@zentherapper: "The Butterfly Effect" by Marcus Moore (@_marcusjmoore) is a book, published in 2020, that both lionizes and humanizes Kendrick Lamar. Tracing his evolution as an artist and as a man from K-Dot in Compton to Kendrick at The Grammys, Moore tells the story of how his Magnus Opus "To Pimp A Butterfly" came to be, and how through that ongoing process, Kendrick "Ignited The Soul of Black America." This work, an early cultural biography of one of the 2010s hip hop greats, and maybe one of the greatest rappers of all time, paints Lamar as a cosmopolitan leader, one who not only innovated Compton Gangsta Rap, but one who offered himself as a unique leader for the Black Lives Matter Movement, and one who became a force of revival in jazz music, creating space for black art with an esoteric/intellectual leaning in the mainstream. The personal context in this narrative speaks resonantly to this character who now looms larger than life in the cultural sphere, and frankly, validates his position in the Kendrick-Drake beef. No matter how far Kendrick rose in skill and accolades, he sought a deep authenticity represented by consistently working hard and constantly seeking to keep his artistry connected to Compton. And through that desire, he became a Black voice for the world. A Black voice that made it cool to rap smart, introspectively, and with a burning love for humanity. One of my newer students stopped me the other day as I was making way through the room to tell me: "You remind me of Kendrick Lamar." Thank You Kendrick. Thank You Top Dawg. Thank You Mr. Moore. #books #culture #rap #hiphop #kendricklamar #marcusjmoore #zen #zentherapper #writer #rap #philosopher #literature #music #bookreview #bookreflection #bookanalysis

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Sunday 13 July 2025 17:32:26 GMT