To Pimp a Butterfly

33⅓ Main Series #166

by Sequoia Maner

"This book dives into the sounds, images, and lyrics of To Pimp a Butterfly to suggest that Kendrick appeals to the psyche of a nation in crisis and embraces the development of a radical political conscience. Kendrick breathes life into the black musical protest tradition and cultivates a platform for loving resistance. Combining funk, jazz, and spoken word, the expansive sonic and lyrical geography brings a level of innovation to a field dominated by the predictability of trap music. More importantly, Kendrick's introspective and philosophical songs compel us to believe in a future where we gon' be alright!"--

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Collections, Pop Culture

132 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2022

Reviews

[Ric · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my opinion, To Pimp a Butterfly is one of the best albums of all time. The way that Kendrick mixes rap with jazz is incredible, and his poetic lyrics are second to none. There’s a reason he’s the only rapper to have an album win a Pulitzer. The only thing I didn’t love about this book is that it felt like there was as much about Tupac as there was about Kendrick at times. And it’s understandable considering Tupac was a huge influence on him, but I’d have loved to hear more about Kendrick.

But the way that the author talks about some classic tracks on this album like Hood Politics and Wesley’s Theory was so good. I especially liked how she spoke about how Alright became a cultural anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement. A great book for a classic album.

[Joshua Loong · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t read too much in music critique, but I’ve been a huge fan of Kendrick and this album for a long time. It’s a valuable read if that’s you as well, especially because Maner does a really good job contextualizing Kendrick’s influences: the indelible impact of Tupac, the broader rap scene of SoCal, African American literary works, the jazz and funk music of the generations before Kendrick, his travels to Africa, and the broader experience of being African American in a society that holds people like him in contempt.

However, Maner appears to me to be reaching further than she needs to be when theorizing, critiquing or contextualizing certain aspects of Kendrick’s work. Sometimes dismissing Kendrick’s own comments to make her own point, which is fine (Death of the Author and all that) but it felt more like she was presenting a definitive interpretation over her subjective interpretation of what certain lyrics meant. Maybe I’m just unfamiliar with the style of writing in this genre though so that could be on me.

Overall, I definitely want to read and find more books like this even if I didn’t enjoy it as I know others might. Deconstructing music, not just at the lyric level, but in a holistic sense, from its influences to its impact to its composition, was one of the book’s greatest strengths.

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best album of all time what can i say more. I like it when kendrick says wash yo ass friend

[Morvling Bookink · Rating 3 out of 5]

TPAB is possibly the most complex modern album of all time. It addresses and demolishes so many pandemic and personal issues. It is psychological and literary, like Kendrick himself. I love it and him to death. But this book didn't do this instant masterpiece justice.

The first part, about Wesley's Theory and the For Free? Interlude and such was incredible and it's clear that the author is a very intellectual and insightful individual (obviously, as she is analyzing Kendrick Lamar which is no mean feat). But then the author veered away from grinding down the exsquisitely intricate details that Kendrick wrote to be dug up and discussed, and decided to talk about an entire monologue of Tupac's life story. I understand that he is a monumental figure in Kendrick's life and creativity, and he definitely should have been discussed within the book, but there was a huge amount of detail about him that wasn't necessary in this small book supposedly about one of Kendrick's albums. If it were a full length novel then sure, but this is a wee thesis book. The author even mentioned 2pac's "chiseled abdomen" TWICE. And an assortment of his other muscles - now girl don't get me wrong, Tupac was a ridiculously attractive man but holy hell can we talk about KENDRICK'S ALBUM PLEASE. Time and place. After finishing the book I did not learn as much detail about the album as I expected to; even though I understand that this album is far too complex to be summed up in one short book (not even glazing it's just the truth).

Plus the author slammed white listeners of rap, claiming that all white rap listeners and rappers/blues artists are culturally appropriating, especially Eminem. Like sorry but that is appreciation. Yes, black people are fundamentally better at it but it's not like Kendrick or Tupac himself invented rap, their ancestors did hundreds of years ago. Kendrick actually named Eminem as one of his personal top 5 favourite rappers, and that the Marshall Mathers LP taught him about adlibs and other styles within rap. Please. No Eminem will never be able to reach the status of Kendrick, 2pac, Nas, or others because it is not in his blood and culture but it doesn't mean he's racist for being good at rap too. Or listeners of rap. The author highlights her love for Kendrick as being because she's a "lyricist-lover." I adore this phrase and agree whole heartedly, everyone says that Kendrick is "a lyric lovers dream" and that is the fundamental reason why I love his art. He is a literature genius. A writing artist of the highest calibre. He is also a political, social, historical, musical, autobiographical, and human genius but that feeds into his literary genius. And I'm so sorry but that's why I find great joy and solace in his music even though I'm white, because I love lyrics and Kendrick is simply the best at that. Christ lemme just read analysis of his work without being called out even if it's not as relevant to me as it is to millions of others - stop making rifts where there isn't.

