Kendrick Lamar

Rolling Stone4.5/ 5 stars

“A densely packed, dizzying rush of unfiltered rage and unapologetic romanticism, true-crime confessionals, come-to-Jesus sidebars, blunted-swing sophistication, scathing self-critique and rap-quotable riot acts”

Spin10/ 10

“This album is mandatory listening”

Under the Radar

“To Pimp a Butterfly is Lamar firmly embracing his place at the pulpit, looking into himself and out into the world simultaneously, and using his influence to paint a powerful, enduring picture of the black American experience”

Exclaim!

“Will likely be one of 2015’s most discussed, dissected and debated album releases, regardless of genre”

AllMusic5/ 5 stars

“To Pimp a Butterfly is as dark, intense, complicated, and violent as Picasso’s Guernica, and should hold the same importance for its genre and the same beauty for its intended audience”

Pitchfork9.3/ 10

“A celebration of the audacity to wake up each morning to try to be better, knowing it could all end in a second, for no reason at all”

Slant Magazine

“Lamar is also greatly invested in the post-rap sound he’s aligned himself with, which is another pointed departure from Good Kid, M.A.A.D City”

The Line of Best Fit

“Uncompromising, thoughtful, and with enough buried complexities to keep people arguing for years to come”

The Guardian4/ 5 stars

“As angry as Kanye, as funky as D’Angelo, more self-flagellating than Drake and as righteously cosmic as Erykah Badu, Kendrick Lamar’s latest album does not disappoint”

NME8/ 10

“Has Lamar followed a classic with another classic? Not quite, but in laying his demons and his contradictions bare, he has stayed true to his formidable talent”

The Quietus

“To Pimp A Butterfly stands as a fearless and uncompromising manifestation of Lamar’s desire to push the culture of rap forwards”

musicOMH

“To Pimp A Butterfly’s combination of expansive scope and microscopic detail may come as something of a revelation”