To Pimp a Butterfly

Don't question that title for one second because I have something to ask you. When was the last time you sat down with yourself and realized how privileged you are? As a white eighteen-year-old male, I'm probably not entitled to even ask that question. Kendrick Lamar's third album, To Pimp a Butterfly, was met with critical acclaim in 2015. It is inventive with new techniques, original with the use of actual instruments, and a poem to how society acts in every day and way.

The songs on this masterpiece differ from sound effects on the first single "King Kunta" and the ever popular track that only made radio play, "Alright." While these are catchy creations, some have more meaning behind the earbuds. "For Free" is a spoken word upbeat jazz letter to a couple who are arguing because her man can't afford anything for her but Kendrick himself. Institutionalized talks about being captivated in your mental capacity while the following track "These Walls" gives us the imagery of how he takes out his stress with cheesy beats and guitar licks from the 90's. You can't help but feel the groove and truth. "The Blacker the Berry" is a spontaneous message telling us how people are killed for suspicion rather than reason and how Lamar is the biggest hypocrite of 2015. "i" gives us this guitar riff that makes you feel joy and the lyrics, "i love myself" reminds us how awesome we are as human beings. Everyone is different and no one else is you, so why shouldn't you love yourself?

Kendrick's message flows through your mind as you listen to the whole 78 minutes and the production of each song swims deep into your brain. It makes you want to dance, cry, and remind to think twice before looking at the color of someone's skin. Some people wouldn't buy this album simply because it is from a rap artist. To that I say, this is not rap, it is music.

Rank: A