Musical Thesis: Kendrick Lamar “To Pimp a Butterfly”

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At the center of every album is a musical thesis. This thesis can be the driving force behind the album, a theme that interweaves songs together, or a feeling you are left with after the very last song plays. With some albums, the thesis is easy to find. On others, it is hidden and requires you to be more than a passive listener. These reviews aren’t about rating an album. Instead, it is about uncovering a musical thesis.

By my own admission, I do not dip my toes into hip-hop waters often. I was raised on rock and roll and have never strayed far. When I venture into this ocean of music, I do so because I have heard something profound and revelatory. Coming across of Kendrick Lamar was such an experience for me. To digest “To Pimp a Butterfly” is to sit with lyrics that are powerfully honest and introspective. In each line, there was an experience unknown to me that bled with a level of authenticity I did not expect to find in a rap album. After several cycles through the album, I felt as if I had been through an experience and found myself hungry to decipher each line. In the end, no matter the genre, I think this is the rabbit hole good music should take you down.

Be good to each other,

Nathan