Kendrick Lamar covers the latest issue of Mass Appeal clenching a sword between his teeth.
The cover story, penned by Gabriel Alvarez, delves into Lamar’s recent To Pimp A Butterfly album, as the Compton, California-bred rapper shares his thought process behind several tracks.
A portion of the cover story is available now via Mass Appeal’s website, while the full Mass Appeal #56 issue will be available on stands soon.
When asked about the meaning of the phrase “To Pimp A Butterfly” and whether it was inspired by Ice-T’s “Pimps Up, Ho’s Down,” Lamar agrees.
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“That’s definitely similar,” he says. “Whether I knew it or not, I’d be wrong for saying that Ice-T wasn’t an influence on what I’m talking about because [older rap artists], they’ve been there, done that. Especially him, [with] his longevity in the game. I thank him for giving me that game because it’s something that has been goin’ on for a long time, y’know?”
Another West Coast Hip Hop legend is brought up in the Q&A segment of the piece when the author asks if Pac was alive, what song would Kendrick want him to rap on? Tupac’s voice is already featured on the end of “Mortal Man,” but Kendrick says he would’ve liked for Pac to have rapped “when the beat switches on ‘The Blacker The Berry.'”
“I’d have him go off over that, and tone it all the way down, but in his aggressive tone, man,” Kendrick says. “And give it more of a sincere attribute to the song because the song is so aggressive. But you know when he comes on, his spirit is just so warm. He’s gonna speak nothing but the truth. So when that beat breaks down into that, and then goes into ‘You Ain’t Gotta Lie,’ that’s all him.”
Check out the cover below:
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