A weird moment occurs at the end of Kendrick Lamar’s sophomore album, To Pimp A Butterfly. Following the conclusion of “Mortal Man,” a spoken word poem that is unveiled piece-meal throughout the album, the TDE-emcee asks Tupac Shakur a question. “How would you say you managed to keep a level of sanity?” Kendrick says. “By my faith in God, by my faith in the game,” Pac replies before continuing, “and by my faith that all good things come to those that stay true…” Clearly it was all a dream, which Kendrick actually referenced in a 2011 interview with Home Grown Radio. Nevertheless, the unexpected exchange is easily the eeriest album closer since Ready To Die’s “Suicidal Thoughts.”
It is uncomfortable hearing artists incite comparisons to deceased legends. It was uncomfortable hearing Jay Z insinuate that he was better than Biggie on The Blueprint, just as it was uncomfortable hearing Kanye West compare himself to Michael Jackson on Yeezus. Some sentiments will forever feel premature. Here, the Compton native brazenly injects himself into a previously recorded conversation with Tupac Shakur, who passed away 19 years ago. It’s one of several potentially polarizing wrinkles on an extremely referential album.
Thematically, TPAB finds Kendrick Lamar struggling with the trappings of mega-stardom. The Good Kid is now immersed in a madd industry and desperately gripping onto saneness. He’s in a dark place, surrounded by temptation. Everyone expects everything from him, expectedly. Everyone’s in his ear. The sublime “Institutionalized,” (featuring Snoop Dogg) finds Lamar lamenting a homie who got “charged” after a trek to the BET Awards. “Somebody told me you thinkin’ about snatchin’ jewelry,” he raps in the first verse, before retorting from his homie’s perspective in the second: “Remember steal from the rich and givin’ it back to the poor? / Well that’s me at these awards.”
On the soulful “Momma,” Kendrick describes a conversation with a poor kid from a similar upbringing who tells him, “Your life is full of turmoil… I feel bad for you.” On the jazzy “For Free? (Interlude),” a female voice goes full THOT, snapping, “My other nigga on. You off,” and “I’m gonna get my Uncle Sam to fuck you up. You ain’t no king!” A drunken Kendrick screams at himself for Facetiming—rather than visiting—a friend on his deathbed (“u”). Then a drunken homeless man who (spoiler alert) turns out to be God chastises him for not giving him some pocket change when he clearly has plenty to spare (“How Much Does A Dollar Cost”). Thot aside, K.Dot assumes every character, shifting seamlessly from first to third person, changing octaves with each personality. Juxtaposition is littered throughout the project. Whether attacking sociopolitical inequities (“Hood Politics”) or emcees with ghostwriters (“King Kunta“), every narrative is lavishly nuanced and loaded with emotion.
Sonically, TPAB is exemplary. If Kendrick was a singer instead of an emcee, placing the project in one specific genre would be headache-inducing. Where the Flying Lotus-produced “Wesley’s Theory” (featuring George Clinton) is funk inspired, “Complexion (A Zulu Love)” with scratches courtesy of Pete Rock (and an ill guest-appearance from Jamla’s Rapsody) screams quintessential boom-bap. There are soulful moments like “These Walls” fondued with “The Blacker The Berry’s” bombastic reggae musings. Angelic choirs are scattered everywhere. Structurally, from a production standpoint, Big Boi and Andre might as well have arranged TPAB.
The most powerful moment on the album arrives during the second half of “i.” After a fight breaks out while in the middle of a live rendition of the album’s lead-single, Kendrick diffuses the ruckus by dropping a poem written for Oprah Winfrey, who’s been critical of people defending the N-word as a term of endearment. What ensues is a reminder of history lesson often lost in the fodder:
“So I’ma dedicate this one verse to Oprah / On how the infamous, sensitive N-word control us / So many artist gave her an explanation to hold us / Well this is my explanation straight from Ethiopia / N-E-G-U-S / Definition: royalty King royalty / N-E-G-U-S / Description: Black emperor, King, ruler… The history books overlooked the word and hide it / America tried to make it a house divided / The homies don’t recognize we be using it wrong… Take it from Oprah Winfrey / Tell her she right on time / Kendrick Lamar by far the realest Negus alive.”
Here’s the second point of polarization, though: TPAB leans heavily on a handful of the Golden Era’s most distinctive depictions. From a birds-eye-view, Biggie’s mo’ money mo’ (tax) problems aesthetic over Outkastic stylings, ingrained with Let’s Get Free’s clenched-fist mentality look like a series of artistic statements already stated. Repeated conversations with Lucifer—which Kendrick refers to as Lucy on the infectious “Alright” and “For Sale (Interlude)”—harken to the internal struggle with the devil DMX described on “Damien.” The formula is visible, yes, but fortunately, never formulaic.
Culture moves in 20 year cycles. In that sense, TPAB’s referential nature is bold and intentional. Kendrick lyrically invites weighty comparisons to all-time greats and does so on an album lathered in undeniable rhythms and universal themes: Equality, classism, spirituality, justice for all. Timing, perspective and execution separate borrower and biter, the general and the genius. For an an hour and 19 minutes, Kendrick Lamar revels in his inspirations while simultaneously pushing artistic margins through his visceral dramatization of the age in which we live. To Pimp A Butterfly is ambitious in its attempt to inspire a generation to change the world for the better and poignant enough to actually do so.
5 mics and a cornhole
Joey badass album is better. And fashawns album is better too. It’s a pretty good album not a classic or any nonsense like that. If this album is a classic then it’s on the same level as Illmatic, ready to die, doggystyle, chronic, life after death etc which it’s not.
It’s too early to be labeled as a classic. Only time will tell.
A decade later, time surely did tell because this is now typically labelled as a classic
Life After Death ain’t a classic. The songs with R. Kelly and Lil’ Kim suck so badly. It gets bumped down to 4.5/5 just because of those songs.
He gave you a double album and you’re talking shit Life After Death is a classic none of the album you mention has the same running time as Life Afte,r illmatic is only 40min
Quantity doesn’t translate into quality. Haven’t listen to the album yet; but by far this man deserve my 14.99 and my ear. His message and focus is inspiring.
agree with your name you think this touches wu-tang forever first 3 eminem albums or all eyes on me no way but I love that hes bringing back the funk section 80 still his best work….sorry
Nothing special, way overrated. Joey Badass, Barrel Brothers, Gibbs/Madlib, Big Krit were artists that out far better records in the last few months.
I been listening to this album since it came out. All the hype and praise is BS they are brain washing us in liking this piece of shit. I been listening to it over and over again to figure out what’s so hotttt about this album. Just because Kanye and Pete Rock says it’s dope. I give the album about a 2.5
^^^That’s how I felt about GKMC. TPAB is the best Hip Hop album since Illmatic. Good Night
There are some great tracks on this album and it is generally impressive and ambitious. I like that he is consciously trying to push his work outside of his comfort zone, but while evoking slam poetry it also brings the worst elements of that genre into the mix – much of it is feels self indulgent and overly affected.
Wow, a 5? Last album to get a 5 was Undun by the Roots.
Undun is better than this, but this album is close to a 4.
thank you for not being afraid to give a 5 where it is due
5/5
I will start the debate. How is this 5 stars when the first album maybe twice as better. Fewer stand out tracks, too much spacious flow, no real stand out feature and the hooks were average. Hopefully it get better with time just speaking the truth.
Simple, because between To Pimp a Butterfly and Good Kid Maad City, which are both classic albums without a doubt, To Pimp a Butterfly is more likely to go down in history as one of the greatest albums of all time across all genres of music.
Honestly I would have completely agreed with you after my first few listens of this album. My opinions have changed though the more I listen to it. I’m at about my 6th listen through right now and I’m finding I like it more and more each time. GKMC I loved right off the bat. This album I was really lukewarm to at first. It’s definitely something that has to grow on you but when it does, you’ll love it.
This album is 3 times better than GKMC.
GKMC isnt even better than Section 80. Its a great story but the content was nowhere near this album or Section 80.
Please stop fooling yourselves, you’re getting worse than Stans, the album was decent but not great. period. stop making excuses.
I completely agree, it’s a solid album and very daring. However, it lacks some real standout tracks while the sound is a bit overwhelming. I have been a fan of K.dot since O.D and i really want to praise this album but at the moment I do not. I consider TPAB an interesting musical experiment from K.DOT but thats about it. Big up to Thundercat, sounwave, flying lotus who are all great artists but the direction & sound on this album is dissapointing and just hope that we will not need to wait another 3 years for another one.
This album is definitely higher than a 4. I’m looking at 4.5 or 5.
This is a stand out album, which is better than having a couple of stand out tracks.
My thoughts exactly Dave. GKMC was great, but I felt Section 80 was superior. It just didn’t have the same polish, due to it be released as an independent album.
Ur right, after listening to it a few times I really understood more. Sound like some Outkast shit! Definitely a CLASSIC!
I’m afraid you’re missing the point of an album, a strong album at that. Stand out tracks typically happen when top quality isn’t carried the whole way through an LP. Whereas with TPAB, it’s hard for a track to stand out when the quality is so high throughout! Along with Black Messiah, this album transcends genre and WILL go down as one of the most daring, most thought provoking and, above all, great sounding albums of the last decade or so, maybe even the next decade too. GKMC had an amazing narrative, Section 80 was arguable as impressive, but this album builds on the highlights of the last two and surpasses all expectation. Bravo, Kendrick.
Now I gotta ask alot of you detractors what your favorite albums are. Like what is a 5 in your eyes? If you say the Carter 3 or Jay-z’s magna carta holy grail or drake’s take care, then I will understand why you guys are feeling like this album is lukewarm…
Preech
This is by far the most interesting album I have ever heard. I have listened non stop for the past two days. I love it
You and me both my friend.
This is fucking insane. People are praising this cd and making it seem to be a classic. Just because it is kendrick lamar. No, I am not a hater of kendrick. I have been listening to him since he was originally K. Dot. However, this is not his best album and it certainly isn’t a classic. Very ambitious, but possibly too ambitious. There are just too many sounds and kendrick just doesn’t have the same spark as he did his previous two albums. Personally, section 80 is his best work. And just as a disclaimer: if Lupe Fiasco made this cd everyone would call it trash because he is too preachy. So, I think it is fair to say, kendrick went beyond preachy on this album. Just saying.
@HIPHOP, keep preaching. I’m a big kendrick fan, TDE fan, HIP-HOP fan and try to stay objective. Here’s the truth: sometimes things go over people’s heads and people think it’s too good (like Tetsuo & Youth is actually too good), someitmes people get too preachy like Lupe after Cool but people see that too because everybody talks about it. This time around people won’t criticize how Kendrick used Boo Boo to rhyme the entire song just because he’s kendrick and whatever he does is ‘saving hip-hop’ so let’s give a well above-average, maybe even AOTY the 5-star rating that it deosn’t deserve. Don’t get me wrong, this album might be the best album that will come out this year (to me T&E is better for sure – Deliver has the same message as this entire album and is also catchy and everywhere friendly)but stop the dick-riding please!
I never said it was a classic, nor did I say it was his best album. Musically though to me this is the most interesting album I’ve heard. The range of musical styles, instruments, flows, and voices and how they weave throughout the whole thing is crazy to me and much different then most hip hop albums.
Bro, if you think its a classic, then leave it at that. Don’t worry about what others will say regarding YOUR personal preference and choice. The album is a classic btw 🙂
Tetsuo & Youth> TPAB
H
Songs like Mural,Deliver,Chopper and Blur My Hands are some of the best lyrical content in the history of Music let alone Hip Hop.
this album is the best album in the last ten years for a couple key reasons
1. message – this is what the black community needs at this time , it is elegant and well polished and delivers where tupac left off
2. music- musically and sound wise no one is fuccking eith it the album just sounds better this is why kendrick dosent sound preachy , lupe’s album was good but the music wasnt up to par.
3. flow- kendrick’s flow is with out doubt the best in the game nigga can go from a fast paced mmlp 1 style to a smooth eazy e to a up beat biggie to a real nigga pac in one verse and stay on beat no one can do that .
4. yams – kendrick has the yams he has the fire hes young enough hes got just the right touch
5. slam poetry- his incorporation of this is just what hip hop needs its next level if any of yall have ever heard slam poetry its power is liberating and if k dot is gonna save hip hop these kind of things can do it .
ps. any of yall niggas saying that joey badass / lupe / big krit is fucking with this dont factor in the music / dont factor in the yams , and most of all dont factor in that hes the only nigga next to snoop that can press the button j
Great review Justin Hunte!!!
Dope album. Definitely worth the wait.
It’s not only the most socially important album to come out this century, it’s also the best sonically and lyrically.
Perfectly said
just wait for carter 5
Ain’t better then Joey badass album. No where near. This album is way better then his good kid mad city album though. That album was boring as watching paint dry. This album sonically is very good. Sounds like a dj quik meets funkadelics album. I love the p funk influence and the bilal features. Good album.
Jesus christ this is premature. why must we label albums so quickly. more than likely youre not even old enough to label an album a classic at all much less call this album one with a leg to stand on. I will say the album is sonically and lyrically amazing. Time will tell where it will end up.
Kanye and Kendrick are two sides of the same coin. They are both geniuses, however they travel vastly different paths toward vastly different goals.
They both want to have a lasting impact on the world and they’re both aware of their importance.
I’m so glad that hip-hop geniuses have stopped trying to kill each other, and just let them do their thing.
A see a bright future.
Not even close the being the same coin. See message from Anonymous.
You got your head in your own asshole and can’t even admit it smells
like shit.
Finally… DX grows some balls
I’m proud of HHDX for giving this a perfect rating bc that is what it deserves. To me it’s not that we wanted to pimp a butterfly I believe hiphop needs to pimp a butterfly. For kendrick to be brave enough to recognize who he is and take advantage of that by not bending to the commercial route but to continue to create and innovate and showcase a true message is amazing. Sonically the album is an experience that I would encourage all first time listeners to sit thru from start to finish the way you would a movie or a story bc that’s how the album played for me. Knowing the following and love that kendrick has and using that platform to drop something as different and beautiful as this in the state hiphop is in now (good or bad) deserves to be applauded
This album touches bazaar on great & important topics but it’s really not that great, it has no really high reply value either, & the hooks aren’t very good either, just cuz it touches base on important topics don’t mean it’s a great album and it’s damm sure not a classic but nowadays they call anything a classic, this is a 3 star album at best. Nas untitled album touched on these same topics and was way better executed and had better beats and better hooks yet was highly overlooked by these reviewers, this editor rating is purely based off the Kendrick hype nothing more
Exactly
TPAB is light years ahead of Nas Untitled. I don’t want to be preached to, I want the experience. Illmatic is greatest Hip Hop album ever created and with TPAB I found my new Illmatic. Good Night.
