Twelve days since a wave of protests began across the country in the wake of George Floyd’s death, many notable figures in Hip Hop have either spoken up about racial injustices, donated money to funds or took to the streets to join protestors. One voice that has been notably silent during all of this: Kendrick Lamar.
Hot 97’s Peter Rosenberg offered a rather succinct response for those wondering where the Compton MC has been as America has been burning.
“For anyone that is bothered that Kendrick has not spoken on the current state of racial tension and systemic oppression — he put out a statement,” Rosenberg said. “It’s called “To Pimp a Butterfly“. It’s a masterpiece.”
Other artists have echoed Rosenberg’s point in Hip Hop, such as .idk in regards to the Pulitzer Prize award-winner. Discussing issues of race and oppression has been built into Kendrick’s lyrics for well over a decade. In 2015, TPAB was K. Dot’s first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart, totaling roughly 324,000 copies sold in its first week.
The album eventually went platinum and went on to become the most acclaimed project of the year, earning a perfect rating from HipHopDX. It also earned 11 Grammy nominations, winning five, including Best Rap Album.
TPAB recently celebrated its fifth anniversary in March and many of the songs on it still resonate with the current times. “Alright,”the Pharrell Williams anthem about finding hope amid despair, has endured as the album’s signature song.
Other songs on the album such as “Hood Politics” capture the moment of the current political system, while “The Blacker the Berry” was inspired by Trayvon Martin’s 2012 death.
Love Kendrick, love the lyrical content of the album but sonically it was average. Lots of tracks have wack beats and just sound unappealing. It’s not a masterpiece just because he raps well, I love the messages but it has to sound good too. This generation’s Nas.
Jazz, soul, funk, blues all too musical for you, nevermind, get Travis Scott he’s shit you might like him
You’re a clown who didnt read the post. I love nas, I love kendrick. Both can rap, both have those great raps on shitty beats. Nas’ discography is mad weak because of this. Some classics, but he should have more. Kendrick has a classic (good kid), Damn was really good but to me wasnt classic, that album with unreleased tracks should have remained unreleased, sec.80 was good, tpab could have been great but it is a nightmare to your ears. He’s Lupe-lite, more popular than Lupe for sure but far less skilled. Basically if Lupe dumbed his shit down he would be Kendrick
‘far less skilled’. I need whatever you are smoking. Kendrick is just as great if not better in terms of pure technical ability
Nas’s Untitled album is a way better album for the issues that are going on now but no ones gonna say that because he isn’t as hyped and didn’t win a Pulitzer. He talks about marches, racism, systemic oppression, has a song called BREATHE with a line that says middle fingers up fuck the police can’t a nigga just breathe…and he made it 7 or 8 years before TPAB. Kendrick and Jay stay getting credit for shit this guy rapped about a decade ago
who knew, police brutality was also a thing 15 years ago
Because its shit
No, JAY is getting credit for stuff Nas, Common, Talib rapped about decades ago. KENDRICK was a kid, he’s recognized because he’s doing for this generation what Nas did for his. Also Nas is in my top 3 but To Pimp A Butterfly is so much more cohesive and creative than Untitled. Untitled is not even a top 5 Nas album
You’re insane to say that bruh, you really need to listen again to untitled by nas. A song about being a ghetto cockroach, a song about fried chicken, a song about the “N” word itself n its power, my nigga a song about Obama being president b4 he even won the election. I didn’t bring up Sly fox yet (fox news propaganda song). WTF are you talking about more creative…
Kendrick is light years ahead of Nas in terms of Musicality and Charisma. It is not about who did it first, It is about who did it best.
Light years is measured in distance, not time. With that fact, Nas still wins.
It is called a figure of speech dumbass. Kendrick is a better lyricist and artist than Nas. Furthermore he has a better discography than him, the only thing that Nas tops Kendrick lacks is cultural influence.
GTFOH that album is wack. Nas shits on him.
Nas did it best if you dont wanna believe me jus listen song for song verse for verse if you know anything about hip hop (song concept, content, perspective, disposition, message) its obvious nas is best hip hop lyricist EVER. He’s not much of an entertainer as he is an artist with a message…
Is this Nas writing this? You seem hurt. Not everyone grew up in Nas bro there’s a such thing as still being in your 20’s ?
