25 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums Of All Time

Kendrick Lamar seemed poised to create something truly game-changing following the success of, Section.80 and Good Kid, MAAD City. But Kendrick did much more than change the game; he flipped it on its head and released To Pimp a Butterfly, a record which broke all the rules and made it work tenfold.

Fusing together rap, jazz, soul and funk, Kendrick used the record to celebrate African-American culture, call out the inequalities still relevant in society, and tackle his own issues with fame and depression.

Politically charged and almost philosophical in its assessments of racism and African-American history, the album is a near-perfect organism that showcases Kendrick's talents as a storyteller, an activist and a frequently amazing lyricist. Everything from the skits to the anthems - "Alright", "How Much a Dollar Cost" - works without fault on To Pimp a Butterfly, an album only six years old which is already an all-time classic.