The Butterfly Effect
How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America
Published on 1. October 2020
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-1-4736-9632-7 (ISBN)
Description
'Kendrick Lamar understands and employs blues, jazz, and soul in his music, which makes it startling. His work is more than merely brilliant; it is magic' Toni Morrison
'Lamar is a man living on a real and metaphorical peak, with one eye trained on the heavens, the other searching for stories in the valley below' Guardian
__________
Kendrick Lamar is at the top of his game.
He has been described as the poet Laureate of hip-hop, perceptive, philosophical, unapologetic, fearless, and an innovative storyteller whose body of work has been compared to James Joyce and James Baldwin.
He is a visionary who will go down as history as one of the most important artists of all time.
But what's so striking about Kendrick Lamar, aside from his impressive accolades, is how he's effectively established himself as a formidable opponent of oppression, a force for change. Through his confessional poetics, his politically charged anthems, and his radical performances, Lamar has become a beacon of light for many people in America.
Written by veteran journalist and music critic Marcus J. Moore, this is the first biography of Kendrick Lamar. It's the definitive account of his coming-of-age as an artist, his resurrection of jazz, his profound impact on a racially fraught America, and his emergence as the bona fide King of Rap.
The book traces not only Lamar's powerful impact on music but also on our current society, especially under the weight of police brutality, divisive politics, and social injustice. With exclusive interviews with his family, friends, and record producers, this book is the must-read for any fan.
The Butterfly Effect is the extraordinary, triumphant story of a modern lyrical prophet and an American icon who has given hope to those buckling under the weight of systemic oppression, reminding everyone that through it all, "we gon' be alright".
__________
'Essential reading' Rolling Stone
'By the end of listening to his first full album, I felt like I knew everything about him. He brings you into his world with his lyrics in a way that really paints a clear picture' Eminem
'I love everything about his music. I can literally listen to his music and become a kid growing up with all the struggles in the inner city, but at the same time [learn] all the lessons it taught that we use as men today.' Lebron James
'For a gentle dude, he throws a righteous punch; I wouldn't get in the way of it. No single artist will ever be the antidote to a generation's malaise, but just identifying some of the problems really helps' Bono
'Kendrick Lamar is a master of storytelling' New York
'Lamar is a man living on a real and metaphorical peak, with one eye trained on the heavens, the other searching for stories in the valley below' Guardian
__________
Kendrick Lamar is at the top of his game.
He has been described as the poet Laureate of hip-hop, perceptive, philosophical, unapologetic, fearless, and an innovative storyteller whose body of work has been compared to James Joyce and James Baldwin.
He is a visionary who will go down as history as one of the most important artists of all time.
But what's so striking about Kendrick Lamar, aside from his impressive accolades, is how he's effectively established himself as a formidable opponent of oppression, a force for change. Through his confessional poetics, his politically charged anthems, and his radical performances, Lamar has become a beacon of light for many people in America.
Written by veteran journalist and music critic Marcus J. Moore, this is the first biography of Kendrick Lamar. It's the definitive account of his coming-of-age as an artist, his resurrection of jazz, his profound impact on a racially fraught America, and his emergence as the bona fide King of Rap.
The book traces not only Lamar's powerful impact on music but also on our current society, especially under the weight of police brutality, divisive politics, and social injustice. With exclusive interviews with his family, friends, and record producers, this book is the must-read for any fan.
The Butterfly Effect is the extraordinary, triumphant story of a modern lyrical prophet and an American icon who has given hope to those buckling under the weight of systemic oppression, reminding everyone that through it all, "we gon' be alright".
__________
'Essential reading' Rolling Stone
'By the end of listening to his first full album, I felt like I knew everything about him. He brings you into his world with his lyrics in a way that really paints a clear picture' Eminem
'I love everything about his music. I can literally listen to his music and become a kid growing up with all the struggles in the inner city, but at the same time [learn] all the lessons it taught that we use as men today.' Lebron James
'For a gentle dude, he throws a righteous punch; I wouldn't get in the way of it. No single artist will ever be the antidote to a generation's malaise, but just identifying some of the problems really helps' Bono
'Kendrick Lamar is a master of storytelling' New York
Reviews / Votes
'Kendrick Lamar is the most creatively captivating rapper of the past decade. This means inspecting and placing into context his profound legacy is nothing short of a gargantuan task. Fortunately for us, Marcus J. Moore exists. His writing has never been sharper, never been more concise, never been more insightful than it is here. This book is smart, confident, and necessary.' - Shea Serrano, New York Times bestselling author of The Rap Year Book and Movies (And Other Things) 'I have a great amount of gratitude for The Butterfly Effect and the triumph of chronicling one of our great artists while they're still here with us. Marcus J. Moore is thoughtful, incisive, and generous in this work, and The Butterfly Effect will hopefully set a blueprint for how we honor the brilliant and living.' - Hanif Abdurraqib, New York Times bestselling author of Go Ahead In The Rain: Notes to A Tribe Called Quest 'The Butterfly Effect is much more than a biographical look at the voice of hip hop's new generation. It's an analytical deep dive into the life of that good kid whose m.A.A.d city raised him, and how it sparked a fire within Kendrick Lamar to change history. Through thoughtful prose, strong investigative research, and a deep passion for the subject matter, Marcus J. Moore paints a picture of Kendrick that anyone can admire.' - Kathy Iandoli, author of God Save The Queens: The Essential History of Women in Hip-Hop 'Marcus J. Moore's look at Kendrick Lamar beautifully illustrates the power of the word and the great value it holds in the community that birthed hip hop. Therein, we all better understand and appreciate why Black lives -- and rhymes -- matter.' - Sacha Jenkins, Emmy-nominated director of Showtime documentary Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics And Men More conversational than scholarly, it's at its most effective when charting Lamar's cultural awakening, prompted in part by a life-changing pilgrimage to South Africa and the death of Trayvon Martin, and the almost parallel rise of Black Lives Matter. It tries to be a lot of things - an artistic biography, a fan letter, an abbreviated history of West Coast hip-hop, an examination of Black art as a vehicle for resistance - and does most of them well. - Washington Post Music journalist Marcus J. Moore's detailed study places Kendrick Lamar's life and music within its proper sociopolitical context, making this essential reading if you want to understand modern rap's most innovative artist. - Rolling Stone The best bit of literature currently out there on Kendrick Lamar. It is recommended reading for any fan of music, society and culture. - ViceMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 158 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
480 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4736-9632-7 (9781473696327)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
10/2020
1st Edition
Hodder & Stoughton
€3.99
Available for download
Person
Marcus J. Moore is an award-winning music journalist, senior editor, curator, and pop culture commentator, whose writing can be found on Pitchfork, The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, The Nation, NPR, The Atlantic, BBC Music, and MTV among other sites and publications. He's created nationally syndicated playlists for Google, discussed new music live on FM radio, contributed to national podcasts, and guest-hosted live shows on Red Bull Radio. He also interviews musicians of all genres on TV, Facebook Live, and other Web platforms. In 2009, Moore launched his own site - DMV Spectrum - which covered music and entertainment in D.C., Maryland and northern Virginia.
This is his first book.
This is his first book.