To Pimp a Butterfly

Wesley's Theory opens with a looped sample from Gardiner's 1974 funk track. Lamar revealed in his Rolling Stone interview that 1970s funk was deeply influential on the album's sound overall.

“The album's first song plays that out, opening with a sample from Boris Gardiner's cheery manifesto of black pride "Every Nigger Is a Star" off the soundtrack of the 1974 Calvin Lockhart-directed blaxploitation film of the same name.”

King Kunta samples an unsettling drum pattern from Mausberg's track, produced by DJ Quik. Sounwave cued this sample to shift the track into a darker register mid-song.

“"King Kunta" takes a darker turn once producer Mark "Sounwave" Spears cues an unsettling sample of "Get Nekkid" by Mausberg, the Compton-bred DJ Quik protege who was fatally shot at age 21.”

Mortal Man uses a pitched-down drum pattern from Fela's original 1975 track as sampled on Houston Person's 1977 cover version. The liner notes credit both sources.

“To Pimp A Butterfly's liner notes reveal that "Mortal Man" also samples Fela Kuti's 1975 "I No Get Eye for Back" off Alagbon Close.”

The song i (and its single version) sample the Isley Brothers' track. Lamar personally visited Ronald Isley to secure permission for the sample.

“Containing a sample of the song "That Lady" performed by the Isley Brothers, Lamar personally visited the Isley Brothers, to receive permission from lead vocalist Ronald Isley to sample the song.”

King Kunta references and samples Ahmad's 1994 West Coast track. Ahmad received a writing credit for the interpolation.

“Lamar sounds desperate, even while referencing pop hits by Michael Jackson...and Parliament ("We want the funk!" — though it's filtered through the 1994 track by West coast rapper Ahmad, who gets a writing credit).”

Lamar found Knxwledge's beat in his email and used it for Momma because it matched the album's aesthetic. The beat came unsolicited through standard channels rather than the collaborative method used elsewhere on the album.

“Like Kendrick found this beat by Knxwledge in his e-mail, and we were like, 'What's this?' It just matched the aesthetic of the album so well, and we used it for the track 'Momma'.”

Mortal Man appropriates a November 1994 interview between 2Pac and P3 as the source for a conversation between Kendrick and his dead idol. The final question is based on a poem that informs the album's title.

“So it goes on an album that clamors for the funk are responded to significantly less than the standout, George Clinton-featuring "Wesley's Theory" forecasts, ponders the cost of a dollar, and appropriates a November 1994 2Pac interview with P3 into a conversation between Kendrick Lamar and his dead idol.”

Lamar listened heavily to Miles Davis and Parliament-Funkadelic during the album's recording sessions. This listening shaped the album's broader sonic direction.

“Lamar professed to having listened often to Miles Davis and Parliament-Funkadelic during the album's recording.”

Flying Lotus produced Wesley's Theory and brought Thundercat and suggested George Clinton as a collaborator. During the Yeezus Tour, Lotus played Lamar beats intended for Captain Murphy's album, but only Wesley's Theory made the final cut.

“During the whole tour, producer Flying Lotus played Lamar a selection of tracks that was intended for Captain Murphy's album (Flying Lotus's alter ego). Lamar kept all the tracks, but only opener "Wesley's Theory", which also features Thundercat and George Clinton, made the final cut onto the album.”