Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly is that rare album that is both a commercial and critical success.
His third studio album peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 and was lauded by fans and critics alike. But what makes Lamar special, outside of his lyrical abrasiveness and humility, is his ability to guide and steer his guest performers. Using his fame and respect in the hip hop industry, he was able to attract names like Flying Lotus, Snoop Dog, and Thundercat. He even had a back-and-forth with Michael Jackson (because he can do that now). And not only that, he got them to produce and write the most original work they’ve made in years. If that sounds easy, it’s really not as most rappers and producers who get other artists to feature on their tracks do just that: they feature them instead of collaborate with them
Now, the Compton-born rapper sits down with the hip hop group N.W.A — also from Compton. You can immediately see the light in his eyes as he approaches them one-by-one, hundreds of questions in his head dating back to when he was a kid.
It’s honestly strange to hear Ice Cube talk about rap again after seeing him in “Are We There Yet.” Wonder if Lamar will ever be in a children’s movie…
[icecube]
