We've had two weeks to digest Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly, and today MTV sat down with KDot to provide us with some analysis from the man himself. In part one of the interview Kendrick revealed his original title for the album was a nod to Tupac: Tu Pimp a Caterpillar. He also discussed the album cover, ghostwriting, and other topics in between breaking down tracks from the album.
On "Wesley's Theory":
"This is one of my favorite records off the joint. The lyrics is me going back to that feeling of what I wanted to do when I got signed. You go back to that same mentality when you get some money. I'm gonna do this for the homies. I'm gonna take them around the world and let them see things they haven't seen before.
"The overall theme of the record, why I love it so much, is because it talks about something we weren't taught in school when we get this money. I spent all my time in school and escaping prison and escaping the system. So you mean to tell me the moment I become successfully and I get some money and I don't know how to manage this money, you're going to throw me back in jail for taxes?"
On "King Kunta:
"I wanted it to be not as complex as a lot of my lyrics but still have a message to it. I wanted to make that real simplistic in a boastful way but also having a sense of integrity behind it. I've been called many things growing up. In the state of being a black man I've been called many things. It's taking that negativity and being proud of it and making into your own, saying I am a king no matter what you call me. I think it really just shows heart.
Watch part one above, and check out the rest of the interview below.
