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To Pimp A Butterfly Project Analysis Adapted by: S. Wright

8th Grade Language ArtsHoward Middle School

2016-2017 Year

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Project OverviewFor this project, students will be required to use a range of skills from reading

comprehension to writing to analyze the last project by Kendrick Lamar. Students will have to pick at least three major themes from the album to discuss and cite songs from the album as evidence to support their claim. The three page analysis on the social, cultural, and generational impact of To Pimp a Butterfly should argue the following issue: Is Kendrick’s TPAB album a positive or negative statement?

Page One should focus on the historical elements involved in rap music. An analysis of Kendrick Lamar and his influences should be included as well as the history of the genre and its evolution.

Page Two should focus on the social elements involved in rap music. An analysis of the societal elements that shaped the album should be described in detail. The political and racial climate of the United States in 2015 should be analyzed in detail with a special emphasis on hot button issues such as Trayvon Martin, and Black Lives Matter should be discussed.

Page Three should focus on the cultural elements involved in the album. An analysis of African American culture should be mentioned such as dress, speech, and behavior. Cultural phenomenon such as gang life and colorism should be discussed.

Alternative ProjectsAs an alternative, students will select one of the following books from the list

below and began the process of analyzing the central themes from the text. Students will select three themes from the book and then discuss how the text reinforces the positive and negative parts of our society. 1. Raisin in the Sun 2. Lord of the Flies 3. Grapes of Wrath

Theme Wall1. Capitalism/ Materialism2. Misogyny/ Objectification3. Anarchy/ Exploitation4. Depression and Nihilism 5. Self-Hatred/ Colorism6. Oppression/ Freedom7. Transformation/ Stagnation8. Greed/ Benevolence9. Lust/ Vices

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Activity #1: Definitions Please!

Over the course of the next three weeks, you will hear a range of words and concepts that may be unfamiliar to you. Rather than provide you with the definition, I have opted to list the words below and have you define them. After providing a definition of each term you must then provide an example of the term. The example can be visual such as drawing or cartoon, or written such as sentences. Either way you must provide no less than one example for each term and no more than two per term. Use the definitions as a glossary.

1. Metamorphoses 2. Materialism3. Narcissism 4. Nihilism 5. Anarchy 6. Misogyny

1. Metamorphose-

2. Materialism-

3. Narcissism-

4. Nihilism-

5. Anarchy-

6. Misogyny-

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Song Title: Wesley’s Theory

“What you want you a house, you a car, 40 acres, a guitar, anything see my name is Uncle Sam I’m your dog! If you want you can live at the mall!

“Everything you buy taxes will deny, I’ll Wesley Snipes your a** before thirty five!”

“Tax man coming, tax man coming, tax man coming!”

Discussion Questions1. The second verse of the song is being told from the

perspective of a man named Uncle Sam. Historically who is Uncle Sam and what does he represent?

2. Why is Uncle Sam ok with Kendrick buying whatever he likes even without keeping or showing his receipts? Are receipts necessary in a digital era?

3. The album’s title To Pimp a Butterfly is referenced in the beginning. Is there a relation between pimping and Uncle Sam? If so what claim is Kendrick asserting through his work?

4. Who is Wesley? Why is he being used as a metaphor?

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Song Title: For Free (Interlude)

“America you bad b***h I picked cotton and made you rich.”

“Ima get my Uncle Sam to f**k you up! You ain’t no king!”

Discussion Questions

1. Why is the young lady upset with Kendrick?

2. How does materialism affect both people in this relationship?

3. How does his status as an entertainer tie into the idea of materialism?

4. Why is Uncle Sam mentioned in a song relating to materialism? How does capitalism affect each of us as American citizens?

5. Is Kendrick’s bitterness towards the woman a sign of misogyny? Why or why not? Explain in detail citing textual evidence.

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Song Title: King Kunta

“True friends one question: Where were you when I was walking, now I run the game got the whole world talking! King Kunta, everybody want to cut the legs off him.”

“When you got the yams, what’s the yams? The yams are the power that be.”

“”The Yams brought it out of Richard Pryor, manipulated Bill Clinton with desire

Discussion Questions1. Who is Kunta? Why would Kendrick use Kunta as a metaphor for

his song?

2. Kendrick juxtaposes the words walk and run right after each other. Why does he do this and what message does it convey to the listener or reader?

3. In the novel All Things Fall Apart yams have a special place in society as they represent wealth and hard work. What are status symbols? Name some examples of some in our society?

4. Kendrick mentions yams as a metaphor for women’s body. Does objectifying women contribute to misogyny? If so how so?

5. By referencing his wealth and boasting is Kendrick praising materialism? Why is materialism such a big part of rap culture?

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Song Title: Institutionalized

“I’m trapped inside the ghetto and I ain’t proud to admit, institutionalized, I keep running back for a visit.”

“Massa take these chains off me!”

“You looking at artists like the harvests, so many Rollies around and you want all of them.”

Discussion Questions

1. What does the word itself institutionalized mean? What is an institution? Name some examples of institutions.

2. Why do you think it’s so hard for Kendrick to change his mentality even though he is no longer in an impoverished neighborhood?

3. What does Kendrick mean when he says Massa take off the chains?

4. Are Kendrick’s friends institutionalized as well? How does materialism affect them?

5. Would you say that people who live in impoverished neighborhood suffer from PTSD or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?