PS
Not a Stan btw, GKMC was waaayyyy overrated.
The melody in Complexion reminds me of D’angelo’s “You’re My Lady” and Mortal Man resembles Pac’s “R U Still Down? (Remember Me)” track where 2pac asks fans if they will still remember the rapper once he is dead and gone. To Pimp A Butterfly is a perfect album. 5/5
After 1 listen i wouldnt agree but yeah King KEndrick has done it right. He didnt try to top GKMC, he came back with a versatile album. This album doesnt care about singles really. Its just dope
Don’t come into this album expecting bangers, this album is definitely a soulful in your face album, and love it!
Nice Review…I would love to know how many times you listened to the album to decipher it..haha.
I liked GKMC like most people, but this album is unfuckingbelievable.
Jay-z always preaches and whines how rap should transcend and he should win best album, or best artist awards like Bono etc…
Well K. just did it, and deserves that kind of recognition. Someone mentioned it in an earlier comment, but this is going down as one of the best albums ever. Any genre. The way he combines the funk, jazz, spoken word poetry, rapping is remarkable. It’s an amalgamation of hip-hop. It shows where hip-hop started and where it can go.
I need Kanye and Kendrick to collab on a full album. a MBDTF+TPAB would be perfection.
^ This
#Dopenonetheless
Not worth the 5 stars.
Great stuff
What a body of work.
Instant classic, great lyricism and each song contains a great message of its own. well deserved 5/5
AMAZING
LOVE THIS SHIT SO MUCH. K DOT IS THE MAN! RESPECT TO TDE. Make this world a better place, everyone get involved. Peace love and hip-hop!
Album as a whole 5/5. Kendrick articulates a story and message in a way no other music artist has been able to accomplish. One of the greatest albums ever made
Best shit ever
Simply incredible. A masterpiece.
It was bloody amazing
Future classic.
Future garbage.
The koolaid is strong with this one. Upon first listen its cool and nothing more a 3.5/4. Gkmc had to grow on me hopefully yhis one will too but I doubt it. His vocals and delivery and pitches aint doing it for me. The shit sounds like a long pharoahe monch impersonation.
This is what I know. Marshall mathers 2> this
Tetsuo and youth > this.
How you give mmlp2 four stars.and this five? Y’all got hype and product mixed the fuck up.
In fact as I type im listening to monchs Ptsd to see if im bugging and the shit monch is saying I can imagine kendrick dropping this same shit a lil less off beat and every body loosing their minds.
Only three good songs. Boring AF. Earl Sweatshirts album will be way better.
kendrick is whack and so are his fans, this album sucked.
Worst album I have heard in a minute. Wasn’t feelin it. Maybe a few more listens but can’t get down on the whole vibe. Lyrics on point though
why the fuck is everyone so hyped about this shit. yeah its lyrically impeccable, but it doesn’t sound as good as like 10 other albums in the past year. do NOT claim its like the greatest album of all time. It doesn’t sound nearly as good as Pinata, nearly as good as even forest hills drive. The lyrics on point, yes, but don’t gas this shit. It’s not better than GKMC. 4 stars
Slug from atmosphere has been calling the devil ‘lucy’ for many years , not to take away from Kendrick’s reference
Best album since gkmc
And I can’t find one standout line that made me go Oh Shit! Nor one that even stuck with me. The music sounds honest but I ain’t fucking with it as a whole
Amazing
Seriously this album is a classic, or it will be if that makes you feel better. Seriously earth shattering, and breathtaking. I will be buying a hard-copy.
Next level.
ART
5/5.
This was phenomenal, I can play this for my kids.
as for GKMC. Poetic Justice was terrible, remember that guys…Drake, fucking Drake. It didn’t work…Deluxe edition was uneccessary, black boy fly was a loose cut, the recipe was a great street single but not necessary and the mary j blige record was meh….
Not a fan
Perfect review!
Pure perfection.
Sorry but Oxymoron smashes this album. Looking forward to Jay Rock.
What?!@#
STOP THE DICK RIDING IT’S A GOOD ALBUM 4/5, CUT ALL THE OTHER “SAVE A GENERATION” BS
Album with a strong message #nuffsaid
A Album with a strong message!! #nuffsaid
love it
5/5 no question.
As I listen to the album I can’t help but think…This is what an Andre 3000 album would sound like. Then I wonder, if the people who aren’t feeling this would dislike it if it was Andre’s album? Music just like everything else is based on perception…some will perceive it differently and that’s cool too.
Loved it. Just the fact that im asking myself “did this top gkmc?” Says a lot.
5
For everyone claiming this album is a 5/5 and straight classic, please go listen to every album by Pharaoh Monch, Jedi Mind Tricks, Lupe Fiasco, Nas, and Talib Kweli. Music with a message is nothing new. And lyrical rappers are a dime a dozen. I used to be like you. But then I realized rappers are like Sway, they don’t have the answers. Books do.
youre such a chud. lmao.
your name sys everything dick rider^
Totally amazing. GMKC was great but this is so much better… More my style. So many will complain how there are no hits, well keep listening to the radio. This is for the intellectual. The music is so dense and layered on this album it requires you to turn off everything and really concentrate.
Persevere with this, its talking me 5 listens to process its complexity. Kendrick is raps current Picasso.
Agree 100%. All the non intellectuals are like “huh? I dun geddit! Whe-where da bangers at?” Foh, this is hip hop.
best hip hop album in a decade
kendrick is the second coming
Second coming of what? That’s a broad statement, please elaborate.
talking bout pac but you fill in the blank jesus allah ,biggie ,it dont matter nigga is a profit
classic
this album is a thing of beauty
what a fantastic album…
wow… MASTERPIECE
Bn
he really did that. he top GKMC. DAMN!!!
5/5
best album by the best artist hands down praise king kendrick
Its a nice album, but not worth 5/5 in my opinion.
I love the message of the album, brings me a bit back the 90’s. A lot people call this the new Me against the world, but in my opinion it’s not even close.
test
Lol this album is so dope!! haha this is some level of dopeness, i understand The Roots / Pharrell and Talib Kweli giving it props i so wasn’t expecting such an album from this dude, i thought he’d take out an album competing with the type of tracks Drake makes..tracks that suck and make it to the radio for all the youngins who “Like HipHop”..But this is art..this is poetry.. Dis ryt here is HipHop stop tripping! #Institutionalised #How much a Dollar Cost. This piece of art ryt here is worth all my money!! [from an Eminem/SlaughterHouse fan]
Lol this album is so dope!! haha this is some level of dopeness, i understand The Roots / Pharrell and Talib Kweli giving it props i so wasn’t expecting such an album from this dude, i thought he’d take out an album competing with the type of tracks Drake makes..tracks that suck and make it to the radio for all the youngins who “Like HipHop”..But this is art..this is poetry.. Dis ryt here is HipHop stop tripping! #Institutionalised #How much a Dollar Cost. This piece of art ryt here is worth all my money. [From an Eminem / SlaughterHouse fan]
Classic album
very good album lyrically.. but half of the beats are horrible to me
Fantastic album
it was such a boring chore to listen to this album. sounded too pretentious and preachy. kdot’s flow has regressed into spoken word gibberish.
Exactly
You weren’t even listening.
Perfect 6 out of 5
Only track I hated was FOR FREE? That shit was BS, the rest.. INSTANT CLASSIC
Because the album has a message doesnt make this album a classic. Raps with message were already done in the 80’s. HHDX and the Stans are morons claiming this album is a classic or the best album ever. Rapfans are dumb there dozen of rock, pop bands who made better albums then this shit. 4 stars and thats it. Stop sucking Kendrick Dick. Nowadays the call a 50 cent, Game, Ross or Jeezy album even a classic.
An amazing album honestly
In 10 years this will be considered a classic along with GKMC and probably even Section. 80, and I think this is the dopest of all three. 5/5.
This deserves a 5/5. Meanwhile the Carter 6 should get a 6/5.
This is exactly what Hip-Hop needed..
The album is dope most young listeners have been dumbed down by the trap era of music so its hard to appreciate real production and instrumentation, this album is produced like no other available right now so many layers to the production almost every track has a part two to the track people just dont go in the studio and put this type of work in anymore so Im not sure the basic hip hop head can appreciate this, Kendrick is creating an experience sort of like a short film while other rappers are just rapping trying to come up with clever bars over a trap beat.
Yes! ^this. Layered just like an onion. Most people cant even penetrate that first layer. They still looking for beats and hooks. They cant appreciate real music. Like you said, they’ve been dumbed down by all that trap sh*t.
Nothing special 2/5.
This album is boring. Not what I expected from all the hype. The best tracks on the album were the 3 singles (Blacker Berry, King Kunta and i). The rest is crap except for the intro. No head nod hiphop. Sounds like a spoken word poetry album with jazzy neo soul production garbage. Not a west coast sounding album at all. Not what I expect from a Compton MC. And didn’t he say Dr.Dre was gonna do some beats? I remember Game saying Dre did beats on his second album too. Good selling strategy. But absolutely no involment from Dre. No production from Dre. Not even any mixing from Dre. Only executive production credit from Dre meaning he is an investor and he owns the label. I dunno how this gets a rating of 5. GKMC kills this album. Oxymoron kills this album. Looking forward to Jay Rock.
So disappointed with this album.
You’re a dumbass.
I think i just lost some IQ pts from reading your comment.
What more can I say
Interesting listen, enjoyed it but i feel like i’d feel more from it if i was young black male.
This album is for the hood. For the ghettos. For every Black boy and Black girl! Salute, Kenny!
The best album.
Thank God its ok to not make trap shit again
I appreciate that he’s being different. But he went a bit too neo-soul on this record. He might have gone too “serious” with the album Hiphop is supposed to be fun at the end of the day. He’s still lyrically ill anyway but his first album is better. It’s a daring record I must say. He was given creative freedom.
Timeless
Awesome
I am just happy there are mainstream MCs brave enough to make an album like this. Straight in your face message. Very relevant.
There are Socially conscious and aware cats in this generation too which is good. He could have easily copped out and made a record about more money, b*tches, clubs n weed. I think if Kanye and Dr.Dre produced this album it would have been even better.
Applause for Kendrick.
It’s a 5 star album people.. Seriously, best hiphop album I’ve heard in a while
Masterpiece! Perfect beats & lyric
deep
It’s made for people who look for something Wow… There’s no mainstream rapper who could have done Something like this except KENDRICK…
dope album
amazing
Mehh.
“Big Boi and Andre might as well have arranged TPAB.”
Um thats Organized Noize
5 mics, 5 phat lips, Best album, Best Male album, Best decade album. Big up to Kendrick lamar. #endaudiorecession
If you still hating, don’t worry you will catch up like the rest of them caught up to Outkast earlier in hiphop history.
Keep doing your thang K.Dot
Thank you Kendrick. Hip-Hop is back. Eat a **** if u hating. tired of pop hop. K.Dot 4 president. hehehe
Even “u” alone is worth 5 stars, Lord that was ridiculous
Everyone has a right to their opinion. I love contemporary beats as much as the next guy..
BUT
TPAB>Section.80>GKMC
Tetsuo And Youth > To Pimp A Butterfly
I agree. Tetsuo is better and more versatile
Pure dopeness!
To Pimp A Butterfly is a very good album, but not a the same hype as good kid, m.A.A.d city, but i will give it a 5 out of 5 anyway.
Am I the only one that doesn’t accept “you have to listen to it 3 or 4 times for it to be amazing” as a good excuse?
It’s a beautiful album
section.80 like
F.u .c.k him whack this fool was gassed up his not dope as he thinks he is. His trying to hard to be different nah this is trash and I love hip hop. This fool thinks his the brain tupac said he would spark Noah fool u not piece of shit. Phonte drake joey badass j Cole. Big Kurt lord jamar. Guru. G unit DPG scarface roots common fuck this nigga
Please work on your grammar skills my G. You sound very uneducated and thirsty to be disrespectful. If you don’t like the album that fine but your just hating. Learn how to be educated in everything you do, even in forming an opinion.
This album is 5 mics on so many levels…Production wise its clean, with samples, interpolations, live musicians, multiple singers, beat change ups, and transitions.. This albums production is so much more complex than Good kid and section 80 which are more sample driven with lesser musical production applied to each track. Lyrically, he’s focused more on the message than hot bars one after another… Which gives it more replay value over time. This album is more so for the music connisouer than it is for the norma rap fun who may be tied to the current wave of music… So for those who don’t like the album… I say this to you.. Judge an album for what its meant to be… Not for what you want it to be… Just like any form of art.. The piece isn’t for you, its for the artist. The art is what it is… The only flaw is your expectation which contributed nothing to the art.. And this is coming from somebody who’s an artist himself and somebody work these artist everyday.
5/5
Respect for having the courage to rate this Album… This poem a 5. I’ve been sitting here listening to this album for two strait days and to say I’m absolutely amazed would be an understatement. This literally made me delete all of the garbage off of my playlist. This album is def on par with if not better than GKMC. This young man is special. I’m really tired of reading the negative reviews as if this is an album you can even review. Listen… If you truly listen to this poem there is no way any sane coherent human being with the ability to hear with their ears can give this anything less than a 5. I read one that said he didn’t have any club bangers… Lol… I have to learn to block you people out. This able moved me and that’s all that should matter… Stay up KDot… You’ve made the west proud again… One love everybody…
In my opinion, this album is a 5/5. when i first put it on, ill be real, i did not vibe to it, at all. It took till about “Hood Politics” until I got into it fully, but it jus built up on me. I don’t wanna say that its better than GKMC because thats an unfair comparison, they’re not the same album, although it may be the same person delivering the album, Kendrick has grown as a person since he dropped GKMC and hes not the same person he was before. I do agree calling it a classic is premature and we should give it time and see how we feel about it 5-10 years from now(the true mark of a classic is if it still brings the same amount of weight and timelessness it created the first time you heard it.) but personally I feel it will be a classic. Hes not aiming to make just a Hip Hop Album, this is just pure Art. 5/5
This is a well deserved 5/5 rating. I love how he didn’t listen to people tell him “Make another GKMC/Section 80”. He is an artist that expresses himself in that period in his life and conveys it in a dope and entertaining and nearly flawlessly. Can’t wait to see what these guy does in the future but this album along with his others will live with us for years to come
Wow! This album is def a classic. I think many will not understand the power of it till years later but I haven’t heard something this powerful in a long time. Mortal Man on repeat. Hood Politics, How Much a Dollar Cost, These Wallsx Jeez
Lupe fiasco last album is as good if not better than this. One huge difference is a Dre & jimmy co-sign. One gets heralded for being different & saying the truth while the other get ignored. What a difference a perceived image gets you.
