To Pimp A Butterfly

Wauwzers

Ça c'est du hip-hop qui hipope

j'ai déjà oublié mais il me semble que j'ai aimé

hella entertaining. melodic. dramatic! minus point kasi meron pa rin akong skip tracks

Incredible album. Amazing flow throughout, with socially/politically/personally poignant lyrics. For me, this one falls into the trap of other long albums and I lose the thread, but it always comes back together. Masterful use of many styles. I could listen over and over.

these wallls, how much a dollar cost👌 inspiring album

Excellent stuff. A great listen from start to finish. Highlights include King Kunta, How Much a Dollar Cost, The Blacker the Berry. Don’t bother with the censored version on Spotify (I tried both out of interest) it makes it a jarring experience with all the gaps.

I really like this album. I've never been a big fan of the skit/talking tracks on hip hop and rap albums, but otherwise this would be 5 stars. There are some great tracks and consistency to this album that makes me like it the most of his albums.

obviously not my first listen, but this was a lot better than i remembered it. I keep 'Alright' in pretty standard rotation and always remembered loving "i", but not the album version. wish it wasn't this live rendition for that song on this album

Variable, some stuff I like, some is too rappy, the melodical stuff is nice

Some of the more poignant rap of the last 10 years. Kendrick is raw enough to get the feeling across. Something I have zero life experience to, but he gives me a peak in the window of the life his demographic lives in. All while going hard

I've listened to some of Kendrick Lamar's later albums and they're so different from this. This feels like musically, he's having a good time experimenting with a bunch of different sounds while still putting together a cohesive album. Though I wasn't expecting any of the songs to go as hard and depressing as the end of "u"

Een verbazend goed album met veel samenhang, duidelijke rode draad, heavy teksten en verschillende genres die duidelijk als invloed zijn geweest

Been meaning to check this guy out was good, orginal hip hop

Overplayed this when it first came out and havent listened to it much since, but the break did it the world of good for me. I’m still not 100% sure it deserves all the hype - it is class, but from memory it won just about every AOTY award going and was universally scored 10/10. Critics make out its the greatest album of all time, which I don’t get. But it is mint. It covers rap, soul, hip hop, and it’s way more experimental than 99.9% of albums in these genres. And its political as fuck, which is always a big tick for me. 4 seems too low, 5 is too high. A solid 4.75 for me

I didn't like everything on this album but the good tracks are top quality. The interludes and skits I am never a fan of and didn't enjoy them here either. Think this might get a higher rating with subsequent listens, but overall another great album from Kendrick. Highlights: Wesley's Theory King Kunta Alright i

The album’s really good and the high points are amazing but in general it starts a bit better than it ends so I can’t call it perfect but it’s still great and I wouldn’t argue against anyone who gives it a 5 but it’s a 4 for me.

Kendrick Lamar is the prince of west coast hip hop. I’m familiar with his big hits, but haven’t listened to his full albums before this. I think I would grow to appreciate this even more with multiple listens, which I’m eager to do. His raps are fantastic, even though his mushy delivery makes it hard to understand the lines at times. He’s already made a huge name for himself and I’m excited to check out more.

Not my cup of tea but maybe a 3/4 cup

cooooll???

I wanted to love the album and I really did appreciate and respect the mix of musical styles. Unfortunately there were a few tracks that just did not sit well with me, and made loving it complicated...enough so that it brought the entire album experience down a notch for me.

I enjoyed most of this. Varying styles and some good special guests.

I’ve heard a few songs from Kendrick Lamar over the years but this was my first full album listen. This is a dense work, packed with a variety of hip hop styles that really kept my interest. The songs deal with a lot of racial and social issues that had me interested in hearing more. Great!

How did I never hear this guy? Liked the acid jazzy stuff, harder time with the others

Great album, maybe not as good as GKMC, reason for the 4

Not always keen on the lyrics but the beats are absolutely brilliant on this.

Again, I can appreciate the lyricism, creativity, and expression, but the subject matter and lifestyle don't resonate.

Loved this album. Reminds me of my favorite 90s rap. Worth buying -- 4/5

Obviously good, just not my cup of tea

I'm very selective when it come to hip-hop. Extremely selective probably, thoroughly disliking 99% of it. Only albums I really like anymore are Illmatic and the Infamous, despite regularly listening to NWA, Dre, Snoop, Biggie etc when a teenager. I absolutely detested the hip-hop that came later, which seemed to revolve around how much money and/or how many girls/cars each had, and I realised a lot of that stemmed from the previous named artists, just taken to the next level. Illmatic/Infamous actually spoke about the real, in some way grim, lives a lot of people are tapped in. Onto this album. I've not even bothered with hip-hop artists in the last 15 years, writing them all off as the same. But this album definitely brought me back to the first time hearing Infamous. The beats are honestly incredible. First track floored me with the Aphex Twin vibes; the variety is amazing though, subsequential tracks drifting through jazz, soul, standard hip-hop, ambient, electronics etc. Some of the vocalists don't do it for me, but I only found one song skippable (Hood Politics) which is very good going. Looking forward to giving it another couple of listens to fully digest the lyrics

Did like

Il fatto di non riuscire a seguire i testi non me lo fa apprezzare al 100%

Highlight: Alright

Lirycznie dobre, muzycznie gorzej. Trochę bardziej agresywny niż poprzednie rapy. Takie 4=

Already love it

Another solid installment. This is prob a 3.5 for me but I'll round up.

In demographic terms, I'm the kind of listener that heard hype about Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly well before I got my ears around it in any kind of substantial way. This means I didn't have a friend turn it on for me. No one in my circles passed this my way, but plenty media to tell me how insanely profound this record was. I've listened a number of times prior to getting this as my daily assignment. It's good. His flow is sublime and I agree he's like a drummer in some ways—percussive delivery. That said, I think I got too much hype from all the press because I was also left with a sense of "Is this it?". Expectations can be a double-edged sword sometimes and so I'm here to tell you it's a solid four stars to these ears.

Thought I'd hate this album. I thought it was going to be Kanye West 2.0 where self gratification is the main goal. Fortunately for me I was very pleasantly surprised... A delicate blend of music, poetry, powerful speeches and heartfelt dreams. Yeah sure, there were too many N bombs, and in my opinion, an over abundance of pussy and dick references. BUT overall it was a good listen.

