Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly - Full Explanation and Analysis
Video Overview & Insights
The full series is finally complete! To Pimp A Butterfly is one of the most intricately crafted, immaculate pieces of work i've ever experienced. The messages Kendrick touches on throughout the album are varied, deep, interesting and insightful. Despite the album initially appearing to be solely based on aspects revolved around the black community, there's also several other topics which get covered such as, self worth, addiction, fame, and religion. All of which I explain in this mammoth of a video, hope you enjoy!
What a video 👏🏻 CONCISE AND DETAILED ANALYSIS 😩
Just an FYI: the random cut that's made at the start of for free is due to the copyright on the music video. Not much info is lost, I simply just give an introduction to the track and explain the role reversal of how women are typically the ones who are associated with being gold diggers and money focused, whereas in For Free? Kendrick looks at his own self worth, and puts a price on himself.
Wesley's Theory - 0:05
I like how this commentary assumes you know absolutely nothing. As far as I can tell, the narrator covers every cultural reference. Perfect for an international audience and younger people catching up on their history.
For Free? - 10:23
King Kunta - 18:20
Institutionalized - 28:58
These Walls - 37:00
amazing video
u - 44:41
Alright - 53:02
For Sale? - 1:03:21
Momma - 1:12:35
I know his is an old video but this is such a good video
Hood Politics - 1:26:51
How Much A Dollar Cost - 1:42:15
Two-pack
Complexion (A Zulu Love) - 1:57:30
The Blacker The Berry - 2:11:55
*IMPORTANT* One thing the majority of people don't notice about this album that I only realized on accident because I was listening in my car on a cd and it restarted on its own, is that the album is Pac's response to kendrick's question at the end. The white noise you hear at the beginning of the first track is highly associated with paranormal communication. The very last words Pac says on the album is that "we aint rapping, its just our dead homies speaking through us." Kendrick asks his opinion on the caterpillar and butterfly poem and Pac does not respond in the standard interview format used up to that point, Pac's response to the question is the album itself, creating a continuous loop of a concept. One of the best album concepts ive ever heard and its barely known.
You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said) - 2:31:25
i - 2:48:22
momma is about rediscovering himself through meeting a young boy in africa that acts just like him when he was growing up in compton, but this young boy is like a reflection and reminds him of his purpose
Mortal Man - 3:13:19
50:55 ???? why do you say "Kendrick" so much? Why not just say his? Like every sentence starts with "Kendrick". It's so annoying.
More User Perspectives
1:47:44 I NEED TO REMEMBER THIS
@PLEASE_SUB_TO_NONSENSE36:13 he breaks character
@tokyogojo9431TALK SLOWER
@THEBESTYOUTUBEROATaint even listened but almost 4 hours bruh wtf
@baldJIDI’m not sure if this was spoken on but in u the chorus where he is saying “loving you is complicated” is him talking about how self-love is complicated because of all the problems he is speaking about in the song. And I am not completely sure on this but i believe he is using different tones on the chorus because he is trying not to admit it but he is forcing it out anyway.
@JohnCoddingotn1:41:09
Will return tomorrow😅
Great video, awful voice
@orlandolara9656HOW many languages WAS THIS ALBUM RELEASED IN THOUGH? THAT would bring this masterpiece into a new world.
@DanielWilliams-t1bAmazing breakdown
Thank you 🙏🏾
We never got our 40 acres and an mule! That's just one of the million lies told to my stolen people.
@MsR-si7ttIncredible video, please continue to make more
@zacharynguyen7286Late to the party but holy shit straight from the start, I did not know even a fraction of how deep his lyrics actually go. How Much A Dollar Cost is giving me literal chills
@OAH-24This video really helped me feel the greatness of this album
@orThatOneAustralian21:42 we know now that its drake he is mentioning
@omni019Crazy how a lot of people didn’t like this album when it was first released cause it didn’t sound like all the other rap albums at that time. Fast forward and it’s regarded as one of if not the greatest rap album of all time
@effect112that
@ragingravioli_4461Mid
@Donverga67GREAT ANALYSIS, thank you.
The fact that a production analysis of TPAB would add at least 2 more hours into an almost 4 hour review for TPAB is crazy, scary, spooky, hilarious . THANK YOU DOT.
who the hell would need kdot's works explained?
@hauzadewan8655holy mf glaze bro a 3 hr vid is crazy
@clipsnedits12im honstly sad that youre video isnt as big as it should, 4 hours?! u deserve millions of views
@goosegooseduckkkAmazing video
@squirrel230I somehow played this entire video in my sleep
@dianaharris7506Also in for free? The final line where Kendrick says now my dick ain’t free is a call to how he won’t be pimped anymore and his talents or his genitals have a price to them, but it’s also referencing how since now he’s in the music industry and succumbed to uncle Sam’s manipulation, his talents represented as his dick aren’t free, as in liberation wise not cost wise and he’s forever trapped within the boundaries that is white america and the music industry alike. They’ve already pimped him, as well as other black artists
@namor801725:57 "TupAAC"💔
@TacoSSCWhy tf is every analysis of tpab made by a white person, no dis but I kinda want a black persons perspective and I can’t find any 😭
@Bossmann-qp5ddWe need this in English class instead of Shakespeare
@daxmoney5011Lmao taxes are racist now 😂😂😂. We can’t help but be victims
@Tunda2Thank you for this video!
@Austriaisthebest_I’m here.
@OkYettaThatsEnufftop tier glazing
@htyfg11holllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly DAMN. bro you are the goat 3 hours almost 4
@1WesleyyyyNew level of dick eating
@414maseAs soon as you said two pack I clicked off
@Quan7kyleThis part of the video 1:15:20 really brings the Drake vs Kendrick beef full circle.
@steez1996In simple terms guys,
To Pimp A Butterfly is the greatest album of all time IN ALL genres and not only hiphop.
The concept, the story, the message, the plot twist makes the album a beautifully crafted masterpiece and you don’t see this in every album.
The lyricism is obviously PHENOMENAL.
The production is more than perfect. Better than perfect. It can be heard by ANYONE. By a hiphop fan, by a rock fan, jazz fan. ANYONE.
The vocal performance is GREAT.
Also I don’t get why some people say it has no replay value… I’ve listened to over 3000 albums and TPAB is still the most listened.
Kendrick made me fall in love with hiphop.
Am I really about to watch a 4 hour long video explaining a 9 year old classic album instead of studying?
Absolutely yes!