"To Pimp a Butterfly" 2015
At this point, I'm very used to the incredulous looks I get when people discover that I listen to rap. And I get it. What business does a petite, hippie Asian girl have in listening to this kind of music? I always defend myself and this genre of music by saying that it satisfies a literary lover's soul.
Rap is iambic pentameter. It is saying the most with the fewest words. It's word composition, it's wit, it's perpetual play on words. And, if decidedly so, rap can be striking social commentary. Basically, all the factors that go into the mastery of language composition. My curious mind and student heart can wholly appreciate all that rap has to offer.
And maybe it's also worth mentioning that I'm from Southeast San Diego where even nerdy, hippie filipino girls jam better than your average, kthnxbye.
I have to admit that I was originally disconcerted by the singles that circulated around the internet over these past few months. The sound was just different. It's influences in funk/jazz/blues are so heavy and I didn't know how to reconcile that his typical raw rap style.
However, listening to "To Pimp a Butterfly" in its entirety reminds me of how strong Kendrick Lamar's gravitational pull is. His sound and delivery is so distinctive and original. And his iconic mission for the empowerment of the masses is still ever prevalent.
However, listening to "To Pimp a Butterfly" in its entirety reminds me of how strong Kendrick Lamar's gravitational pull is. His sound and delivery is so distinctive and original. And his iconic mission for the empowerment of the masses is still ever prevalent.
What really impresses me about this album is, ironically, the very thing that took me aback a few months ago: the blues/jazz/funk musical influences. I get visuals of small dive bars filled with smoke and slam poetry. And that sense of intimacy makes this album feel all the more powerful.
No club bangers, just a speaker delivering his message through bold ass poetry. The sonorous bass and trumpets provide a pulse that pulls all the songs together with a vibe that is both anachronistic and progressive. Furthermore, we have the dichotomy between the roots of black music and modern day rap bridged by the vein spontaneity, vitality, and improvisation central to both musical eras.
No club bangers, just a speaker delivering his message through bold ass poetry. The sonorous bass and trumpets provide a pulse that pulls all the songs together with a vibe that is both anachronistic and progressive. Furthermore, we have the dichotomy between the roots of black music and modern day rap bridged by the vein spontaneity, vitality, and improvisation central to both musical eras.
Bottom line: I'm impressed and obsessed.
My favorite tracks:
- Mortal Man
- King Kunta
- You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said)
- Complexion
- These Walls
- Mortal Man
- King Kunta
- You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said)
- Complexion
- These Walls
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