T&Y is incredible. Check our review. Thanks for the commentz
Seriously a 5? U can see y’all biased as fuck… this review lacks any sense of objectivity… How is this better than Lupe’s latest for instance?
I know its cool to be on Kendrick’s nuts these days, but dont put it the whole sack in ur mouth at once Mr Hunte!! Any pseudo journalist knows u should keep a sense of objectivity when u write… Its cler form this site content over the past few days… Y’all either got paid to promote this album or u nuthuggin Kendrick way too tight…
“U can see y’all biased as fuck…”
It’s a review. So you’re absolutely correct, Keezy, it is biased. Reviews are inherently biased.
“Any pseudo journalist knows u should keep a sense of objectivity when u write…”
A review of music is inherently non-objective.
Hip hop journalism has so many dick riders it’s amazing. If Lupe had made the same album we’d be talking about how preachy and self-pretentious he is. It’s a good album but not 5/5.
Tetsuo and Youth>TPAB
on “u” it wasnt a drunk friend yelling at him, Kendrick was “yelling” at himself. The song is about Kendrick’s struggle with depression and how he’s constantly being too hard on himself. Like he says in the spoken poem, “I found myself locked in a hotel room” or w/e it is he says.
great review justin.
Great album. Funny to see how many people are upset that this got a 5 star rating though. Some of yall are waaay too sensitive.
The only way to like this album is to go through and analyze the lyrics to every single song. This is a classic, never before heard, great hip-hop. Absolutely magnificent.
Classic
A lot to take in, but every second is worth it.
Best Hip Hop album in the last 10 years. I can’t think of single Hip Hop album over the last 10 years that tops this, not one. This isn’t a rap album, it’s a work of pure art meant to be put up for reference in a library. It’s that good. I could very well be my new Illmatic. Good Night.
How does Kendrick’s dick taste, hoe?
Not his sophomore album. This is his third. His first album was Section.80
No way is this album better than Rich Nigga Timeline! This album is boring and Kendrick even tries to bite Migos flow on some songs.
No doubt RNT is one of the greatest albums by an ATL artist right up there with Aquemini and T.I.’s King
Migos goes hard! ATL STAND UP!
When I’m trapping I listen to nothing but Rich Nigga Timeline. It’s the Illmatic of our time.
This thread gave me cancer.
Fuck I love MIGOS! I love the video they shot in Paris! I’m going to see them here in about 2 weeks. Shit is going to be turnt up, France loves MIGOS!
Not feelin it
Dope
all three albums are good in there own ways so hard for me to rank them but i still love section80
homerun
BACK OF THE NET
Another overrated artist and album.
I salute HIP HOP DX for giving TPAB 5 stars. Kendrick deserves it.This album hit home after the first listen. Contrary to many of you in the comments, GKMC took at least a week or two for me to really enjoy and realize that it was indeed a classic. TPAB offers story telling, elite lyricism, superior production, and important content that our generation needs to take in. I can see why it took so long for Kdot to craft this masterpiece. Every little detail of this was strategically placed.
Your ass must hurt from all that dickriding.
14 with the deuce deuce
this album gets a solid 3 out of 5 for me. and before you get mad and start calling names, here’s why. first off, this album is PERFECT, LYRICALLY. i have nothing but great admiration for kendrick as a lyricst, he’s the best in this era, YES. but MUSICALLY, TPAB brings nothing new to the table. blueprint introdueced high pitched soul sample to the mainstream (courtesy of kanye west) and the chronic brought a taste of G-FUNK to the mainstream, they all changed the game, SONICALLY. this album, sonically, is nothing but refurbished boombap with jazz samples, it’s nothing new, we’ve all heard these beats before. and moreover, it has NO MELODY. except for ‘i’, which is the only track with a memorable melody, this whole album is full of GREAT RAPPING/LYRICAL TALENT + SOLID BOOMBAP BEATS WITH JAZZ SAMPLES. this is hardly gamechaning or revolutionary. again, i’m not saying it’s bad, 3/5 isn’t bad at all. it’s solid. but it ain’t no blueprint or college dropout or ready to die. this album will achieve NOTHING outside of already small hip hop industry. it will not achieve mainstream success or recognition, overseas international success. because there’s nothing to sing along to, the beats are so 90’s, old and hackneyed. i love the lyrics, i just wish he could’ve made a whole album like ‘i’, which would’ve been truly impactful all over the world, all over mainstream, all over humanity. sadly, because of its sonical limitations, this album will only reach the black community. but maybe, that’s what he wanted. maybe he’s like lauryn hill, he doesn’t want his shows full of 50,000 screaming white people. maybe he doesn’t wanna be jay-z or michael jackson, maybe he doesn’t want to reach that high. maybe he’s just happy being the next nas or rakim. then, i’d have to admit that i was mistaken. which i think is a shame by the way.
Are you saying you would of preferred Kendrick to go in a more direction? I dont remember to many sing along tracks on Reasonable Doubt but its considered a strong 5.
“Pop direction.”
Brilliant on all fronts. Production-wise it sounds like Interscope gave kdot a blank check,the production is superb.
DX, If you guys get an interview. Please have him explain the album cover. Looks dope. The albums dope. Would like to hear his insight on the cover.
(((PROS))) – lyrically perfect. not a blemish. kendrick will possibly end up as the best rapper ever. (((CONS))) – has no melody. ZERO. can’t sing along to one song. beats are refurbished boombap with jazz samples, redundant. no mass mainstream appeal. no overseas international appeal.(((IN TOTAL))) 3.5 out of 5 for me.
Wuz gonna get more play in the hood this uppity bullshit or RICH NIGGA TIMELINE? Migos all day nigga!
funny thing is migos isnt from the hood i know i went to highschool same area
It’s dope (4-4.5 maybe), I gave it 3 spins, give it a couple spins later in the week and see how I feel bout it but nothing stands out enough for me to give it a 5 yet IMO, I think it tries too hard to be a conscious record at some points and can be a little all over the place.
I feel like this album will be something that I respect but ultimately won’t play very often.
Not worth commenting about
overrated ppl suck so much kd dick
When Kendrick raps, he’s dope. When he does the wannabe artsy/experimental shit he’s lame. He tries way too hard to be different sometimes. The interludes are cringeworthy. “Boo boo” chorus is very cringeworthy.
Critics eat shit like this up though. Just like Black Messiah
I love Kendrick Lamar. 3 great albums in a row. Who the fuck does that?
A Tribe Called Quest: Peoples, Low End Theory & Midnight Marauders. Ice Cube: Amerikkka’s, Death Certificate, The Predator. El-P: Fantastic Damage, I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead, Cancer For The Cure.
Your trippin if you thought Joey’s weak ass boom bap album was better then this. Kendrick did his damn thing. The reason some folks can’t call this great is because they are so confined to what they think rap should like. I applaud kendrick for being innovative because it worked.
5/5 Boo boo? 3/5 at the very best
5Dope! This is the copy cat killer. King Kdot.
5
The shit is weak, much weaker than Section 8. 2.5/5 at best. Drake is the frontrunner for a Grammy next year. OVO on top right now.
You’re delusional. This is the best album of the year and is a 5/5/. Kendrick is the Grammy frontrunner, not Aubrey, and OVO ain’t on top of anything.
If this is a 5 star then lupes is a 12 star. On lyrics and more importantly music lupe crushes this. Dx stop the dick riding the lp was good but nothing more
If you don’t think this album is a masterpiece, there is something wrong with you and you need to give it another listen.
His insistence in defending the N-word is where he falters in terms of being “conscious.” Negus? The N-word as used today is self-suppressive. Trying to justify its use is just plain ignorant, and proof that despite his talent, he has yet to grow up.
This album is as close to perfection as it gets. 10 out of 10. This will go down in the history books.
Background – Born in ’81 so as a teenager my era of hip hop was 90’s – Pac, Big, Nas, Jay, Snoop, Dre, and this is the shorthand version of the list. The “classic” albums I’ve heard all had a few major elements… 1. Game Changing 2. Creative as fuck. 3. Amazing sound (collectively). If you’ve listened to Illmatic, The Chronic, Doggystyle, Reasonable Doubt (although slept on) then you know what classic is. If you think in this era of hip-hop Kendrick’s album isn’t classic you aren’t a hip hop fan but merely a spectator. This album is the dopest shit I’ve heard in 10+ years. And I’m not even a all out Kendrick fan like that. I am not though because this puts ALL of that trendy rap sound like each other shit to shame. Kendrick is right if ya’ll was really listening Killer Mike would have been that dude buy now. It’s time for the ill spitters to take over. Bubble gum days are over.
surprise surprise, how did I know this album was going to get a 5. fans and critics will root for kendrick no matter what he drops..cause he’s the anti drake. don’t get me wrong, it was a good album, but no classic, and not something that will stand the test of time…not even the best album this year..but hey, if you’re kendrick lamar and you decide one day you want to make an album similar to an outkast/common(electric circus fused with like water for chocolate)with a dash of snoop dogg, he knows no matter what he does will get praised as groundbreaking..cause no one as ever done an album like this before!…………….(sarcasm)
This album is a classic and will stand the test of the time and you know it
Spoiler alert?, waaay to late. Thanks DX
not that impressive
Wait… I think I just heard someone praise “Electric Circus” by Common… And that is better than this album? WTF is wrong with you people? and then I was done…
shit wack drake is better
This album is dope! I’ve listened to it about 3 times already and each time I hear something different. The production is A-1 and the subject matter and the theory behind the song is awesome. It puts me in the mind frame of Atliens (Outkast). In comparison, it’s much better than 99% of the music that’s out that just recycles 808’s and snare patterns. So, This album and J-Cole’s “Forest Hill” is the best to come out since uhh…oh, their last albums. -Peace.
perfect five? no
I give 4 to 4.5 lyrics are 5 the beats are 3.5 that’s the only thing that stops this from being a classic are the beats if he went with more darker bombap beats than soulful rnb type beats it would be a classic hands down but over time most will consider it a classic because it rare for a artist this big to have a album 78 minutes not have any mainstream hits and pull it off
classic
Glad yall werent afraid to give it a 5. Well deserved!
5/5.
Here’s why. I’m basing my rating purely on the content of the songs. This album isn’t about you liking it. It’s not about you enjoying it. It’s purely about the words. The chaotic and seemingly crazy beat is just a delivery for the message.
I’m really tired, that every time a rapper comes to the realization that the street life they’ve been brainwashed into loving is really destroying them, they get written off. Biggie, Jay-Z, Lupe, Kanye, all of these rappers have in one way or another criticized the culture. And after each album you get the same comments that they fell off or that previous albums are more real, or better.
The truth is that the reality of the message of this song is so far above most people’s heads. This album is the NEW CLASSIC. I’m really tired of the old classic. I’m really tired of drugs/money/gang banging/gold/bitches and hoes being the thing to be.
This album is meant to be near the opposite of what most people think of as classic. That change, that ambition, is why it should be considered a classic. The only reason this doesn’t become a classic is if no one gets the message. If in six months rap/hip hop is just moving on the next “i’m in the hood, i sold drugs, i’ll shoot you” album. As much as I enjoyed Pac, Biggie, Jay-Z for talking about drugs, money, bitches, I think it’s time to move on. I think it’s time for rap/hip hop to evolve beyond that.
Kendrick with this album, takes what Kanye, and Lupe did and runs with it. The question is will people listen or is it too much of something they don’t want to hear?
Over 18 pages of comments? Wow
I was not a Kendrick fan before this album. I thought elephants in the pool or whatever it was called , ithought that ish was wack.
But this album right here is straight Fire! 5/5 from me too, MFS. It’s either a A- or a B+.
“this Di** ain’t free” that was some funny ish
My fellow commenters: If you listened to TPAB once or twice and think you can jump on here saying it’s not that great, you are doing yourself and anybody who reads your comments a disservice. This album is not to be compared to GKMC. That album is telling his story. This is an albums full of social commentary and themes. Musically and lyrically, GKMC was relatively safe by comparison. The beats and and lyrics weren’t as complex as this one is. I actually think Kendrick took a step forward in both regards on this album. If you’re a casual rap fan who understands hip-hop but doesn’t understand music as a whole, you may be disappointed. This album is for thinkers, and for people who believe that the vibrations in music can actually spark thought and change. I believe that is what Kendrick was shooting for. This ain’t just entertainment. This is music with a purpose. Who else has combined elements of hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz and spoken word and made sure that each and every song is a statement and has a message? Please, just cut everything off, light one up and dive into this shit. This album SHOULD NOT be listened to casually while cleaning up the house. 5/5
This is the best hiphop album of all time!!perfect 5 for this album
5 stars
5
Dope Album
Turning point in hip hop I just hope the few who don’t see it do because its a mind elevating album, and a classic difference between hot and legendary this is both ! Keep going K.Dot yo shit is where its at this is for the hood niggas
My name is Justin Cunt. Cause i was Just in cunt..
dawg this album hype is at an all time high and yet didnt deliver, am i really seeing the dickriding to the fullest power. Damn yall should be ashamed it’s not even better than section 80 :facepalm: most dilluisional fans Kendrick fans> Em Fans..congratulations you guys went full retard. NEVER GO FULL RETARD
If anyone went full retard, it’s you.
The Album is such a dense listen. At first listen tracks like “Alright”, “How Much A Dollar Cost” and “Mortal Man” stood out. Not only because they have such brilliant messages, with possibly Kendricks best performances on the album but because they are the simplest in terms of song structure and understandability.
However as I listened more and the narrative unraveled, the whole album came alive leaving me in awe of “u”, “complexion”, “For Sale?”,etc
This is an incredible album.
