To Pimp A Butterfly

I haven’t bought a new vinyl record since I bought Willie Nelson’s “Countryman” in 2005. Every other piece of vinyl I’ve bought since has been used.

Last week I decided to buy a new record, which happens to be my favorite music project of the year, “To Pimp A Butterfly” by Kendrick Lamar.

It cost $37 but I thought it was worth it. After all this is my favorite record of the year.

I got home, immediately put it on my record player, and it skipped. It skipped multiple times.

I cleaned the record, it didn’t help. I blew on the needle, it didn’t help. I put coins on the tone arm, it didn’t help.

I was angry, but I wouldn’t return it. I thought they wouldn’t take it back. My parents were angry that I wouldn’t take it back. I said if they wanted to take it back so bad to go ahead.

The man at the record store said the album was warped, and gave a refund.

I went into the store a few days later, delivering copies of The Aquinian, my student newspaper. The record was on sale for $19.99.

The sticker read, “First song skips.”