Earlier this year, after Drake had spent more than a month trying to beef with Kendrick Lamar, Kendrick released the first of his Drake-specific diss tracks, “Euphoria.” It’s a great song which has aged like fine wine. At one point, Kendrick tells Drake/his haters: “Headshots for the year, you better walk around like Daft Punk.” Well… Kendrick chose the 61st anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination to surprise-drop an album called GNX. Kendrick has been doing a lot around specifically American holidays – Juneteenth saw his special concert in LA and he dropped the “Not Like Us” music video on the 4th of July. I never would have thought Kendrick would have chosen JFK’s assassination date as a surprise album drop, but here we are. Headshots for the year.
Obviously, people have theorized for months that Kendrick had an album coming out. His friends in LA have even said that Kendrick was working on the album throughout his beef with Drake in the spring. What’s funny is that Kendrick didn’t include ANY of the Drake-disses on GNX. The only thing we got which was sort of related was “Squabble Up,” the full song which was teased ahead of the “Not Like Us” music video. That’s gonna slap at the Super Bowl Halftime show next year.
Speaking of slapping, Kendrick is calling out people right and left in this album. One of the big stories is about the performative “outrage” about how Kendrick was selected for the Super Bowl in New Orleans. A lot of people were like “what about Lil Wayne??” In the first track, “wacced out murals,” Kendrick addresses the issue: “Used to bump ‘Tha Carter III,’ I held my Rollie chain proud/ Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down.” And then “Won the Super Bowl and Nas the only one congratulate me.” I’ll admit that I don’t actually care about the Wayne issue, and… um, I kind of think Kendrick doesn’t give a f–k either.
Some cool little items – Kendrick saw mariachi singer Deyra Barrera perform at a Dodgers game and he liked her so much, he put her on the album. SZA – who is basically Kendrick’s little sister – also appears on “Luther” and “Gloria.” Plus, the entire album was produced by none other than Jack Antonoff. Jack produced one of Kendrick’s Drake disses, and Jack is obviously very connected to Taylor Swift. Kendrick and Taylor are tight, and I kind of love that Kendrick is working with someone so closely associated with Taylor and the pop girls (Lorde, Lana, St. Vincent). Jack did a good job with the album too, I have to say. Last thing – apparently, Kendrick and Father John Misty are basically on the same album-drop schedule and have been for over a decade?
Obviously, NSFW for language.
GNX cover courtesy of Kendrick’s social media. Additional photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.
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- Paris, FRANCE – Rapper Kendrick Lamar leaving the Chanel Private Lunch at Palais Galliera after attending Chanel’s fashion show during Paris Fashion Week. Pictured: Kendrick Lamar BACKGRID USA 4 JULY 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Celebrities attend the Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture Chanel Fashion Show in Paris Featuring: Kendrick Lamar Where: Paris, France When: 23 Jan 2024 Credit: Serge Arnal/Starface Photo/Cover Images **UK AND USA RIGHTS ONLY**
Albums been on repeat since it dropped. He’s about the only male rapper I have any time for anymore.
Same for me! I love how his sound vary throughout his albums. He covers old school hip hop, new school, and has his own unique blend of vocal sounds. There are no other rappers like him, NONE!
And OMG! Luther and Cheryl’s voices blending with his and SZA’s on that Luther track is so amazing!🤌🏽
Same! I absolutely love this album!
@TruthSF the first time I heard Luther, I was astonished by how good the production on it was. Just mind blowing. My favorite song is Man at the garden though. To take an iconic beat from Nas’s One Mic and do what he has done on that song. I can’t stop replaying it, it’s just perfect and ascendant in establishing him as the top tier rapper of this generation. I’ve been seeing some people saying it’s too Calif (regional) focused, and I’m like ya’ll don’t get it. He is a Cali rapper, of course that is going to be his influence, style, and sound, and you absolutely hear that but it pays tribute and ultimately transcends that. I’m from south and I can’t stop bumping it. This is one of those albums that just hits. It’s like you said it just covers so much ground, and no one else is doing what he is doing right now. When I hear the mumble rap hip hop that gets played on the radio where I’m at, the contrast in listening to this album is like a breath of fresh air.
The album is so good !!
For some reason I thought because he had such hyped 2024 , he would disappoint but no…he killed it.
Loved Luther, squabble up
First of all, I am gonna say there is an unnecessary Jack hate out there. Pop girlies love Jack, because he listens to them and executes their vision, most of them said that is one of the reasons they prefer working with him. So, if you hate your fav’s album, that isn’t on Jack. He and Sounwave did a good job in GNX as co-producers on most of the songs.
I listened to the album in one sitting. It was very old school and very Kendrick. People try to squeeze some drama out of it, but it is more than that. I hope people give a chance without paying attention to the headlines. I loved “Man at the Garden”, “Reincarnated”, “Luther feat. SZA”, “heart pt. 6”.
So 2024 really is the year of our Kendrick and savior, huh?
It seems they didn’t only *tryna strike a chord* but succeeded when they picked a m̶i̶n̶o̶r̶ winner for the halftime show.
On to 2025!
The album is excellent! Kendrick is always pure quality.
He is the most thoughtful genius. When even your disss tracks are musical artworks you know it’s something rare iconic. . Can’t wait for the Superbowl.