On March 15, 2015 I was sitting at my desk studying for a systems neuroscience final, meaning I was very much into what I was doing. It popped up on facebook that To Pimp a Butterfly(TPAB) was released on Itunes a week earlier than scheduled. I dropped my studies, closed the door to my room, put my headphones on, sat in my room with my eyes closed and listened to the album from start to finish. I had never done this before. Actually, I had never really "waited" for a new album before. It's always been, oh that came out? Let me go get it. This was different, I was anticipating this. And I have never experienced anything like it. I sat on my chair jaw dropped. I was in shock, I was confused, I was lost, I was amazed.
Now before I get into this I have a few disclaimers and things we need to address.
First and foremost, what the listener of this album and reader of this post needs to understand is, TPAB is not just a rap album, and Kendrick Lamar (KL) isn't simply a rapper. I would describe TPAB more as a project that extends past some verses, samples and beats, and likewise KL is doing more than putting together some songs, rather, he is following in the footsteps of some of the founding fathers of hip-hop, in particular the later Tupac. TPAB is seen in his features in other songs that have been released after the album, it is seen in his music videos, it is seen in his concerts and performances on late night shows, it is seen in his twitter account, it is seen in his active involvement with other artists and projects. The work of this album in itself, is setting out to do what the album is speaking out against. In short, to really understand the mission and scope of this project, one must look beyond the album, past present and future.
Secondly, TPAB has been described as one of the "blackest" albums to be released in recent times. What this means it that it wasn't really meant for me, it's really for my black brothers and sisters, but I can still participate and learn from it, but knowing that context is key.
Thirdly, there is just so much density and complexity in this album that trying to interpret it word for word would be really difficult, although some have tried. I think KL understands this, and there is always the danger of your viewers misunderstanding your art, but that's a risk KL and many other rappers before him are willing to take.
What this all means for me, is that I will attempt to breakdown the project and explain what I think KL is trying to convey at the heart of it. I may miss somethings and add somethings from my own understanding, but I truly believe that was the intent. This has been much more difficult than I have anticipated, because as you soon will see, TPAB isn't a historical description (Section.80) and it's not an autobiography (Good Kid MAAD City), and it's also not what it was intended to be as well..
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let's do a little recap of the last 2 posts, since this is all part of an overarching theory. The theory I proposed was that KL's last 3 studio albums are in some way connected. The connection is fuzzy, but each album is not entirely independent of the other.
Section.80 as I mentioned in the first post was KL's first studio album. The title is a play on the Section 8 housing division that KL grew up in, and that many poor black people in LA did as well. The 0 describes the era, the 80's in which KL's foundation would be built on. The ideals, struggles, politics and structures that existed in the 80's would greatly shape who KL was and is and will be. In essence, I described Section.80 as the "them" in the theory, focusing primarily on the the stories of people (in particular two young females Keisha and Tammy) living in that time.
Good Kid Maad City was the second studio album, which told a story about KL from the first person. The albums title states that it is a "short film by Kendrick Lamar". The "Mad City" is the environment that is a product of the late 80's, or the Ronald Reagan Era as KL describes it. The Mad City is what KL grows up in and the album is the story of what life in this Mad City is like, and the various dangers that await those who reside in it. At the end of the album, after KL's friend is shot and killed due to gang banging, KL and his friends decide to commit themselves to the Jesus Christ. They repent and ask Jesus to come into their lives. The second to last song ends with KL's mom leaving a message on his phone, worried for him and the troubles that she knows he was getting himself into she tells him that Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), the record label that KL is signed to, wanted to get in touch with him and get him into the studio. His career as a rap artist is about to begin, but his mother leaves the album with a challenge and warning. She tells him not to forget the most important thing when he goes off to do his music thing, and that is his community. With all of it's blemishes and faults, it is this community that KL belongs to, and when he leaves to make millions, his community should be at the forefront of his mind. This is what hip-hop was founded on, and this is the hope that KL's mother has for his career. GKMC is the "me".
In my theory, what TPAB was "supposed" to be was the "us". The progression being: -> them, me, us. But what we find, is that on Kendrick Lamar's journey home to his community, there are many dangers that await him, and the greatest one that he must face, To Pimp a Butterfly.
