar y llevar sus trabajos a otros niveles. A veces no funciona del todo pero en este caso termino con un disco excepcional. Musicalmente no se le puede ni comparar, es único; su capacidad de experimentar y crear mezclando todo un disco con jazz, funk, soul, breaks de saxofón con scat. Pareciera que aprendiendo e inspirado por cosas como aquel Phrenology de The Roots o la Música de Outkast o en particular de Andre 3000 está dispuesto a estirar la definición del rap y hip hop hasta que casi se truene. Música fluida, impredecible, atascada tanto de creatividad como de talento en sus colaboradores (¡Mirá es Thundercat! conocía este disco y ni idea de notarlo hasta ahora, Terrance Martin, Snoop, Dr. Dre, Pharrel). Todo el concepto musical es una celebración a atreverse a hacer algo distinto. Y si musicalmente es grande en su concepto y letras no se queda nada atrás. En un género atascado de idioteces y cosas vacías todavía hay alguien que trata de hacer un disco complejo, de poner de frente la hipocresía no solo de la sociedad en la que vive (“Oh America, you a bad bitch/ I picked the cotton that made you rich” es quizá la línea más simplona del disco y aun así no es mala) sino en especial tratando de mostrar esa hipocresía hasta en sí mismo y la cultura que representa ("So why did I weep when Trayvon Martin was in the street? / When gang bangin' make me kill a nigga blacker than me?"). Casi todas las letras se centran en esas dicotomías perder-perder que están muy presentes y que no tienen lados buenos como el rapero "consciente" contra el pandillero, el machista con postura contra la el ser lleno de culpa, la culpabilidad blanca forzada y la violencia entre negros; todo con un mensaje de reconciliación sin sentir que te está sermoneando. Esa calidad lírica es muy muy difícil de lograr. Es un disco que tiene cosas que decir y sabe cómo hacerlo. Es un disco hecho por alguien lo suficientemente inteligente como para saber terminar con una pieza de spoken word, pegando una entrevista con Tupac Shakur con poemas suyos resultando en algo que nunca existió, dándole un nuevo sentido y hacer que funcione y que no se sienta ni forzada ni como un gimmick.

Incredible concept album. Introduced me to Thundercat back in the day.

Own it. Love it. Saw him live perform it. Damn it. On it. Fuck it. Makes it.

Goat

KING KUNTA. this is one of his best. this shit beautiful and truly shows his raw lyricism and talent. funk political soul hip hop. dA gOaT. I REMEMBER YOU WAS CONFLICTED

i kind of love this

Generational album. Great songs mixed with great stories. King Kunta, Alright, How Much a Dollar Cost, The Blacker the Berry, i

Fuck yeah

Familiarity: 7/10 Notes: Having just listened to this album for the first time not even a month ago, it seems fitting for this album to be brought up at a time like this. With the era of Trump hopefully coming to an end, and our future with President Biden awakening, I believe this album is perfect for the times. With mix of funk, spoken word, and best poetry, this sophisticated rnb/hip hop effort by Kendrick Lamar is straight ear candy. This album is already a classic, and it will live on as it finds new purpose every few years, I'm sure. Real Rating: 8.5/10

Love this album, though Damn. may be my favourite Kendrick album, this is the first one that got me into his music. Definitely my favourite hip hop artist

En av de bästa rap-albumen genom historien

jazz rap

Great

no-brainer

Det bedste af dem alle

Goat

To Pimp a Butterfly is just one of those albums where you had to be there to fully experience. Kendrick Lamar always had potential to harness the complexities of life and use it as a force to make galvanizing, transformative art and here is where that potential is realized. It is rare to know when a phenomenon is worth wrapping oneself in and, in this case, it is something that makes an investment in an artist of Kendrick's caliber valid. Ten years on, needless to say, it's been an awesome journey.

Perfect

Amazing album. Defines the genre.

Requires multiple listens to be truly appreciated. Still have yet to reach that number.

Høydepunktene er høye.

I listened to this on repeat working an events job in San Francisco in 2015. Holds up!

For no particular reason whatsoever, this was the only Kendrick album I never got around to listening to. Solid.

Been needing to listen to this

Así sí. No todas las canciones en el rap tienes que sonar iguales. Me encanta la mezcla de géneros musicales.

