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The albums production adds texture to his lyrics. The production Adds depth, and give the album a fuller living feel. It brings out the emotions and themes of the songs. At times the production grabs your attention, other times it makes you focus on the lyrics ,overall its a nice blend.This is beyond classic. This is lovely music on top of more beautiful music.
100/10. It broke my Richter scale . Im glad to be alive to hear this. Kendrick is an time great artist.
The lyrics are on point. Although he uses wordplay, the album is straight forward, it's concept can still be grasped without understanding every single thing.
Lyrically, Kendrick appeared to be more focus on making well crafted music, than just rapping to show listners how dope he is. Although he did show how dope he was, there was no useless rappity babbling. Every lyric and word has a purpose . Every line is refreshing and well crafted.
Ive played the album from beginning to end for the past 4 days. This is a special album. I'm still anticipating the deluxe edition, so i can hear the bonus tracks.
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The Lyrics paints a movie. I won't tell it, and say the exact songs. Those who heard the album, will catch the drift.
The albums production adds texture to his lyrics. The production Adds depth, and give the album a fuller living feel. It brings out the emotions and themes of the songs. At times the production grabs your attention, other times it makes you focus on the lyrics ,overall its a nice blend.This is beyond classic. This is lovely music on top of more beautiful music.
100/10. It broke my Richter scale . Im glad to be alive to hear this. Kendrick is an time great artist.
The lyrics are on point. Although he uses wordplay, the album is straight forward, it's concept can still be grasped without understanding every single thing.
Lyrically, Kendrick appeared to be more focus on making well crafted music, than just rapping to show listners how dope he is. Although he did show how dope he was, there was no useless rappity babbling. Every lyric and word has a purpose . Every line is refreshing and well crafted.
Ive played the album from beginning to end for the past 4 days. This is a special album. I'm still anticipating the deluxe edition, so i can hear the bonus tracks.
The album is Kendrick's journey, through his new found stardom, from his GKMC success.
It begins with the different layers and elments of that said stardom. He acknowledges the impact his stardom brings, to himself n others, including his circle...
Kendrick would end up using his newly found powers of fame, to ? on others who once ? on him. But in the end, he finds, he only hurted him self, cause he still has past demons to wrestle with.
He manages to pull himself by his boot strap. And inturn had a new outlook on his stardom. After the new outlook, he begins soul searching. As he soul searches, he goes full circle. He becomes enlighten through encounters. he begin embracing himself, his flaws n all. He ends with, having a convo with some one who had the same fight as him..
All while this is going on. The songs are bumping, and indepth goes into various themes such as sex, home, identity, success, race, complexion, suicide, poltics, hood, self evalutation, self appreciation, soul searching, responsibility all while embracing who he is ,Kendrick Lamar Duckworth. -
Gonna drop mine the end of the week or top of next week. Jotted a few cliffnotes but not gonna have time to type anything significant up til Wednesday/Thursday-ish. It's probably gonna be around the length of my Teflon Don review which is scary cause that ? was around 1,400 words haha. Damn I type too much
Would love to have reviews from @fortyacres&amule @Ranxx @Listencloser @Power_wisdom @KamPushMe @StoneColdMikey @YoungGoldie and that female Reason poster, forgot her name.
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I give it a 10/10. I feel like the album took you through the entire gamut of "black" music with the funk, the jazz and soul sounds in the beginning of the album. He also went back and took us to that Westcoast sound of the 90's. From a sonic standpoint I feel like he accomplished we what he set out to do early. As we moved into the middle portion of the album the tone started to get a little heavier and the songs geared towards a more extra-personal perspective. By this I mean he started to speak to things from his Compton experiences and beyond. He began to equate his Compton experiences as a whole, to the African diaspora as a whole and also he reflected upon his own place in the African diaspora. When he gets to the final half of the album you get a new Kendrick, one that has embraced where he came from here in America but also the root of where the entire African American experience is rooted from. On a deeper level he's talking about infighting in Africa(like red vs blue) and here in America being rooted in things before here today. He proposes that the solution for Africa as a whole as well as African Americans as a whole is to embrace these issues and correct them in order to truly have peace amongst blacks globally. This album is resonating on multiple wavelengths. "If I was president, i'd pay my mommas rent" meaning if I was president i'd relieve my mother (Africa) of her debt and "Free my homies and them" meaning free my people. He's speaking on multiple levels. Taking it from personal to extra-personal to try and effectively convey his messages. His most diverse and complete work to date. You can get more specific and in depth by analyzing each song but thats essay stuff. This is more of a quick run down touching on major themes. Like I said 10/10 album.
