To Pimp a Butterfly by Valeria Lira

King Kunta

vlira001 — 2025-04-29 12:12:22 UTC

Yams in our day to day life are a root or some type of vegetable. However yams in this song are symbolized by power in the beginning of the song, "When you got the yams (What's the yams?)
The yam is the power that be". Later in the song the yams represent temptation by mentioning Bill Clinton and Richard Pryor. "When you got the yams (What's the yams?) The yam brought it out of Richard Pryor Manipulated Bill Clinton with desires". This symbol is one that changes as the song goes on, in the beginning the yams are something positive viewed as powerful. Later in the song yams are viewed as something negative (temptation) bringing up federal topics and governmental figures.

These Walls

vlira001 — 2025-04-29 12:22:46 UTC

Typically bulls are animals found in farms or rodeos. Not this time, in the song Kendricks friends are telling him how he's changed and how his "behavior is Sammy the Bull like A killer that turned snitch" ever since he went to jail. His friends worry for his behavior since that's not very likely of him to do, so in the song they are calling him out on this comparing him to a bull.

Wesley's Theory

vlira001 — 2025-04-29 12:44:30 UTC

Uncle Sam as viewed as a political figure for us, in Wesley's Theory is viewed differently. In this song, at first, Uncle Sam is introduced as a good friend to Kendrick. This being supported by the lines " Anythin', see, my name is Uncle Sam, I'm your dog" As the song goes on Kendrick regrets giving back to his people, " We should never gave We should never gave n***** money Go back home, money, go back home". Right after these lines the repetition of "Tax man comin', tax man comin'" emphasize that the tax man, in other words, Uncle Sam was coming for him. Showing betrayal to Kendrick.

These walls

vlira001 — 2025-04-29 12:55:04 UTC

Thought this song walls change meanings. In the beginning Kendrick refers to the walls in the concept of the female body, he talks about things like pleasure and the feeling he gets when he's having sexual intercourse. "I can feel your reign when it cries, gold lives inside of you ... I love it when I'm in it, I love it when I'm in it". Later in the song the symbolism of walls change. Now the walls are prison, "If your walls could talk, they'd tell you it's too late
Your destiny accepted your fate
Burn accessories and stash them on the yard". These lines indirectly show how he's now incarcerated and he has no choice but to accept the consequences.

King Kunta

vlira001 — 2025-04-29 13:01:52 UTC

Kunta is a historical figure of a slave who was tried to get stopped by his owners. However, the oxymoron in the title of this song, and the repetition of the chorus saying "Now I run the game got the whole world talkin', King Kunta Everybody wanna cut the legs off him, Kunta" show the symbolism on how Kendrick is getting criticized for his success and how people are trying to bring him down.