From DJ Quik’s Late Protege Mausberg To Sufjan Stevens, Kendrick Lamar’s Butterfly Samples Plenty (Mix)

Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly continues resonating with Heads, many of whom are still giving the just-released album a first listen. Overall, the reaction appears extremely favorable to the body of work from the Compton, California MC who in 24 hours, broke Spotify’s all-time per diem stream record.

With that said, in terms of exposure and in terms of revenue—as the case from any platinum Hip-Hop solo artist in 2015—Kendrick Lamar can change lives. While the guests include Rapsody, George Clinton, and Bilal on the TDE/Aftermath Entertainment/Interscope Records-backed release, samples, interpolations and shared credits will inevitably also count for a lot.

In making the album, the core producers (Terrace Martin, Sounwave, Thundercat, and Rahki, along with others) presumably joined Lamar in deciding what to borrow, channel, and reference. Like 2012’s good kid, m.A.A.d city, those sources can be counted on two hands, one of the many throwback characteristics in Kendrick’s presentation.

Among the artists are “Soulfather” James Brown, The Isley Brothers (not counting Ronald Isley’s own album appearance), “King of Pop” Michael Jackson, and R&B/Vocal Jazz royalty Lalah Hathaway. Quite notably though, the work includes nods to Indie star Sufjan Stevens, Reggae/Dub vocalist/musician Boris Gardiner, and fellow Compton, California MC Mausberg. The rapper born Johnny Burns was tragically murdered on July 4, 2000, more than a decade before K-Dot released Overly Dedicated. “Get Nekkid,” which is sampled on “King Kunta,” was heard on the independent release, Non Fiction, released in January, 2000. A protege of DJ Quik, Mausberg’s album came after high-profile appearances on 1998’s Rhythm-Al-Ism and Snoop Dogg’s 1999 Top Dogg. Additionally, the Gangsta Rap lyricist had released a compilation, The Konnectid Project, Vol. 1, with Suga Free that same Spring.

Babylon Cartel, as they like to do, takes the samples, and offers them up for stream in a journey that surely will integrate into the listening diets of many this week:

Will To Pimp A Butterfly shed more light on its sources and influences?

Spotted at 2DopeBoyz.

Related: DJ Quik Talks Nate Dogg, Dr. Dre, Tupac, Kendrick Lamar, Eazy-E and More (Video)