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Someone made a mash up of King Kunta and the Seinfeld theme. ? was horrible.
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Here's my review, it's a bit lengthy but hey
https://thevividlife.wordpress.com/2015/03/21/a-glimpse-at-kendrick-lamars-masterpiece-to-? -a-butterfly/
“Every ni**a is a star,” this is the soulful, catchy, anthemic cry that rings out in the intro to Kendrick Lamar’s bold new release To ? a Butterfly, a perfect foreshadowing of the gritty pride and positivity to come. We are living in an era of turmoil and controversy nationwide concerning race relations and the questionable acts of some individuals who are trusted to protect us. The political atmosphere has been as tense as I’ve experienced in my young life, as the youth has been exposed to much instability and uncertainty as of late. Intense climates like this tend to serve as a great back drop to moving music, and this latest effort is no exception. This is the energy, the drive, the inspiration that we encounter in To ? a Butterfly. Kendrick Lamar takes all of this negative energy and channels it to uplift and enlighten, all over excellent jazz, funk, and soul inspired production.
On “These Walls,” Kendrick paints a vivid picture of sex, anger, and revenge, accompanied by jazzy production by Terrace Martin (a mainstay on the album), and Larrance Dopson. On a lighter note “Alright,” is a potential radio banger on the album that is sure to have people chanting the rousing contagious chorus nationwide. On this track Pharrell does what he always does; compose great instrumentation, all with the assistance of TDE in-house producer Sounwave. Also, one of the many distinctive elements of this album is the high quality of the interludes, which surely rings true in the case of “For Sale? (Interlude)” Here Kendrick is presented with all the “finer things” in life that “Lucy” has to offer, and an internal struggle soon follows.
One of the standouts of the album is “How Much A Dollar Cost?,” with Kendrick putting his skillful storytelling to work once again, as he’s confronted by ? himself for his lack of empathy and humility. This is a great twist that is very relatable, as it is sadly all too common to be approached by someone in need pleading for a little change. “Complexion (A Zulu Love),” emanates positivity to combat the archaic concept of colorism in the black community. This track is definitely another standout with the legendary Pete Rock contributing vocals on the hook and outstanding femcee Rapsody closing out, receiving a well-deserved look on the big stage.
The bold, brash, and proud “The Blacker The Berry,” is certainly the heavy hitter of the album, with Kendrick exalting that he’s, “blacker than the heart of an ? .” On this track he closes with a controversial statement criticizing the hypocrisy of those that take part in gang violence, but then cry foul when a tragedy like Trayvon Martin occurs. This was a statement that was the catalyst for much needed self-evaluation and debate within the black community. The production’s heavy hitting drums and screeching guitars were a perfect match for Kendrick’s scathing vocals.
However, the most powerful moment of this album takes place in the outro, when Kendrick casually converses about industry troubles and the ills of the world with the legendary Tupac Shakur. Here Kendrick shares his thoughts intertwined with words of wisdom from Pac that are very relevant to the social climate of today. At the end of this exchange, Kendrick explains the title of his latest album, but his response is nothing but silence as the ghost of Pac fades away. Honestly one of the most touching moments of an album I’ve ever experienced.
Overall this is an excellent album that could very well go down in the annals of time as a classic. The only gripe I may have is some of the abrupt transitions within songs towards the beginning of the album, but this is sure to be overshadowed by the powerful pro- black content and top notch production that lies within. Hopefully this masterpiece can serve as the catalyst for those in doubt to sprout wings, take flight, and follow their dreams. To ? a Butterfly.