Great hip-hop album

Un album magnifiquement conclu par une You know I'm saying-outro rappelant comme deux gouttes d'eau le You know I'm saying-interlude de l'album Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Vous savez je suis en train de dire ?

Kendrick Lamar rend ici un vibrant hommage au rap old school, proposant une outro multipliant les "you know what I'm sayin", afin que personne n'oublie que le hip hop est avant tout un genre musical de gros noeudnoeud

Day 1

I'm listening to the albums of this project while working, so I'm afraid hip-hop albums are probably suffering from not having sufficient attention paid to the lyrics, and not routinely getting a second or third play. This album certainly grabbed my attention, though, and got a second play through. I definitely feel like I should come back to it again when I can concentrate on it more, too. Fave track - "King Kunta" was an immediate standout. Also really enjoyed "How Much A Dollar Cost" and "The Blacker the Berry"...

4.0

socially conscious lyrical hip-hop 4/5

Really interesting - I liked the medley between rap and jazz. Definitely not what I would normally go for but I can tell it’s good. Top pick is ‘These Walls’ but I also enjoyed ‘i’ and ‘The Blacker The Berry’

8/10

Noice

Es medio largo, pero está bastante fachero (Casi 80 minutos kjjjj). Combina muchos géneros, entre Jazz, rap, hip hop. Muy progre nomás.

Really want to spend time with this to get more from the lyrics. Some of the beats are amazing.

Liked listening and some great moments, struggling to remember much so needs another listen

Let’s be honest, this is some crazy shit! I mean that in a good way. Kendrick took some risks musically on this album and to me those risks payed off. The first track, “Wesley’s Theory”, with its fat bass and chirping keyboards in the background lets the listener know that they’re in for one hell of a weird journey. The next track “For Free” has some odd vocal rhythms over some jazz sounds but the third track, “King Kunta” brings you back to the funky hip-hop. It’s my favorite track on the album, with its metronomic guitar, great bass riff and some damn good rapping over it. The rest of the album keeps the attention of the listener with some well-crafted songs that shift between the funk and the jazz or sometimes combining them. The last track, “Mortal Man”, has a clever idea at the end of it but I feel like it’s a little bit long and that idea doesn’t really seem as clever through multiple listens. I feel like I would just turn off the track after the music the next time I put this on (I guess I'll see) . As a whole though I did like the album a lot and it reminded me that I still need to listen to his newest album that came out a few months ago.

Top 3 Songs: 1 - Wesley's Theory (1) 2 - King Kunta (3) 3 - Hood Politics (9

Not my personal favorite kendrick album but a classic for sure.

This is fucking great.

8th December 2022 Listened in the morning while travelling to London. Work Christmas do in the evening. Feels like LA.

I had this on repeat for a long time when it first came out. There's so much praise that you can give this record, and it deserves all of it. From the themes Kendrick touches on and the story it tells, to the insane variety of musical styles and influences, and the fact that there's really not much filler despite it being over an hour long. Out of all of that though, the thing that stands out the most is how good the record sounds with the amalgamation of hip-hop, jazz, and soul. It's a musical feat. Standout tracks are King Kunta & These Walls.

This album is great. The production is great. It started off slow for me but on the second half, Kendrick Lamar did not disappoint. I love the jazz and the beats. His rhymes on top of that causes me to think. Great to see that there are still rappers out there causing people to think and reflect. Good to see poetry still a focus in hip hop.

Clear poetic influence and good tunes, love me some Kendrick

[Wesley's Theory] The album opens up with some reggae-soul sample that goes "Every n**** is a star..." then suddenly hits with some beautifully complex array of beats. I get that a lot of people will be dazzled by such display of complexity, and maybe even the rampant use of the n-word. But this is a nice introduction to the album, a complex, dark, and exhausting album. I already heard this album a lot of times, and this is my introduction to Kendrick. Yet even now, it's still among my favorite songs of his. Far from the chill vibes of the rest of his discography, but still mind upliftingly good. [For Free?] This interlude is not something that I would casually listen too, but still, it's very fascinating. Here, we got a string of obscenities and profanities over a jazz track. Setting aside the humorous element of such contrast, there's a number of possible interpretation for this. But I'll focus on how Kenrick, the so-called "savior of hiphop", is pushing the genre to its limits. "For Free?" is far from the average hiphop track, song or interlude. It's some fascinating effort to explore, not to represent the genre. [King Kunta] A lot of first-time listeners, including me before in fact, unsurprisingly cites this as their favorite track off the album. It's no surprise, "King Kunta" is akin to MBDTF's "Power" and DAMN's "HUMBLE". It's popular, not necessarily because it's better than the rest, but because it's less demanding of a listen. Being less complex, it's easy to get tired of this song after a few listen. Personally, it may just be a demand for the album to take seriously, both in terms of buying it obviously, and in terms of listening to the rest of it's dense 80 minute runtime. [Institutionalized - Complexion] A huge chunk of the middle of the album. This is the meat, where most of the message comes from. Unfortunately, this is the section that I find hard to get into. While some songs stand out, it feels like every song is just the same Kendrick-rapping-with-a-weird-voice-over-the-same-soul-track thingy. Not a big fan of Kendrick's peculiar vocal style either. "Loving you is complicateHHHE!" is personally among the worst verses he ever did. The hooks are not that great either. I remember the thing about shit not changing "until you get up and wash your ass" and the stuff where Kendrick is babbling "BOOBOO!", in a bad way. "Alright" is a unique song in this period, although I'm not a fan of that repetitive rock-ish tune. I can see why it became an anthem for the BLM movement though. [The Blacker the Berry] Damn, this track is so good. I wonder if my relistens would include the whole album if it wasn't for this highlight. Basically, this is the album at its most emotional, the climax. A mind blowing masterpiece of his. [You Ain't Gonna Lie - i] The cool down after "The Blacker the Berry" is somewhat the same vibes as the aforementioned middle of the album. For some reason though, I liked these tracks. Perhaps it's the more positive nature of these tracks. [Mortal Man] Finally, the album ends with this complex 10-minute closer. Here, he finally finished the thematic poem that was being recited throughout the album, after that, he had a fictional chitchat with TuPac, effectively explaining the whole idea of the album. The conclusion, one might say. Whew! Pardon for such lengthy review, I decided that writing my mixed feelings about this complex masterpiece is easier done track-by-track-ish. As one can see, it's an exhausting, complex, demanding album. But it's art, enjoyable for me or not. A modern classic. Still, I will rate it based on how I enjoy it. After all, I'm here to listen albums, not to be a critic wanabee. Will it eventually be a 5? Perhaps, but as you can see, even now I'm still intimidated by this mammoth.

