Breaking the global record for streams in a single day nearly 10 million people around the
world tuned in to hear Kendrick Lamar's sophomore album in the hours after its release. To Pimp
a Butterfly was widely hailed as an instant classic garnering laudatory album reviews many
awards and even a canonized place in Harvard's W. E. B. Du Bois archive. Why did this
strangely compelling record stimulate the emotions and imaginations of listeners? This book
takes a deep dive 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 fresh life into the Black musical protest tradition and
cultivates a platform for loving resistance. Combining funk jazz and spoken word To Pimp a
Butterfly's expansive sonic and lyrical geography brings a high level of innovation to rap
music. More importantly Kendrick's introspective and philosophical songs compel us to believe
in a future where perhaps we gon' be alright.
