Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly

Original post by T-the-Dreamer

Exactly my thoughts. You fell so drawn to value it as a whole than a bunch of tracks released together. He really nailed what an album is all about. When I think about what the album is, the imagery of a painting comes to mind. You can't dismantle a painting, simply weigh it for all it brings.

Yeah, there are a couple tracks I'm nit fond of but it's incredible what context can do to a song. For Sale's silliness is justified and wow, i was refreshing and kendrick's energy was such a pleasant surprise.

I too am going through the lyrics on rap genius and I'm appreciating it a little more each time and even the recurring spoken word segments are powerful and hypnotising in their own right.

It really is a shame that some weak and awkward moments let this down.

BOO BOO

Reply 22

Original post by BB1523

"u" was actually my favourite track apart from blacker the berry - the first section of the beat was interesting but then it changed up and it was hit voice on the second half which threw me off - I just don't know why rappers are going down this abstract dark route - I find it kinda corny tbh, but I can see why people will love this album 100%

Personally, I find the abstract route more interesting as it has more ideas embedded in the music, not just the lyrics. Check out Shabazz Palaces - Black Up

Reply 23

Original post by BB1523

"u" was actually my favourite track apart from blacker the berry - the first section of the beat was interesting but then it changed up and it was hit voice on the second half which threw me off - I just don't know why rappers are going down this abstract dark route - I find it kinda corny tbh, but I can see why people will love this album 100%

To me, he sounded like he was deep in despair on the second part. It felt pretty vivid too. It wasn't until then that I connected the poem he kept on repeating to that moment in time. At least he weren't going down the Migos root :biggrin:

. I also liked what he did with "i' on the album too.

Reply 24

Killer Bean

Original post by T-the-Dreamer

for reasons I could go on about endlessly :colondollar:

Please do! I love both the singles to pieces but the rest of the album sort of fell a bit flat for me, though I've only listened to it twice. Nothing in it (again, aside from the two singles - in fact I loved the album version of i even more than the single) really grabbed me, I just really hope more will come through on repeated listens.

Reply 25

Original post by T-the-Dreamer

To me, he sounded like he was deep in despair on the second part. It felt pretty vivid too. It wasn't until then that I connected the poem he kept on repeating to that moment in time. At least he weren't going down the Migos root :biggrin:

. I also liked what he did with "i' on the album too.

Hmm... maybe it's just me lol, I think I just like straight up, more mainstream sounding hip-hop - It's just his voice and production that I can't get with... maybe i'll have to give it another try...

Reply 26

Original post by ChoccyPhilly

Personally, I find the abstract route more interesting as it has more ideas embedded in the music, not just the lyrics. Check out Shabazz Palaces - Black Up

Will check them out. Also some of the comments in the videos of their tracks keep on mentioning Flying Lotus as someone linked to them. definitely understand why as I listen to their work.

Reply 27

Original post by Killer Bean

Please do! I love both the singles to pieces but the rest of the album sort of fell a bit flat for me, though I've only listened to it twice. Nothing in it (again, aside from the two singles - in fact I loved the album version of i even more than the single) really grabbed me, I just really hope more will come through on repeated listens.

Interesting opinion... What makes you say that? Just curious really and diverse opions are always interesting

Reply 28

Original post by BB1523

Hmm... maybe it's just me lol, I think I just like straight up, more mainstream sounding hip-hop - It's just his voice and production that I can't get with... maybe i'll have to give it another try...

Hey you can't force yourself to love something. He did go off on a different tangent which is very alien to current mainstream hip-hop. I love the experimentation with these sounds though.

Reply 29

Original post by T-the-Dreamer

Hey you can't force yourself to love something. He did go off on a different tangent which is very alien to current mainstream hip-hop. I love the experimentation with these sounds though.

Are you a big fan of hip-hop? did you listen to Dark Sky Paradise earlier this month lol?