On the one hand, there's not a lot here that I'd listen to repeatedly. The production is a bit chaotic, which I don't care for. On the other hand, Lamar's lyrics and flow are incredible. This one earns four stars for the artistry, even if it's not an album I'm likely to listen to much.

I was blown away by this album. I had already known that Kendrick Lamar was one of the most talented rap/hip-hop artists of our time, and man does this album prove so. I'll definitely be listening to more of his work.

Has some dank classics. King kunta top song for me though

A lot of feels. I feel as though I can feel what he does in this album. I do appreciate raps close ties to poetry.

Very good and very interesting. I’ve said this over and over at this point well over halfway into this list, but I suppose it beats repeating: I inevitably struggle a with hip hop that is particularly focused on the black experience because it’s not made for me. I’m a tourist, and consuming this for enjoyment is unavoidably voyeuristic.

I like his voice, and I *really* like the variety of stuff he’s doing in this

I am shocked by how much I was impressed by and enjoyed this album, as hip-hop is really not a genre I tend to like listening to. This is one of those albums that makes you understand why they are called musical artists - it was definitely a work of art. The flow, the variety in the musical and lyrical styles, the cadence changes and poetry. It's not something I'll likely go back to, but I'm glad I listened to it

One of the best rap albums of the 2010s and arguably of all time. even tho not one of my personal favourites, I still respect Kendrick for his artistic approach to fuze jazz and hip-hop in a such a beautiful way to convey a powerful message to the listener.

I get why people love this album I don't like rap but it is some good music on this album

Kendrick fart-guy

Baanger

favourite song: how much a dollar cost least favourite song: institutionalized really really great album just not quite a 5/5 for me.

*listened before* I can’t remember if I listened to this once or twice before, but I just can’t get into it like everyone else. I’m not denying that it’s great, because it is, but I just don’t hear what everyone else does. Maybe that’s because I overhyped it for myself though. Anyway, my score can only go up from here, and I’ll definitely listen again. Favorites: Wesley’s Theory(incredible opener), King Kunta, i Disliked: - Album cover: 5/5 iconic

Stops short of amazing for me, but it is really good.

Kendrick seals his reputation as the most essential artist of the 2010s.

Very intresting and thought provoking

Very melodic and complex. Not sure how I feel about this yet, but I think I like it. Modern jazz. The more I listen, the more I really like this.

Moderne hiphop, beetje gangster maar ook wel wat klassiekere (jazz?) invloeden. Snap dat dit populair is. Maar sommige nummers net ietsje te gangster.

Great 90's south central hip-hop feel.

First time properly listening to Kendrick Lamar, loved it. Nothing particularly stood out musically, but very good to chill to. Lyrics could be just poems, really fucking good!!!

Amazing songs with thundercat

great album. One of the best rappers in a long time.

Loved the blend of hip-hop and acid jazz. I think I'll like it even more the second time round.

A fantastic blend of jazz and hip hop. Some outstanding tracks

👍🏼👍🏼 Video for Alright should be watched too

Very good album!

I've only listened to a few songs by Kendrick Lamar and the album "Damn." and I always thought that he's OK but nothing more than that. To Pimp A Butterfly changed my view on Kendrick. The production is great, he got big name guests and the flow and lyrics are good. It doesn't quite reach to the top for me but it's a very good album.

Enjoy it alot! Great album, but to me it's not as good as people say it is. 4 Made it to "i" and it took on the show. Love the energy on that song. Justified the 4/5

Mature but unrefined at the same time. Serious and fun. Glad I listened to it.

Talented Artist and poet.

listened to again masterful and thoughtful

I always have a really hard time reviewing the hip hop albums on this list. I can't relate to the content, and I always get put off if it's the excessive guns, drugs, women, money type of bravado. I can appreciate black culture and so I always try to keep that lens in mind when listening. So far, 243 albums deep into this journey I've had a lot of hip hop albums and I'll say To Pimp a Butterfly would be among the best that I've heard. I still struggle with some of the lyrical content but Kendrick puts so much energy into his performance, and the production is stellar. There is a lot going on, many musical influences throughout, and the musicality of it all is excellent. The political message hasn't changed, still covering the same topics because sadly things haven't changed. Overall enjoyed listening, though don't know that I'd go out of my way to listen again.

This is the first album on here I've really felt like one listen isn't enough to really grasp it - there's clearly a lot going on underneath the surface. View this 4 stars as entirely provisional.

Hard to listen to, but not to say I don't like it, I do. A lot of it is just really difficult material. Lyrically dramatic, musically brilliant. I almost never choose to listen to rap, but I have chosen Kendrick Lamar the most in the last several years… just not without headphones.

4.1 - Solid album, amazing experimentation and lyrics, but a bit dense for regular listening.

This is good. I am not the biggest fan of this style of hip hop, but it's certainly good music.

Jazz, funk, soul, electronic and hip-hop, in an electrifying concept album mix. Listening to this I realise what I've missed when I stopped listening to hiphop due to the insane amount of dribble that kept flooding the market. I'm glad to know things like this exist. One of the better hiphop albums I've heard in my life

One of the best Kendrick albums!

this is an album where you know every second was so expertly planned and crafted. every song has a purpose. nothing is filler. kendrick lamar has a lot to talk about and he spends his 1 hr 18 min runtime wisely and productive. i mean, this whole album is pure art! i cannot fathom the amount of relentless work and creative energy that went into this. the album as a whole is so beautiful and thought provoking. what stands out is that this album is unapologetically created for black people. the songs that lamar chooses to sample. the interview with tupac at the end of "mortal man". the contemporary and historic artists lamar features in his songs, including george clinton of parliament funkadelic and ronald isley of the isley brothers (!). the spoken word poetry in "i". and of course all of the topics that he covers within his lyrics. also: king kunta must be one of the best songs in the universe. i will fight you on this.

