(Photo courtesy of Interscope Records)It's something special to put on a freshly released album for the first time and to know you're listening to a classic. It doesn't happen very often and has been particularly missing from popular music today. However, as he always does, Kendrick Lamar has come down from his throne to save us.
On Sunday night, Lamar blessed the ears of the world by dropping his sophomore album, the funk-infused "To Pimp a Butterfly," eight days early. The release comes following the Compton rapper's wildly acclaimed 2012 debut, "Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City." From the amazing guest appearances to the Tupac references, Lamar's eyes were simultaneously on the past and the future in this masterful release.
"To Pimp a Butterfly" is everything a Kendrick fan has come to expect. It's political. It's innovative. It's visceral. The fact that Lamar manages to be all of these things at once and still sell massive amounts of albums is a testament to his ability to blend serious messages and a good beat into a fun, hard-hitting record.
The explosive presence that Lamar brought on "Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City" with songs like "Backseat Freestyle" and "M.A.A.D. City" is still there in songs like "The Blacker the Berry." However, the calmer tone of this album shows a more nuanced approach to his signature attacks. The fire and passion are still there, they're just less noisy than before.
The self-reflective arc of the album shows Lamar's evolution as an artist as he tries to balance his hood roots with being socially conscious, being from Compton with the high life he's currently living. This struggle recurs all throughout the album. He works through the changes that fame has brought to his life and tries to reconcile that with his upbringing and his history of self-doubt.
With songs like "Momma" and "How Much a Dollar Cost," Lamar shows a clear guilt at his fame in contrast with his roots in Compton. Lamar's egotistical tendencies have amused fans in the past, but the humbler side to him is something refreshing. The vulnerability that this new facet of Lamar brings to his music results in a more mature mix of themes.
The infamous "Control" verse and his frequent declarations of his hip hop supremacy are part of the grind that brought us Kendrick as we know him. However, this attempt to come back down to Earth and to his roots are a welcome complement to the message of empowerment that he brings.
In addition to this thematic shift, Lamar also brought an interesting change with the intense funk and soul influences of "To Pimp a Butterfly." With funk god George Clinton featured on album opener "Wesley's Theory," the stylistic change was evident. The influence was peppered throughout the album's last single, "King Kunta," which proved to be a highlight of the album with its killer hook and chant-like chorus.
The undoubtable high point of the album is the intense dichotomy of "u" and "i." There was debate over whether or not "i" would even make it onto the album, as it was a clear break from Lamar's previous style.
However, the re-envisioned album version of the song serves less as an anthem of self-love and more as an anthem for the black community. From his a capella verse to the female chorus singing the refrain of "I love myself," the new version fits far better into the intensity and the larger theme of black empowerment of the rest of the album.
While many fans (myself included) didn't think "Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City" could be beat, Lamar somehow managed to to exceed the expectations. Here's to what may just turn out to be the best album of 2015 (Kanye, we're looking at you). With "To Pimp a Butterfly," we've seen Lamar metamorphose from caterpillar to butterfly, from a good kid in a mad city to a hip-hop master finding his place in the scene. Tupac would be proud.
Reach the reporter at ezentner@asu.edu or follow @emilymzentner on Twitter.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
