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Kendrick Lamar has released one of the most anticipated albums of 2015 online a week early. Stream To Pimp A Butterfly below.
Featuring guests including Snoop Dogg, George Clinton and Pharrell Williams as well as production by Flying Lotus, the album features the three previously released single ('The Blacker The Berry', 'i' and the deeply funky 'King Kunta').
From our initial listen, we can confirm it's one of the most thrilling and genuinely experimental hip-hop albums you'll hear in 2015. Stay tuned for Gigwise's full review later today but stream To Pimp A Butterlfly on Spotify below.
Stream To Pimp A Butterfly below
Discussing the album with Rolling Stone, Lamar explained that the album was inspired by Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird.
"Just putting the word 'pimp' next to 'butterfly'… It's a trip," Lamar says. "That's something that will be a phrase forever. It'll be taught in college courses — I truly believe that." Unsurprisingly also given the politically charged artwork, Lamar doesn't shy away from the political. Producer Terrrace Martin told Billboard: "What [Lamar] is talking about is a perfect time for what's going on in life. It's a soulful record, it's a record that needed to be done, and it's like the modern times of Public Enemy. It's a black record. It's a record about being black and being proud at the end of the day."
As previously reported Kendrick Lamar will play the New Look Wireless Festival this summer. The lineup in full is:
Friday 3 July
Drake, A$AP Rocky, Major Lazer, Labrinth, Nero, Duke Dumont, PartyNextDoor, Joey Bada$$, Fuse ODG, Krepy & Konan, ILoveMakonnen, G-Eazy, Little Simz and OCD, Moosh & Twist
Saturday 4 July
Avicii, Kendrick Lamar, Knife Party, Robin Schulz, Tinashe, Childish Gambino, Gorgon City, Netsky, Tinashe, Raleigh Ritchie, Indiana, Collie Budz, Stormzy
Sunday 5 July
David Guetta, Nicki Minaj, Jessie J, Clean Bandit, Stromae, Rae Sremmurd, August Alsina, Wretch 32, Grandmaster Flash, Arrested Development, Logic, Pusha T, George The Poet.
Tickets are now on sale. For tickets click below.
