It’s been two years in the making, and now the first biography on Kendrick Lamar has an official release date. The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America drops this fall, author Marcus J. Moore announced on Tuesday (Feb. 4).
The Schimon & Schuster release, which is touted as a “cultural biography,” details the “extraordinary, triumphant story of a modern lyrical prophet and an American icon who has given hope to those buckling under the weight of systematic oppression.” The book explores Lamar’s “meteoric rise” to become a leader in the rap game, his “profound impact on a racially fraught America” by way of poetic and politically charged music, and his ability to become an “adversary for oppression.”
In just under a decade since the release of his Good Kid, M.A.A.D. city LP, the Compton native has has deeply impacted the culture and proved himself to be one of hip hop’s most successful artists, without losing himself in the process.
The Pulitzer Prize winning lyricist, 13-time GRAMMY winner, and platinum plus selling recording artist has earned accolades across the board, including becoming one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People, and an Oscar nomination for “All of the Stars” from the Black Panther soundtrack, which he also curated.
After almost two years, I can thankfully say this: “The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America” is out 10/13 via @AtriaBooks.
Cover reveal and preorder at the link: https://t.co/g8kpbzsFej pic.twitter.com/UkNGZbbmuF
— Marcus J. Moore (@MarcusJMoore) February 4, 2020
The book is the first release for Moore, a veteran journalist and music critic whose work has appeared in multiple outlets including, Entertainment Weekly, Pitchfork, and The Washington Post.
The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America is slated for release on Oct. 13.