Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Pop culture critic Lewis (There's a Riot Goin' On) offers an insightful deep dive into the mind of Pulitzer-winning hip-hop artist and producer Kendrick Lamar, "a master of remaining in the moment." In an incisive analysis that weaves in quotes about Lamar from such cultural figures as Ta-Nehisi Coates with the inspiring history of his career--from hitting #1 on Billboard's album chart in 2012 with Good Kid, M.A.A.d City to garnering 11 Grammy nominations ("more than any given rapper in a single year") a few years later with To Pimp a Butterfly--Lewis paints a captivating portrait of a luminary whose lyrics capture the struggles, triumphs, anger, and hope of an entire generation of Black Americans: "I am from the inner city, the ghetto. If I can use my platform to... talk about something that's real, I have to do that, period," Lamar told Lewis. Throughout, he extols the ways Lamar's work has--like the controversial music of his predecessors (notably Tupac and Biggie)--encouraged discussions of racial disparity and politics, noting, for instance, how his song "Alright" has become a "rallying cry" for "hope and perseverance" in the Black Lives Matter movement. Fans and hip-hop enthusiasts will relish this thought-provoking work. (Aug.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Music journalist Lewis (There's a Riot Goin' On) critiques the success of hip-hop artist Kendrick Lamar, within the contexts of recent Black history, music, and literature in the U.S. The author begins in Lamar's native Compton neighborhood (in L.A.), where the rapper drew inspiration from Tupac Shakur and created mixtapes as K-Dot. Lewis covers Lamar's critically acclaimed debut, Section.80 (2011); his million-selling concept album good kid, m.A.A.d city; and his contentious contribution to Big Sean's "Control" (2013). Lewis then analyzes the rapper's masterpiece album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015), which reinvigorated socially conscious hip-hop. The author also examines Lamar's contribution to the soundtrack to the movie Black Panther (2018), his work with the supergroup Black Hippy (which also included Jay Rock, ScHoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul), and his more personally oriented record DAMN (2017), for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for music. Dynamic illustrations add context and complement the text. VERDICT Though he sometimes repeats himself, adopts a jumbled format, and dwells on his own background too much, Lewis expertly places his subject in historical, musical, and literary context and significantly adds to the dozen books about Lamar for music fans.--David P. Szatmary, formerly with Univ. of Washington, Seattle
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
An in-depth biographical and historical contextualization of one of the decade's most heralded rappers. "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" was the heartfelt testimonial standout track from Kendrick Lamar's debut studio album, good kid, m.A.A.d city, a massive success upon its release in 2012. The album cemented Lamar as one of the new "top dawgs" in the game, much like the record label that incubated his talent, Top Dawg Entertainment. Lewis introduces Lamar via his first interactions with the musician, composing a promotional interview for his second album, the jazz-influenced To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). That award-winning album's biggest hit, "Alright," organically synced with the growing Black Lives Matter protests unfolding across the country. Joining Marcus Moore's The Butterfly Effect (2020), this book uncovers avenues for understanding Lamar's craft, which potently reveals the upheaval within Black communities and the music industry. A respected intergenerational chorus of Black cultural voices--Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ivie Ani, Greg Tate, Farrah Jasmine Griffin, Jay Smooth, Alicia Garza, and kris ex--offer illuminating commentary, while original artwork and reprinted photography reinforce the magazine-profile aesthetics of the text. Like all good hip-hop fans, Lewis recounts how his own life experiences are enmeshed with the music, and the biography lovingly challenges Lamar, as needed, on themes of political ideology and gender relations. All fans of Lamar recognize that he is incredibly honest, transparent, and vulnerable on his records, all of which so far could be defined as classic for the genre. Yet at the same time, his increasing unavailability to media outlets has created the conditions for veteran cultural insiders to fill in the gaps. Lewis does that well and also creates a shadow historiography of an entire generation of Black urban culture while leaving room for Lamar to remain the master lyricist of his own life. Feel the wide cultural reverberations of the decade's lyrical legend from those who felt, wrote, and listened. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
