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To Pimp a Butterfly track by track review thread.
Wesley’s Theory (feat. George Clinton & Thundercat)
One of my favorite intros all time, Wesley’s Theory has some really good production & sampling, with politically conscious lyrics. Kendrick focuses on oppression and making change, “hitting the white house”.
Rating: 9/10
One of my favorite intros all time, Wesley’s Theory has some really good production & sampling, with politically conscious lyrics. Kendrick focuses on oppression and making change, “hitting the white house”.
Rating: 9/10
For Free? (Interlude)
With some top-tier production, a lot of it is a girl insulting Kendrick and mostly how he treats her, with a rebuttal from him. Kendrick says that nothing about him is free as a result of him having to work for everything he’s gotten.
Rating: 9/10
With some top-tier production, a lot of it is a girl insulting Kendrick and mostly how he treats her, with a rebuttal from him. Kendrick says that nothing about him is free as a result of him having to work for everything he’s gotten.
Rating: 9/10
King Kunta
One of my favorite songs ever, it’s a very upbeat song with some top-notch production that seems to elevate as the song continues. He mostly talks about success, confronting people that weren’t there for him until he was rich, and beating the odds.
Rating: 10/10
One of my favorite songs ever, it’s a very upbeat song with some top-notch production that seems to elevate as the song continues. He mostly talks about success, confronting people that weren’t there for him until he was rich, and beating the odds.
Rating: 10/10
Institutionalized (feat. Bilal, Anna Wise & Snoop Dogg)
Kendrick talks about how he can’t leave the ghetto despite being rich. He talks about success and trying to change his habits. He switches his flow to something more quiet and choppier.
Rating: 8.5/10
Kendrick talks about how he can’t leave the ghetto despite being rich. He talks about success and trying to change his habits. He switches his flow to something more quiet and choppier.
Rating: 8.5/10
These Walls (feat. Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat)
Kendrick tells a story of him having an affair with the wife of his friends killer. Kendrick uses creative and literary methods to tell different viewpoints of the story and he accuses himself of abusing his power.
Rating: 10/10
Kendrick tells a story of him having an affair with the wife of his friends killer. Kendrick uses creative and literary methods to tell different viewpoints of the story and he accuses himself of abusing his power.
Rating: 10/10
u
“u” is a track in which Kendrick attacks himself over melancholy production. As if talking from the third person, he pokes at his own insecurity, calls himself a failure and accuses him of faking love and betraying his people. It’s a beautiful reflective track.
Rating: 10/10
“u” is a track in which Kendrick attacks himself over melancholy production. As if talking from the third person, he pokes at his own insecurity, calls himself a failure and accuses him of faking love and betraying his people. It’s a beautiful reflective track.
Rating: 10/10
Alright
Directly in contrast in “u”, “Alright” has more upbeat production . The song is hopeful and seems to play into the last track, saying everything will work our despite struggles. Kendrick talks about dead friends and commiting crimes to get by.
Rating: 10/10
Directly in contrast in “u”, “Alright” has more upbeat production . The song is hopeful and seems to play into the last track, saying everything will work our despite struggles. Kendrick talks about dead friends and commiting crimes to get by.
Rating: 10/10
For Sale? (Interlude)
The second interlude of the album, the production is more upbeat and Kendrick talks about falling in love with someone named Lucy. Kendrick uses wordplay to make Lucy seem to represent the devil, proposing a contract for him to sell himself.
Rating: 9.5/10
The second interlude of the album, the production is more upbeat and Kendrick talks about falling in love with someone named Lucy. Kendrick uses wordplay to make Lucy seem to represent the devil, proposing a contract for him to sell himself.
Rating: 9.5/10
Momma
Kendrick talks about his growth as an artist and person, but once he returned to his home he realized how far he had grown away from the people he grew up with. Being accused of forgetting his people’s language and an undertone that he had betrayed them.