This hip-hop album is rapper Kendrick Lamar's third. Kendrick Lamar is a lyrical genius and he used this album to discuss political themes about black culture, racial inequality, discrimination, and depression. The album debuted at number one on charts in US, UK, & Australia, won Best Rap Album at the 2016 Grammy's, and was certified platinum in 2017. To Pimp A Butterfly has garnered widespread critical acclaim from all around the world. It appeared on many top ten album lists for 2015, and has been rated highly by most music publications. The album did a good job of expressing its messages while also being fun to listen to. I respect Kendrick Lamar and love his rapping skills, so this album is great for this reason alone. Although some of the spoken word / skits on this album get in the way of the great musical flow he had going, but this is just my opinion. Still one of the best Kendrick Lamar albums out there today.

It's lit

So many layers. I love it!

I usually turn away from rap music pretty quickly. The few that do manage to engage me need to have either interesting lyrics (and not the same old gangsta tropes) or a sick beat. Fortunately this had both

This is a sprawling album that covers a lot of ground sometimes within the same song. It is put into the hip-hop rap genre but at times feels more like an avant garde jazz album. You also hear soul, funk and gospel influences. Some songs songs have a Parliament-Funkadelic, 90's Oukast, Chic and the Isley Brothers feel to them. If you listened to this album for a week, you would probably come up with more. One of the reasons has to be all the producers and musicians he worked with recording in multiple locations. Contributors include Flying Lotus, Kamasi Washington, Terrace Martin. Thundercat, Snoop Dogg, Dre, George Clinton, Bilal, Anna Wise, James Fauntleroy, Ronald Isley, Rapsody and more. Kendrick toured South Africa including Nelson Mandela's prison cell which apparently had a huge influence on the songs and album. As previously mention this album covers a lot of ground with song contents addressing racial inequality, discrimation even within the black community, culture, anxiety and depession. Song highlights for me included "Wesley's Theory" with Thundercat and George Clinton, "Complexion (A Zulu Love)" sounding like 90's Outkast, "The Blacker The Berry" a more aggressive song about race inequality and "i" which samples The Isley Brother's "That Lady" and is probably the song with the best dance beat. The last song "Mortal Man" spends a good two minutes on the meaning of To Pimp a Butterfly which I found quite interesting. This album is big at 78 minutes but quite an achievement.

I do think there's some filler here, but overall this album is bursting with incredible arrangements and complex harmonic structures.

Decent. Socially conscious rap.

Delving even deeper into the vein that 'M.A.A.D City' opened, this album is a genuine and vulnerable telling of one man's struggle in a violent and oppressive world. What stands out on the surface may sound like bravado and avarice, but lying just underneath that facade is fear, self-doubt, and despair. In sharing that story, Kendrick has lent his voice to the telling of many people's stories. The list of examples is nearly as long as the entire album, but I'd point to 'Institutionalized', 'These Walls', 'Alright', and 'How Much A Dollar Cost' as prime examples of what I'm talking about. The tracks themselves are filled with the life and a diversity of numerous artists and musical elements from a wide array of genres. Check out 'For Free?' (spoken word), 'These Walls (R&B), 'u' (jazz), and 'Alright' (hip-hop) to get a sense of just how dynamic this album is. I think the statement from the Wikipedia article which says the album is, 'supremely "cinematic" production qualities but [with] "the freedom of a mixtape",' summarizes it perfectly. The rhymes and rap techniques are simply on another level. The internet has covered this thoroughly, so check that out if you don't hear it for yourself. My absolute favorite flow is on the tail end of the track 'i' and I only wish that it could carry on, instead of being broken up by the fight in the crowd. Please. Take the time to listen past the language and the talk about pussy and bitches! This album has so much to offer on every level, and it would be a shame to misjudge this book by it's cover.

I can see the craft that's gone into this - it's not something I'd normally listen to but I did really like it.

Dense and interesting - feels like I need to listen to it a few more times. But also feel like I'm not really the audience for this.

King Kunta, Alright i How much a dollar cost Très bon quand même!

Não é meu estilo preferido, mas é Kendrick Lamar!

Wasn’t feeling this after the first two tracks but from King Kunta it turned a hard corner and kept building through the end. Went back and listened to the first two again after finishing and had a different perspective. Not sure of the backstories of Lucy/rival beef/abusing power dynamics but enjoyed the theme building with reveals after each song. Great hooks and lyrics, good classics r/b samples, beats, social commentary etc. Shit don’t change till you wash yo ass. 4.1

Sprawling, inventive, fun.

Poweful album! Love the funk & fucking love King Kunta! If you can listen to that song w/o moving your body we can't be friends.

Tricky. Full. Good fun production. 4/5 for impact -

cool, assez chill

I love many of the tunes, the jazzy vibe of this one is great, I remember all the fuzz and all the respect Kendrick got with this one, but to me this one is a too long, I don’t care that much about the snippets and I get it, they was conflicted lol. Funny thing is that to me GKMC is his master pieces and that one is long and all that. It’s a 4/5 to me. Is that a Radiohead sample in How Much A Dollar Cost?

Is it hip-hop? Is it jazz? Is it funk? Is it ALL of them in some kind of gritty dinner party album? Excellent work of art.

Rhymes and good flow coupled with talking about difficult social issues

Wesley's Theory prod is fucking groovy and feels 90s I love it. For Free? ending is nice. King Kunta very groovy as well. Don't like Institutionalized. These Walls: Kendrick's flow is great in the verses, a little bit less fan of the chorus though. u prod is nutty so far. The break was unexpected. The beat switch was really nice and lead to two great verses. I need to relisten to this song and truly focus on the lyrics. Alright: This song is insane For Sale? better than the first interlude, need to read the lyrics properly to enjoy the song at its fullest I think Momma: I loved the first part because of the way he raps and the flow of his constant delivery. Then we got to the second part of the song and I can't believe this guy raps like this, he's insane. Hood Politics: perf, it's great he raps well. fav part "Critics want to mention that they miss when hip-hop was rappin' Motherfucker, if you did, then Killer Mike'd be platinum" Is it me or does he complete his poem at the end of each track? How Much a Dollar Cost: very interesting storytelling in this one Complexion: Not a fan of the song but Rapsody's verse was great. The Blacker the Berry: I love his aggressive flow. His verses are great and the writing is excellent. You Ain’t Gotta Lie: I don't like the chorus. The third verse is great, sigh. He's too good i: This song is insane, starts as a great song to vibe and ends on a powerful message with the N word and the word 'Negus' Mortal Man: Damn. I didn't really get into the first part of the song, but I love that he finished his poem and the interview part was legit passionating.

Pimpin

Wow, I had no idea.

