![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
To Pimp a Butterfly Review – 5/5 stars
Renowned hip-hop artist Kendrick Lamar released his new album “To Pimp a Butterfly” through Interscope Records on March 16. The album was released a week early due to an error by the distributor.
The album consists of 16 tracks, all of which tell a story about Lamar and his struggles in life.
“To Pimp a Butterfly” showcases Lamar’s talent through its uniqueness. It incorporates funk and jazz elements, creating an unseen version of hip-hop. For this reason, the album is already said to be a serious contender for album of the year.
The first few tracks start with memoirs of Lamar’s life. Lamar attacks racial tension and the treatment of African Americans.
The next few songs introduce the theme of poverty while still addressing racial tension. Lamar explains how his childhood shaped him. He states that he will not allow fame and money to change him.
Near the end of the album, Lamar emphasizes individuality. In “Complexion (A Zulu Love),” Lamar says that everyone should love themselves and not let anybody make them think otherwise. Lamar does this himself in “i,” repeatedly saying “I love myself” in the hook. In this track, Lamar simply solves the problem of depression, saying that by loving oneself you can learn to love the world.
The final track “Mortal Man” has a tendency to leave rap-enthusiasts speechless. The track itself is amazing; Lamar’s raps are dense and meaningful in regards to racial equality. However, at the end of the track, Lamar “interviews” Tupac Shakur, one of the best selling music artists of all time. Lamar asks Tupac of what he thinks is in store for his generation.
All in all, Lamar’s album “To Pimp a Butterfly” truly showcases his talent and proves his belief that “rap is poetry” to be correct.
Varun Baldwa is a senior and Managing editor for TALON Yearbook. This is Varun's fourth year on staff. In his free time, Varun enjoys volunteering, listening...
Jonathan Dai (12) is the editor-in-chief of TALON. This is his fourth year in journalism, and he was previously the photo editor. In his free time, he...