Rating: 10/10
Kendrick talks about his growth as an artist and person, but once he returned to his home he realized how far he had grown away from the people he grew up with. Being accused of forgetting his people’s language and an undertone that he had betrayed them.
Rating: 10/10
Hood Politics
One of my favorite songs on the album, Kendrick talks about his rise to fame. He disowns “rap politics”, and says he has to be successful for friends he lost. He talks about disorder where he grew up, gang violence, drug dealing, and his struggles.
Rating: 10/10
One of my favorite songs on the album, Kendrick talks about his rise to fame. He disowns “rap politics”, and says he has to be successful for friends he lost. He talks about disorder where he grew up, gang violence, drug dealing, and his struggles.
Rating: 10/10
How Much A Dollar Cost (feat. James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley)
Kendrick tells a story where he refuses to give a dollar to a homeless man who reveals to he Jesus. He talks on a lack of empathy yet the song concludes a dollar could cost his spot in the afterlife.
Rating: 10/10
Kendrick tells a story where he refuses to give a dollar to a homeless man who reveals to he Jesus. He talks on a lack of empathy yet the song concludes a dollar could cost his spot in the afterlife.
Rating: 10/10
Complexion (A Zulu Love) (feat. Rapsody)
The song is meant to talk about there is no difference between people of different races, and that their “complexion” is irrelevant. Rapsody talks about the same thing, explaining how she used to consider herself “too dark”.
Rating: 9/10
The song is meant to talk about there is no difference between people of different races, and that their “complexion” is irrelevant. Rapsody talks about the same thing, explaining how she used to consider herself “too dark”.
Rating: 9/10
The Blacker The Berry
Kendrick attacks racism and oppression and says he is proud of African-American stereotypes. He also points out how he cries when blacks are unjustly killed by whites but will kill other blacks over gang warfare, declaring himself a hypocrite
Rating: 10/10
Kendrick attacks racism and oppression and says he is proud of African-American stereotypes. He also points out how he cries when blacks are unjustly killed by whites but will kill other blacks over gang warfare, declaring himself a hypocrite
Rating: 10/10
You Ain’t Gotta Lie (Momma Said)
The theme of this song is to be yourself rather than lying or trying to be stereotypical just to get approval or respect. It says people who try to brag don’t have what they’re bragging about, and says not to lie to be respected.
Rating: 10/10
The theme of this song is to be yourself rather than lying or trying to be stereotypical just to get approval or respect. It says people who try to brag don’t have what they’re bragging about, and says not to lie to be respected.
Rating: 10/10
i
Unlike “u”, on “i” Kendrick sings about love for himself and how he beat his struggles and made it out of poverty. It talks about being confident in himself and his success as well as overcoming doubt and depression.
Rating: 8/10
Unlike “u”, on “i” Kendrick sings about love for himself and how he beat his struggles and made it out of poverty. It talks about being confident in himself and his success as well as overcoming doubt and depression.
Rating: 8/10
Mortal Man
A real long outro, Kendrick asks who will still be there for him if things goes downhill. Asking what people will do if he’s arrested, killed or falls off. The song speaks on a lack of trust in people and making sure to keep your own self-interest.
Rating: 9/10
A real long outro, Kendrick asks who will still be there for him if things goes downhill. Asking what people will do if he’s arrested, killed or falls off. The song speaks on a lack of trust in people and making sure to keep your own self-interest.
Rating: 9/10
Overview:
TPAB is a timeless album that only gets better per listen. It speaks on loads of important issues such as racism, hypocrisy, gang culture, depression, self-criticism, love, and more. It flows beautiful and has some top-tier production.
Easy 10/10.
TPAB is a timeless album that only gets better per listen. It speaks on loads of important issues such as racism, hypocrisy, gang culture, depression, self-criticism, love, and more. It flows beautiful and has some top-tier production.
Easy 10/10.
Once again, thank y’all for 400