Let's get started.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The movement of this album is in no way linear or limited to one narrative. It's important for us to realize that this album is focusing on a general journey from famehood back to one's community. But KL chooses not to just focus on one narrative here, the artist, but chooses many, including himself, other rappers, the community and all the members that are a part of it. Trying to breakdown each song and identify which narrative KL is referring to will be impossible, because that is not that design. Rather the design is much more fluid, each song incorporating multiple narratives. This makes the album EXTREMELY complex and difficult to breakdown, especially when the person doing the commentary is already speaking from their own set of experiences and narrative. In a future post I will write a little piece about each song and what I think is going on in much greater detail, but for now, let's take a few large steps back and try to see the big picture.
There is a war at large addressed in this album, at it's core it's the return of the rapper to his community. That war can be broken down into several battles that KL addresses, some of them being, racial conflict, gang violence, a battle with ones own self, fame, popularity, and the misuse of influence to name a few.
The opening track, Wesley's Theory (Let's also not ignore the amazing production level of this album, coming in full force with Flying Lotus, Thundercat, and George Clinton on the first track. SHIET) is the preamble for an artist's fame. It talks about the glory, riches, and how one will "act a fool" when they get signed. There are traces of how the community is involved and we see the narrative in this song isn't completely removed from the sense of community. Wesley's Theory refers to Wesley Snipes, who was convicted of several failed attempts to file tax returns. KL isn't really pleading a legal case here, but what he is trying to say is that many young Black kids don't grow up in nice schools that teach them basic economics. The theory is questioning what these young black rappers will do when they are receiving million dollar checks after being raised in the MAAD city brought upon by Section.80. Will they know what to do with the money? We see already the struggles and dangers for young black rappers who become successful.
But what I want you to see, and what happens other times in the album (King Kunta) is that the album should have been about the community. It would be a classic Tupac style album that focuses on current issues about race/ethnicity, injustice, and love for the community. But time and time again we see the Butterfly getting pimped.
I see TPAB more like a 4 way tug of war, where various sides are sometimes pulling harder, as much as I want my linear mind to say that halfway through the album there is a shift, the more I listened and studied the album, the more I realized there really isn't a clear point in time in the album where such a shift happens. "u" which is a battle between mental illness and KL's own self shows the violent attitude that KL can have towards himself and lack of commitment to his community, the next song is "alright" which gives us hope, that "we gon be alright", but after that is "for sale" which features "Lucy" or Lucifer, tuggin at KL's thoughts and desires, reminding him that even Lucy knows the bible too.. I think this is very telling of our reality as humans. Life is a constant struggle, and there will always be new vices to fight against. Sadly, in TPAB you end with more questions than you do answers and a happy ending.
Throughout the album KL gives us more and more of a poem/short story: \
"I remember you was conflicted, (Wesley's Theory)
Absolutely beautiful, yet also frightening. KL is trying to breakdown the journey of a rapper. The caterpillar and butterfly aren't two different people, but 2 different dimensions of a person. What's tricky with this analogy, and the danger for us as listeners, is to think that Kendrick is at a cross roads, he could either evolve into a beautiful butterfly or into something else, not as pretty. But he makes it clear, the Butterfly is in all of us. Whether or not we reach that point in our evolution, when we do, it's not simply what comes out, but what happens when it comes out.
It's so easy for me to bash and hate on many of today's rap artists, and I do so because I reject the terrible messages that they send to often young minorities. But those messages aren't who they are, those messages are how the cocoon (their environment and upbringing, think Section.80 and GKMC) has chosen to use their gifts and talents. If I was in charge of the entire rap industry, I would erase certain artists careers, because I hate what they fail to preach, and what they encourage. But maybe that isn't the best approach, maybe we can salvage those butterflies. I don't think KL is necessarily removing blame on those rappers who have been functionally pimped out, saying it's not their fault at all, but maybe there are some complex interactions at play that lead to the pimping of a Butterfly. KL is trying to land somewhere in the middle. He wants to call out the industry and rappers (including himself) and point them in a better direction, the direction of their community, but he does it in a careful way, acknowledging the beauty and talent being misused for personal gain, brought upon by various interactions with one's own experiences and systems. THIS is hip-hop. The story of a people group who are often trapped by violence, drugs, and crime. The story is one of reconciliation and redemption, that that rappers wouldn't abandon their community, even though it threatens them in many ways, but that they would always return to it, to reside in it, to love on it, to teach it, and to even die for it. This my friends, is the story of the Gospel of Jesus. KL is asking rappers to be Christ-like. Jesus was born a King, and instead of fleeing from his community that was filled with sinners, he choose to reside in it, and he chooses in his death, to rise up and return to it and reconcile us to the Father.