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Song Title: U

“ I remember you was conflicted. Misusing your influence. Sometimes I did the same. Abusing my power, full of resentment. Resentment that turned into a deep depression. Found myself screaming in the hotel room. I didn’t wanna self-destruct.

“Loving you is complicated.”

Discussion Questions1. Who is the narrator addressing when he says loving you is

complicated? Why is it hard for the narrator to love this person?

2. Why does Kendrick reference so many of his personal failures in the song? How does depression affect him?

3. Does money guarantee freedom from pain? Why does it seem as if there are so many people with money who still suffer from emotional and psychological problems?

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Song Title: Alright

“We hate po-po, they want to kill us dead for sure.

“What you want you a house, you a car, 40 acres and a mule, a piano, a guitar, anything see my name is Lucy I’m your dog, if you want you can live at the mall!

“The evils of Lucy were all around me!”

Discussion Questions1. Who is the po-po? Is Kendrick’s statement encouraging violence

towards law enforcement?

2. Based off the video is anarchy encouraged by Kendrick? If so are there are times where anarchy or disobedience permissible?

3. Henry Thoreau advocated civil disobedience saying that the government that governs the least is best. During antebellum slavery the Confederacy advocated nullification of laws they felt were unfair. Should we as humans follow laws that we feel are unfair to keep order?

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4. In the Lord of the Flies, we saw a society without laws. Is more control and regulation necessary to keep people safe?

5. Who is Lucy? Why does Kendrick describe this entity as evil?

Song Title: Hood Politics

“From Compton to Congress, set tripping all around. Ain’t nothing but a new gang of DemoCrips and ReBloodicans.”

“Red state versus blue state which state you governing, they give us guns and drugs and call us thugs.”

Discussion Questions

1. Why does Kendrick refer to the Republican and Democratic Party as Crips and Bloods? Is this assertion accurate or not in your opinion?

2. What does hood politics mean to you? Is there a system of government in the hood? If so what are the rules? Who enforces the rules? Who are the people who can get laws and bills passed? If there are none why not?

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3. Is Kendrick bragging about how connected he is in the streets with the gangs? Do gangs such as the Crips and Bloods have a responsibility to their neighborhoods?

4. Kendrick says that “they give them guns and drugs and call us thugs.” Who is they and is this true?

5.

Song Title: How Much Does A Dollar Cost?

“A homeless man with a semi-tan complexion, asking for ten rand, stressing about dry land.”

“Staring at me the longest, until he finally asked me, “Have you ever heard of Exodus 14, a humble man is all that you ever need, tell me how much a dollar cost?

“He told me your potential is bittersweet. I looked at him and said “Every nickel is mines to keep.” He looked at me and said” Know the truth and it’ll set you free.”

“I’ll tell you how much a dollar cost, the price of having a seat in Heaven, embrace your loss, I’m God.”

Discussion Questions

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1. What overall theme or message does the song explore? How does materialism play a role in the theme as well?

2. Ten rands is equal to $1 in America. Why is Kendrick unwilling to give the homeless man one dollar? Do you think that it is the right thing to do? What would you have done?

3. Why does the homeless man quote Exodus 14? What is he attempting to get Kendrick to see?

4. What does the homeless man mean when he states he is God?

Song Title: Complexion (A Zulu Love)

“Dark as the midnight hour, or bright as the morning sun, don’t care about your complexion, I know what the Germans done.”

“Beauty is what you make it, I used to be so mistaken, then Whit told me, “A woman is a woman, love the creation.”

“Let the Willie Lynch theory reverse a million times.”

Discussion Questions

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1. What event is Kendrick referring to when he mentions he know what the Germans did? How did Hitler’s theory of the Aryan race affect racism?

2. Google Johann Blumenbach. How did his thoughts on race affect the world?

3. Why is color such a major issue in the Black Community? Why are lighter features a sign of beauty while darker features the opposite?

4. What is the history behind the Willie Lynch theory? Even though there is doubt that it is historically accurate do you feel it applies even now?

Song Title: I

“I love myself, the world is a ghetto with big guns and picket signs, but it can do what it whenever it want I don’t mind.”

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“I went to war last night, I’ve been dealing with depression, ducking every single blessing, I could never see the message.”

“Well this is my explanation straight from Ethiopia: N-E-G-U-S definition: Royalty, King Royalty.”

“N-E-G-U-S description: Black emperor, King, Ruler, Now let me finish.”

Discussion Questions1. What overall theme is Kendrick conveying on the song I?

2. In the song he speaks of war and uses the metaphor of the world being a ghetto. Who or what is Kendrick at war with? How does this song help combat it?

3. During his performance Kendrick breaks into a freestyle explaining the term Negus. Why is this word important for our generation?

Song Title: You Ain’t Gotta Lie

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“Who you fooling? Oh you assuming you can just come and hang with the homies, but your level of realness just ain’t the same, circus act only attract those who entertain.”

“And the world don’t respect you, and the culture don’t accept you, and the girls’ gon neglect you once your parody is all done.”

“The loudest one in the room, that’s a complex.”

Discussion Questions1. Why do entertainers and people feel as if they have to be

someone other than themselves?

2. What is a parody? What are some examples of parodies in our culture? Name some shows, songs, and entertainers who fit into this category.

3. Why is it so much pressure to be considered a gangster in our culture? Why is it frowned upon to be considered a student?

4. How do you think we got to the point that as a society we associated being a criminal with being strong and being a citizen with weakness?

Song Title: Mortal Man

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