[Angie Contreras · Rating 5 out of 5]

“IMMA PUT THE COMPTON SWAP MEET BY THE WHITE HOUSE! REPUBLICAN WALK UP, GET SOCKED OUT!”

This book WOKE ME UP from a 2 month reading slump omfgomfg. To Pimp A Butterfly was already one of my favorite albums of all time, and this book just elevated it to a whole other level. Sequoia Maner really guides you through it like a poetic genius. This is an album by Black people for Black people. Because of that, even after hundreds of listens, there were things I didn’t fully catch until reading this (as intended, and I love it that way). Maner breaks it down song by song and shines a light on its beauty, its pain, its terror. Just... wow.

I knew the album was inspired by Tupac, but not like this!! The way Maner dives into Kendrick's use of Tupac’s theology and politics and applies it to his own story… bruh brilliant.l! The exploration of Hood Politics? LOOVED. And the way he draws parallels between Compton and Congress, basically saying they’re both crawling with gang members, genius! Do yourself a favor and go look at the album cover!!! Thanks Maner for bringing my attention to it.

The part about Kendrick’s homecoming to South Africa, and him visiting Mandela’s prison cell??
“Where Obama climbed ranks in elite institutions through his career as a public servant, Mandela spent 27 years imprisoned, serving the majority of those years on Robben Island.”

I had to sit with that one for a minute. I loved how critical he was of democrats and our government in general.

I love that Kendrick came out of that experience as a citizen of the world. He didn’t leave the studio for a whole year after coming back from South Africa as if to not lose the magic he brought back from the motherland. Maner writes about all of that!!! Pan-Africanism, legacy, transformation and it’s just so beautifully done!!!!!!

This book is seriously perfect. I’m obsessed.

[J.T. Wilson]

The 78 minutes of ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’ are too dense and sprawling, too concerned with the overall narrative arc and message, to be reduced to mere track-by-track coverage (the traditional structure of a 33). It’s an album begging to be understood intellectually, which is how the author approaches it: the book is broken into three long essays which (between them) eventually cover every song on the album, and which do explore the beats and the live instrumentation, but which ultimately ask the question: what is Lamar trying to say on this album?

The best of these books try and capture the same spirit as the album they’re covering; Kendrick’s long, thoughtful, uncompromising magnum opus needed a book that matched.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is easily one of my favorite entries in this entire 33 1/3 series so far. Maner does a wonderful job of digging deeply into Kendrick Lamar's masterpiece (and, incidentally, one of my favorite records of the last decade) while exploring the larger context of American culture and shameful history. There were so many layers to this work that Maner uncovered for me, making the album sound fresh all over again.

[Jordan Claman]

I liked many parts of this book, but at the same time don’t feel that I came away from it learning too much more about the album. That being said I already have read / listened to a lot of material about To Pimp a Butterfly so I had my expectations set. My favorite parts were learning about the specific allusions to Tupac, a bit about Tupac’s life, and his beliefs. However, some other points the book made such as the situation around the Grammy’s incident didn’t feel that new or interesting to me. Still a cool read!

[Quinn Raymond · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book

[Isabel James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delved into fascinating historical and musical influences to the album and gave thoughtful analysis on a cultural level rather than the simple track-by-track detail I was expecting. The middle chapter on Tupac was particularly interesting. I did get the feeling while reading that some areas of the album were under-discussed and that there was the opportunity for a whole lot more.

Maner’s theoretical expression is passionate and evocative but at times had me frustratedly re-reading passages because I’d lost focus. Contains some distracting copy errors.

I will say that this book is inspiring as a jumping off point for further research — I’m looking forward to further listening informed by Maner’s observations and clear expertise in hiphop/jazz/soul knowledge, and feel that on a re-read this book could enhance my connection to the music even further.

I adore Butterfly and it’s always exciting to learn more about the incredibly dense sonic and intellectual depth that it‘s imbued with. The more I learn, the more I’m in awe. Kendrick is such a detail oriented, intelligent master of his art that it makes me want to drop everything and spend the rest of my life studying music theory.

[Gerrod Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a single word is wasted in Sequoia Maner's analysis of Kendrick Lamar's opus, To Pimp A Butterfly. Her work, equally poetically reflective as it is critical, examines TPAB from a cultural perspective, weaving a thorough heritage of African and African-American history to create a comprehensive understanding of black culture, talent, and brilliance in spite of continued inequities, suffering, and intergenerational trauma. As one of the strongest entries in the 33 & 1/3 series, Maner has written the perfect companion piece for better understanding the cultural relevance, significance, and power of Lamar's artistry at the heart of To Pimp A Butterfly.

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sure, like I probably have with Kendrick's music, missed the point on some bits here. But, that being said, I love how simply Maner ties Kendrick and Tupac together, but illustrating where Lamar had room for growth and actively sought that out. It also sort of made me think, in a strange way, about how often we fail to really push honest conversations about America's history as we're constantly being held back by politics; it made me want to look at things in my classroom a little differently going into next year, for what that's worth.