I see alot of comments saying Joey was better or Lupe was better but I feel as a hiphop head people could be more objective. Being a big fan of the artists I’ve just mentioned I can seperate a review of Kendrick’s work from other reviews. This album got the credit it deserves. That is not a slight to Joey or Lupe or Cole or . 5/5
Incredible Album !! 10/10
This album has a strong message and is made for the black audience which is a good thing. You might think, “made for the black audience?” yes, that’s what I said. What I mean by that is we didn’t get another gun, bitches, drugs, cars and hoes album, we got a thought provoking album. He touches on topics that other artists have in the past but it’s on a bigger scale because he has the spotlight. I enjoyed the production a lot and the 2Pac segment came out of left field when I first heard it. The tracks may not be radio type joints but that wasn’t the point. This album was made to deliver a message, what that message is and says is up to you. I understand it one way but you might another but in the end I think it leads us to the same point. Good music like this shouldn’t be wasted and needs to get out to the youth. I’m not saying it’s a classic because in all honesty I won’t be playing back over and over in a year because like a movie you’ve seen one to many times, you know what you’re getting. Rating 3.5/5
if this is a 3.5/5, what’s a 4? Your analysis does not line up with you’re rating.. contradictory bullshit comment, fuck you in the face for wasting your time writing that turd.
k
Classic
While I think that this is a great album, I personally don’t think that it’s perfect. There are some flaws on this album, namely that the production can be a bit too much at times and there are some songs that I don’t care for. Overall, it is pretty good and a worthy follow-up to GKMC
WE GON BE ALRIGHT!
The album is a 5/5. Anybody saying it’s any less than a 5…BOO-BOO!!
j
The album is a 5/5. Anybody saying it’s less than a 5…BOO-BOO!!
I love Kendrick, since the beginning…but after 5 listens I cant get on with this album. First 5-6 tracks just full of messy irritating jazz samples, fucking horrible, they all sound the same, distracts me from the lyrics. I get it, I get the album and concept, I just don’t like it. Sorry dude, not for me
hah, no way.
I love Kendrick, and I think he is def top 3 of the leaders of the new generation.. but no way this album is a 5… the message might be a 5, hell maybe a 7 but the beats are wack for a normal K.Dot drop. I give it a 4 at best, and that’s being lyric-focused and generous on production value…
it’s not Kendrick’s best album, not better than GKMC, nor will it be the best album of the year.. it wouldn’t be the album of last year either, cuz it ain’t better than 2014 Forest Hill Drive.
give props where due, but don’t nuthug just cuz he on that conscious shit now…
To say is a classic is a little far fetched. I am not bashing the album because it truly has a strong message, and great creativity. My issue is that they are giving Kendrick so much credit for something other have been doing for years, Common, Mos Def, The Roots, Lupe before lasers/ and with Tetsuo…to name a few. But kendrick puts himself on a pedestal and people run with it…It is something we see too often in hip hop these days. He is drumming with the drum of his own beat like others do, but what differs is he is taking what is ignored in our society and laying it out. I honestly feel that Lupe’s Tetsuo & Youth had the same or even more “ambitious in its attempt to inspire a generation to change” But Lupe goes over the heads of many…
The whole point of this album was to try and sound smart and basicly make the point that if you dont like this album your racist. All of this shit didnt flow and was hella whack and I rather bring michael jackson back haha.
A 5….seriously….I preempted this review because I friggin knew DX and the rest of the critics were going to jump all over K-Dots dick with this album…and yep…they sure did..a 5….DX….you should be ashamed of yourself…this album is not even close to being on par with even half of the best albums on the low end of the list..why is it a 5..and how is he trying to inspire a generation blah blah blah…because the album is a played out militant statement against “the white man”…thats what makes the album poignant…ridiculous…so-called conscious rappers have been using that same BS excuse to appear deep and in touch for years…..now if the album was about the real problem of haves vs have nots….maybe I could see a 4 star rating…but there really are only like 2 maybe continuously replayable songs..this album will be forgotten and in the discount bin in 6 months
Of all the negative comments on this album, this one has to be the dumbest. Everyone is entitled to their opinions but your reasoning shows you didn’t understand anything on this album if you even listened at all. Sad. Real sad.
Finnaly. After a long time, you’ve finnaly given a rating the album deserved.
Dope album but classic status is reserved for those “game changing” moments. This is close but no cigar 4/5
Good
True friends… one question.
This album for the purp sippers. Fuck that this ain’t a 5… its a sucky album.
Dark Sky Paradise & B4 Da A$$ is waaayy better than this Yeezus type album.
Last track goes in tho!
DarkSkyParadise and B4da A$$ is better than this Yeezus. F.ck this corny sh,t! 1star to balance out the a$s licking
boring
5/5.
Dope
Post-rap joint of the highest quality.
Deserves 5 stars. I usually don’t like mainstream music unless it’s Krit, Lupe, Nas, Busta or Jay. But I’ve grown on Kendrick. When I listened to GKMC for the first time I didn’t like it because I wasn’t reading the lyrics at that time. But then BOOM. I began digging into his music lyrically. The story he tells makes sense. Like for example, first time I listened to Backseat Freestyle I thought it sucked but then I learned this was the 16 year old K.Dot who was in a IDGAF type of mind set. But on to TPAB. Usually I don’t like certain tracks and pick out the ones I like but on this album I loved every track. I’m about to listen to this album for a 3rd time. RapGenius is awesome to use when you want to read the lyrics. Also I loved that there were limited guests. Snoop did awesome on the bridge and always loved Rapsody. Kendrick is a poet. MC’s need to step their game up. Kendrick, Lupe, Joey are my favorite albums I actually bought and I usually just buy underground hip hop usually. Hope Busta comes out this year. Will be catching Action Bronson. 5 star for me.
Even better than Section.80 and GKMC. Insane
Hip hop’s marvin gaye! A rapper with great lyrical ability, diverse production selection, with something to say that doesn’t come off as a formula album equals a true classic. GKMC isn’t in the same league as this album.
Much love to hip hop for stepping its game back up.
It different from whats out now
CLASSIC!!!!!
Hey HHDX,
Why do you ass kiss Kendrick by giving every song or album he makes a perfect 5
and then give terrible ratings like 2-3.5 for everything G-unit related, no matter the quality of the music?
Kendrick is the most overrated artist of this generation. Nothing special here.
He gets all the shine no matter what he releases.
He could make an album with 2 words on it “wack” and “garbage” and you would still try to justify it saying that it was ahead of its time, and he is a visionary by making a simpler album than everyone else and still give it 5/5.
It’s a joke. How about showing love to other artists that actually have good albums?
You only gave it a 5 because the name of the artist was Kendrick Lamar.
Factually incorrect. Only 5 we’ve ever given Kendrick. First 5 we’ve given out in 3 years. We don’t rate songs. Thank you for the comment.
Complete and utter classic in every sense of the word.
First album is way better.
I like this album. It is good. I rated this 5 stars. Thank you K.Dot.
Trash album. I like Kendrick a lot but this effort has horrible production, annoying lyrics and it’s not something I want to listen to over and over again on repeat. The albums skits, which are also annoying however tie the album down and make it feel like a cohesive project. Otherwise, a 2/5 for sure.
Man how in the hell could you fin the production horrible?????
5/5
Time will tell but it feels like Kendrick dropped one of the hottest albums of all time and people like ‘your name’ sleep on it because of the obsessive tribal culturethats taken over this genre. People aare either stuck in the past denouncing evry hot talent because they’re not dead so haven’t had their talents exagerrated through sentimentality or they feel that ovo or ROC sound so much that they’ll call everything that doesn’t sonically share that same feel as trash.
To me this is a masterpiece but even if it isn’t Lamar is at least trying to move the industry forward.
This is true. People love to do it in today, it’s either trash or a classic 10 minutes in. I’ll admit first time, it was overwhelming to listen to as there’s so much going on but the more I listen the more it opens up like a good novel.
This is my view, I think people who want to label this trash just don’t have the patience to take in whats been given or the appreciation for other genres of music that Kendrick has incorporated into the album. They want Drakes if you’re reading this or just another ghetto tale with bangers. Kendrick has more substance as an artist than to just give you the same old and repackage it. Now I think some hip hop fans are just stupid and want music to numb the mind, they don’t want to have to think, they don’t do that well, so why should they do it with their music?
That’s fine but don’t go label something trash just cos it goes over your head.
This album could be a classic, but I’ll give it a few years before coming to that, for now I’m just gonna love and listen to it – appreciate the artistry.
Oh and lol at the lad who thinks Blueprint did this sound before, who you kidding?
This is one of the worst albums I have ever heard
Did anyone really expect HHDX to not give this album a 5/5? 4.5 maybe. If 5 is perfect, it’s not that.
I know they getting paid its so obvious
CLASSIC
honestly you can argue all day how good or how bad it is. Everyone is going to see the album in their own light. The bottom line is Kendrick stepped out of the box of “modern day rap” and all that b.s and made an album for his people. Either you understand it or you don’t
Real music
If you are one of those people claiming this album deserves anything less than a 4.5, come back here after 10 listens and a reasonable education and try to type that shit with a straight face. If you’re looking for hit singles, “bangers”, random punchlines, leave that shit at the door. This is a master thesis, easily Kendrick’s most compelling work to date. Sonically, it may not be your taste (you’re crazy, but taste is taste), but there is no arguing that the concept and the way in which it is fleshed out here is absolutely brilliant. And could the timing be any better? America hasn’t been forced to grapple with the black American experience like this since Rodney King. Every time I hear him finish the caterpillar/butterfly analogy and things fade to black, I walk away astonished, once again. After 15 or so listens, I’m still just beginning to comprehend the full scope of this album. It’s easily the most challenging hip hop album I’ve ever had the pleasure of unpacking, but if you are willing to put in the work, also the most rewarding. It is what every Afrocentric, “conscious” rapper has been trying to do for 20 years. I dare you to name a hip hop album as powerful and thought-provoking as this.
This album should not be compared to GKMC or Illmatic, Ready to Die, or any other “classic” hip hop album. It should be compared to Native Son, Dutchman, and Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Too bold for you? Give it a decade or two. This album will be considered the piece of art that captured the current moment in black history and will likely serve as a reference point for future generations. Ever since the Kendrick Lamar EP/OD days, I have considered Kendrick to be the emcee with the most potential since Lupe dropped F&L. But I had no fucking idea he was capable of this…
Its sad that my generation has completely killed the concept of classic when speaking about music. The album is great though. Kendrick lamar is evolving creatively and conceptually as an artist which is great for hip-hop in general. Hopefully we can begin to pull away form the materialistic, narcissistic era that we have been stuck in for a while and get back to the craft.
was skeptic about this album, given that whatever kendrick has done, whether good or bad, has been called classic by everyone. But pretty dope album. Along with If you’re reading this it’s too late, and Dark Sky Paradise, one of the best album of the past years.
cc
ss
The more i listen the more i like it…fantastic album …most are right only time will tell if its a classic but im pretty sure it is.
Rarely does an artist go so far left from his/her previous work and still create music that is just as good if not better. Whether you’re a fan or not you have to acknowledge Kendrick as one of the best at his craft right now. This album was right on time. Salute.
Wonder if N-E-G-U-S will catch on?
#Real #MuchNeeded
Greatest rap album I’ve ever heard. Im obsessed with this album. Kendrick has cemented himself as one of the greatest ever. Truly amazing!
A future benchmark for hip-hop.
it’s not as accessible as his past work. i was a little skeptical at first listen but now i love it. i like it more than gkmc. i feel like i’ll always be able to play this unlike gkmc.
Every single link in this review is broken.
this dude makes classic shit man, its not about individual tracks. the shit as a whole is a musical composition. hip hops been on search for originality and this shit has never been done before. recognize greatness at its best. 5/5 no doubt… this whole shit was a convo with pac, and that whole to pimp a butterfly concept is unbelievable. bravo kendrick
Perfect album. Says so much. Great follow up to GKMC.
This is a work of art. It’s part of Kendricks puzzle this isn’t the last album I know there is more to come. A lot of literary work was put in this album focuses so much on spreading a positive messege, yet being so dark. This album will be one of my favorites of all time. The music industry has found how to make a profit over our youth and it’s killing out society slowly. I appreciate everything Kendrick has done. I’m glad there is a rapper that can stand by something so powerful.
4.5 to a 5 definitely. This is the type of hip hop that sounds good that comes from this new generation.
Another future classic from K-Dot.
Good to hear something other than the trap, hoes, and money…and it bumps hard at the same time. Good music + substance = win
Critics are gonna shoot blanks over this album. Fanboys are gonna bust all over eachother over it. Real fans are gonna be disappointed. Three year wait for this? I’m disappointed.
OutKast similarity is definitely there. This album kind of reminds me of Stankonia. A huge departure and yet a strengthening of the talent behind the album.
Listened to this album all the way through every day since it’s been out. Haven’t said that about another album… ever. That’s all I know at this point.
Um… I’m sorry but I personally don’t think you can rate an album 5 out of 5 when it still sucks after 4 listens. I’m a huge Kendrick fan but this is garbage. If anyone else put this out it wouldn’t even get one star. And miss me with the caterpillar/butterfly bullshit at the end. It was a reach. I respect everyones personal opinions, but to me this album is horrible.
Kendrick Lamar is perhaps our generations greatest MC. While the heavy underground listeners may disagree and claim that there is nothing extraordinary and special about this dude, I highly disagree. And so does the consensus of the most esteemed music critics. Recognize greatness in its moment of prime.
The production is incredible. It is like an orchestra of jazz,soul,and funk playing over incredible lyrics. Listen to it over and over and you will find something new each time. It is an overwhelming listen to judge it off the first one.
This is the equivalent of rap musics Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Instant Classic.
K. Lamar is better than PAC ,IMHO
IDGAF
If Andre 3000 don’t wanna spit no more then at least we got Kendrick. 4/5
It’s important to know KDot did a fantastic job on TPAB but it’s not a classic. Never. Maybe time will tell
It seems like the overall consensus from listeners is somewhere around a 90/10 split of people who enjoyed this album and people who either hated it or were disappointed. For what it’s worth, f you read discussions about albums in the past that are considered “classic”, the stats are pretty similar.
Anyway, I personally thought the album was phenomenal. Even as a fan of Thug / Travis / new Drake / new Kanye and someone who believes that the current state of hip-hop is more than worth paying attention to, it was refreshing to hear something that sounds nothing like anything being made. First off,the production is fucking out-of-this-world. When I first heard “I” and the leak of “King Kunta”, I was worried that the sound was going to be throwback for the sake of being throwback. I was wrong. Of course this album celebrates the funk, jazz, and soul inspired hip-hop all over the place. At the same time, the sound is extremely progressive. The beats are so rich that I could hardly comprehend what I was hearing lyrically for the first couple listens.