Like the early Christians, hip-hop was founded during a dark time. As a modern day Christian, I struggle with my identity, knowing that the early movement was founded during a time of persecution and tragedy, that those things helped define what Christianity was and shape it's mission. In the same sense, hip-hop's roots were founded during violence, racism, and extreme poverty. So what happens when you are removed from the time and environment that greatly shape the ideals of the movement you're a part of? What happens when you are displaced to something that you aren't used to, that you weren't taught how to properly deal with? TPAB asks these exact questions, and the answer is riveting, the answer is, come back home, and let the messiness and loving embrace of your community break you of your chains.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This album teaches me grace and patience. I have grown to really love and care about hip-hop. Truly, it is one of the most important things in my life right now, and I will continue to foster an engaged, open, and curious mind for it. This album will allow me to do that better than I ever could than without it. But what this project and KL are so good at doing, is peering into the complexity of the human condition and laying it out for us, if we are interested. I hope that through this blog I can explore those complexities and share with you my thoughts.
Peace and cheers.
-RW
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I promise I am going to try and write more regularly, next up:
Fuck the Police and Cash Rules Everything Around Me, Gangster Rap: An inlet or outlet for gangster culture?
Now before I get into this I have a few disclaimers and things we need to address.
First and foremost, what the listener of this album and reader of this post needs to understand is, TPAB is not just a rap album, and Kendrick Lamar (KL) isn't simply a rapper. I would describe TPAB more as a project that extends past some verses, samples and beats, and likewise KL is doing more than putting together some songs, rather, he is following in the footsteps of some of the founding fathers of hip-hop, in particular the later Tupac. TPAB is seen in his features in other songs that have been released after the album, it is seen in his music videos, it is seen in his concerts and performances on late night shows, it is seen in his twitter account, it is seen in his active involvement with other artists and projects. The work of this album in itself, is setting out to do what the album is speaking out against. In short, to really understand the mission and scope of this project, one must look beyond the album, past present and future.
Secondly, TPAB has been described as one of the "blackest" albums to be released in recent times. What this means it that it wasn't really meant for me, it's really for my black brothers and sisters, but I can still participate and learn from it, but knowing that context is key.
Thirdly, there is just so much density and complexity in this album that trying to interpret it word for word would be really difficult, although some have tried. I think KL understands this, and there is always the danger of your viewers misunderstanding your art, but that's a risk KL and many other rappers before him are willing to take.
What this all means for me, is that I will attempt to breakdown the project and explain what I think KL is trying to convey at the heart of it. I may miss somethings and add somethings from my own understanding, but I truly believe that was the intent. This has been much more difficult than I have anticipated, because as you soon will see, TPAB isn't a historical description (Section.80) and it's not an autobiography (Good Kid MAAD City), and it's also not what it was intended to be as well..
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Let's do a little recap of the last 2 posts, since this is all part of an overarching theory. The theory I proposed was that KL's last 3 studio albums are in some way connected. The connection is fuzzy, but each album is not entirely independent of the other.
Section.80 as I mentioned in the first post was KL's first studio album. The title is a play on the Section 8 housing division that KL grew up in, and that many poor black people in LA did as well. The 0 describes the era, the 80's in which KL's foundation would be built on. The ideals, struggles, politics and structures that existed in the 80's would greatly shape who KL was and is and will be. In essence, I described Section.80 as the "them" in the theory, focusing primarily on the the stories of people (in particular two young females Keisha and Tammy) living in that time.
Good Kid Maad City was the second studio album, which told a story about KL from the first person. The albums title states that it is a "short film by Kendrick Lamar". The "Mad City" is the environment that is a product of the late 80's, or the Ronald Reagan Era as KL describes it. The Mad City is what KL grows up in and the album is the story of what life in this Mad City is like, and the various dangers that await those who reside in it. At the end of the album, after KL's friend is shot and killed due to gang banging, KL and his friends decide to commit themselves to the Jesus Christ. They repent and ask Jesus to come into their lives. The second to last song ends with KL's mom leaving a message on his phone, worried for him and the troubles that she knows he was getting himself into she tells him that Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), the record label that KL is signed to, wanted to get in touch with him and get him into the studio. His career as a rap artist is about to begin, but his mother leaves the album with a challenge and warning. She tells him not to forget the most important thing when he goes off to do his music thing, and that is his community. With all of it's blemishes and faults, it is this community that KL belongs to, and when he leaves to make millions, his community should be at the forefront of his mind. This is what hip-hop was founded on, and this is the hope that KL's mother has for his career. GKMC is the "me".