[Audrey Ouillette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another one that was a little bit too academic for me in terms of the way it was written, but I still really enjoyed it. I think anyone who has ever heard the name “Kendrick Lamar” would benefit from reading this book. I’ve always loved his music, but doing a deep dive into Butterfly really fosters a more intense appreciation for all he puts into his work. Overall this was a fantastic read.

[Cameron U. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maner manages to weave a insightful deconstruction of each song and its themes within a nexus of context that is greatly appreciated as someone who doesn't have the same life experience that Kendrick has had. A little pretentious sometimes, but still a great read that unpackages this masterwork of an album in an easy-to-digest way, especially for someone detached from the life experiences it encompasses.

[Alex Bielovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I decided to read this as penance for all the times we had house parties soundtracked by this album - we appreciated the bops but frankly didn’t give much thought to the lyrics. This is complicated as a bunch of white folk living in post-apartheid South Africa.

I knew about the connection to South Africa because of that “Ten Rand” line but this book took my understanding of that way further, along with many many other concepts, all unpacked brilliantly.

Out of the dozen or so 33 1/3 titles I’ve read, this was by far the most “academic” in style, which isn’t my personal preference but it works well in this context.

Highly recommend!

[Lucy Seward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maner approaches certain tracks on TPAB from a literary viewpoint, which I appreciate. Her discussion of "The Blacker the Berry" was especially helpful to me. Additionally, I benefitted from Maner's brief but valuable discussion on the connections between TPAB and Ellison's Invisible Man. Her love for Lamar's talent pervades this book, yet her erudition elevates her remarks into thoughtful commentary and analysis.

[Daniel Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Kendrick Lamar fan, I believe this book really captured the stories, meanings, and reflections on To Pimp a Butterfly. Maner carefully blends a nice balance of music analysis, Black history, hip-hop culture, and personal opinions to create this masterpiece. Reading this book made me appreciate Kendrick's album on a deeper level, now that I know all the contexts and stories behind it. Now, whenever I listen to a certain song from TPAB I flip to the page where Maner describes it in full detail. I recommend this book to anyone who loves Kendrick Lamar, music, history, poetry, or storytelling in general!

[Mundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read a whole lotta books from the 33 1/2 series and this is swiftly in the top five for me. A condensed Masters class from an impassioned perspective on Lamar + Tupac parallels. “With this meditation I am reminded that Kendrick is the living, breathing possibility of what Tupac could have grown into… Imagine if martyrdom didn’t require flesh.”

[Timothy Hoiland · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Kendrick is a lyricist-lover’s dream, and his focus on interesting, untraditional narrative composition requires recursive listening—he crafts albums that demand labor on the part of the listener and, in doing so, encourages us to discover and rediscover. In short, the replay value of Kendrick’s artistry is insane.”

[Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Usually love these series, but this one is way more if not solely the author’s interpretation of what the social commentary and impact the album was. That is certainly a part of the albums story but I would’ve enjoyed more about the recording and writing process about it as I’ve seen with other versions of this series (the Pharcydes - Bizzare Ride II the Pharcyde, DJ Shadow - Endtroducing)

[Maryam Choudhary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook on a long drive, so it felt more like a TED talk. I've always appreciated Kendrick's mastery of language and this album is stunning from start to end. The book really delves into the lyrics and his influences which I quite enjoyed. If you are a die hard fan, you'd probably know all this info already.

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Very well written and thoughtful. It did not add much context that I was not already familiar with, unfortunately. I thought this would be less of an analysis and more of a look into how the record was made. This was discussed a bit, albeit from an outside perspective.

[Paul Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent academic but not preaching look at a classic album and brilliant artist.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always an interesting series, this one felt like one of the truly special ones, and fittingly, given its talking about a very special album.

[Wyatt Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uncle Sam as the pimp and America as his hoe is the greatest literary to musical connection of all time.

[Emmanuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent breakdown of a such a nuanced album. Love it.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome little piece focusing on the music of one of the best albums of all time.

[Ben Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recommend the album, not the book.

[Hayling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This immersive read was similar to my experiences listening to TPAB- I didn’t want it to end. A well-researched, serious work of scholarship that Kendrick's masterpiece deserves.

[atom_box Evan G · Rating 4 out of 5]

The role of Tupac is explained, the complex polyrhythms of the jazz backing tracks are explained, the cover is explained, the twelve minute last song is explained.

Once again 33 1/3 books delivers, for me, someone who doesn't know who this artist is, allowing humble listening and enjoying of these songs. More than most cases, this book opened the door to an album.

The working title of LP #2 from Kendrick was T(u)PAC: Tu Pimp a Caterpillar. Turned into a butterfly.

The musicians on Butterfly are serious young jazz radicals: The West Coast Get Down, including Kamasi Washington, et al. The music is important.

The author, Sequoia Maner, is a professor of English literature at Spellman College.