Lyricism: 10/10
Production: 9/10
Cohesiveness: 10/10
Replay Value: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Standout Tracks: “These Walls”, “Alright”, “How Much A Dollar Cost”, “Complexion”, “The Blacker The Berry” -
Album still getting better with more listens, had to upgrade score to 9/10
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Wesley's Theory (ft. George Clinton & Thundercat)
7/10 Nice intro but nothing that grabs my attention.
For Free? (Interlude)
6/10 All spoken word hip hop tracks get held to the Outkast Spottieottiedopaliscious standard and this doesn't make the cut. Dope wordplay but
King Kunta
8/10 Dope track but I can't help but imagine Mystikal killing this track with more charisma.
Institutionalized (ft. Bilal, Anna Wise & Snoop Dogg)
7/10 Tone shifts take me out of the track.
These Walls (ft. Bilal, Anna Wise & Snoop Dogg)
7/10 Same issues with shifts in tone.
U
6/10 Would have given it an 8 for the first half but the second part is instant skip. The Game did the ? rap better.
Alright
9/10 Dope track top to bottom
For Sale? (Interlude)
6/10 Damien(demon) >>> Lucy(lucifer)
Momma
7/10 end of the song might work as a skit but it drags the vibe of the song down.
Hood Politics
9/10 This is what I expect from a West Coast ? . Straight up Eazy E (Cube Written)
How Much A Dollar Cost (ft. James Fauntleroy & Ronald Isley)
7/10 Ok track
Complexion (A Zulu Love) (ft. Rapsody)
7/10 Nice track
The Blacker The Berry
8/10 Hard track but he really isn't saying much politically.
You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said)
8/10 Nice song. This is the type of hooks that keeps my attention
i
6/10 Never felt this track and a live recording with provocative lyric changes aren't going to make me like it either.
Mortal Man
8/10 That outro though!
Album cohesiveness
8/10
Favorite Tracks:
Alright
Hood Politics
Skippable Tracks:
For Free? (Interlude)
u (second half)
For Sale? (Interlude)
i
Total Score: 7.2/10 -
For sale is a skipable track?!!
Bruh you need to get checked up pronto
I cant take this ? seriously -
Lol gotta respect opinions.
EDIT: I'm lying no you don't lol but gotta let it rock -
For sale is a skipable track?!!
Bruh you need to get checked up pronto
I cant take this ? seriously
Interesting on the first listen then it gets skipped on subsequent listens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFBfvm_SdD0
DMX did that theme better. -
only track I skip is For Free?
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Do your review have to be a song by song breakdown?
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I've sat with this album for the past couple of days...having each song on repeat, first feeling the groove of the beats and then intently digesting the lyrics by ear first and then seeking out rap genius next, I personally want to tell Kendrick Lamar, Thank You.
He took the complexity of being black in America and put into an album that makes everyone uncomfortable. He exposed our weakness of emotional/mental imbalances by shedding light on our frustrations of always having to live a life of survival. He repeatly stripped us of the victim badge and challenged us to take some blame. K Dot reminded us why others try so hard to emulate our culture, we effortlessly set trends and change the dynamics of fashion/music/art everyday. A black man...sat down with black influences to make a 16 track album filled with Blackness for black people intentionally.
So Kendrick thank you for a 79 minute reminder of why the melanin in my skin is beautiful....because the world reminds me every few seconds why its not.
My Fave Song: Mortal Man
Track on Repeat: Alright
Least Fave Song: King Kunta
9/10 -
jazzybella wrote: »I've sat with this album for the past couple of days...having each song on repeat, first feeling the groove of the beats and then intently digesting the lyrics by ear first and then seeking out rap genius next, I personally want to tell Kendrick Lamar, Thank You.