There was no doubt that Kendrick was gonna have bars like always, but it was cool to see him shift into an artist with a universal perspective so gracefully. The continuing themes in the album like poem throughout and the “Lucy” character portraying the devil were genius to me. To me there was something more gratifying about the concept playing out more like a puzzle for the listener to piece together than a movie, not to say that GKMC wasn’t incredible as well. I’ve always loved classic psychedelic albums, and listening to this gives me that same feeling. It is without a doubt my favorite Kendrick album so far. I’m extremely happy with “To Pimp A Butterfly”.
Standouts:
Wesley’s Theory, Institutionalized, These Walls, U, For Sale? (Interlude), Momma, Hood Politics, The Blacker The Berry, I
For a guy that wants to be the voice of a generation it sure is hard to hear and/or understand him half the time. Lyrics aren’t everything – your voice, cadence and enunciation are important as well. And simply put, we never had those problems with 2pac, Rakim, Nas, Chuck D, or even Drake.
James Brown was a voice of a generation and a funk and rnb legend. Yout could sometimes but he still made good music and he also had messages. Some people say he was technically the first rapper. P.S Om not necessarily saying Kendrick is the next James Brown.
Timing couldn’t have been better. 5/5
a
Chill but intense album
I must be listening to a different album, where do I get the version that deserves this review?
In fact I’d happily not listen to this album again
Kendrick Lamar chose to lead his third album, To Pimp a Butterfly, with contrasting approaches to black self-empowerment: the radical, unconflicted self-affirmation of I and the darker underbelly of violence and hatred that necessitates it on The Blacker the Berry. The two singles had a symbiotic relationship – the celebratory singalong of I sounding less like a capitulation to a radio-friendly retro sound and more of a triumph in the light of The Blacker the Berry; I’s joyousness justifying the way The Blacker the Berry skirted around respectability politics. But if Lamar presented us with two flipsides of the subject in advance of To Pimp a Butterfly, the full 80-minute epic itself is an ambitious and at times overwhelming reflection of its multi-faceted complexity.
It starts with a formidable triple punch, each one from a different direction. Rich, burbling bass and a soulful chorus form the backdrop to Lamar worrying about being corrupted by the music industry on Wesley’s Theory. For Free? takes a sharp left turn into free jazz and what sounds like a parody of Nicki Minaj’s Lookin’ Ass before Lamar reiterates his value with cascading syllables, barely pausing for breath before the song arrives at its twist ending. King Kunta picks up the baton, twisting up the tale of an 18th century slave with disdain for Lamar’s competition over irresistible machine funk: “I was gonna kill a couple rappers but they did it to themselves/ Everybody’s suicidal, they don’t even need my help,” he spits, elastic and supremely confident in his superiority.
You’re left disorientated and thrilled, which turns out to be the perfect preparation for a densely layered album on which any given song is liable to end up in a completely different place from its beginning. To Pimp a Butterfly is a musical tour de force, a confounding and distinct artistic and political statement along the lines of Erykah Badu’s landmark 2008 album, New Amerykah Part One: 4th World War or D’Angelo’s long-awaited 2014 comeback Black Messiah. The languorous victory lap of Momma is jolted into unexpected, urgent uncertainty on its final verse; Lamar – who is, along with Nicki Minaj, one of the most vocally creative rappers of this generation – uses the full repertoire of his voices to create a cacophony of self-loathing on U. These Walls undercuts expectations several times over with the variety of uses its titular metaphor is put to; what starts as a sweet, sexual G-funk ode to pleasure ultimately ends with Lamar rapping his guilt as though underwater. Though Flying Lotus contributes only one production, this patchwork, constantly mutating approach to the arrangements bears his influence all over the album; even Pharrell Williams, a decade removed from his relevance as a producer of artistic quality, brings it on the dusty rhythms of Alright.
5/5
There’s more to a good album than bangers and songs you can turn up to. The raw emotion and lyricism of this album is incredible. Kendrick pours out his soul on this album and held nothing back, there’s no stand out singles but the album as a whole comes together as a 5 star intellectual masterpiece. Kendrick continues to impress me with the way he pushes boundaries and bends genres. If I wanted an album to play while I chill with friends and drink, I would give this a 2 or a 3. This, however, is a 5 star album in the aspect that when I listen to it I ponder my place in society and how things are in the world and it makes me want to become a better person. Kendrick switches flows effortlessly from spoken word to even pouring out his soul while intoxicated. Will it be a classic? Only time will tell. Has it changed my perspective for the better? Absolutely.
Don’t believe the hype, this is straight garbage
I never got the hype around gkmc, and I can say the same about this. Good, sure, but I still don’t see what everybody is creating a fuss over.
HOT!
The first listen I was kinda meh. I wasn’t sure I was into the beats and he seemed to yelling a lot. And then, because I had the same kind of experience with Good Kid (kinda odd beats, not too sure about the delivery), I listened a couple more times. Now I dance like an out of control fool as soon as the beat snaps on Wesleys Theory. I wouldn’t give it a perfect 5, but it’s pretty fucking good.
Many people here pissed off cuz there are no songs for them to twerk to in the album.. Still a 5 tho
All of Y’all Standricks need to chill out. Every time the dude drops anything, y’all come out and praise it. Every thing he drops isn’t dope just cuz it came from him. The album is def in the vein of 4-4/5 but all of this instant classic crap is corny as hell. If it has to grow on you (which seems to be the feeling from comments on this sites and various others), then it’s not an instant classic. Sites are kissing ass for future interviews and whatever else they can get and fans are just being stans. Enuff with the comparing to old albums that came out in a different time period. Kendrick is for this generation and it’s a generation that for the most part has no respect for the past and are mostly on social networks than socially aware. Everything is for the moment and not sustainability. Kendrick for the most part is opening their eyes so he is def needed, has something to say and can help open the doors for more hip hoppers to do so. But let’s chill with the whole “he can do no wrong” attitude to whatever he drops. Give it some time to see if it’ll be a classic. Is is dope? HELL YEAH. And I’m sure that’s what he was aiming for.
mike will made it album ransom better than this black panther album
decent album
Open your ears and listen ppl…If you’re looking for a hit song with Rihanna on the chorus – this is not for you. Certified Classic !!!!
Along with Lupe Fiasco and Joey BadAss one of the albums of the year. Insightful..mad production and insane lyricism. Definitely worth the wait
This is a perfect album.
sucks
i love kendrick lamar hes my favorite rapper and hes the best one day i would want to tbe up there with you. keep making fantasic music luv u!!!
ps: i be up there soon.
Nah, this is some bullshit.. Section .80 was Kendrick’s best work, this shit ain’t close to that. It’s good, but this is far from a classic. Y’all trippin or what? Rather listen to Overly Dedicated..
Fire KING KENDRICK
Very good but not perfect. If it was classic I would love every song, I’m a big Kendrick fan & I don’t.
Tbh with the production team he has available and the 3 years it’s taken to make this album I expected nothing less.
Makes me laugh that it took Rapsody 1 hour to write her verse then go and record it a hour later …
It’s 1 of the highlights on the album.
Of course Kendrick had to pick the beats etc but 3 years & only 4 or 5 amazing track.
I don’t think it’s that hard it could of been better.
I just think Fuck touring with your ten new songs you gotta get start on the next album now.
It’s too long a wait between albums.
I been waiting for this for so ducking long.
And it wasn’t till these walls I cracked a smile
best I’ve heard in awhile
okay lets put it like this, only real niggas think this is good, period.
TPAB is a modern day 2Pacalyse. 5/5. Kendrick u are the King of Hip Hop. If u didnt like this album that means your whole perspective is wack
This album is brilliant!!!!! Retsores my faith in real hip hop!!!!
Hip Hop is alive and well! Classic!
For a guy that wants to be the voice of a generation it sure is hard to hear and/or understand him half the time. Lyrics aren’t everything – your voice, cadence and enunciation are important as well. And simply put, we never had those problems with 2pac, Rakim, Nas, Chuck D, or even Drake.
A predictable 5 from DX. Well it may be deserving, why didn’t Lupe’s album get a 5?? Lupe is the preachy guy that no one wants to relate to, but Kendrick is cool and down to earth, right? Congrats to Kendrick, but there’s some obvious bias towards him from DX. The average commenter rating is currently at 4.32 which is a closer reflection to what the album actually is.
test
This shit be dope my nuega
great review
Nice n creative album but not even close 2 classic.. J Cole, Joey Badass n Fashawn’s album re far better..
Best Rapper Alive.
the lyrics and storytelling are incredible but seriously the beats were meh and the hooks were bad GKMC was twice as good ive listened to this album at least 6 times and do not see where all this classic talk is coming from
THE BEATS ARE BETTER THAN THOSE ON GKMC!!!!
Classic
WEST COAST
WestCoast
Why can’t Hiphop albums sound like Hiphop anymore to be considered classic. You don’t hear other genres of music trying to sound compromise there sound. It’s just another way to appease to critics.
why you talking so much crap???
wack album the most overrated rapper in the world
Listened to the album without reading one review. That last joint gave me goosebumps when he was talking to Pac. I didn’t know how GKMC was going to be topped but he did it.
This is the music and thoughts the black community needs after all that went on.
Overrated and to be honest Lupe Fiasco’s album is probably the best album out so far. Joey Badass album was good but can’t say it’s top 3.
Lupe Fiasco’s album was way better than this album. This is way overrated, intelligent people should be the only ones able to vote.
TPAB>>>>>T&Y
Lupe fiasco’s album was the GOAT
its a deep album but im not sure if its 5 mics
loved this album great mix of funk, jazz, and hip hop
Seriously? 5 star/X rating?
HHDX, your editors is wilding right now.
fire
It’s a cool album, but extremely over rated. Though I like the concept, only 5 songs were worth listening to for me. If Lupe did an album like this, everybody would call him “preachy” and that he fell off, but Kendrick only gets praise for it. That’s some big double standards right there, but it’s whatever.
Great Album, 5 Stars!
PS: Going through some comments here, I have to say ->dont forget Lupe’s awesome album
Peace
this is def. a classic say what u want this kid is a genius if u are trying to find a reason to disagree with this rating then you not a tru hip hop head, creativity at it best
fuck outta here with that rating. I bet kendrick paid them to rate it that high. Drake shits on this. Kendrick will never be on drakes level and thats a fact. Women lie men lie numbers don’t lie. Your nerd hipster opinions don’t matter. Numbers are facts.
Your entire comment is nothing but your opinion and it’s a wrong one.
IM BACK
4
HIPHOP (DX) IS DEAD
4
HIPHOP(DX) IS DEAD
4
its not a five cause people don’t wan’t to hear what he talking about which is truth. This a classic best creative album in a good while. Kendrick is lyrically talented. who got better skills and versatile rhymes right now? These other rappers one dimensional unless your talking about the greats. This real hip hop.
The rating speaks of itself. Perfect 5 !
i hate to say it I was looking so forward to this album ive listened to it 5 times thru out and im deleting it 3 songs are worth my time the rest is trash all u need to stop dick riding Kendrick THIS IS NO WHERE NEAR A CLASSIC ALBUM FUCK OFF!!! the hooks are shit the beats are hella wack and yes he can rhyme but who cares when it sounds like this garbage
Fucking hater
Cool album, super ambitious. overhyped.
incredible lyrics storytelling Kendrick is a very smart MC…. but the beats were real average and the hooks were horrible ppl actin like this is this generations illmatic GTFOH good kid madd city was so much better than this ive listened to this 5 or 6 times n find it smart but also boring and not many tracks were worth replaying
the beats were horrible???????????????????????????? man listen to the album again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5 all the way
Gotta give it another listen, not really feeling it.
Idk. I really like Kendrick too.
Amazing
Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp A Butterfly” is a well representative of what hip hop should and probably never be. I mean the title says its self. about how the industry is trying to pimp him into a mainstream top 100 style rapper and he isnt.
Boldest album since..Public Enemy was rappin. this Amerikkas most wanted part 2. This is everything Rick Ross and young thug arent. I commend kendrick for taking this artistic chance. and musically…. its brilliant. its Dangelo meets outcast. its refreshing and not at all preachy. sure this is for the thinking fan not the drugged up drop out (even tho it speaks for them). this is what hiphop sounds like grown up… and it couldnt have come at a better time in America than now….. TDE YA BISH
This album is phenomenal. THANK YOU KENDRICK.
masterpeice
5/5 easy. Kendrick took it back to the real roots of hiphop
Infusing jazz elements and hiphop. People have been programmed to that bullshit for so
Long that they forgot what real hiphop sound like.
Off first listen I was hooked. In my opinion one of the greatest hiphop albums of all time.
XXL
Fully deserves its 5 one of the best album in years, GKMC may have more stand out singles but as an album this is something else. The message and the meaning along with the Pac discussion it is fucking amazing
Perfect!!!!
Not classic. 4/5
Masterpiece
Pure ART
Good album no doubt, but definitely not a classic. Classics need to be dope, damn flawless and/or game changing. While I could argue it’s a dope album as far as the flows KDot brings, the production while cool is underwhelming and nothing groundbreaking as far as content. With that being said I will place it along side or right behind Fashawn’s and Lupe’s albums as representations of dope hip hop being alive and well.
The production and the content are groundbreaking
New, fresh, funk, jazz all with a purpose
It’s killing me how these haters are bashing this album. Music is truly a reflection of yourself. If you are a concious person who is tired of Young Thug, Nikki Minaj, Lil Wayne, etc. and the formulaic music out there, this album will give you what you need. If you call Jay-Z the GOAT, this album may not be for you. But if you feel like NAS or 2PAC is the GOAT, this album IS for you.
This is a CLASSIC! All of these haters keep saying only time will tell. There is no way that it is not. There is so much to this album that it has to be put up there with the greats.
Big Krit, Lupe, and Joey Badass are all great artists and MC’s the reason why alot of people gravitate to Kendrick is the way in which he executes his songs. Kenrick is so unorthodox with his song making. His songs hit you in a special way. In some ways, I feel like Krit, Lupe, and Joey carve a niche and it’s difficult for them to get out Krit (southern rap genre) Lupe (Futurist/techno/political), Joey (New York 90s)
But Kendrick changes tide with every song. He changes flows, He changes level of lyricism going to ignorant rap to technical rap with killer BARS!
