Music Review: To Pimp a Butterfly

Maturity is a fickle thing. Once attained, it helps reveal character flaws and hypocrisy, leading to a constant cycle of growth and reflection. Kendrick Lamar deals with this internal struggle in his latest masterpiece, To Pimp a Butterfly. Throughout the album, Kendrick presents a self portrait of raw emotion, describing his realization of inconsistencies and flaws in character that come about as a result of his rise to power and ever increasing influence. Both lyrically and musically, To Pimp a Butterfly is an incredibly innovative and creative work that pushes the boundaries of storytelling in popular music.

For those who are not aware, Kendrick Lamar is a rapper from Compton, California. Although he gained attention with his fourth mixtape, Overly Dedicated, his second studio album, Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City, is what propelled him to fame. Widely touted as a modern classic, it chronicles a section of Kendrick’s life while growing up in Compton. Since its release in 2012, Lamar has remained relevant through a slew of guest verses. To Pimp a Butterfly is Kendrick’s long-awaited third studio album.

While the lyrics could be analyzed for every piece of wordplay, reference and allusion, this type of listening misses the point of the album. Music is meant to be felt, which Kendrick makes easy through detailed internal storytelling and variations in delivery and technique. His most dramatic voice is shown in the second half of “u,” as he hectically rasps and stumbles over his words while drinking alone in a hotel room. The delivery perfectly compliments Lamar’s dialogue criticizing himself for leaving his hometown to pursue fame. The album is filled with these pieces of raw emotion, ranging from this meandering self hate to technically flawless shows of confidence in tracks such as “King Kunta” and “Hood Politics.”

The production and instrumentation accompanying these verses is interesting and creative throughout. While it takes heavy influence from soul, funk and free jazz elements, the music is undoubtedly modern. The very first track, “Wesley’s Theory,” is a perfect example of this combination. While bassist Thundercat, who is featured heavily throughout the album, keeps the bottom funky and weird, gothic harpsichord and other dark synths menace over the soulful vocals. The very next track features a jazz combo including Robert Glasper on piano and Terrace Martin on alto sax that provides fast swing to complement Kendrick’s frenetic verse. Throughout the album, tracks similarly use elements of different genres to create a really distinct sound.

Kendrick brings in a slew of collaborators to mold this style, including Flying Lotus, George Clinton, Ronald Isley and Snoop Dogg. Many different producers are also credited, but the heavy use of Terrace Martin and Sounwave, who usually work with Kendrick, keeps the sound cohesive. Interestingly, there is only one guest verse on the whole album. It comes from Rapsody, and she delivers a stellar verse at the end of “Complexion (A Zulu Love).” Even though Kendrick brought together an incredible quantity of eclectic artists, after collaborating they still produce a consistent, cohesive project.

With each listen, To Pimp a Butterfly reveals new layers to Lamar’s complex inner dialogue. Throughout the album he expounds upon his experiences with race, fame and spirituality in the context of our society. With these really grand thematic concepts, Kendrick still keeps the mood personable and not pretentious at all. Part of this comes from Lamar telling personal stories that culminate in lessons he has learned from individual experiences. Rarely does he voice how he believes other people should think or act. Most of his criticism is directed, sometimes tragically so, at himself.