KENDRICK LAMAR.

Kendrick Lamar constructs albums in which an individual voice constantly clashes with the surrounding world. Rhythm, shifting perspectives, and recurring motifs turn listening into a second reading.

Kendrick Lamar builds albums in which a voice can assume multiple roles. It narrates, interrupts itself, changes its rhythm, and allows different perspectives to coexist. The production provides an environment for this movement: jazz, funk, soul, and modern hip-hop sounds can interact with one another within the same record. A song works on its own, but often gains extra meaning through what comes before and after it.

That is why Kendrick Lamar on vinyl is particularly suitable for listening to a complete album. good kid, m.A.A.d city, and To Pimp a Butterfly each draw attention to sequence, characters, and recurring themes in their own way. A LP side forms a defined part of that story. The transition to the next side provides a moment to let what the music and lyrics have built up sink in.

His records deserve attention for both the lyrics and the interplay in the production. Note how a bassline, backing vocals, or rhythmic break can change the meaning of a passage. The existing artist story and the story about To Pimp a Butterfly at SJELF offer further depth alongside the available LPs. Below you will find the available vinyl releases and direct links to those stories.

To Pimp a Butterfly intertwines jazz and funk with a major social narrative; Good Kid, M.A.A.D City keeps its focus on the city and the people around it. Anyone who listens to both albums will also hear how carefully the order has been chosen.

The artist story of Kendrick Lamar follows the choices behind those records. Hip-hop and rap reveal how rap can be both music and storytelling at the same time.

Stevie Wonder and Prince connect rhythm with their own studio language; Nina Simone carries weight in every word. Talking Heads and Michael Jackson use voice and production in unexpectedly different ways.

Read more in the album story of TO PIMP A BUTTERFLY. The coherence of the songs and the sound of the record take center stage there.