Great lyrics and a bit of yelling but good overall

I don't know that it deserved the Pulitzer for its "journalism" (but what is "deserve," how many Pulitzer winners deserved it more than their putative competition) but I do love the pure sound of this and the way it has a jazz sensibility, like the way whole tracks swerve in new ways like chord changes (as distinct from the jazz-rap of groups like Gang Starr where it's just individual little noodly riffs adorning a backing track). It has a rap sensibility too, of course. It's fun to listen to!

I say it again: I don’t like hip hop, but…

Have I listened to this album before No How familiar am I with this album Unfamiliar, I remember when it came out though and Twitter (RIP) was all over it. How do I feel about this artist? I don't really listen to rap but I know that Kendrick is one of the best at it. Pre-Listen Thoughts: This is one of those things that I started this project for—certain artists that are very highly regarded in genres I ave never really paid attention to. Favorite track(s): Alright, How Much a Dollar Cost Post-Listen Thoughts: This was very engaging. I feel like rap can be very boring to me at times, and other times it's impossible not to bop along with it. I bopped all throughout this album. I can't say I personally connect much with the lyrics but that did not stop me from enjoying it.

I know this one is considered to be iconic. Still, it sound good, but I found only a couple of songs amazing

This is a really well constructed album. The way it slowly reveals more in the “I remember you was conflicted” monologue and that the tracks move with the story. There were a handful of songs I did find instrumentally or lyrically not my speed. But those were also countered by some really innovative instruments vocals and sounds. This album goes on and doesn’t feel like it would end any time soon. It makes it hard to want to revisit. This is the second time I’ve listened, and this time I enjoyed it more, but really don’t want to listen to it another time. This album is definitely a 3.5, but since we can’t do half stars here, we’ll round up

I really liked this album. I find it weird because it’s not my genre and all the collaboration makes it hard to tell who’s doing and creating what but also makes it quite eclectic. Really loving the tribute to 90s rap, some funk, soul and jazz parts with really easy listening grooves behind some great lyrics. I think there’s something to like about each song and a really interesting project. Maybe a new Kendrick fan has been born, only over a decade behind the trend.

Its position at the top of Rate Your Music’s all-time chart suggests that many consider 𝘛𝘰 𝘗𝘪𝘮𝘱 𝘢 𝘉𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘭𝘺 one of the greatest albums ever made. I would not go quite that far, but its ambition is undeniable. The dense mixture of hip-hop, jazz, funk, and spoken word constantly offers something new to discover, and the unusually large cast of guest musicians and vocalists adds even more colour without making the album feel like a compilation. More importantly, it gives me insight into experiences and cultural realities far removed from my own without ever feeling like a history lesson. I may not connect with every moment equally, but this is challenging, imaginative hip-hop that rewards close attention.

Yes yes yes

What a strange album, but in a refreshingly good way. I'll admit that as I listened to the opening track "Wesley's theory" (and misunderstood what it was about), my kneejerk reaction was that at album #932 I've kind of lost patience with listening to the interchangeable hour-plus hip-hop albums by artists who seem more interested in feuding with anyone and everyone rather than making a genuinely musical album. But even the next track made me realize that this wasn't that kind of album; "For free?" is perhaps the highlight of the album, and encapsulates so much of what makes this a surprisingly complex album, with a crazy video and crazy "Birdman"-style free-jazz riffing and insane lyrics. The tracks that have impressively cinematic videos to accompany them are probably the best of the album ("King Kunta", "God is gangsta" (a mashup of "U" and "For sale?), "Alright" and "I"), although I'm not sure how I feel about "These walls" (despite a great cameo by Terry Crews), and "How much a dollar cost" is a great video-less song. Interesting to read that a big inspiration for this album's contents was a trip to South Africa not long before the album was recorded. Especially with the musical experimentation, I was reminded of Janelle Monáe's "The ArchAndroid" album, although Lamar's relentless focus on social and political commentary definitely takes this album in a very different direction ("The blacker the berry" a great case in point). After hearing his previous album in this collection, I didn't have much sense for Kendrick Lamar; this album completely changed my sense and respect for him as an artist (even if his voice never quite matches the power of his lyrics). This was easily a five-star masterpiece if he hadn't ended on the weak (and too-long) "Mortal man" faux interview with Tupac Shakur.

Amazing Album. I wanted to point out the overall shift in tone with the song "Alight". That being the most popular song of this album being more of a hip hop focused compared to its other jazz heavy songs is good. Overall great album.

