To Pimp a Butterfly

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

To Pimp a Butterfly · Kendrick Lamar's third album came out on 15 March 2015. While making it he travelled to South Africa, where he visited, among other things, Nelson Mandela's cell on Robben Island. That trip determined the direction of the album, and he threw away material for two or three albums. Dr. Dre was executive producer, alongside Sounwave, Terrace Martin, Thundercat and Flying Lotus, among others.

At its core it is a hip hop album, but it draws on the whole history of African-American music, especially jazz, funk and soul. The lyrics deal with racism, inequality, depression and Black culture. Wesley's Theory opens the album with George Clinton and Thundercat, and Complexion (A Zulu Love) with Rapsody is about light and dark skin colour. Critics praised the musical breadth and the social charge. The album won a Grammy for Best Rap Album and in 2020 stood at number 19 on Rolling Stone's list.

Listening

Track list

1. 1Wesley's Theory (feat. George Clinton & Thundercat)4:47Apple Music ↗
2. 2For Free? (Interlude)2:11Apple Music ↗
3. 3King Kunta3:55Apple Music ↗
4. 4Institutionalized (feat. Bilal, Anna Wise & Snoop Dogg)4:32Apple Music ↗
5. 5These Walls (feat. Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat)5:01Apple Music ↗
6. 6u4:28Apple Music ↗
7. 7Alright3:39Apple Music ↗
8. 8For Sale? (Interlude)4:52Apple Music ↗
9. 9Momma4:43Apple Music ↗
10. 10Hood Politics4:53Apple Music ↗
11. 11How Much a Dollar Cost (feat. James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley)4:22Apple Music ↗
12. 12Complexion (A Zulu Love) [feat. Rapsody]4:23Apple Music ↗
13. 13The Blacker the Berry5:29Apple Music ↗
14. 14You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said)4:02Apple Music ↗
15. 15i5:36Apple Music ↗
16. 16Mortal Man12:07Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