May 9, 2023
Kendrick Lamar Keeps It Gucci With $2500 Limited-Edition ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’ Vinyl Collaboration
Kendrick Lamar is one of the most successful hip-hop artists in recent history. Lamar has cemented himself as a rapper who transcends the genre with a best-selling tour, 17 Grammys, and a Pulitzer Prize on his résumé.
Now, the Compton-born rapper is set to release his No.1 album and sophomore offering, To Pimp A Butterfly, onto vinyl for a second time through a partnership with Gucci. The album, which sold 340,000 units in its first week back in 2015, enjoyed a limited release to vinyl a few years ago but has been nearly impossible to find since.
Through the Interscope Records’ Artists Inspired by Music: Interscope Reimagined project, Lamar will release 100 copies of a vinyl set that features custom packaging designed by the Italian high-end luxury fashion house. The album will also include a print designed by South Central contemporary artist Lauren Halsey, according to Uproxx. In keeping with Gucci high-end prices, the limited-edition package will have an asking price of $2,500.
The Mr. Morale and the Big Steppas rapper is no stranger to releasing his music for the nostalgic medium. Last year it was announced that his debut project, Good Kid MAAD City, was the highest-selling vinyl of 2022; it celebrated its 10th anniversary with 254,000 copies sold, making it the fourth-best-selling vinyl overall and best-selling hip-hop vinyl of the year, according to Uproxx. Lamar’s projects have true staying power as his 2017 album, DAMN, which earned him a Grammy for Best Rap Album, has also found itself breaking records. The project has spent 300 consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
The 35-year-old is considered by many to be a generation-defining talent for his creative genius and willingness to be vulnerable combined with his lyrical prowess. Fans often wait anxiously for his next big release; therefore, his latest collaboration with Gucci probably won’t be around for long.
Even with the hefty price tag.
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