To Pimp a Butterfly

Recording Info

Recorded between November 2012 and February 2015 in studios throughout the United States, including Chalice Recording Studios, Downtown Studios, House Studios, Notifi Studios and No Excuses Studios. Producers included Sounwave, Terrace Martin, Taz "Tisa" Arnold, Thundercat, Rahki, LoveDragon, Flying Lotus, Pharrell Williams, Boi-1da, and Knxwledge.

Track Highlights

• Wesley's Theory — Features George Clinton and Thundercat; explores the pitfalls of fame and wealth for young black men.
• King Kunta — Explores themes of power, fame, and cultural identity, referencing Kunta Kinte from Roots.
• Alright — Became an anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement; offers a message of hope and resilience in the face of racial injustice.
• How Much a Dollar Cost — Features James Fauntleroy and Ronald Isley; explores themes of greed, compassion, and divine judgment.
• Mortal Man — A 12-minute track featuring an imagined interview between Lamar and Tupac Shakur, reflecting on fame, responsibility, and black identity.

Personnel

• Kendrick Lamar (Vocals, Art Direction)
• Sounwave (Producer)
• Terrace Martin (Producer, Alto Saxophone)
• Thundercat (Vocals, Bass, Producer)
• Flying Lotus (Producer)
• George Clinton (Vocals)
• Bilal (Vocals)
• Anna Wise (Vocals)
• Snoop Dogg (Vocals)
• Ronald Isley (Vocals)
• Rapsody (Vocals)
• Dr. Dre (Executive Producer)

Significance

To Pimp a Butterfly is considered a landmark album that had a significant cultural, artistic, social, and political influence on mainstream music. It received widespread critical acclaim for its musical scope, lyrical depth, and exploration of complex themes. Many publications named it one of the best albums of the 2010s, and it was ranked 19th on Rolling Stone's updated list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" in 2020. The album earned Lamar 11 Grammy nominations, winning Best Rap Album. It also broke a Spotify record with over 9.6 million streams within a week of its release.