Rare and true talent always scares people. Like I said, music is a reflection of yourself. If you are shallow (and that’s ok to be), then this album is probably not for you. If you are into mainly southern music or mainly east coast music, this may not be for you.
But if you are into HIP=HOP, (NOT RAP) Then this is your project! 5/5 mics (drops microphone and walks off…..)
It is a 3 at best
it’s a 6 at best
I Fucking Love Kendrick!!! I’ve Always Loved Someone’s Music, I’ve Been Fans Of Artists, But… I’ve Never Been A Die-Hard Fan. And Of Kendrick’s, I AM A DIEEEEE-HAAAAARD FAAAN!!!!!! This Album Will Separate Us Genuine, Ride-Or-Die, “When Shit Hit The Fan” Kendrick Fans From The “Poetic Justice”, “m.A.A.d city”, “BDKMV”, “Swimming Pools”, Radio Feature Verse Fans. This Album Is So Beautiful. Every Person Here Is Accredited In My Opinion, Beyond Kendrick. The Singing, The Productions, And Oh, The Engineering!!!!! Was It Ali???!! Good Fucking Job, Ali, My Nigga!!! This Is A Fucking Classic, Worth The Fucking Wait!!!! Sec. 80.
j
great
sexy
I just don’t think this album is that good. And ibc what you Kendrick stans have to say. The poems are better than some of the songs.
He’s got some good songs on here but overall the album is OK?
This album is pure thrash honestly. So dissapointed 5 decent tracks, the rest are pure shit
no its not garbage
No trap beats. No features from the hot now artists. Hell, no Nicki feature. No “bangers”, nothing that “goes hard”. No DJ Mustard beats. No love songs for the ladies (“Complexion” is tho). Too “preachy”.
These are all pluses.
This is the best MAJOR LABEL hip-hop album since “Like Water For Chocolate”. If you don’t know that album then I could see why you’d think this is garbage.
Hip-hop album folks, remember that. ALBUM, remember that.
Kendrick is as corny as it gets. LOL @ the title “to pimp a butterfly.” Nuff said
HHDX wont let me post my comment cuz Kendrick sucks. Sorry but this album is trash.
no your taste are trash
good
great
Classic..
not that good. Expected better by far
amazing piece of work
Yeah… but if you have Spotify you get all of he new cds on your phone (5$student/10$reg)but it’s free on your laptop… so who is paying $14.00? LOLI woke upi to the notification of a new cd, I said, “whoa he pulled a beyonce”? LOL… but yeah, this cd has a deep ass message esp for the black folk. I felt inspired… It ain’t no Sherrane, but it has reallll niiice beats I can fuck with. 🙂 Beautiful poetry too.
this is beautiful music right there, can’t believe it
can’t believe how good this album is
TPAB > GKMC
Are you kidding me??? This is straight garbage!
you re garbage
GOAT
Great album
All hail King Kendrick…
Last project I liked by Kendrick was Overly Dedicated. I don’t even think I have GKMC on my Itunes anymore. I listen to Jesus Piece and Life is Good a lot more, which in my opinion, were the better albums of 2012.
good music from a realist,this dude simplifies the truth.not just singing,passing a message!
Classic Albums:
1. Reasonable Doubt (Classic)
2. The Blueprint (Classic)
3. The Black Album (Classic)
4. Life After Death (Classic)
5. Ready To Die (Classic)
6. Illmatic (Classic)
7. Stillmatic (Classic)
8. All Eyez On Me (Classic)
9.The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (Classic)
10. Stankonia (Classic)
11. Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (Classic)
12. The Chronic (Classic)
13. Dr Dre 2001 (Classic)
14. Get Rich Or Die Tryin (Classic)
15. The Marshall Mathers LP (Classic)
16. The Score (Classic)
17. Doggystyle (Classic)
18. The College Dropout (Classic)
19. Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers (Classic)
20. Tical (Classic)
21. The Low End Theory (Classic)
22. Straight Outta Compton (Classic)
23. The Predator (Classic)
24. Cypress Hill (Classic)
25. Black Sunday (Classic)
26. Black on Both Sides (Classic)
27. The Beautiful Struggle (Classic)
28. Naughty by Nature (Classic)
29. 19 Naughty III (Classic)
30. Criminal Minded (Classic)
31. Return of the Boom Bap (Classic)
32. Paid in Full (Classic)
33. Radio (Classic)
34. Mama Said Knock You Out (Classic)
35. Whut? Thee Album (Classic)
Just to name a few. FYI its not in order so relax. lol I would move some albums around for sure.
This album is magical, black is beautiful i don’t see any flaws in this album even the people on th tracks nice touch Kendrick.
Come on ffs people this shit aint hip hop, 5 stars why because ya all stuck on kendrickd dick!!!! straight fukin garbage, i fucks wi k.dot but this nigga turning into the new kanye – brings any old shit out now hes made a name for himself. not impressed at all. 1 decent song king kunta thats it rant over fml the state of hip hop today
KING KENDRICK
KING KENDRICK
this shit cant be serious… Biggest dissapointing oat. it aint even rap!
Classic? Really?
yes!!
Kendrick pushing the hiphop game to deeper and deeper levels. This album will be analyzed and talked about in months and years to come.
Kendrick pushing the game deeper and deeper
*best album of the decade
It’ll be interesting to see how today’s generation of hip-hop fans digest this album and if they are able to digest it how it possibly changes their outlook on hip-hop. This is probably the first real, in-depth, conceptual mainstream album of this generation. This album is even more conceptual than GKMC. Kendrick is definitely representing for hip-hop with this.
“U” is not song about a drunken friend yelling. it’s him talking to himself and dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts about being on the road and not coming up short on things at home. agree with the rating though. great album.
I guess i’m the only one in the world who thinks this album is whack. Just because this shit is different from the rest of the shit that is out there, doesn’t mean its good.
yes, that’s exatcly what it means
omfgggg classic
Classic… Greatest lyrical album ever… Top 10 in Hip Hop history… Most important album of this generation… Groundbreaking, nostalgic, boring, deep, conscious… So far album of the year… Kendrick is a Legend in the making
*sigh
sucks.
On a very rare occasion I will hear a hip hop album that makes it nearly impossible for me to listen to anything else for the remainder of the day. When I turned on ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’ I knew by the time King Kunta was halfway through that I was dealing with a classic album but man, I had no idea. That album is flawless from top to bottom. There’s nothing on the album I feel is out of place or shouldn’t be there and any additions that could have been made to the album (such as Erykah Badu being on there somewhere…I really feel like she would have blended right in) couldn’t have really made it any “better” only complimented it. In any case, this album is the breath of fresh air that is needed in hip hop right now. Mortal Man is an absolute mind blowing joint and a perfect song to end the album on. The conversation at the end of the album with one of the greatest to ever touch a mic, simply gave me chills. That caught me totally off guard. Although I typically play this album straight thru with no skips, I do have a few favorites. Mortal Man is numero uno followed closely by The Blacker The Berry (I had to make that into a ringtone and text tone). After those two, ‘You Ain’t Gotta Lie, King Kunta and These Walls are the joints that really do it for me. The overall theme and message of this album, IMO, is way past necessary right now and it makes this album the single most important album in hip hop currently. Perfect 5. K Dot, you’re a monster bro and this is coming from a old-head who can be a bit hard on hip hop’s new generation (though you’ve always been an exception to those criticisms). You got “it” homie. You’re definitely needed in the game, man. Thank you for the classic.
Kendrick delivers another career defining, indeed genre defining album. “To Pimp a Butterfly” burns hot with creative sonic combinations, driven lyrical flourishes, and imperative messages of racial adversity and personal conflict. We see Kendrick evolve as a musician, branching out to new styles and once again crafting music as complex and challenging as it is enticing.
Thank you, Kendrick.
This album was brilliantly done! From the music, to the lyrics, to the skits, the message, the interview with Pac. Great job K. Dot!
Usually, the users get it right, and the editor is wrong, but this time it’s backwards. This is a five star album.
5/5
This album is a celebration and appreciation of the history of black music and poetry. Jazz, Funk, Spoken Word are all used to perfection here. Many people that I talked to said the poetry reminded them of Langston Hughes. This album is what is needed to break away from the cookie cutter bullshit thats being produced. Even celebrated recent albums like Dark Sky Paradise, Forest Hills Drive which was the biggest Hip-Hop album of last year do not come close to the work of art that is To Pimp A Butterfly. 5 stars. Impeccable session musicians also help bring the album over the top.
About Fuking Time .. 5 as it deserves..Overrated? No Bangers? GKMC better? Its like All Eyes On Me, and Makaveli. One Was For The Recognition*which pac always had but Death Row purposes*, The Other One, Makaveli, Was for “PAC”. Raw, and Str8 To The Point. Same Concept With This One. K.Dot and JoeyBadAss Can Change This New Era Of HipHop Back To Its Original Form. 9thWonder, and Dr Premier Help THe Young Man Out. Kdot Have Dre Helping Him. . . . Album is indeed a classic. And For Those Thats Doubting, Ur Just Slow, Conintue To Listent.. Old Heads Love This Shit! 5
It’s not quite as original as many people are saying, with most of the individual elements having been mastered by hip-hop legends and other musicians before him, but that doesn’t mean that Kendrick and his collaborators didn’t do an amazing job with this and it also doesn’t mean that it’s not deserving of the hype. It is. A guy at the top of hip-hop making music that’s 100% for the music and 0% for the money? Yes, I will promote it til I die. On top of the high level of creativity, the music sounds awesome. Even if it was somehow poorly put together, any attempt at true artistry will get high marks in my book. This album happens to be fantastic as well as creative, so it’s an easy five stars for me.
did i hear the same album? cause the one i heard was straight trash didnt like a single track
You weren’t listening to To Pimp A Butterfly.
yo
Perfect CD like the golden age CDs
one of the best albums I’ve ever heard in a long time
It’s a hip hop classic simple and plain. Hiphopdx is right this time.
Absolutely fire kid! 5 mics and all due respect to Kendrick Lamar
Yall are tripping. I had no idea how he was going to top GKMC but he found a way by dropping something no one would have seen coming. Wesleys theory, u, These walls, Hood politics, The blacker the berry, and Mortal man are all stand out tracks.
5/5
Good
CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let me teach ya something real quick. A classic album is one that does not take time to grow on you or have a few good songs on it. A classic album is when you hit play and let the whole album play out from beginning to end and 10 yrs later still remember every verse ex Chronic, Chronic 20001, Ready to Die, Thug Motivation 101,doggy style, reasonable doubt, Illmatic just to name a few
Mr. Wonderful for the win.
I must be crazy because I do not get this. How is this rap, Its a bunch of noise, and people think this is some ground breaking art. Where are the good beats and verses that flow well, that’s rap. I know kendrick can rap, but majority of this album sounds like lyrics over a bunch of instruments without a solid drum pattern. I keep listening to this to try to understand and all I keep thinking is this is not entertaining at all.
You must have been listening to a different album if you think that.
I totally agree man! I seriously do not understand the love for this record. It’s commercial, watered down, jazz-rap. Bleh.
^ HAHAHAHA!! There’s nothing commercial or watered-down about this record. Go listen to Young Thug or Migos.
Far from commercial, I doubt many records on this one will get airplay.
k. dot wins
I don’t wan’t to here this. I wanna hear music about money clothes and pros, switches and vogues…………………..
Naw i’m just kidding. This is thinking mans music.
After listening to this album a few times, This is an incredible album from top to bottom. Kendrick just separated himself from the rest of “new generation” of rappers…. On a whole notha level!!!
completely agree with the below. A great album is not made by someones lyrics. you have to have great songs. I could go down to detroit and find 50 rappers that are as lyrical as anyone in the game, but that doesn’t mean that the album or songs can be considered great. This is far from a 5/5. Can you play any of the songs at the club ? With girls? I just don’t see it. The other classics of the day had the ability to be played in your car, in your headphones, at a club, at a party, etc. 2001, Collge Dropout, Life after death, Doggystyle, etc. Those could be played anywhere at anytime and people loved it. This is like strictly for your earbuds and its still not even that good. Production is very average compared to any classic album you’ve heard.
Moron. This wasn’t made for the clubs. You can still play this album in any setting and it still sounds good. You need to open your mind to music. The production is amazing, it’s not the typical 808 heavy shit people got used to.
dont bother replying if you arent addressing the point. I simply said that most classics of the past have songs that can be played anywhere. This album does not, and therefore it is hard to consider it a classic. You said it wasnt made for the clubs, then said it can be played in any setting. I assume you are saying any setting EXCEPT clubs, pregames, parties? It can only be played alone in your headphones.
Jerryc you are fuckn right! All these other folks is tripping and they know this shit sucks but get mad when someone admits. Can’t stand this album
I did address your points. This is a great album and a future classic and it can be played anywhere. It’s not simple club shit like Migos or Rae Sremmurd. Do you listen to music or skim through it? And HYFR, you’re wrong. Sremmlife sucks, TPAB doesn’t, it’s dope.
This cant be 5/5 because it isnt better than T&Y or DSP tbh. After one listen, it reminded me of The Love below by 3stacks; not a classic but very good, with a few songs that can be in rotation. Unfortunately, this negro gets a thousand props when he really deserves 500. This isnt better than gkmc or section 80. 4/5.
Right album at the right time does not equal classic, folks.
Pefect
This shit sucks, yall crazy! all yallrazy ass licking fans.
Funny, if Drake dropped this it would be called anything BUT rap. But oh no , is K.dot so even if it sucks ..its straight fire. /sarcasm
Well this is album is straight ass and he can shove it back u know where. Most of the songs where repulsive and tasteless to me and i cant see how a fellow rap fan can like this, but to each their own.
You’re tripping. This is a great album. And enough with I the “if random artist did this, it would be trash” because no other artist would make a record like this. Appreciate greatness.
This album will go over a lot of people’s head. If you only listen to weed and booty shake music I don’t expect that type of listener to understand this album. Is this album classic nope not in my opinion because I listen to conscious rap all the time. There is more to rap than that limp wrist gay ass swag music.
EXACTLY!!!!