"These Walls" reminds me of Prince's "If I Was Your Girlfriend" sonically for some reason. From a music standpoint, this album is a marvel. I love The Isley Brothers influence and hearing "That Lady" during "i". Bringing elements of The Isley Brothers, one of my all-time favorite groups, into this was a huge plus. But my God, this album is just a bit too long. I found myself wishing Kendrick would tighten up this thing to come in under an hour. Admittedly this genre is not in my wheelhouse, but this album brings me in better than most.

This is a great album. A critical moment in the 2010s was its release and influence on music and a revival of conscious rap, which is the only hip hop I could ever truly enjoy. Great production, blending a mix of genres, which creates a classic sound, mixed with Lamar’s technical genius and storytelling.

Fantastic rap album. Slightly prefer good kid mad city, but still a great album, with many good songs (Alright, Momma, How Much A Dollar Cost)

Сложно слушать реп в таком количестве. Все-таки, это органически не моя музыка, несмотря на ее талантливость. Это музыка 21 века, музыка настоящего момента, она переполнена информацией, в каждый трек интегрирован наш мини-мир. Кроме избытка информации, в ней много ежесекундных изменений, много голосов, она полифонична, это музыка общества, музыка масс. Но когда я слушаю музыку, я хочу быть одна, наедине с ней. А реп погружает меня в социальный контекст. Это не музыка эскапизма, она транслирует другое, она направлена на другие ощущения. А я пока не нуждаюсь в этом.

Smooth rhythm. Nice collaborations. Couldn't always relate.

Real shit in a positive way.

This is a very specific experience. I know this album and I loved it the first time I listened to it some years ago, but re-listen to it now made me note how much Kendrick Lamar was "raw" and inexperienced when it was launched. His work as so much better now that even this album being a classic for modern hip-hop, it's easy to note the fails and drawbacks. An awesome album that, for me, was overcome by the new albums, but it's still a great work.

Strong 4 stars. So many interesting styles and it feels like a solid cohesive story throughout.

Classic. One I was actually already familiar with.

Uitstekende hip hop

Good album. Sara's favorite rapper.

Technically good rapper, good beats, but I find that he is sometimes just too serious and I lose the sense of fun when listening to this album.

Pretty Decent, DNF

In a time where beats have come to rule hip hop at the expense of lyrics Kendrick Lamar pushed back.

Listened to this constantly for about a year when it first came out. Love it.

Deece

G - Influential, Explores Black History and shines a light on the atrocities and institutional racism that has been prevalent in America since the beginning of time. ☆☆☆☆ B - an album with a very important message and highlights the history of a culture and music. While it isn't my type of music, I'm glad that I listened to it ☆☆☆

It was interesting to wait until after we got 50 Cent to go back and rate Kendrick Lamar. Both benefited from the guidance and executive production of Dr. Dre but they could not be more different. Where 50 Cent was very one note (just pure aggression), Kendrick Lamar was all over the place, exploring different themes and musical styles. Not all of it works for me but it was captivating.

For Free? (Interlude) is a nicely strange, jazzy, improvisation. I don’t think I’ve heard anything like that on a hip hop album before. King Kunta has a nice flow. The funk is most definitely within me after having heard this track. A couple tracks lost my interest, like: Institutionalized and Hood Politics. Overall this is a nice discovery. I’ve been meaning to explore hip hop more and this was a good place to start. I will be seeking other Kendrick Lamar albums.

So many genre influences, I was really impressed!

Groovin', smart, emotional, super dense with references and guests. This one will be listened to for decades at least.

So many clear influences all wonderfully blended together to make an album that is worldly and rich in its sound.

This album is great great great. This album was like an oasis in 2015. Love this one.

it didn't hold up like i thought but i still loved it

Yay! Intro..... spicy ALRIGHT So far it's a journey. I feel like I'm going somewhere with this. This album cover is iconic. A bit long I need more listens

Монументальная работа. Одного прослушивания явно недостаточно. Охватываемые темы мне не настолько близки, как сам подход к раскрытию материала. Буду стараться разобраться в его творчестве сильнее.

Yeah, I fuck with this. It's a great balance between socially engaged, conscious, and conceptual hip-hop & the hard, raw sound with its roots in Compton. Sometimes, the metaphorical and conceptual stuff seems to think it is cleverer than it is, and the album gets a bit loose and sprawling at times. But it still combines most of the stuff I love in hip-hop. Shame I'm not into his other material so much. Solid 4 for this.

Nice

Got a lot of media coverage on release, but I think its justified. Only criticism is it has some weak tracks and drags on a little in places. Fav tracks: first two and these walls

Very interesting

Hello

Liked the third song; King Konta and Alright, the rest is not rlly my jam.

A Good album that cemented Kendrick Lamar as a truly mainstream rapper despite producing an original and often obscure contribution to the genre. Definitely over played but I guess that is just the sign of a great album although not my personal favourite.

My least favorite of his, but still a classic.

Liked it a lot. Thought it was very insightful

Rap actual, mola. Bases soul/jazz

Good! Cool musical bits and I liked the lyrics. Loses a point for being long. 7

A lot more experimental than I expected - enjoyed it. How much a dollar cost, with the Radiohead sample, was a highlight.

Lotta good tracks, and a lot of fun to listen to through and through

(already heard this a bunch before, will just rate it, 4.5)

good. listened to it during war with brandon derek MJ. alright slaps. as Matthew said "Kendrick goes hard"

Definitely an important and impressive album incorporating all the jazz but it still drags in places for me

7/10. Not really my style, but it does feel very well put together as an album, and was lyrically interesting enough to make me at least want to keep listening. There were only a few songs that I enjoyed listening to in their own right, and I still didn't quite love the sound, but overall a positive experience.

Brilliant. Although there are some tracks that I don't LOVE, everything flows together perfectly. Special mentions to 'For Free ?' and 'i'.

Not bad.

really liked it

Didn't listen to it because I used to listen to it A LOT a while back. Excellent!

Tyler the creator esque imo. Or maybe Tyler’s Kendrick esque😦

Re-listening for the generator. A beautiful storm. Kendrick always delivers. 8/10

Really solid, on repeat listens I bet it’ll grow on me even more. This dick ain’t free

Wow. A rap album I actually really enjoyed. It’s a miracle.

Not really my thing, but it was good. King Kunta was my favorite song.

