Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly |OT| It's The American Dream

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For me this is easily a 10 out of 10 album, I just need a break from it - it provides an incredibly overwhelming experience - it evokes a profound emotional response from me. I have reached a stage where I can't even listen to the more up-beat songs without it affecting my mood.
 
Crazy to listen to this project and then go back and listen to Kendrick's old shit.

I mean, the Kendrick Lamar EP was just 6 years ago.

OD was 5.

His progression as an artist since then has been INSANE.
 
Kendrick's performance on For Sale? kind of reminds me of Bob Dylan for some reason. Is anyone else getting that vibe?
 
Wow.. just wow. This afternoon I finally got a chance to sit down, block everything else out and just chill on the couch with my headphones and this record. I realize it might be a divisive record for some I've heard "too black" from a few people around the web and irl. I'm not even sure what the fuck that even means. It reminds me of all the bullshit 'can't relate' comments when CJ was the main protag in GTA. It makes people saying it look ignorant at best and bigoted at worst.

This album affected me on a personal level more than any album in a while. I thought it was going to be hard if not impossible for Kendrick to top GKMC since that is one of my favorite albums ever but I think he did it with this. I absolutely love the funk/jazz feel of the record. King Kendrick is back in a major way.
 
Wow.. just wow. This afternoon I finally got a chance to sit down, block everything else out and just chill on the couch with my headphones and this record. I realize it might be a divisive record for some I've heard "too black" from a few people around the web and irl. I'm not even sure what the fuck that even means. It reminds me of all the bullshit 'can't relate' comments when CJ was the main protag in GTA. It makes people saying it look ignorant at best and bigoted at worst.

Yeah I know that feel bro. I've seen people give Eminem a chance but completely pass on Kendrick. Maybe it's wrong of me to make this assumption but when I see stuff like that I automatically assume they are just racist. Even if it's subconscious.
 
This album is honestly my favorite West Coast hip hop album right now.

To put it in perspective The Pharcyde's Bizarre Ride 2 The Pharcyde was previously my fave west coast album.
 
The Guardian rescores TPAB from 4/5 to 5/5

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"Alright" gets me in the best mood imaginable, like my pals and I are on a car trip cruising with the windows down with no final destination in mind.....just enjoying life



Which may or may not be odd depending on your interpretation of the lyrics....
 
I don't listen to much hip-hop but I love the funk/jazz aspects of this album. Some songs feel they have some influence from Flying Lotus and its awesome.

Can anyone recommend be some artists that kinda sound like this?
 
u is the best track, period. The more I listen to it, the more I love u. Loving u ain't that complicated ;) I wonder if someone made an instrumental mix of u, I'd love to hear it.
 
After a few more spins, I've gone from really liking this album, to loving it. Shit makes me want to get in touch with my roots.
 
u is the best track, period. The more I listen to it, the more I love u. Loving u ain't that complicated ;) I wonder if someone made an instrumental mix of u, I'd love to hear it.

Let's be honest, those screams in the beginning of the track are cringeworthy.
 
Well, that certainly helps! Amazing stuff, my favorite beat in the album.



I dunno, I think they fit well. They definitely set the heavy tone right of the bat.

They fit the tone of the track, the execution is just... I get that kinda, "eeeh" and "oof" feeling when I hear it, like they could have been done better. Not even kidding, if they were genuine heartfelt screams, someone should have been like, "nah, you need to be more of a voice actor for those screams, they aren't translating onto the track well enough."

I think that's what RBK might be trying to say, the execution is lacking.
 
I've warmed up to "u" the more I listen to the album
It was my most disliked song on the album probably because of the second half, I wasn't really feeling that voice. Beat is great and I like the first half.
 
They fit the tone of the track, the execution is just... I get that kinda, "eeeh" and "oof" feeling when I hear it, like they could have been done better. Not even kidding, if they were genuine heartfelt screams, someone should have been like, "nah, you need to be more of a voice actor for those screams, they aren't translating onto the track well enough."

