To Pimp A Butterfly, by Kendrick Lamar.
(album breakdown)

this is what i think is the greatest album of all time. it’s just perfect. i can’t say one bad thing about it. i remember hearing this for the first time and being amazed. my friends got me TPAB on disk for my birthday last year, which i was listening to while writing this.

Wesley’s Theory:
this is my favourite intro to an album ever. it just sets the tone so well. it’s jazz influence is prominent and it’s introducing the idea of the butterfly being pimped. a metaphor for how successful black artists/visionaries are used by the industry for money.

For Free? - Interlude:
this strengthens the metaphor for the butterfly being pimped. Darlene Tibbs represents America and Kendrick represents the black man who won’t give in to being pimped by the industry because his “dick ain’t free”. he’s standing up to the double standards.

King Kunta:
this is essentially just a funk-esque track where kendrick is cementing himself as the king of the rap game. he criticises rappers who have ghostwriters and he’s aware that there’s people that want to associate him for the financial perks. he knows his worth.

Institutionalized:
kendrick has an epiphany that his experiences from GKMC are still a part of him. “you can take your boy out the hood but you can’t take the hood out the homie”. everyone is “institutionalized” to some extent, rich or poor. having a vision is the only way up.

These Walls:
while this seems like just an intimate ballad, the deeper meaning is a lot darker than it’s made out to be. kendrick is having sex with the baby mama of the person who murdered kendrick’s friend. it’s revenge but he’s conscious that he’s “abusing [his] power”.

u:
the most depressing track on the record. the second half mainly, he talks to himself about his vulnerability. the line “you promised you’d watch him before they shot him”, you can feel the loss as he says that. it’s devastating how he cries throughout this whole verse.

Alright:
however, no matter the lows, there’s always light at the end of tunnel. kendrick switches it up with this track being an optimistic bop, assuring us that everything is in fact, going to be alright. the song is a symbol of hope and is my favourite on the album.(1)

not only that, but it’s become an anthem for the black lives matter movement. the song has lyrics condemning police brutality, which is a huge problem in america to this day. it’s very relevant. this one shot in the music video never ceases to amaze me. it’s just pure art.(2)

the fact that kendrick uses his one of kind skill of turning important messages into hit songs is so genius as well. because this needs to be heard by everyone. it has a catchy hook, making it radio friendly and it was being played everywhere.
my favourite song of all time.(3)

For Sale? - Interlude:
this delves deeper into lucy, who was mentioned before on this record. a metaphor for lucifer, and all the negative connotations of fame. she’s presented as amazing over a lush instrumental but kendrick isn’t going to give in because he can see through her.

Momma:
this song is so underrated and is one of my favourites on the record. the immaculate production and his flow is “unmatched”. “the evils of lucy” was all around him and now he knows “everything”. he’s at a moment of realisation that he’s not a pimped butterfly. great track.

Hood Politics:
this track is from the perspective of a younger kendrick, as shown by the higher pitch of voice. he talks about american politics and his infamous “control” verse that shook the entire rap game for a while. a complete 180 from the last track if you ask me.

How Much A Dollar Cost:
kendrick tells the story of when a homeless man asked him for 10 Rand, which is approximately $1. he believes he’s a crack addict so he won’t give it to him. his selfishness causes the man to reveal himself as God.
a dollar has cost him a place in heaven.

Complexion (A Zulu Love):
this track addresses colorism, which affects the black community. kendrick and rapsody assure the listener that they are beautiful and amazing, no matter what the colour of your skin is. beauty is more than looks, it’s about who you are within.

The Blacker The Berry:
kendrick is hungry here. his rapping is at its peak on this track. he’s talking about his pride in being black. he flips common stereotypes associated with black people and owns it; he’s proud of what he is. the hook celebrates black progression. powerful.

You Ain’t Gotta Lie (Momma Said):
in this track, kendrick’s mother is telling him now that he’s at this superstar status, he doesn’t need to lie to fit in with his hood friends whenever he comes back home. while he sees his past as a part of him, it’s not who he is entirely.

i:
a song to rival “u” as this is a positive track all about self-love and optimism. kendrick said this is his best song and he made it because there wasn’t an opportunity to love yourself when growing up in compton. produced as if it was part of a musical, it’s a gleeful song.

Mortal Man:
throughout this album, there’s been parts of a poem being said. on this last track, the whole poem is spoken. this and an interview with hip hop legend Tupac Shakur about every topic on this record has allowed kendrick to realise that he’s got a huge voice in culture.

end of thread. follow for more! i write threads on artists/music that i like.
next week i’m gonna focus on just underrated artists so check that out when it comes. thank you for reading if you have.
wanted to end this week with a bang because i won’t see one next week

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