Kendrick Lamar decided to pop out and show the world his sixth album, “GNX,” on Friday – sans promotion or warning. This after a highly successful year for the critically-acclaimed artist, which included dominating a rap feud with Drake and cinching the headlining slot for next year’s Super Bowl halftime show.
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Lamar unexpectedly dropped a link to the album on his social media accounts, along with a black-and-white photo of him wearing handmade ERL clothing as he posed in front of a car, sending the hip-hop scene into an explosive frenzy on social media.
Riding the hype, MTV quickly drafted an excuse letter for Lamar’s fans to send to their employers, explaining that they would “no longer able to work today.”
The 12-track, nearly 45-minute album is mostly Jack Antonoff-produced and boasts vocals from SZA and mariachi singer Deyra Barrera on “Gloria,” among other highlights. Notably, it doesn’t include “Not Like Us,” the most popular of his Drake diss tracks, which also doubled as a song of the summer after the two rappers spent months bickering.
That track paid dividends for Lamar over the past year. It broke several records, including overtaking Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” for the most weeks atop Billboard’s hot rap songs chart, and it became Lamar’s fourth No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. “Not Like Us” has also been nominated for five Grammys, including for song and record of the year.
Lamar also played the song five straight times at his star-studded, one night show celebrating West Coast hip-hop, “The Pop Out: Ken and Friends,” at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, on Juneteenth.
Keeping with his independence-themed timing, he then dropped a music video for “Not Like Us” on the Fourth of July, homing in visually on his Drake disses with an owl, hopscotch and a cameo from his family.
If he hasn’t crushed his Canadian rap battle opponent enough, Lamar was tapped to headline the 2025 Super Bowl LIX halftime show at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. He performed in the 2022 Emmy-winning halftime show with Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg and Eminem, but his upcoming gig will be his first time leading.
One of the most highly revered and decorated rappers of his generation, Lamar has so far garnered 17 Grammys, four No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and a Pulitzer Prize.
– Samantha Chery, The Washington Post