We all woke up this morning expecting just a regular Friday, but we really should’ve woken up looking for the broccoli. Who knew that Kendrick Lamar was going to cap off a legendary 2024 with a brand new surprise album, GNX? No one – not even his label, apparently – so maybe we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves. Nevertheless, fans quickly moved past their shock and listened to the new project in full, and needless to say, there are a lot of strong reactions. The West Coast bounces on many of these songs, plus the fiery performances from K.Dot on the mic, had many thinking that this was one of his best rap showings ever.
However, others weren’t impressed by some of the softer moments on the album or felt that Kendrick Lamar was doing too much vocally to engage. Some were very appreciative of the more roots-driven and fundamental hip-hop production all over GNX, whereas others felt like these were just pop-centric jams that didn’t have any artistic value. With all that out of the way, though, the reception to this new album is an overall positive one. It’s Kendrick; how could it not get high praise when his quality standard is so high and consistent?
Elsewhere, some fans instead looked to the lyrical matter of Kendrick Lamar’s pen here, appreciating his boisterous energy and also his conceptual and narrative gifts. Others don’t really want to hear him yap about all this stuff, but his rapping is probably what’s getting the least amount of undue hate online right now, so that’s a small minority. Still, it’s only been a couple of hours since GNX came out, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There are ’90s albums that don’t get the classic conversations they deserve; let’s not let recency bias trip us out.
More Reactions
At the same time, the Drake beef means that there will always be a lot of negativity towards both him and Kendrick Lamar no matter what they do. In fact, it’s interesting to discern who’s really critical of GNX and who isn’t even trying to hide their OVO bias. The same goes for pgLang heads, but that’s a story for another time. Check out more reactions to this new album down below.
Christmas came a bit earlier this year as Kendrick Lamar returned with his sixth studio album, GNX. The 12-song album follows K. Dot’s unanimous victory against Drake earlier this year. Since then, we’ve been on high alert for the possibility of a new album. As the rumors persisted and the year came to a close, Kendrick Lamar is clearly eying another AOTY contender with the release of GNX.
After releasing a short one-minute snippet on his @jojoruski burner account, Kendrick Lamar’s GNX suddenly appeared on streaming services and it’s safe to say he’s coming for what’s his. What’s maybe less surprising is that it’s not necessarily overdone with features. You probably heard a few familiar voices on the project, such as former labelmate SZA and fellow L.A. rappers like AzChike, Lefty Gunplay, and more. GNX also boasts production credits from TDE’s in-house producer and Kendrick Lamar’s long-time collaborator Sounwave, as well as Jack Antonoff, Mustard, Kamasi Washington, and more. Check out the full credits below.
Producer: Craig Balmoris, Dahi, Jack Antonoff, M-Tech, Sounwave, Tyler, Mehlenbacher, franO Composer: Deyra Barrera, Kendrick Lamar Lyricist: Deyra Barrera, Kendrick LamarAdditional Producer: M-Tech Additional Vocals: Deyra Barrera Mastering Engineer: Ruairi O’Flaherty Mixer: Oli Jacobs Recording Engineer: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr. Studio Personnel: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Ruairi O’Flaherty
Producer: Bridgeway, Jack Antonoff, Kendrick Lamar, M-Tech, Sounwave Composer: Kendrick Lamar Lyricist: Kendrick Lamar Additional Producer: M-Tech Associated Performer: Ink, Sam DewBackground Vocalist: Ink, Sam Dew Mastering Engineer: Ruairi O’Flaherty Mixer: Oli Jacobs Recording Engineer: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr. Studio Personnel: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Ruari O’Flaherty
3. luther
Producers: Bridgeway, Jack Antonoff, Kamasi Washington, M-Tech, Rose Lilah, Sounwave Composer: Ink, Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Sam Dew Lyricist: Ink, Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Sam Dew Additional Vocals: Sam Dew Associated Performers: Caleb Vaughn Smith, Drew Forde, Geoff Gallegos, Giovanna Moraga, Kerenza Peacock, Luanne Homzy, Luke Maurer, Paul Cartwright, Sam Dew, Stephanie Yu Mastering Engineer: Ruairi O’Flaherty Mixer: Oli Jacobs Recording Engineer: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Tony Shepperd Strings: Caleb Vaughn Smith, Drew Forde, Geoff Gallegos, Giovanna Moraga, Kerenza Peacock, Luanne Homzy, Luke Maurer, Paul Cartwright, Stephanie Payne, Stephanie Yu Studio Personnel: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr.