He took the complexity of being black in America and put into an album that makes everyone uncomfortable. He exposed our weakness of emotional/mental imbalances by shedding light on our frustrations of always having to live a life of survival. He repeatly stripped us of the victim badge and challenged us to take some blame. K Dot reminded us why others try so hard to emulate our culture, we effortlessly set trends and change the dynamics of fashion/music/art everyday. A black man...sat down with black influences to make a 16 track album filled with Blackness for black people intentionally.
So Kendrick thank you for a 79 minute reminder of why the melanin in my skin is beautiful....because the world reminds me every few seconds why its not.
My Fave Song: Mortal Man
Track on Repeat: Alright
Least Fave Song: King Kunta
9/10
Good review
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This idea of this thread is dope and I commend those who can sit and type out a whole damn review. I honestly do not have the desire to do that ? without being brief and to the point.
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Oh yeh and @KamPushMe let go of Kendrick's nuts already. You stay stressed over someone elses opinion of that man and his music.
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IceBergTaylor wrote: »Oh yeh and @KamPushMe let go of Kendrick's nuts already. You stay stressed over someone elses opinion of that man and his music.
get off lupes nuts first
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You have no right to call me dickrider when do same ? to lupe
Hypocrite -
IceBergTaylor wrote: »Oh yeh and @KamPushMe let go of Kendrick's nuts already. You stay stressed over someone elses opinion of that man and his music.
get off lupes nuts first
?
Lol this ? mad he's neck and neck with Rosenberg for K.Dot nut hugger of the year. She's wackin every post that slightly critiCizes the album. The difference btw me & you is I can articulate my opinion on Lupe Vs the field beyond simple and personal driven analysis. The homie said "For Sale" is a skippable track TO HIM... & you threw your skirt up as if he isn't entitled to his opinion that he clearly backed up. Foh little girl boy -
IceBergTaylor wrote: »Oh yeh and @KamPushMe let go of Kendrick's nuts already. You stay stressed over someone elses opinion of that man and his music.
get off lupes nuts first
?
So you're inadvertently admitting that you're on Kendrick's nuts (nh) -
What was the FHD, B4. and T&Y scores?
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However you want. Just 130 words.jazzybella wrote: »Do your review have to be a song by song breakdown?
It's really not that much. Just give an album or single a score and back it up with a paragraph. I'm sure you've given 130 words of your thoughts on the album in the official thread. Maybe you can start with the next single review, only a 70 word minimum for singles.IceBergTaylor wrote: »This idea of this thread is dope and I commend those who can sit and type out a whole damn review. I honestly do not have the desire to do that ? without being brief and to the point.
B4 and T&Y didn't get enough reviews to have a score (1 and 0). FHD ended at an 82.Listencloser wrote: »What was the FHD, B4. and T&Y scores?
Scoreboard is the 2nd post of this thread: http://community.allhiphop.com/discussion/comment/7588505/#Comment_7588505 -
fortyacres&amule wrote: »jazzybella wrote: »I've sat with this album for the past couple of days...having each song on repeat, first feeling the groove of the beats and then intently digesting the lyrics by ear first and then seeking out rap genius next, I personally want to tell Kendrick Lamar, Thank You.
He took the complexity of being black in America and put into an album that makes everyone uncomfortable. He exposed our weakness of emotional/mental imbalances by shedding light on our frustrations of always having to live a life of survival. He repeatly stripped us of the victim badge and challenged us to take some blame. K Dot reminded us why others try so hard to emulate our culture, we effortlessly set trends and change the dynamics of fashion/music/art everyday. A black man...sat down with black influences to make a 16 track album filled with Blackness for black people intentionally.
So Kendrick thank you for a 79 minute reminder of why the melanin in my skin is beautiful....because the world reminds me every few seconds why its not.
My Fave Song: Mortal Man
Track on Repeat: Alright
Least Fave Song: King Kunta
9/10
? ?
yeah come at me
Word of the Day: ?
In a sentence: Fuckboys say such things as " ? ? ....yeah come at me" to women.
Example: fortyacres&amule
