5. Kendrick LamarTo Pimp A Butterfly
He represents the very pinnacle of where this whole hip hop thing can go. He is the leader of the new school – his lyrical formation, creation, delivery, content… it’s impeccable. I first heard Kendrick on some mixtapes, and even though I was listening to lots of music, you heard this guy’s voice and immediately, you know, he’s next. The way he performed his lyrics, his voice, the tone, the patience he has even though he’s so rapid in delivery, just puts him head and shoulders above everyone else around him at that time. Look what he’s been able to achieve in his music, his selections of producers, the way that he’s himself and his intellect, the way that he still continues to drill down into the core of culture and expose it from all its dimensions. We’re being educated listening to this album about where we need as a people and as a culture, to go next. He’s not just a rapper – he’s eloquently articulating the concepts, the games being played around hip hop on multiple levels. The thing is for Kendrick, even though he’s got all kinds of reasons to be arrogant and egotistical, he’s not and what comes out most strongly is the compassion of his work. That’s so important.