This shit is perfect
Fire. 4/5
I have been listening to Hip Hop for over 20 years now and enjoy a wide variety of Hip Hip from gangster rap to conscious rap, but this album just doesn’t do it for me. I am a big fan of Kendrick and was pumped for this album but after listening to the album a 3rd time through I am still trying to figure why everybody is going bonkers over this. I honestly feel a lot of people are saying this album is so great just because it’s Kendrick and if another artist put out this album out you wouldn’t get the same reaction. The flows don’t always match the beats and the project overall just has a somber feel. Believe me I am not a fan of radio friendly happy rap at all but this album just puts a bad taste in my mouth and is honestly forgettable. His flows are not even very good on this album; I have heard better versus on guest appearances he has made. I hope Kendrick doesn’t take himself so seriously on his next album and mixes things up more. I am sure a lot of people will not agree with my comments but honestly at 35 years old and growing up listening to Hip Hop in the early 90’s this one just doesn’t do it for me.
I take back what I said. This album is amazing. I now understand why people love it. Everything about it is great from the beats to the lyrics to the flows. Fuck anyone giving this album a bad review.
It took me a second too. But once u in, ITS FUCKING AMAZING!!!!
Nah Man shit… this sucks like a leech. It’s an awkward albums.
Name one hot line he spat… exactly! Y’all just get crazy over his unique diarrhea voice and class this as great. yall Dumber than the bribed Editor who gave it a 5
You’re tripping. This is a hot album. It doesn’t suck, that’s reserved for that Young Thug bullshit. King Kunta has a ton of hot lines like “most of you share bars like you got the bottom bunk in a two man cell” This album deserves the praise it gets.
Somebody trolled my original comment here. That is the problem with this site anybody can just pretend to be you. Still don’t like the Album.
^ This guy is a troll. Still have the album on repeat.
Speaking some sense there
This is the greatest hip hop album to come out in a long long long time. I just needed a few more listens to let it sink in. Not since Illmatic, Undun or Common’s Be have I heard such brilliance. The music alone has it’s own personality and the intrinsic message is so well thought out. I’m sick of the radio hype bullshit songs that come out, this album is light years ahead of GKMC and is an absolute breath of fresh air.
To Everyone my apologies with the flip flopping
This album is a masterpiece.
10/10
A completely overrated, emo, pretentious, self-righteous, earsore. Y’all continue waving the pom-poms, tho’…
None of these describes this album.
winner of a comment .. couldnt have put it better myself
And I was talking about Anonymous
Damn, 525 comments? Kendrick’s album got more comments in a week than Drake’s did in a month, and some.
This album is unbelievable , I enjoyed every single song in the album, he went all out in this album, I knew he was gonna do something to wake up the Music Industry and the audience . ” To Pimp a Butterfly ” is a incredible album to compare to Nas well-known debut album ” Illmatic ” in a few month or in a few years. Keep doing what you doing Kendrick. #KINGKENDRICK
I’m Just joking… was horny when I typed that. 1star
^Obvious troll.
I’ve been non this for 7 days straight. First skim thru I was like ehhhh… But then I sat with it… This is BEYOND AMAZING! if u used to this watered-down bullshit u hear on the airwaves, TPAB WILL BE OVER YO HEAD! But if u appreciate real hip hop, u will love this.
My only debate now is IS IT BETTER THAN GKMC! Right now its giving it a run for its money! This album to me is the 2010 Chronic with its funk and grooves!
amazing album,
lyricly a masterpiece
the beats are like a journey through the last 30 years with some funk inspired beats, some 90s-esque beats and more moddern sounding beats
i can understand this album is not for everyone…but every hip-hop purist should appeciate this album
The first listen was a bit rough with unexpected production on songs like Wesley’s Theory and For Free? but I really came around on the second listen. By now, I’ve heard the album about 18-20 times and I’m still amazed by it. Kendrick very easily could have gone the route of selling out due to his popularity, but instead he went with the album that will generate questions and possibly legitimate change. No one album can single-handedly change the world, but because many people recognize Kendrick as the King right now, the messages sent in the album can begin to inspire change in urban areas. He’s smart enough to know exactly what’s going on in terms of the systematic oppression of blacks in America and popular enough for a lot of people to hear his message. It’s always hard to call something an instant classic. In fact, the last album I said that about (before Lupe’s Tetsuo & Youth) was GKMC. This may not go down as an instant classic, but I believe this album, over time, will be more impactful and important than GKMC. Any way you slice it, it’s hard to say Kendrick isn’t the best in the game right now. It amazes me to see how many people like hip-hop but think Kendrick is wack. Hip-hop is a culture and Kendrick has embraced it and fits into the culture perfectly. I didn’t know how he could have topped GKMC, and now I can’t wait to see if he can top TPAB.
Haunting, tantalizing, honest! Simply brilliant.
Never seen anything like this, jazz and rap infused and only one man could reach a lesson while doing it
you honestly think this is the fist time an artist fused jazz and hip hop together?? SMH
Still don’t get why so many people are loving this album, it’s four stars if I was feeling really generous.
True. but then FANdomness is crazy here
‘No one album can single-handedly change the world, but because many people recognize Kendrick as the King right now, the messages sent in the album can begin to inspire change in urban areas.’
It’s really not going to do that I’m afraid.
zotte shit pah
yall bitchin on this…álbum sucks…only gay can fucks wit it
Wrong album.
That was his concious yelling at him on ‘u’ not his friend…
To pimp a butterfly is a masterpiece. This is Kendricks 4th album, they’re all amazing and he’s just getting better. His album makes me thankful because music is powerful platform to promote change.
Everyone who says they don’t like this album just doesn’t have the intellectual capacity to understand it. They’re so used to brainless hip hop music being fed the meaning to them they don’t know how to use critical thinking when it comes to music anymore. The fact that people have to have a discussion over the meaning of these songs is beautiful. Black people, we have to do better…step up your mind.
I don’t have intellectual ability because I don’t like spoken word over Jazz?
^ It ain’t like that throughout the whole album.
the fact that people actually say this is a classic proves that people have no idea what they actually like anymore. Sometimes you need to put in a real classic rap album and compare it to remind yourself just what a classic sounds like. Go sit down and listen to 2001. Hell, go listen to Obie Trice-Cheers, then listen to this, and tell me this album has as many good songs as that album(which isnt even considered an all time classic but a very good album
Are you seriously comparing anything OT did to this? The fact that most consider it classic means it is. There’s no such thing as not knowing what you like. Either you like it or not.
Is that you obie???….stop playing
Real talk ‘Cheers’ was a dope ass album tho, cant even lie. One of my favs.
Life
Whoever is being paid to post up loads of positive feedback, please try a little harder to vary what you have to say about the album.
kdot fans are gettin annoyin af, nevertheless the album is amazing… ppl giving it anything less than a four are either haters, racists or just stupid.
classic
he did it again
Classic… Jazz and funk centered album with a message deep and introspective. An album made when the people need it most.
fire!
Wow didn’t it get awfully quiet in here after I suggested someone may have been making up a lot of these positive comments
I really enjoyed this record but to be honest, I wouldn’t call it a classic and I don’t think it is going to develop into any direction of other Hip-Hop albums considered classic. This is something completely new. It is more like a milestone than a classic. It is a milestone for the concept and the message and how perfectly it fits into our generation. If you are trying to find classic verses and beats on this record you’re not gonna be succesful. The music on here is great but it does not match with any comparable standard of Hip-Hop music so you can’t really call it a Hip-Hop classic. For me it still is a perfect album though and I totally agree with 5 stars.
Erm…albums with the label ‘classic’ should all be considered milestones for hip hop music and the culture. To say this is a milestone but not a classic is retarded. TPAB is NOT a classic yet but this comment was dumb.
trash. Kendrick cant sing for shit he should stop attempting it.
You’re retarded. This is the oppoite of trash. Amd yo should tell your boy Aubrey to stop singing since he sucks at it.
inspiring
This word classic gets thrown around so much these days. To me classic albums were. 2 pac all eyes on me, snoop dog doggystyle ,eazy e str8 off the streets, bone thugs est 1999…. could go on but no this shit. section 80 was better than goog kid maad city in my opinion.
Awesome!!
Why not 1 Dre produced tracks on here? Oh I forget, he lost his touch.
4 out of 5. Solid, no more, no less. Classic ? Oh u mean on par with Illmatic, Follow the Leader, 36 Chambers, The Chronic, Ready to die, The low end Theory, Madvillany, 95 til infinity, Critical Beatdown, Enta da Stage, Mecca and the Soulbrother, Undun ? That kind of classic ? U kidding me ?
Great album
this album is perfect. 5/5
Indeed
I dont know why I havent been hearing this more, but this album is a disappointment. Ive listened to it twice and thats all its worth. Me and my boys cojldnt wait for it to come out and when it did, we spent not even a full day bumping it in the whip. Off beat, too in depth, trash beats, and too much black shit. I’m a white dude but when the whole album shits on white ppl its hard for me to listen to. 1/5. Album is trash just like everything else that has came out in the last 3 years.
it is too much black shit. your white and probably waiting on swimming pools part 2. go listen to some other rappers who cater to your style of music and if u dont understand the struggle of being black and cant respect kendrick’s point of view in this album…go fuck yourself. dude just said the album was too black. can you believe this shit?
your not even man enough to see an album for what it is. thats fucking sad.
album is more the 5 mics.. if this album was back in 96 it would of blend in with all the other pure music.. Ras Kass Soul on ICe, Pac’s Makaveli, and etc..but since this album came out during the wackiest hip hop era ever, it just a breath of fresh air..fukin beautiful……
and Steve, your white so I understand why you wouldn’t really get the concept. crazy how other white hip hop heads do tho ..you must be just an Eminem & Iggy fan… but even Em have his fan base listening to real hiphop .. ummm your funny white man aren’t you LUCi ..
steve, i am also white. i do not quite understand your issues with the album. it is not off beat, the instrumentals are very well produced, and what is “too much black shit”? i had no problems listening to this album. Im interested to know what was the last good album you heard?
I am also white and I believe this is the most important album since Makavelli. Tupac was a revolutionary leader who if not assassinated would’ve changed this world. Kendrick is trying to be the spark that Tupac spoke of igniting to change the world. I believe we aRE ALL BROTHERS BLACK WHITE BROWN PINK PURPLE ETC. we NEED SOMEONE LIKE kENDRICK TO HAVE THE BALLS TO SPEAK THE TRUTH. rACISM IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL. oPEN YOUR EARS AND YOUR MINDS.
I really enjoyed this album.
Gotta be kiddin
Good album not perfect
Dope Album that blends multiple music genres to make a classic hip-hop album
Excellent album! Kendrick takes the baton that no one has ran with since Pac!
Classic?? You all must be on crack. Damn near every song runs at least 30 seconds before there are even any lyrics, thats annoying as hell. 5 good songs – Alright, Hood Politics, How Much A Dollar Cost, The Blacker The Berry, and i – that aint no classic fools
your comment is garbage
kendrick is a ginues listining to the album is like watching a movie..he is so fucking creative.. but i think lupe T&Y deserve THE 5 more than this i mean both greaaat albums but T&Y did not get the hype like TPAB.. we still in April but i think The Album of the year between these two and Im going with LUPE..
Agree. Shame all these people are biased and bandwagon fans of K.Dot. Both pretty much preaching the same gospel with only one getting the praise.
Kendrick Lamar is so dam smart,talented, brilliant. This is a rare artist who create s thought provoking music almost every time he drop a album . Enjoy him while he is on this unbelievable run. To pimp a butterfly is a undeniabl e classic.
Solid project, a little bit too much preachin for me though. Im all for musicians puttin a message in their music and challenging authority, but got damn that shit wears on ya when every fuckin track is political. I mean I like to watch the news and talk politics, but not all damn day, thats why I break up the seriousness with stupid shit like South Park. I appreciate what Kendrick is giving us, but this aint no fuckin classic.
Solid project with some dope ass samples but all the preaching and shit kinda makes it a once in a blue listen for me. Obviously Kendrick is a conscious mc who’s music is based directly on the life of the average African American in this country. I dig, but I don’t want to listen about the struggle all the time. Production is dope nonetheless. 4 Stars
this really is too overrated nd sucks..go get Ludacris Ludaversal
suckss aSS!! #LUdaversal
i was hoping for a better album from kendrick ,,i’ll reither get Ludaversal also
its an ok Album only if this was the 90’s period i give it a 2 star
i hated this album so much it made me delete kendrick lamar from my hard drive. I love the positive direction but you dont have to make bitch music to get a positive message across. An i really believe all the connection with pac he is getting is a promotional tool not only for kendrick but for the pac music that will be released over the next few years. so tired of this fake hip hop shit. kendrick let me down major with this piece of shit. go get that new luda album its a clasic.
From the first sentence, it was clear that your comment is nothing but irrational hate with no facts. FOH
Glad kendrick is making music for those with intelligence. You want dumb shit go listen to the bullshit they play on the radio or at the club. Leave the grown shit to the adults.
Album is good not great , the talking and yelling interludes kinda mess up the vibe
The album is fucking great. the interludes doesn’t mess up anything
You ain’t gotta lie , King Kunta. Hood Politics. Are good songs
Classic?
Not the level of NWA niggas for life, chronic, doggystyle, illmatic, ready to die, life after, reasonable doubts, all eye of me. Not even close, been listening to rap albums weekly since 88. Good album but crazy overated in this hiphop era.
nigga every album u just listed asidw from doggystyle and LAD where all considered in the same light you ar putting TpAB in at the times they where released the chronic took along time before it became that tape u herd everyone bump same with illmatic only snoop and big had the success out the gate froom the events that happened in the months prior to being released ikf kdot was a defendent in a murder trial or murderd period b4 this dropped ppl would b saying even more so jus sayin
kdot!!
Pretentious album made for Grammy bait and critical praise. Kendrick is trying way too hard to emulate Outkast, Lauryn Hill and D’Angelo. Too many cartoon-ish voices and corny spoken word bullshit.
Nothing pretentious about this album. Kendrick isn’t trying to be anyone, just himself. There’s no cartoon voices or corny spokeb word bullshit.
How the FUCK is this album pretentious?
I cannot believe how many people Ludacris paid to hype his album lol this is a solid project in its entirety. Respect the art whether you love it or not. I know artistry and musicianship are under appreciated right now but sonically don’t say this is not good hip-hop music.
Been listening to this for the past couple weeks, and came back to read the review.
Spot on.