Maybe a 3

Pleasantly surprised to see something so recent on here. Good album, a bit long and rambly for me though and I like some of his other albums more. King Kunta is a hell of a song.

Always enjoy this album

1. Intro beat SLAPS, great flow. Type of song to hit your body moving in some way - funky. 2. THIS DICK AINT FREE 3. Bop 4. Strange but a tuneee 5. Classic 6. SUch a good fucking song 7. classic 8. Smooth, fun interlude 9. momma bars good fucking album

Hard for me to rate, since hip-hop is typically not my jam. In terms of genre it's prob 4-5, but there is a lot going on here that I could dive deeper into, but not my cup of tea really. Definitely some interesting things here, so 3.5 up to 4.

Has a feel somewhere between "in the zone and focused" and "walking around". Really cool mix of musical styles. Compelling parallel narratives of personal struggle and Black historical struggle.

First listen. Very good.

Powerful album with some stellar tracks

That was really good. I knew Kendrick Lamar but not well and I didn't know that album. But it was a goodun.

Just a really amazing album all around, like a discordant beautiful Miles Davis album, but with a lot of lyrical content which to me, is what Jazz is really missing. Blacker the Berry is fantastic, as is King Kunta but the b-sides aren't bad or forgettable, it flows nice and it's a great listen.

Cool to listen to once but I don't think I will come back to listen to again.

This reminds me how much we consume media so fast. This albulm is 5 years old which is wild to me cause it feels like it just came out. BUT anyways enjoyed again..Mortal man kind of shooked me cause like look where we are now. Blacker the Berry is also a vibe.

iconic... educational.. a good time.

Always heard a ton of good things about this album but had never listened to it until recently. Overall, I was really impressed - such a unique blend of musical styles, it comes across as so much more than just a rap album, reminiscent of West's "Dark Twisted Fantasy"

Excellent.

Great for either having in the background while working or actively listening to. I find myself bobbing my head to the beats.

Its drags a bit, and I prefer good kid, but its still an amazing album. I love the variety of musical styles. Closer to a 4.5

Fav song: King Kunta

There are some great highs, but also some track I don’t particularly care for. i is an absolute banger.

I hadn't heard a full Kendrick album before but I enjoyed this even with that limited context. It's overlong and kind of lost me in the middle, but it's eclectic, clever, and dense with detail. My favourites were King Kunta, The Blacker the Berry, and i. Not really my scene but I'm glad I heard it!

Absolutely bursting with ideas, this record is a long, intense listen. The vocals are toooo much but the instrumentation is so interesting throughout. It gets better as it goes on, ‘How Much a Dollar Cost’ and ‘The Blacker the Berry’ are my favourites. Also, I don’t think any album should be longer than 60 minutes!

Certainly not the target audience.

Actually liked it which I didn't expect

It's not the kind of music I usually listen to, I'm not a Kendrick Lamar fan but the album wasn't bad.

it’s very good music but it’s so far from what i listen to that it was really hard to get through it was also long af

Good album, madd it’s not better.

Got better the further in you go.

Meh.

I like that he's been doing 'themed' albums for so long (the through line of 'I remember you was conficted' etc). 'For Free?' ain't great. 'u' is highly annoying. Hood Politics is grating. Always loved Wesley's Theory, King Kunta and The Blacker the Berry. Institutionalized, Alright and For Sale were better than I remembered. How Much A Dollar Cost has a great expansive sound.

Clearly high effort but can't say I want to listen to it often. Kendricks voice can be grating even if the message is great... some bangers, some annoying ass interludes

Not too shabbby

Nice, chill, long, vibes.

Eh not a rap guy

Some catchy arrangements and interesting lyrics.

Wesley's Theory Alright These Walls i You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said) Mortal Man Complexion (A Zulu Love) How Much a Dollar Cost Momma Institutionalized u Hood Politics The Blacker the Berry King Kunta

I’m sure it was good just not my thing

Not my style of music, but I actually like it. I forgot that I had heard it before.

Not like I remembered it. I don’t know if this is holding up. I love this guy, but I don’t know. It’s just a shame like maybe I’m just not feeling good. I don’t know.

Pretty good for the genre, but the message is not my message.

Achei interessante, talvez escute mais

Absolutely not what I expected. Kendrick Lamar is very talented. Way better than I thought it would be.

Kendrick has a couple modes and dense to the point of redundancy showed up here for the first time. Butterfly is a completely cohesive, thought-through album in a way that prog rockers could only dream of. It’s also impenetrable for me. Very much in the class of admire and like but not love, whereas Good Kid and DAMN meet me halfway.

I didn’t really understand when Northernlion said that your favorite thing should be what inspires your soul the most and it’s sad that nowadays people think your favorite thing should be the one that makes the most sense... until I listened to this album. I heard a lot of good things about this album but I just do not care for it. Even if it is crazy conceptually, since everyone seems to love what the album is “saying,” it’s still music. If you can’t make it sound good just go write a book man.

Kendrick Lamar is perhaps one of the more popular rappers of my generation. This is one of the rare chances I get to analyze the soundtrack of high school for many of my fellow students(not so much myself). It's incredibly political, arguably more so than many of its forebears from the 1990s. It takes the politically charged rap of Public Enemy and crosses it with a healthy dose of gangster rap(sadly). The production and arrangement values are miles ahead of most rap albums from the genre's early era and the gangster era. However, the lyrics have a tendency to be off-putting, and the songcraft is often worse than older albums. There is definitely some artistry here, but it just doesn't feel as likable as the great 1990s-era rap albums. I find the album to be hit-or-miss, just like the broader rap genre in general.

I’ve listened to this album a couple times before, but it’s been a few years so it was nice to listen again. I think it took a couple times listening to fully digest the album and the story being told. I really liked the different characters being introduced throughout it, different points of views, and how the outros on each song built onto each other after each song.