GKMC is one of my favorite rap albums but I don't go back to this one as much. This album has some absolute classics - These Walls, King Kunta, Alright - but sometimes it gets a little too into the weeds and into some jazzy loops. And the single version of "i" is much better than the album version. Man I know this is considered his magnum opus and maybe I'll change the rating to a 5 one day but I just like Kendrick's more straightforward stuff more, sorry if that makes me a simpleton.

Obama say what it do

An objectively pretty great album that has, for whatever reason, never hooked me quite as much as GKMC or DAMN. BOO BOO!

Я поняла что это культовый альбом, ознакомилась. Очень понравилось сочетание джаза и репа, такие прикольные мелодии и поверх них хороший реп, со словами, имеющими смысл, чтоит вслушаться. Понравилось отражение американской культуры 🇺🇸Однако не было прям песни, которую ты услышал и у тебя аж мурашки по коже, а я ищу именно это. Сохранила: 5/16, 31%

I heard you was conflicted

So many times over the last 20 some-odd years, I’ve tried to listen and receive new hip hop with the freshest ears I can imagine, but for the most part, I can’t connect. It’s not that I’m too old because I’m in tune with culture, even though I don’t personally like much of it. I’m pleased to declare that I connect to this record. Lamar pays attention to details like my favorite hip hop artists do and, most importantly, it’s soulful and musical in composition. This a really good record. There’s a couple of dead spots, but it’s got a good flow and I never got bored. 4.6

kendrick lagoat

Re-listen i think?

Muito bom. Forte. Letras potentes.

My rating 4.0 I enjoyed this much more then I thought I would.

Obviously a great album from a great artist.

I missed a ton of cultural context, but I did enjoy the sonic experience.

Enjoyed the album. Some of the lyrics where kind of bizarre, but I liked that other critical side. Although it's not the best I've ever heard (and also not really my style), it's different from most of the things I listen to, and that's something I appreciate too. Totally worth a listening.

Yes is great, but the album is big and they're not all 5s

Love the jazzy experimentation. Very Big and Important yes yes. "King Kunta" of course is a banger.

Definitely a work of art. I love Kendrick’s poetic style and exploration of deeper themes. Also his ability to say things the way they are.

-ooo yay phenomenal album! another one that totally deserves the praise it gets. i’d only heard it once before and actually ended up liking it more this time around, such an incredible work of art with some very hard-hitting themes -probably his best album and one i think everyone should hear -Favorites: King Kunta, u, The Blacker The Berry, i

7/10

Aja, Deacon Blues

Bro nobody will understand what it was like to get your first taste of play to Wesley’s Theory right when this shit came out. What an interesting record to directly follow up my favorite Kendrick record. I remember being so mad when it wasn’t another record of all bangers, little did I know the impact it would have for what it actually was. It’s obvious Kendrick put in the time to connect with African culture in this one, which in turn made for some amazingly fresh and interesting production. We get Jazz, funk, soul, rap, spoken word, and shit that I’d never heard to this point. I genuinely bumped the shit out of Wesley’s theory all of high school thinking it was a love song 💀 going back and listening to this album with adult ears made me realize this set the stage for the entire album. Bro is literally a young black man in America who’s suddenly famous and loaded, and battling everything that comes with it. There’s even a dialogue with the devil in this shit. Definitely not the first time this kinda shit has been done before, but idk it just slaps so much harder coming from Kendrick knowing where he’s from and how the dynamic is here in America vs say an Eminem who simply had to prove himself in a black dominated genre.

This isn’t an album that gives you everything on the first listen. If you get hung up on the skits, spoken-word transitions or unconventional structure, it’s easy to miss what Kendrick is actually doing. Dig a little deeper and the real craft starts to reveal itself. The lyricism is exceptional, but it’s Kendrick’s delivery that really brings the words to life. Every voice, flow and inflection serves the story, making the album feel more like a complete work of art than just a collection of songs. The jazz, funk and soul influences only add to its depth. I don’t love every track equally, which keeps it from being a five-star album for me, but I have a ton of respect for what Kendrick accomplished here. This is an album that rewards repeat listens, and the more attention you give it, the more it gives back. Standouts for me are “Wesley’s Theory,” “King Kunta,” “Alright,” and “The Blacker the Berry.”

never would’ve thought to see this album appear, thought it was just really old music. kendrick arguably the best lyricist in the rap industry and the instrumentals and story told in this album are beautiful