I don’t understand some of the hate I see on this. Dude made an album that is about a poem that tells a story with 5 different themes wrapped up in 16 songs that each have smaller stories within – all the while littered with Jazz and Old School Hip Hop influences, and deal with many of the socioeconomical and political struggles from a historical to present day perspective.
I understand that’s probably too intricate for the modern day hip hop fan, but most real fans of the genre would call this a masterpiece.
I don’t agree R.Pgh. I mean if you’re listening to the album as you drift off to sleep with head phones, in your bed, at a minimum volume then it may seem like a decent overall album. I understand the stories within and behind the whole Poetic theme. The idea is indeed original but there are at least 50 current successful rappers out there that can do this sort of thing if they wanted to better than Kendrick.
In my opinion, when you’re listening to this from a different perspective as good music that one would like to Vibe to, drink to, smoke to, or just reminisce…it makes no sense as it’s not music you can relate anything in your life to. I come from listening to old skool hip hop like Pac and BIGGIE/Jay/ The Lox, Nas, etc. as well as newer stuff like Drake’s new 2015 album and enjoy all that, but I was truly disappointed with K Dot’s TPAB. Sorry, not feeling it and I’ve been a hip hop fan since 1992.
you talking so much shit it’s funny and sad at the same time
PSYCH!! Everythibg I said in that comment is a lie. I enjoyed this album. Check it out.
this album surprised me, such a perfect blend of poetry, lyricism and soul. K dot truly just cemented himself as one of the best artists to ever do it.
I agree, he is taking the rap game into a total different direction
Different direction…?! C’mon man, you ain’t never heard of The Roots? TPAB sounds like a knock-off of any of The Roots albums…
^no, it doesn’t.
biggest hypocrite of 2015
Meh it’s okay
F*ck K-dot. This CD sucks ass. He tries too hard to be lyrical but comes up short. His voice sounds like a pile of crap (especially since 2014) and his raps are f’n gay in TPAB. Don’t know why DRE is still behind him. The whole concept of his album lacks much sense. The theme is dumb as f*. Kendrick, Go back to black wall street when you actually got good beats at least. This sh*t sounds like 60’s jazz beats. How is this hip hop?; I can see how some of ya’ll may say well he sticks to the roots, f*ck, come on how can we vibe to this? I like his 2012 sh*t but this, …such a dissapointment. Holla’ at me if u agree.
The fact that you (and many others) come here, almost a month after the release of this album, just to bitch about it just adds to the fact this album has made an impact. Wheter you like it or not. That aside nobody is going to “Holla'” at your dumb ass. I haven’t heard people use that phrase since 2012 anyhow.
You sound like a fucking kid
Shut up and learn something
You probably like trap beats and dont even hustle nigga you commerical ass nigga trendy ass bitch read something
This album is one of the best albums released this year.
THIS WHOLE ALBUMS IS NOTHING MORE BUT A MESSAGE TO BLACK PEOPLE AND FOR PEOPLE PERIOD IN THAT MATTER. FOR EMPOWERMENT AND KNOWLEDGE OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL STANDINGS AND MESSGAES TO LIVE RIGHTEOUS GROW AND FLY AWAY AS THE BUTTERFLY SO TO SPEAK. YET. ZULU LOVE? MANY LINES IN MANY VERSES IT GOES BACK TO SLAVE MENTALITY FUCK THE WORLD? KENDRICK LAMAR YOU SIR ARE THE MOST FAMOUS HYPOCRITICAL MAN IN THIS DAY AN TIME. YOU PUT YOUR FOOT IN YOUR OWN MOUTH OVER AND OVER. YOU STAND FOR THE GREATER GOOD IN MANKIND? OR YOU STAND FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF YOUR RACE? MAKE YOUR MIND UP. KANT FEEL THIS SHIT. IM PUERTRICAN IM NOT IN A ZULU LOVE. BASICLY YOUR OVERRATED “LYRICISM” WAS ALREADY GETTING ON MY NERVES AS A FAN CAUSE HONESTLY YOUR NOT THAT LYRICAL AT ALL. AND WHAT WAS THIS SHIT? YOU DYING TO BE THE 3RD MEMBER OF OUTKAST WITH THIS GOD DAM MASH UP ALBUM OF YOU TRYING TO HARD? THE RANDOM VOICES JAZZ INSTRUMENTALS? UR SALES HAVE DROPPED TREMENDOUSLY AND I THINK YOU YOUR SELF KNOWS WHY. THE REST OF THESE MORONS CAN DISPLAY THEY OPINION BUT NONE OF THEM FROM COMPTON WE NOT FUNKIN TO THIS SHIT YOUNG BLOOD. CONSUMERS OF MUSIC WANT TO HEAR NEGATIVITY NOT THAT BEING ME. BUT YOUR POSITIVE TWIST ALBUM WAS SHIT. SO STICK TO THAT YAK YAK YAK MANDOWN SHIT. KUZ THIS WAS GARBAGE. KDOT KILL YA SELF.
You really are stupid. SMH kill yourself.
knowledge is power.
open your mind to more than anger.
‘Nuff said…agree with SMH. I’m from CA as well and all these niggaz ackin’ like they feel this shit to seem more open minded and enlightened, doesn’t make this shit any more lyrical than the mediocre album it really is. It’s actually below average if you ask me. Can’t wait for Tech N9ne – Special Effects.
DO you K-Dot dick riders realize how badly Tech would murder Kendrick in EVERY aspect of the technicality of music? Real Music.
^ You’re a dumbass who’s wrong about everything just like OP.
What some of you may not know is Michael Jackson was planning on signing to YMCMB at the time of his death. He had even changed his stage name to Mic Jackin. He was planning on releasing 2 Major albums of hard hitting Trap shit, one a collaborative album with Lil Wayne titled Trap Kids. Since Michael’s demise Cash Money records have actually teamed up with NASA and are creating a Global headquarters in Space and on the Moon. The reason for this is to create a new genre of hiphop called “Zero Gravity Rap”. Lil Wayne was hospitalized because during his first zero gravity rap training session he rapped so hard he created a Blackhole that nearly engulfed him. The universe was not ready for his talent so it tried to take him, luckily all it got was his chain and a couple of Big Mac vouchers. All you haters are gonna be sorry soon YMCMB will be so big it will have its own gravitational pull meaning you will be drawn into it no matter what you do!!!!!!
2PAC is and always will be the greatest rapper of all time by far (jayz the best alive)
Lyrical Content — 2PAC beats any other rapper, his music was so meaningful, the themes of most of Tupac’s songs are the violence and hardship in inner cities, racism, other social problems — PAC WINS
Voice — 2PAC had the greatest voice is rap, it was perfect, he can be angry and agressive in Hit Em Up and Changes, then soft in Dear Mama. MTV voted him 09 of the best voices in music ever, michael jackson was 10th — PAC was ahead of every other rapper
Lyrical Skill — Yeah pac didnt have the greatest metaphors, it’s easy to have skillful lyrics when your rapping about cars, sex, money, sex , cars, PAC told stories and rapped about real important topics, and he didnt try to have skillful lyrics, also the greatest rapper for lyrical skill is eminem. and 2pac beats him on every other catogary
Greatest Lyricist — Pac haands down, other than his lyrics having great meaning, PAC made 400 songs in one year, he writ and recorded the songs in The Don Kiluminati in 7 days, people will great metaphors in there lyrics take YEARS TO MAKE THEIR ‘CLASSIC’ Albums
Greatest Person — PAC, what a guy
Dear Mama in the libary of congress
5 Statues across the world
Courses on his life at univeristy, including Harvard
2PAC centre for the arts
Street named after his in las vegas
80Million + albums sold
And millions of people like me who love him so much, his music has got me through so much and ill be listening to him until my heart stops beating
How can you not like this album?It bet not be no black people on here who dont like this, this is empowering .Kendrick is genuis he followed the format for using beats and concepts that last a lot longer than trendy trap beats. This album I think is more appreciated by the 25 and older crowd,people who lived a while and knows what actually matter.but aside from the great message the music is great.alrite to for sale to momma went together so beautifully. I felt the “for sale”interlude so much with lucy the devil and when it went to momma i cried.its like sinning to being saved by god and the angels singing we been waiting for ya. Absolutely amazing god is working through kendrick to touch the masses.
Sheltonh, lemme ask you this, is Kendrick’s album better than Lupe’s Tetsuo & Youth? I seriously think not, Kendrick’s a whack ass over-rated rapper. TPAB sucks, period. I’m 32 and I didn’t enjoy that album one bit…personally, I think dude should never ever release new music after this…
^ Your opinion is wrong, irrelevant, and trash.
The Albums Whack! Trash! it Sucks and should have never been released it. Maybe I should stop smoking weed everyday and reduce on the Jin N Juice, i’ll give ya’ll hits on my next project. But buy the album!
Peace
Kendrick
This is pure genius! Keep it up K.Dot!
I am in love with Lamar’s style.
I’m an old school head, but I can keep it real. This is a great album. Is it flawless??? I don’t like every single track, but for the most part this shit is excellent. A bare minimum of a 4 outta 5.
Sounds 10x better than that Young Money swag shit that so many teenagers seem to love.
Brilliant
Just wasn’t feeling this at all. I was a fan of his first album but I think he is over hyped by fans a lot.
Hipster.
Agreed section 80 was dope I think interscope and dre fucked him up
I Agree, i was a lot better before, industry tends to change our style.
^ These two are the same hipster OP.
YOU TRIPPIN HOMIE
classic
Future Classic right here!
WHEN SHIT HITS THE FAN ARE YOU STILL A FAN?
Best said
To me this album was Perfectly executed, very masterful display of his skills, and something very different. I thoroughly enjoyed it, can’t even be compared to his first album. GKMC had bangers, while this one has records that grow on you.
Whats happening with tde absoul and kendrick old album was dope as fuck now i aint feelin em school boy too oxymoron and these days was trash compared to they last albums
classic album of this generation.
Kendrick took a huge risk, a very innovative album. He could have gone the easy route and just had dre do beats like every artist who has been on aftermath. But he chooses to be different, he cares about his craft. Tying the poem to every single song/concept on the album was beautifully done. Great album
Very disappointed !! Kendrick is very lyrical, but I was expecting more Bangerz. To me this album fell short. I was very excited about this album, sadly I was left feeling let down by it.
A few great songs on the album, but it is definitely over hyped. The album is actually closer to what the user rating is.
Whoever says this album wasn’t great or that it fell short really needs to open their ears and listen again… Yeah it didn’t have a lot of songs that you would slap in the car but the album wasn’t made for people like you who only listen to the beats and not the actual music. Once you get the message of this album then you’ll know what a genius Kendrick is for making this
Terrible….just terrible. The first album was rap, wtf is this happy hop bullshit
This is his third album and I suggest you give all three of them a listen since clearly you didn’t hear shit
classic
This album is flawless. A classic on the same breath as 2pacalypse and Illmatic. The problem is that it was released to a generation that needs it the most but they will never understand it thanks to this retarded music u hear nowadays. Great emcee in the wrong hip hop era.
Truth
If I grew up in the Era of music like “Lollipop and I’m in Love with the Coco” I would hate this Album. Thankfully I grew to appreciate ART. This Album is that. Totally fresh direction from Good kid Maad City and that proves the genius behind this Album.
Great album, Kendrick never disappoints.
He gives me hope that maybe all is not lost just yet. I just listened to Drakes ” if you are ” album….. just to give it a chance. In no area…..lyrically, musically, or conceptually is anywhere NEAR T.P.A.B.
I like some of Drakes stuff, Were going home is my joint. But todays music has gotten so far away from the ability to construct an ALBUM, a body of work that connects all the way through….not just song, fade out, song, fade out, song with feature, fade out. And substance today is very hard to find. i dont mean to single drake out, hes talented, but him and many of his peers are smart people making sub par music for this “turn up & dumb down” era.
Believe it, your favorite rappers are looking at the reviews and the accolades that TPAB is getting, both from people and press. It is forcing these artists to re evaluate themselves now…..
…..they have to start offering more……or face looking dumb and uncreative. Life is more than catchphrases and girls and money. There are real things happening in the black community, and the world at large. Lets balance things out. Cant go too far one way or the other, just need to balance fun with substance.
He’s not the greatest rapper ‘alive’, He’s the greatest rapper ‘ever’
And now what do you think about the album?
rubbish
Overhyped, first album was cool, I just wasn’t feeling this album.
my mavv
modern day classic.
Another Classic courtesy of King Kendrick
The best since Aquemini ’98. It is 6/5.
Now Wale, J Cole, Drake and all the new power generators are just pretenders when compare to Kdot.
Sorry Masters! There is a place for one King only, and its King Kunta.
I can not imagine that someone, in a decade from now on, could go higher. 98 to ’15, just 17 years, OK, let’s wait 7 or 10 now 🙂
This simply isn’t a 5/5 material,as much as I love Kendrick,this album didn’t succeed to achieve what Kendrick wanted I think.
This is an unusual direction to go, a risk that has paid off…Cliches are obsolete!!!!!
Best album since good kid maad city.
this album is incredible
Still AOY by a #Landslide
GKMC > TPAB. 4/5
Awesome
The Best Rap Album of 2015. Period.
2015 is almost over. To Pimp A Butterfly is the only album so far that is in competition in my mind for the best album of the year. Lamar stepped up his rhyming, his lyricism, and he, Terrace Martin, and Thundercat have obviously been listening to some Parliament-Funkadelic, Prince, Miles Davis, and pretty much any relevant funk and R&B artist of the past 30 years. This album was dropped at the right place and at the right time. Kendrick Lamar’s emotional confessions and opinions are interesting. He often contradicts himself but that’s what humans are, walking contradictions. He has a good heart and a good spirit and he is the smartest rapper to get behind the mic in a long time (Sorry Schoolboy Q). Hip hop may have found it’s new king.
Fantastic album.people who don’t like this album, don’t have a clue what a hiphop album should be like.TPAB is as good as gkmc
most important album of 2015
album of the fucking DECADE. if you cant see the brilliance of this album then go under your sink cabinet and drink the drain clainer
Best album of my generation, give this album time and it shall surpass Illmatic
This is absolutely the best Album I’ve ever heard
Best Album i’ve ever heard, this is art
Absolute art, The best rapper of our time, going down as top 5 of all time at the end of his career no doubt
Instant Classic.
Worlds greatest album.
Incredible album.
classic, classic, CLASSIC !
One of the greatest without doubt
I cant stop listening to this years later.
That album right here, sir, is pure perfection. the production is out of this fucking world