I’ve listened to this album a couple times before, but it’s been a few years. This is the first time I really understood it in a deeper level. Everything from his personal feelings and battles, talks between Kendrick, God and the devil, American materialism, all leading to him turning around to be the positive leader for his community. I really enjoyed every part of it. One of my favorite parts is how the outro builds after each song and reveals more of the story being told. In my experience, it’s an album you have to listen to a couple times with the lyrics to fully digest it, but it’s very much worth it to hear and understand his entire perspective shift throughout the album.

real good i just would not listen in full again

I've never knowingly heard anything by Kendrick Lamar, and when I caught sight of the Rap/Hop-hop tag, I nearly didn't bother with it - I just assumed I wouldn't like it. I was in no mood for 'gangsta rap' which in my ignorance, I assumed it would be. The Rap/Hip-hop genre really, REALLY, is not for me, but on a whim, I pressed play and... well, it hooked me in within moments, and really stood out to me as something pretty different. This is an unusual record - the music and production are great - that jazzy, funky sound is really compelling - but the disjointedness of it all really, struck me. I love an awkward time signature and this record seems to be subtly full of them. It's a melting pot of influences and it feels genuinely adventurous and experimental. I can't say I paid particularly close attention to the lyrics (swearing doesn’t offend me but it’s overuse gets boring very quickly) but they didn't seem to be quite as loaded with the guns, drugs and misogyny that taint so many records in this genre. I listened to the whole thing. I'm over 250 albums into this list and this is without doubt the most surprising record I've encountered. I might even listen again.

Album was inescapable for months when it was released, most of my enjoyment now is the nostalgia for that period

Bold and concept-heavy, but not an easy spin. Its ambition is undeniable, though the dense themes and jazz-infused sound make it feel more like something to study than replay casually.

I was able to get into the headspace of the narrative a bit, which is more than I can say for most modern rap. It did not need to be 80 minutes long.

This was so close to a two - it's more performance piece than an album.

DNF. really good music, i’m just not going to listen to an album where every single song is explicit.

Still can’t personally get behind all the hype of this album Just not for me really 2.5/5 Favorites: king kunta, mortal man, i

Ok

Not 100% sure. Liked it but I also think a second or third listen would make me like it even more.

Pimp

english rap, deshalb 6/10, aber für rap in general 9/10

Better than I was imagining. I liked some of the songs and there were some great beats that I even went back and relistened to.

Surely good, but I don’t connect in the way i’d wish to

Um grande salto. Um álbum que tem características fortes de som de Jazz junto com algo orgânico e claro, com o Rap presente, maaas achei arriscado. Pesquisei sobre e tem muito rolo por trás, mas basicamente ele visitou a África do Sul e teve uma grande inspiração pra fazer essa obra, tendo uma grande conexão com sua raizes e inspirando assim para o nome da mesma. Usa bastante de poemas tanto que, uma das minhas músicas favoritas tem um poema de uma personalidade importante. Além da capa que por si só, que trás a mensagem que quer passar sem antes mesmo escutar. Disse que achei arriscado pois não me agradou muito em algumas partes, fiquei boiando e curti apenas alguns momentos, mas nada de interessante pra destacar, pra mim foi apenas um álbum orgânico que, adentra em suas raizes com letras importantes e mostra o que quer passar, mas nada além disso. As minhas favoritas foram "King Kunta", "Alright" e "Mortal Man" (Com um poema de Tupac Shakur e utilização de trechos de uma entrevista dele, o que da uma impressão de conversa entre os dois). To Pimp A Butterfly cumpre o que propõe, mas se mostra difícil quando a intenção é atiçar o interesse por ele.

A very heavy work of art, not really FOR me, but I get the hype. I like that he brings a lot of jazz and funk into the grooves. Kind of "next generation" rap. A bit long and pretty sad.

Anstrengend aber auch mausig

3.5 stars

There were some good tracks on there but there were also some experimental ones that I wasn’t ready for

I know this dude is great. But man this is a lot to get through.

3/5, mid.

lo amo kendrick aura nashe

no me gustó tanto pero porque no se inglés entonces no entiendo el mensaje, me gusta la música ma a melódica pero kendrick es muy buen artista.

I understand and can appreciate why this is such a highly respected and regarded album, but it just is not for me. There are a ton of Kendrick songs I really like, from his first album and his new album, but nothing on here was so good to me. Alright is a hit, but otherwise just okay.

A lot more jazz than this than I was expecting. The vocals are raw at times as is the sentiment toward the end, but they feel like sage observations someone who's seen too much. Musically all over the place but with real talent to pull it all together.

Would say 3.5. I liked this album, but part of my enjoyment of music is the ability to sing along and this is not the album for that.

King Kunta and i, not surprisingly, were my top tracks. Absolutely killer grooves, although the latter snags its riff from the Isley Brothers "Who's That Lady." Multi-tasking for much of the album, but other tracks did not grab me that much. I missed the joke and commentary, because I am old and white, but is it original to offer lyrics in two songs, at least, about your dick? One day I will listen with a lyric sheet, which might help me get the album's classic status.

I acknowledge and understand why this album is important, historically significant, and well deserving of its critical acclaim. That being said, I find it more artful than listenable and it is not my favorite, which I say from the perspective of someone who does enjoy other 21st-century hip-hop and R&B very much!

I know this is supposed to be legendary.

Interesting and inventive schemes and rhythms. Not as good as some other albums, but very solid. 3+

Was advised I wouldn't enjoy, and suspect for that reason I did. It all felt experimental.

Not matched with my current mood tbh. But the album is a masterpiece. Those seamless changes between tracks are great. Kendrick's storytelling amazing as well. It's more like a talking picture for me. The way he mixed jazz and rap is really really good with all the smooth chords and especially those sax adlibs.

Un disco que está bien para poner de fondo en la nochecita de jueves o viernes cuando necesitas algo que tenga un golpe energético pero tranquilo. Luces indirectas y un vinito, como para charlar y crear un ambiente cool.

It was ok, sounds a bit experimental, not my genre of music but it was a nice experience

The trio of songs (the blacker the berry, how much a dollar cost, and alright) are certified "bangers" and would sit alongside peak 80s and 90s rap songs. The rest is a bit hit and miss. However for those 3 songs alone this is a worthwhile listen

No me di la oportunidad de escucharlo a profundidad entonces no puedo hablar mucho sobre las letras y significados de los temas pero por arriba, el 80% de las canciones me gustaron. Como no es mi tipo de musica me sentí un poco fuera de confort, pero al final del día para eso estoy usando esta web así que suma puntos. Dentro de todo Wesley´s Theory, Alright e Institutionalized se llevan mi top 3 ya que fueron las que más se asimilaron a mi estilo de música que realmente disfruto. Me gusta bastante Kendrick Lamar pero no creo que considere este mi album favorito de él

Honestly, I kind of struggled to get through this one. It's just not my generally preferred type of music and I was having a hard time feeling it. I recognize that it is good and culturally important though, which is why it's getting three stars instead of fewer.