In my theory, what TPAB was "supposed" to be was the "us". The progression being: -> them, me, us. But what we find, is that on Kendrick Lamar's journey home to his community, there are many dangers that await him, and the greatest one that he must face, To Pimp a Butterfly.
Let's get started.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The movement of this album is in no way linear or limited to one narrative. It's important for us to realize that this album is focusing on a general journey from famehood back to one's community. But KL chooses not to just focus on one narrative here, the artist, but chooses many, including himself, other rappers, the community and all the members that are a part of it. Trying to breakdown each song and identify which narrative KL is referring to will be impossible, because that is not that design. Rather the design is much more fluid, each song incorporating multiple narratives. This makes the album EXTREMELY complex and difficult to breakdown, especially when the person doing the commentary is already speaking from their own set of experiences and narrative. In a future post I will write a little piece about each song and what I think is going on in much greater detail, but for now, let's take a few large steps back and try to see the big picture.
There is a war at large addressed in this album, at it's core it's the return of the rapper to his community. That war can be broken down into several battles that KL addresses, some of them being, racial conflict, gang violence, a battle with ones own self, fame, popularity, and the misuse of influence to name a few.
The opening track, Wesley's Theory (Let's also not ignore the amazing production level of this album, coming in full force with Flying Lotus, Thundercat, and George Clinton on the first track. SHIET) is the preamble for an artist's fame. It talks about the glory, riches, and how one will "act a fool" when they get signed. There are traces of how the community is involved and we see the narrative in this song isn't completely removed from the sense of community. Wesley's Theory refers to Wesley Snipes, who was convicted of several failed attempts to file tax returns. KL isn't really pleading a legal case here, but what he is trying to say is that many young Black kids don't grow up in nice schools that teach them basic economics. The theory is questioning what these young black rappers will do when they are receiving million dollar checks after being raised in the MAAD city brought upon by Section.80. Will they know what to do with the money? We see already the struggles and dangers for young black rappers who become successful.
But what I want you to see, and what happens other times in the album (King Kunta) is that the album should have been about the community. It would be a classic Tupac style album that focuses on current issues about race/ethnicity, injustice, and love for the community. But time and time again we see the Butterfly getting pimped.
I see TPAB more like a 4 way tug of war, where various sides are sometimes pulling harder, as much as I want my linear mind to say that halfway through the album there is a shift, the more I listened and studied the album, the more I realized there really isn't a clear point in time in the album where such a shift happens. "u" which is a battle between mental illness and KL's own self shows the violent attitude that KL can have towards himself and lack of commitment to his community, the next song is "alright" which gives us hope, that "we gon be alright", but after that is "for sale" which features "Lucy" or Lucifer, tuggin at KL's thoughts and desires, reminding him that even Lucy knows the bible too.. I think this is very telling of our reality as humans. Life is a constant struggle, and there will always be new vices to fight against. Sadly, in TPAB you end with more questions than you do answers and a happy ending.
Throughout the album KL gives us more and more of a poem/short story: \
"I remember you was conflicted, (Wesley's Theory)
Misusing your influence (Wesley's Theory)/(For Free)
Sometimes I did the same (For Free)
Abusing my power,full of resentment (King Kunta)
Resentment that turned into a deep depression (Institutionalized or Institutional Lies)
Found myself screaming in the hotel room (u)
I didn't wanna self destruct (u)
The evils of Lucy was all around me (for sale)
So I went running for answers (momma)/(like a chevy in quick sand :D)
Until I came home (Hood Politics)
But that didn't stop survivor's guilt
Going back and forth trying to convince myself the stripes I earned
Or maybe how A-1 my foundation was
But while my loved ones was fighting the continuous war back in the city,
I was entering a new one
A war that was based on apartheid and discrimination
Made me wanna go back to the city and tell the homies what I learned (How much a dollar cost)
The word was respect (complexion?)