Producer: Craig Balmoris, Jack Antonoff, M-Tech, Sounwave, Tyler Mehlenbacher Composer: Kendrick Lamar Lyricist: Kendrick LamarAdditional Producer: M-Tech Associated Performer: Sam Dew Background Vocalist: Sam Dew Mastering Engineer: Ruairi O’Flaherty Mixer: Oli Jacobs Recording Engineer: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr. Studio Personnel: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr. Ruari O’Flaherty
5. hey now
Producer: Jack Antonoff, Mustard, Sounwave Composer: Dody 6, Kendrick Lamar Lyricist: Dody 6, Kendrick Lamar Associated Performer: Sam Dew Background Vocalist: Sam Dew Mastering Engineer: Ruairi O’Flaherty Mixer: Oli Jacobs Recording Engineer: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr. Studio Personnel: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Ruairi O’Flaherty
Producer: Jack Antonoff, Kendrick Lamar, M-Tech, Noah Ehler, Sounwave Composer: Deyra Barrera, Kendrick Lamar Lyricist: Deyra Barrera, Kendrick Lamar Associated Performer: Sam Dew Background Vocalist: Sam Dew Mastering Engineer: Ruairi O’Flaherty Mixer: Oli Jacbons Recording Engineer: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Olu Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr. Studio Personnel: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown, Ruairi O’Flaherty
7. tv off
Producer: Jack Antonoff, Kamasi Washington, Mustard, Sean Momberger, Sounwave Composer: Kendrick Lamar Lyricist: Kendrick Lamar Additional Vocals: Lefty Gunplay Associated Performer: Amber Wyman, Chad Jackson, Evan Smith, Lefty Gunplay, Malik Taylor, Marta Joner, Miles Mosley, Paul Cartwright, Peter Jacobson, Reika Nakano, Rickey Washington, Ryan Porter, Sean Sonderegger, Serafin Aguilar, Tylana Renga, Yvette Devereaux, Zem Audu Baritone Sax: Evan Smith Bass: Miles Mosley Cello: Peter Jacobson Horn: Amber Wyman, Malik Taylor, Rickey Washington, Ryan Porter, Sean Sonderegger, Seragin Aguilar Mastering Engineer: Ruairi O’Flaherty Mixer: Oli Jacobs Recording Engineer: Evan Smith, Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Tony Austin, Zem Audu Studio Personnel: Evan Smith, Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Tay Charles Brown Jr., Ruairi O’Flaherty, Tony Austin, Zem Audu Tenor Saxophone: Evan Smith, Zem Audu Violin: Chad Jackson, Marta Honer, Paul Cartwright, Reika Nakano, Tylana Renga, Yvette Devereaux
8. dodger blue
Producer: Jack Antnoff, Soundwave, Tane Runo, Terrace Martin, Tim Maxey Composer: Kendrick Lamar, Sam Dew, Siete, Wallie The Seinsei Lyricist: Kendrick Lamar, Sam Dew, Siete, Wallie The Seinsei Additional Producer: Terrace Martin Additional Vocals: Ink, Roddy Ricch, Sam Dew Associated Performer: Ink, Roddy Ricch, Sam Dew Mastering Engineer: Ruairi O’Flaherty Mixer: Oli Jacobs Recording Engineer: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr. Studio Personnel: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Ruairi O’Flaherty
9. peekaboo
Producer: Bridgeway, Sean Mombnerger, Sounwave Composer: AzChike, Kendrick Lamar Lyricist: AzChike, Kendrick Lamar Mastering Engineer: Ruairi O’Flaherty Mixer: Oli Jacobs Recording Engineer: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr. Studio Personnel: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Ruairi O’Flaherty
10. heart pt. 6
Producer: Jack Antonoff, JuJu, M-Tech, Sounwave Composer: Kendrick Lamar Lyricist: Kendrick Lamar Additional Producer: JuJu, M-Tech Associated Performers: Bobby Hawk, Ink, Sam Dew Background Vocals: Ink, Sam Dew Mastering Engineer: Ruairi O’Flaherty Mixer: Oli Jacobs Recording Engineer: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr. Studio Personnel: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Ruairi O’Flaherty Violin: Bobby Hawk
Producer: Jack Antonoff, KENNY & BILLY, Rascal, Sounwave, Tim Maxey Composer: Hitta J3, Kendrick Lamar, Peysoh, Young Threat Lyricists: Hitta J3, Kendrick Lamar, Peysoh, Young Threat Additional Producer: Tim Maxey Mastering Engineer: Ruairi O’Flaherty Mixer: Oli Jacobs Recording Engineer: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr. Studio Personnel: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Ruairi O’Flaherty
12. gloria
Producer: Deats, Jack Antonoff, Sounwave Composer: Deyra Barrera, Ink, Kendrick Lamar, SZA Lyricist: Deyra Barerra, Ink, Kendrick Lamar, SZA Associated Performer: Bobby Hawk, Sam Dew Background Vocalist: Sam Dew Mastering Engineer: Ruairi O’Flaherty Mixer: Oli Jacobs Recording Engineer: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr. Studio Personnel: Jack Antonoff, Johnathan Turner, Laura Sisk, Oli Jacobs, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Ruairi O’Flaherty Violin: Bobby Hawk
Kendrick Lamar just shocked all of his fans and critics alike by dropping his new album GNX without warning. It’s been rumored that the project was on the way for some time, but everyone was caught off guard regardless. Now, listeners are busy dissecting the artist’s bars in search of any notable references. Of course, they’re paying especially close attention to any potential Drake shade, considering their viral and explosive feud this year.
