Album Review: To Pimp A Butterfly

Artist: Kendrick Lamar

by Maya Avila

”Loving you is complicated.” – Kendrick Lamar

Yes Kendrick, loving is you very complicated. So complicated in fact, some listeners are taking sides. Most would say this album is a masterpiece. Others would say that isn’t the Kendrick Lamar that they know. Either way its obvious Kendrick is an animal that can’t be tamed.

Kendrick Lamar is the definition of a musical craftsman. Unafraid to tackle hot topics like politics, black oppression, and self reflection, love, and hate. This record comes out just in the wake of many social issues brought to light in today’s working class. To Pimp A Butterfly comes as a follow up to his previous Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, which became a cult classic to hip hop listeners everywhere. Although mainly appealing to youthful listeners, the sound of this album is not for everyone, and you definitely won’t be hearing Ryan Seacrest announcing any of these songs KIISS FM.

Kendrick comes blaring out of your stereo unapologetically. Each song uniquely Hip Hop with deep undertones of jazz, soul, and spoken word poetry. He is somewhat unconventional in a sense, yet still very within his realm of Rap. There has been overwhelming support of his music, which to me, tells me that the millennials today do infact crave meaning and substance to their music. Could this mean a turn around in how artist actually deliver their work? Probably not. Many mainstream artist will continue pump crap out of the radios of young teenagers. But still, there’s hope.

So here on the otherside of the argument (which I might add is relatively small), we have those who aren’t so crazy about what Kendric has managed to come up with. Many state that Kendrick has lost sight of his original sound. That he’s trying to appeal to the radio waves and lost sight of what makes him great. Others that he speaks too

much on Race, further dividing people instead of bringing them together. Because that is what true Hip Hop was essentially tries to do, bring people together.

Well to that I say this. Yes, Kendrick has taken a new path and with it a new sound. But is that what great musicians try to do? Experiment and creative? Hip Hop and Rap doesn’t have to be something you agree with. Hip Hop wasn’t created to follow norms. It was made to stand out and get people to listen. To be ever evolving like society. To bring social issues to light. Hip Hop was made to inspire and any true lover of music knows that. This is a feat that Kendrick has managed to accomplish. And for his creativity I applaud him.