Just because you wore a different gang colour than mines (Blacker the Berry)
Doesn't mean I can't respect you as a black man (Blacker the Berry)
Forgetting all the pain and hurt we caused each other in these streets (Blacker the Berry)
If I respect you, we unify and stop the enemy from killing us (i)
But I don't know, I'm no mortal man, maybe (Mortal Man)
I'm just another nigga"
Sometimes I did the same (For Free)
Abusing my power,full of resentment (King Kunta)
Resentment that turned into a deep depression (Institutionalized or Institutional Lies)
Found myself screaming in the hotel room (u)
I didn't wanna self destruct (u)
The evils of Lucy was all around me (for sale)
So I went running for answers (momma)/(like a chevy in quick sand :D)
Until I came home (Hood Politics)
But that didn't stop survivor's guilt
Going back and forth trying to convince myself the stripes I earned
Or maybe how A-1 my foundation was
But while my loved ones was fighting the continuous war back in the city,
I was entering a new one
A war that was based on apartheid and discrimination
Made me wanna go back to the city and tell the homies what I learned (How much a dollar cost)
The word was respect (complexion?)
Just because you wore a different gang colour than mines (Blacker the Berry)
Doesn't mean I can't respect you as a black man (Blacker the Berry)
Forgetting all the pain and hurt we caused each other in these streets (Blacker the Berry)
If I respect you, we unify and stop the enemy from killing us (i)
But I don't know, I'm no mortal man, maybe (Mortal Man)
I'm just another nigga"
One could create a trail that breaks down sections of this poem into different songs on the album, instinctively because the poem is slowly revealed before and after certain songs, with new additions being related to what the song is about. I will go into greater detail of how each portion of the poem connects to a different song.
At the end of mortal man it is revealed that this whole time KL has been speaking and sharing this poem with Tupac. As you should know, Tupac is reportedly dead (...), so this was a huge surprise. KL took an old interview of Tupac, and the producers chopped it up in a way that made it seem like Kendrick was the one interviewing Pac. KL's biggest musical and life mentor is Tupac (other than Jesus). KL claims to have had a dream that felt very real, where Tupac appeared to him and blessed his work, and urged him to continue fighting for what Tupac was fighting for. This last portion is nothing short of an homage to arguably Hip-hop's greatest MC. But it's more than that. In the interview we hear that Tupac had made millions for himself, for the record companies, and the movies, but it was time to give back to his community. Unfortunately, before Pac could REALLY do this in full force, he was shot and killed. There are speculations as to who killed Pac and what the motives were, but that's not very important. What is important is that the messiness of the music industry, the violence that many of these rappers grow up in, and the greed in man's heart, Pimped Tupac out to an extent. Don't get me wrong, Pac was able to do some amazing things in his life, he influenced rap in such amazing ways and made hundreds if not thousands of jobs for the poor black community, but he wasn't finished, and had lots of life left, and even Pac is a mortal man.
At the end of mortal man it is revealed that this whole time KL has been speaking and sharing this poem with Tupac. As you should know, Tupac is reportedly dead (...), so this was a huge surprise. KL took an old interview of Tupac, and the producers chopped it up in a way that made it seem like Kendrick was the one interviewing Pac. KL's biggest musical and life mentor is Tupac (other than Jesus). KL claims to have had a dream that felt very real, where Tupac appeared to him and blessed his work, and urged him to continue fighting for what Tupac was fighting for. This last portion is nothing short of an homage to arguably Hip-hop's greatest MC. But it's more than that. In the interview we hear that Tupac had made millions for himself, for the record companies, and the movies, but it was time to give back to his community. Unfortunately, before Pac could REALLY do this in full force, he was shot and killed. There are speculations as to who killed Pac and what the motives were, but that's not very important. What is important is that the messiness of the music industry, the violence that many of these rappers grow up in, and the greed in man's heart, Pimped Tupac out to an extent. Don't get me wrong, Pac was able to do some amazing things in his life, he influenced rap in such amazing ways and made hundreds if not thousands of jobs for the poor black community, but he wasn't finished, and had lots of life left, and even Pac is a mortal man.
KL supplements this poem with another little piece to end the album:
The Caterpillar is a prisoner to the streets that conceived it.
The Caterpillar is a prisoner to the streets that conceived it.