Unsurprisingly, they’re also rubbing the whole situation in Drake’s face. Countless social media users are clowning the Toronto rapper on X, and arguing that this is yet another win for Kendrick. It remains to be seen how the project will perform overall, but for now, supporters are impressed.
“Unlike Drake, Kendrick Lamar did no promo, no ads, no nothing, and it’s still gone chart at number 1. GOAT SH*T,” one X user writes. “I love how Kendrick completely disregarded Drake naming his diss The Heart Part 6 and proceeded to drop his own song with the same name,” another says.
Several users are also sharing their predictions for Drake’s own next moves. Fans know he has a new project with PartyNextDoor on the way, which does not yet have an official release date. Earlier this month, PND took to Instagram to tease the album, revealing that it’d be getting finished once he completed his tour. “I have one more show on this tour,” he wrote at the time. “And then the album is getting finished.”
X Users Clown Drake In Response To Unexpected Kendrick Lamar Drop
Just this week, Drake also teased some new song lyrics. “I’m a cash money soldier like when Tune had the dreads at his shoulders,” he captioned a photo of himself on Instagram. “I passed up on offers you p**sies would have passed out over.” It remains unclear when fans can expect to hear the rest.
What a day: Out of nowhere, Kendrick Lamar just released GNX, a surprise new album. An immediate question some might have is:
What Is A GNX From Kendrick Lamar’s New Album?
The album title refers to a car: the 1987 Buick Grand National Regal GNX.
In a 2012 interview with Complex, Lamar explained that after he was born, he was driven home from the hospital in a Regal, saying, “My pops put me on to rap. When I was born, I came home from the hospital in an ’87 Buick Regal while my pops was bumping Big Daddy Kane. He would say, ‘This is Rakim. You get your whole style from Rakim!’ Or, ‘Go listen to Biz Markie!’ Sometimes I sit back and listen to hip-hop with him to see where my hip-hop roots come from.”
Earlier this year, Lamar showed off photos of a GNX he apparently acquired (as XXL notes), likely the same one that appears on the GNX album cover (below). On his finsta, he wrote, “aye life get real tricky. no matter where you at with it. i never pick and choose what stories to relate to. all of them is relative. like my momma say tho. different strokes for different folks. a good ol saying can snap you back into reality sometimes. but in the moment of confusion, the best thing you can do is find a gnx. make you realize the only thing that matters in life is that original paper work. that TL2 code. 1 of 547. yea i finally changed. its over with. dhz. my big cousin pat dogg smiling down. anybody wanna line it up. i’ll pull heem off the floor and flip yo sh*t.”
Kendrick Lamar’s GNX Album Cover Artwork
Dave Free
GNX is out now via pgLang/Interscope. Find more information here.
Kendrick Lamar shocked the world today, releasing his new album GNX without any advance warning. The album features the long-awaited release of “Squabble Up” and production from frequent Taylor Swift collaborator Jack Antonoff. However, it doesn’t list the guest artists, despite featuring some familiar voices like Kendrick’s former labelmate SZA. So, who are the features on Kendrick Lamar’s new album GNX?