Not my style but i only liked one song. I’ll rated as 3.5.

Pretty good. 3.5/5

First time listening to this album - I liked it, just not as much as I hoped to.

Avant-garde conscious art hip-hop, cool beats, great cast of collaborators. There were a lot of artists that contributed to the project. Has a cool funk jazz sound, sometimes almost free form. The music and beats are the star here, great vibe. The lyrics are a bit weak in some parts. It is long, could have been trimmed by 30 minutes. I hate the 5 star rating system, this is better than average but not great so it's a 3.5 from me

Not that same as it hit when I was young

More underground rap just is in my vibe, but I respect Kendrick’s hustle

It's an impressive work. A ton of different styles and influences. Was not in the mood today so it was a bit of a slog.

Sorrrrrry

I don't like rap(

Uuuuuh, dunno what the fuss is. It was decent

I'm definitely not talking shit about a Kendrick album

Much better than that mad city album musically. Even the constant rapping was bearable

Decent, I've got to be in the mood for hip hop and it normally takes something special to keep my attention, some great highlights on this but all in all didn't do it for me. Like the genre bending though

Ambitious album that has a lot to say. Lots of different sounds brought together in a tribute to black america (ofc there's more that Lamar has to say there). Mortified by the 1 star reviews. I don't even like hip hop that much and I think this is a worthy addition to the list.

Maybe I need to listen to this a few more times, or maybe it’s just not my style, but I fail to see this as the masterpiece so many have described it to be.

RYM 2.5

Toplyrics: I know everything, I know history I know the universe works mentally I know the perks of bullshit isn't meant for me Musikalisch und vom Style abwechslungsreich, besonders die Beats und Hooks haben mir echt sehr gefallen. Hab vorher noch nie mehr als einen Track am Stück gehört und das ist schon ein echt gutes Album und zurecht gehyped. Textlich kann ich vieles nicht unbedingt verstehen, zum Teil akustisch, zum Teil inhaltlich. Ist am Ende nicht meins, aber ich spüre das es gut ist und nur ein paar kleine Turns im eigenen Leben entfernt dass ich es richtig feiern würde. 3,5.

I hated the previous Kendrick Lamar album so my hopes were not particularly high for this. However, I was pleasantly surprised - and I’m under no illusions that it’s because of the vast array of guest artists and collaborators on this album that increased my enjoyment. Having the likes of Thundercat, Ronald Isley, and George Clinton on an album is a sure way to peak my interest, and that it certainly did. I can still take or leave Kendrick’s rapping and lyrics.

Am I missing something? People seem to say this is one of the best hip hop albums ever and it’s just average to me. It sounds more like a dance album than true rap. It’s more Kanye than Eminem.

Interesting listen. A lot going on here - hip hop, jazz, funk, soul, social commentary. This is some deep, thoughtful music. I did not understand or appreciate rap and hip hop when they first appeared because I wasn't paying attention. My loss. Kendrick Lamar is an extremely talented musician and I will go back and listen to his catalog.

I usually don't listen to lots of rap, but Kendrick really does it for me. The transitions inbetween songs are genius, the flow is great Really good album even though it isn't my usual choice of music. My favorites: "King Kunta", "Alright" and "i"

Rap fan here however this isn’t my favorite Kendrick album

I just get bored listening to this. Stand-outs - Wesley's Theory - King Kunta

Usually don't like this kind of hip hop, but this is clever, musical and diverse

EInwenig von alles kann es nicht einordnen, Hört sich ok an

The best thing about this was how the choice segued into some Frank Oceans whom I had forgotten all about !

Ik this album’s good and all but there were a couple of veery bad ones and ik voiceovers are Kendrick’s thing but u really get tired of them at some point. That being said i never thought this was his best.

7/10

Out of all of the hip hop albums I've rated so far, To Pimp a Butterfly has been the one I've enjoyed the most, likely because of how rooted it is in jazz and funk. I really enjoyed this album's sound the music goes along well withe the hip hop beats, and comes together nicely. Lamar's rapping is also much better than some of the other albums I've listened to, and the overall album is very conscious, which I much prefer over the 90's gangsta style I've heard in so many other albums. I really liked the music of "Complexion (A Zulu Love)", it sounds very nice. While I doubt I'll come back to the album, I still enjoyed my time with it. Favorite Song: "Complexion (A Zulu Love)

Good 7/10

didn’t love it

Here we go, this is way more creative than I would have expected! Some cool stuff, I'm sure lyrically its going hard but I can't listen to the words of songs. Couple I recognize for sure, fav might've been These Walls. 3/5.

Just like with Kanye I knew I had to bite the bullet, despite my undefined repugnance toward Mr. Lamar, and give 'Butterfly Pimp' a go. I'm pretty sure I never even accidentally heard anything from him, not even from the 2025 Superb Owl. Yet I must have been biased by the reported social media mania over the drawn-out Drake vs. Lamar diss track feud. So, as with Ye, I was expecting utter slop, yet confounded with the smooth jazz/funk/soul musicianship and the studio engineering marvel. Some heavy socio-political topics probably, but mostly proclaiming one's own phallic obsession, I guess.

Definitely one of the better hip-hop albums on the list. It sounds modern but retains that old-school organic sound I prefer because it uses real instrumentation. Lamar's flows are great and the lyrics can be pretty insightful too, although I could do without the excess profanity, as in all rap music. But alas, low art has got to have its place too, I guess. Key tracks: Wesley's Theory King Kunta These Walls Alright The Blacker the Berry i

some parts were good others boring

Not something i’d ever listen to without the motivation of the generator. Pretty good. I can appreciate it the musical flow and lyrical weight. Wouldnt turn it off if it popped up on the feed.

3.5

Don't usually listen to rap, so this is difficult to rate. I liked the second half of the album better than the first. Some interesting samples - quite confident I heard Pyramid Song by Radiohead in there.

rating purely on enjoyment.. sorry.....

A bunch of great songs, but overall not my most favorite Kendrick album I think. I do respect his production, and use of real instruments. It definitely sets him apart and makes him unique in the world of hip hop. He's worthy of all those awards.

Second time listening to it, i think it will take a few listens to truly understand, but enjoyed the instrumentals - the jazz funk influences.

Yaaaa enjoyed this.

Kendrick Lamar two days in a row was a little challenging, but he's pretty good. Happy Black History Month!