On March 22, 2024, Kendrick Lamar released a brand-new track. Collaborating with Metro Boomin and Future, he addresses the comments Drake made regarding Kendrick’s career and history, which had sparked tension between the two artists. As months passed, it became clear that Kendrick had emerged victorious in this public feud. Fans had eagerly awaited new music, hoping that the “King of Rap” would soon release more material. Six months later, Kendrick returned to bless his fans with new music. Surprisingly, this time, it was music created on his own terms—not in response to public hate or to expose anyone else. His latest album, GNX, was released on November 22, 2024. As of the writing of this article, the album has already garnered millions of streams in just four days, with its top song reaching 28,008,499 streams. This track features SZA, another major artist in the industry.
Upon delving into GNX, it becomes clear that the album differs from Kendrick’s usual style. The opening song begins with Spanish vocals, which transition into Kendrick’s rapping—something fresh and unexpected for him. The song alternates between these Spanish vocals and a salsa-infused beat, which allows Kendrick to flow seamlessly. In the more traditional sections of the track, the beat switches to a familiar rhythm, giving Kendrick space to deliver his signature lyrical flow. The song ends abruptly, leading directly into the next track, Squabble Up. The shift in mood between these two songs is immediately noticeable; the beat picks up speed, and Kendrick raps with an accelerated tempo, playfully adjusting his voice at the end of each line to highlight the “squabble” implied by the song’s title.
The second song continues in this energetic vein until the third track, which returns to a more laid-back vibe, reminiscent of the album’s opening moments. The vocals in the third song alternate between Kendrick and SZA, with the two artists playing off each other’s energy. Their contrasting musical styles and lyrical delivery complement each other, creating what is arguably the strongest track on the album so far.
The rest of the album follows a similar pattern: alternating between slower, introspective tracks with deeper lyrical meaning and more upbeat, high-energy songs that evoke a sense of freedom, as if driving down the highway without a care in the world. This alternating flow—calm to active—isn’t new for Kendrick; he employed a similar structure in his 2017 album DAMN.. Kendrick is known for weaving a narrative throughout his albums, inviting listeners to experience a larger story within the individual songs. For instance, DAMN. explored themes of a man striving to get closer to God to redeem himself from the corrupting influences of his life as a rapper. Interestingly, DAMN. also offered an interactive listening experience: if the album were played in reverse, Kendrick’s spiritual journey would move in the opposite direction, leading to his downfall and death.
Kendrick continues to incorporate these conceptual elements into his work, and while the full story behind GNX remains unclear, it seems to explore themes of how the world perceives him and how he sees himself—particularly in light of the recent beef with Drake.