KENDRICK LAMAR “GNX”

ARTIST

Kendrick Lamar

ALBUM TITLE

“GNX”

LABEL

Interscope

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With this album, Kendrick Lamar confirms his status as a contemporary rap icon, delivering what is arguably the year’s defining release in Black music. Dropped without warning on November 22, GNX showcases Lamar’s gift for introspection, storytelling, and his preference for sleek, minimalist production. Behind him are expert collaborators such as Sounwave (Mark Anthony Spears), Lamar’s long-time creative partner, and Jack Antonoff, best known for his work with Taylor Swift and other global stars.

The sonic palette is wide-ranging: 1990s G-funk resurfaces in tracks like Man at the Garden, Reincarnated, and Dodger Blue; R&B flows through Luther, the album’s hit single, dedicated to Luther Vandross and built around a sample of Vandross’s 1982 performance of If This World Were Mine by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, sung with Cheryl Lynn. Hyphy also makes its presence felt—a hyperactive, high-energy strain of Bay Area hip-hop.

Some critics have faulted GNX for lacking the unifying concept that marked To Pimp a Butterfly and other landmark works. I disagree. The absence of a strict concept—a formula that has defined Lamar’s career on the international stage—reshuffles expectations and helps make this one of his most accomplished records. His sixth studio album, and the first since parting ways with Top Dawg Entertainment and Aftermath, it both honors West Coast rap traditions and expands on them. Reincarnated is a direct tribute to Tupac, while also invoking the reincarnation of figures like John Lee Hooker and Billie Holiday. Across its lyrics, Lamar tackles everything from personal struggles to the role of technology in music and the mechanics of digital-age success. Conscious reflections stand alongside club anthems, underscoring his versatility.

Fresh off a widely publicized diss battle with Drake—one of hip-hop’s more unpleasant customs—Lamar emerges here sharper than ever, reaffirming his ability to remain both relevant and inventive. GNX is currently available only via streaming, with a vinyl edition slated for release on March 1. A CD version has not yet been confirmed.

—Nicola Gaeta

DISTRIBUTED BY

Universal

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