Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp A Butterfly” is easily the most talked about rap album of recent memory. Rolling Stone, Complex, Billboard and other publications has proclaimed it as 2015’s best album of the year along with countless other awards, but we all know that creating a classic album like this wasn’t done alone.
During the Art of Cool Festival in Durham, NC, Saxophonist/Producer, Terrace Martin and Jamla Records Rapper, Rapsody, shared their experiences in recording the album. Terrace who had his hand on just about every song on the album, spoke about the changes he saw in Lamar after his trip to Africa, how saying the word “nigga” meant something different, and the importance of voicing the struggle of black people in our current state. Terrace held no punches in explaining not only Lamar’s experiences, but also his growing up in Los Angeles, CA and learning from childhood friend, Nipsey Hussle.
Rapsody, gave us not only the perspective of a woman, but a black woman. She was featured on Lamar’s “Complexion”. Rhapsody gave us an in-depth look on her writing process for the song, her personal trip to Africa, and growing up darker than other family members. Rapsody seemed like the perfect fit for a song where women are experiencing “colorism” amongst ourselves and the need for perfection.
Check out the video above of the two. Learn something new, grab their music and most importantly, become a new fan.