I think that Nas is soooo New York that he doesn’t resonate with everyone coast to coast. I’m from the south and I’ve listened to everything I can say that I finally got New York more after I made a visit. From a black perspective, you could relate to different areas of the US except for NY. It’s just a different place for better and worse.
I’m gonna just answer all you morons at once. 1) nah I’m not Nas, you can be a fan of someone without being “hurt”. And I’m in my twenties too, how is that an excuse? That mean you don’t listen to Biggie either? 2) yes police brutality was a thing 15 years ago. How many rappers can u think of 15 years ago addressing it on a major label album? 3) I was talking more about lyrical content than production. Obviously an album from 2015 is more sonically developed than an album from 2008…once again a retarded argument. 4) its rap it’s not primarily about “musicality and charisma”. Idk if U really even know what those words mean, just sounds like something you thought sounded good but is really just inane and retarded like most of your arguments. What distinguishes rap from pop is that we’re speaking rhymes instead of singing them, that means this genre unlike any other values lyrical content just as much if not more than musicality and charisma. I was expecting some actual valid points. This convo just proves to me most of you are 15 years old.
I don’t even know about the sonic part. Seems like this shit is getting worse production wise as we go on because 95% of this shit sounds like nobody produced it and just put it out out of their basement. I was listening to Makaveli the other day, and how far production has fallen the last 25 years is stunning when you sit down and hear this garbage being mass produced today as opposed to all the work that went into putting an album together back then.
Word Songs Like “America” “Be A Nigga Too” “Testify” “What It Is”(Esco Let’s Go) “Project Roach” And “Fried Chicken” Really Pushed The Envelope. Hell, Even The Original Album Title And Cover Was On Some Powerful Shit And What’s Sad There Were Certain People In The Hip Hop And Black Entertainment Community That Was Fronting On Nas 50 Cent Being One Of Them Which Is Reason Nas Went At Him On “Queens Get The Money” Produced By A Then Unknown Jay Electronica Which Whom Like You Stated Only Became POPular Once Jay Z Started Fucking With Him. It’s A Shame But You’re Correct Nas Doesn’t Get The Credit He Deserve…..
….and about nas rapping about it a decade before?well,there was public enemy, x-clan,brand nubians, poor righteous teachers,ice cube and countless others before him. GET OUT OF YOUR NAS BUBBLE.!
As usual with nas.good concepta.poor execution. I’m a nas fan and I disagree.
Because Nas is the GOAT. Nobody will confuse any of those others with that status.
Classic album. That album got dre, snoop and pac vocals on it!
why these vultures be busting nuts so hard to niggas like this poser white dude corny. who he to discern what comes from niggas. Black men dont have to make verbal political statements. especially at a time like this niggas dickride pro black wave for likes sales and pussy. niggas can be quiet all they want cuz nobody took it this serious before we dont gotta say a thing corny ass poser media
da fuck you be yappin bout? lame ass nigga
Solid album that spoke to a lot of what’s going on. But one question – where is Kendrick when it is now time to take it to the street and march. Haven’t seen him or Nas for that matter out marching.
Solid album that really speaks to what’s going on right now. But one question – where is Kendrick when it is now time to be marching? Same with Nas for that matter.
Been marching for 60 years, please stop acting like somebody has to have a photo OP of the marching to prove they’re doing something or actually care
Must they March?
Kendrick will never be as good as Nas
Who cares both of them have talent both are black men and both are successful. So your point is what?
You funny as fuck??
Not as a lyricist, makes better albums though.
People are always confronting rappers with one another. Why not once taking their effort as a collaborative effort to the cause ?
Why do yall care which rappers aren’t marching? Stop looking for leadership in people who didn’t ask for that role.
Man let’s be honest , y’all bitching about marching, what is marching going to solve ? Nothing . Give it 2 months and most of y’all and the media won’t care about the situation anymore. Black people don’t stay on a subject nor ride together long enough to make a change .
This is America , white Americans at that . Brutality of black People since slavery , this is just the world we live in. Racism will always be here. Hate and evil will always be here. Just something we have to mange and live with while we are here on earth
So? They should be humble and keep silence?
I’m not saying keep silent what I’m saying is we have to mange what’s going on . Is marching affective to an extent. I’m everyone that is marching isn’t dedicated to the cause. If people are going to march and take a stand do it and mean it , stand for a cause long enough to make a change .