Renowned rapper Kendrick Lamar delighted music enthusiasts by dropping a surprise new album titled 'GNX' on Friday. This latest release marks Lamar's first album since 2022's 'Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers' and his sixth studio album overall. The album arrives shortly after his recent rap battle with Drake, adding to the anticipation surrounding the project.
The 12-track 'GNX' features a stellar lineup of producers, with multi-instrumentalist Jack Antonoff serving as a co-producer on every track except 'Peekaboo.' Notable contributions also come from producers Sounwave and DJ Mustard, who collaborated on the hit track 'Not Like Us,' a prominent diss track stemming from Lamar's feud with Drake.
Collaborating with his former labelmate SZA, Lamar showcases his artistry on tracks like 'Gloria' and 'Luther,' the latter incorporating sampled vocals from Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn's 'If This World Were Mine.' The album kicks off with 'Wacced Out Murals,' where Lamar raps about cruising in his Buick GNX while listening to Anita Baker.
Throughout the album, Lamar references interactions with fellow artists, including Snoop Dogg sharing Drake's AI-assisted 'Taylor Made Freestyle' diss track and Nas congratulating Lamar on headlining the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans. Lamar also expresses admiration for Lil Wayne, acknowledging the rapper's sentiments after missing out on a hometown headlining opportunity.
Having achieved significant success since his debut in 2012 with 'good kid, m.A.A.d city,' Lamar has amassed an impressive 17 Grammy wins and made history as the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize for his 2017 album 'DAMN.'
2023 has been a remarkable year for Lamar, highlighted by his collaboration on the chart-topping track 'Like That' with Future and Metro Boomin, which spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The rapper is currently nominated for seven Grammys, with 'Not Like Us' earning recognition in categories such as record and song of the year, rap song, music video, and best rap performance. Notably, Lamar has two entries in the best rap performance category, a first in his career, with 'Like That' also receiving a nomination for best rap song.