I think that's what RBK might be trying to say, the execution is lacking.

I feel you, the execution indeed could be better, maybe with more emotion put into them and not just repeating the same shout three times. Still, they do not detract from the amazing track, at least in my opinion. The instrumental shift gives me the goosebumps every single time, damn.
 
I must be in the minority because I think U is great and think the second part makes the track. Raw emotion.

The second part is indeed the best one! It's not easy to enjoy K.Dot's voice inflections sometimes, I get that, but man I love 'em. This track would be nothing without them.
 
Lamar does so much more than just rap. Not only are his lyrics incredibly well thought and meticulously detailed for repeated listens, but the dude straight up puts a performance in, literally acting out his emotions in some cases.
 
This album is ridiculous lol. Haven't been listening to anything else.

Can't remember the last time a hip hop album felt like art to me.
 
This album is honestly my favorite West Coast hip hop album right now.

To put it in perspective The Pharcyde's Bizarre Ride 2 The Pharcyde was previously my fave west coast album.


Wow, I'm definitely gonna sit down and listen to this tonight. I've only listened to a few tracks over the past week. Pharcyde's album is also one of my favorites so this should be great.
 
On my initial listen, I felt a bit lukewarm. Overbearing tracklist, too long of an album.

After multiple spins, both close listening and background while gaming, I can safely say this album has far exceeded GKMC. Its ability to string together seemingly non-cohesive songs together in a ballad of effortless excellence through really unique methods keeps me coming back for more.

The poem he keeps repeating throughout the album ("I remember you was conflicted --") is such an alluring feature that I don't think I've seen on an album of this stature. That one poem, that gets longer and longer as the album progresses, is just fantastic.

On top of all that, something about Kendrick's voice is just so gooooood.

Can't stop spinning it. Been on repeat since it dropped basically. Took an intermission for Jenny Death, but I can't get this album out of my mind now.
 
is this the original artist/upload? impressed that kendrick found and used this.

One of the most important things about having a team of producers is that they know the sound you want and diligently look for samples/sounds. The album doesn't have many samples but they all fit the mood. I read that Sounwave, who is the TDE in-house producer who handled a lot of the album, said that many top tier producers sent their best beats to Kendrick but most didn't fit the sound he was looking for.

I'm not a Drake fan but he does a great job with surrounding himself with top tier in-house producers and mining Soundcloud for dope up and coming producers.
 
Kendrick Lamar is playing Summerfest (Milwaukee WI, USA)!!!

Finally we get a decent artist. For comparison, the other headliners released so far are: Florida Georgia Line, Kings of Leon, Keith Urban, Linkin Park, Ed Sheeran and the Zac Brown Band.
 
Musically, Creatively, lyrically

I have never really understood the acclaim biggie gets. Yes he has got an amazing flow and great voice. I have just found him pretty one dimensional.

I'll only give you creatively, but Biggie has never really set out to make two concept albums, or least I don't consider them to be concept albums.

He's far from one dimensional though. One more quality album and then it's a fair argument.
 
I'll only give you creatively, but Biggie has never really set out to make two concept albums, or least I don't consider them to be concept albums.

He's far from one dimensional though. One more quality album and then it's a fair argument.

For me Kendrick doesn't need another album to be considered a better artist than biggie. Like i said i think biggie is kind of overrated.

A great album to compare 'ready to die' to is 'illmatic'

both came out around the same time, both debut albums, both MC's from new york

For me 'illmatic' is probably the greatest hip hop album of all time where as 'ready to die' is just a good debut. Granted i wasn't old enough to have followed the impact that 'ready to die had' and i imagine it was considered ground breaking at the time, but returning to it now I don't think its this work of art that some people consider it.
 
I'll only give you creatively, but Biggie has never really set out to make two concept albums, or least I don't consider them to be concept albums.

He's far from one dimensional though. One more quality album and then it's a fair argument.

Ready To Die is at least a loose concept album, and LAD picks up right afterwards.
 
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