Reply 30

Original post by Killer Bean

Please do! I love both the singles to pieces but the rest of the album sort of fell a bit flat for me, though I've only listened to it twice. Nothing in it (again, aside from the two singles - in fact I loved the album version of i even more than the single) really grabbed me, I just really hope more will come through on repeated listens.

I'm pretty intrigued by why that happened tbh. It felt so relatable for one thing. He didn't jsut mention a list of issues and go away, they had relevance because he related them to him throughout and how it all intertwined with his inner struggles, with new sounds that fitted those eerie moments, or those moments of pure *insert feeling here*. You also appreciated the artistry behind it all too and how everything is jsut woven together.

Reply 31

Original post by BB1523

Are you a big fan of hip-hop? did you listen to Dark Sky Paradise earlier this month lol?

My friend has been recommending this for ages now so I am now obliged to check it out lol.

As much as I love hip-hop, my actual library for the genre is heavily limited to less than half a dozen artists. I just want something relatable and meaningful and most of hip-hop these days just doesn't cut it.

I'm completely open to suggestions :smile:

Reply 32

Killer Bean

Original post by ChoccyPhilly

Interesting opinion... What makes you say that? Just curious really and diverse opions are always interesting

As I've said, not much really came through for me, so it's hard to say because the issue is that so far, things aren't happening when I listen to this record.

I think it's partly because the theme of the album is pretty narrow; it hasn't seemed to go too far beyond what the singles have offered in terms of what it has to say. I was hoping for a wider scope.

Also I've never been a big fan of skits, in any hip-hop album. And I can't remember how many times this featured but I didn't like how he seemed to just shoe-horn that Weather Report jazz stuff into the album, which I loved on FlyLo's latest album, but that seemed to be pretty much lifted.

I remember being so impressed with i because I've had similar experiences with depression, and then hearing comments Kendrick made about gang culture gave the song a new level of poignancy.

The Blacker the Berry did a similar thing, but seems like a flip-side of a coin with i on the other side. And the track is ****ing fire.

tbh I'm quite optimistic this album is going to grow on me. Some albums need time for things to fall into place, and it seems as though for me, this is one of those albums. And I just realised what I said about i can also be said about Real from GKMC, except i is a much better song so I guess I oughtn't complain about that. :biggrin:

Reply 33

Original post by T-the-Dreamer

My friend has been recommending this for ages now so I am now obliged to check it out lol.

As much as I love hip-hop, my actual library for the genre is heavily limited to less than half a dozen artists. I just want something relatable and meaningful and most of hip-hop these days just doesn't cut it.

I'm completely open to suggestions :smile:

I quite liked Dark Sky Paradise, the production was on point and I like Big Sean's voice... I know everyone else doesn't lol, he kinda reminds me of Fabolous you know haha

Reply 34

Original post by BB1523

I quite liked Dark Sky Paradise, the production was on point and I like Big Sean's voice... I know everyone else doesn't lol, he kinda reminds me of Fabolous you know haha

I thought I was the only one!!! :biggrin:

Kanye produced it (so I read) so it's to be expected

Reply 35

Killer Bean

Original post by T-the-Dreamer

My friend has been recommending this for ages now so I am now obliged to check it out lol.

As much as I love hip-hop, my actual library for the genre is heavily limited to less than half a dozen artists. I just want something relatable and meaningful and most of hip-hop these days just doesn't cut it.

I'm completely open to suggestions :smile:

Labour Days - Aesop Rock
Piece of Strange - CunninLynguists
The Cold Vein - Cannibal Ox

Those are some somewhat lesser-known but well-respected albums you may like I guess. The Rymesayers label that Labour Days was released on has a lot to offer is you're into that album.

Reply 36

Original post by T-the-Dreamer

I thought I was the only one!!! :biggrin:

Kanye produced it (so I read) so it's to be expected

My favourite track from Dark Sky is All Your Fault featuring Kanye, you should check that out now and c what you think lol

Reply 37