Its only job is to eat or consume everything around it, in order to protect itself from this mad city
While consuming its environment the caterpillar begins to notice ways to survive
One thing it noticed is how much the world shuns him, but praises the butterfly'
The butterfly represents the talent, the thoughtfulness, and the beauty within the caterpillar
But having a harsh outlook on life the caterpillar sees the butterfly as weak and figures out a way to pimp it to his own benefits
Already surrounded by this mad city the caterpillar goes to work on the cocoon which institutionalizes him
He can no longer see past his own thoughts
He's trapped
When trapped inside these walls certain ideas start to take roots, such as going home, and bringing back new concepts to this mad city
The result?Wings begin to emerge, breaking the cycle of feeling stagnant
Finally free, the butterfly sheds light on situations that the caterpillar never considered, ending the eternal struggle
Although the butterfly and caterpillar are completely different, they are one and the same.
What's your perspective on that.. Pac? Pac? PAC!?" End album.
While consuming its environment the caterpillar begins to notice ways to survive
One thing it noticed is how much the world shuns him, but praises the butterfly'
The butterfly represents the talent, the thoughtfulness, and the beauty within the caterpillar
But having a harsh outlook on life the caterpillar sees the butterfly as weak and figures out a way to pimp it to his own benefits
Already surrounded by this mad city the caterpillar goes to work on the cocoon which institutionalizes him
He can no longer see past his own thoughts
He's trapped
When trapped inside these walls certain ideas start to take roots, such as going home, and bringing back new concepts to this mad city
The result?Wings begin to emerge, breaking the cycle of feeling stagnant
Finally free, the butterfly sheds light on situations that the caterpillar never considered, ending the eternal struggle
Although the butterfly and caterpillar are completely different, they are one and the same.
What's your perspective on that.. Pac? Pac? PAC!?" End album.
It's so easy for me to bash and hate on many of today's rap artists, and I do so because I reject the terrible messages that they send to often young minorities. But those messages aren't who they are, those messages are how the cocoon (their environment and upbringing, think Section.80 and GKMC) has chosen to use their gifts and talents. If I was in charge of the entire rap industry, I would erase certain artists careers, because I hate what they fail to preach, and what they encourage. But maybe that isn't the best approach, maybe we can salvage those butterflies. I don't think KL is necessarily removing blame on those rappers who have been functionally pimped out, saying it's not their fault at all, but maybe there are some complex interactions at play that lead to the pimping of a Butterfly. KL is trying to land somewhere in the middle. He wants to call out the industry and rappers (including himself) and point them in a better direction, the direction of their community, but he does it in a careful way, acknowledging the beauty and talent being misused for personal gain, brought upon by various interactions with one's own experiences and systems. THIS is hip-hop. The story of a people group who are often trapped by violence, drugs, and crime. The story is one of reconciliation and redemption, that that rappers wouldn't abandon their community, even though it threatens them in many ways, but that they would always return to it, to reside in it, to love on it, to teach it, and to even die for it. This my friends, is the story of the Gospel of Jesus. KL is asking rappers to be Christ-like. Jesus was born a King, and instead of fleeing from his community that was filled with sinners, he choose to reside in it, and he chooses in his death, to rise up and return to it and reconcile us to the Father.
Like the early Christians, hip-hop was founded during a dark time. As a modern day Christian, I struggle with my identity, knowing that the early movement was founded during a time of persecution and tragedy, that those things helped define what Christianity was and shape it's mission. In the same sense, hip-hop's roots were founded during violence, racism, and extreme poverty. So what happens when you are removed from the time and environment that greatly shape the ideals of the movement you're a part of? What happens when you are displaced to something that you aren't used to, that you weren't taught how to properly deal with? TPAB asks these exact questions, and the answer is riveting, the answer is, come back home, and let the messiness and loving embrace of your community break you of your chains.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This album teaches me grace and patience. I have grown to really love and care about hip-hop. Truly, it is one of the most important things in my life right now, and I will continue to foster an engaged, open, and curious mind for it. This album will allow me to do that better than I ever could than without it. But what this project and KL are so good at doing, is peering into the complexity of the human condition and laying it out for us, if we are interested. I hope that through this blog I can explore those complexities and share with you my thoughts.
Peace and cheers.
-RW
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I promise I am going to try and write more regularly, next up:
Fuck the Police and Cash Rules Everything Around Me, Gangster Rap: An inlet or outlet for gangster culture?
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