The features include:
Regional Mexicano singer Deyra Barrera, and South Central/Compton rappers AzChike, Dody 6, Hitta J3, Siete, Wallie The Sensei, and Young Threat. Clearly, GNX is a hometown affair, with Kendrick sharing his spotlight with plenty of rising stars from Hub City. Many of the above names appeared during Kendrick’s Pop Out concert earlier this year, so it’s unsurprising to see him continuing to share his platform with the city.
The release of GNX caps an extremely successful 2024 for Kendrick, which unofficially kicked off with his industry-breaking feature verse on Future’s “Like That.” That song restarted Kendrick’s long-simmering feud with Drake, sparking a back-and-forth that culminated in Kendrick’s song “Not Like Us” becoming a massive hit and effectively putting Drake’s career in the dirt. K. Dot followed up his victory with the announcement of his upcoming performance at the Super Bowl, while “Not Like Us” and “Like That” were both nominated for Grammys.
Thanksgiving isn’t until week and Christmas is over a month away, but Kendrick Lamar just gave us a gift to be thankful for.
The “Not Like Us” rapper and Super Bowl Halftime Show performer dropped a new album, GNX, out of nowhere on Friday. It will take the weekend to fully absorb the album, Lamar’s first since 2022’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, but there’s one question on many people’s minds: where is Taylor Swift?
Is Taylor Swift On Kendrick Lamar’s New Album, GNX?
Earlier this week, producer DJ Snake claimed Swift and Lamar have teamed up for a new song. It would make sense: Swift enlisted Lamar for a remix of “Bad Blood,” and he once thanked her for “supporting not only my music but just the hip-hop culture. There’s really no gap. It’s music and it feels good.”
However, whether DJ Snake’s claim turns out to be true or false, we do know that Swift is not on GNX.
The only “Taylor” to be found is when Lamar references Drake’s “Taylor Made Freestyle” on “Wacced Out Murals” (“Snoop posted ‘Taylor Made,’ I prayed it was the edibles/ I couldn’t believe it, it was only right for me to let it go”). However, there is at least one connection to the “Fortnight” singer on GNX: much of the album is produced by Jack Antonoff, who also worked on 1989, Lover, Folklore, The Tortured Poets Department, etc.
GNX is out now via pgLang/Interscope. Find more information here.
Earlier today, Kendrick Lamar shocked the world by dropping his new album GNX with absolutely no notice. The release followed months of rumors that he had a new project on the way. So far, social media users aren’t disappointed. As reactions continue to roll in, listeners are taking note of any particularly interesting references. This includes a few on the opening track, “wacced out murals.”
In the second verse, Kendrick appears to call out Lil Wayne and others for their reaction to him securing a headlining slot at the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show. This was announced back in September and quickly sparked outrage among hip-hop fans and artists. Many felt as though the opportunity should have gone to Lil Wayne, a pioneer of the genre who’s from New Orleans, where the event will take place. Weezy himself even hopped online amid the backlash to address the apparent snub, admitting that he was hurt by it. “That hurt, it hurt a lot… I thought there was nothing better than that spot, on that stage, on that platform,” he said at the time.
It looks like Kendrick is feeling a bit slighted himself, however. In his song, he recalls supporting Lil Wayne and expresses disappointment that it’s not been reciprocated. “I used to bump Tha Carter 3, I held my Rollie chain proud / Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down,” he raps. “Got the Super Bowl and Nas the only one congratulate me, all these n***** agitated I’m just glad it’s on they faces.”
Lil Wayne isn’t the only one Kendrick calls out in the track, however. He also recalls Snoop Dogg posting Drake’s infamous AI diss, “Taylor Made Freestyle,” on his Instagram Story shortly after it was released. He seemed let down by that too, claiming that he couldn’t believe it and hoped it was just “the edibles.”
If other rappers are going to want to knock Kendrick Lamar off his pedestal, then they’re going to have to “squabble up.” While there are a ton of stellar tracks on his shocking sixth studio album, this one looks to have the most mainstream appeal. But don’t get it twisted, “squabble up” is mega banger with some great wordplay, slick flows, and some great personality. The chorus is going to be in everyone’s ears, maybe just as much as “Not Like Us.” In fact, it borrows some elements from that Drake diss record. “Thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk, baby rockin’ it,” sounds reminiscent of “Wop, wop, wop, wop, wop, Dot, f*** ’em up / Wop, wop, wop, wop, wop, I’ma do my stuff.”
Most will remember, but in case you forgot, “squabble up” was previewed a few months ago. Just before the “Not Like Us” visual got underway, Kendrick teased a little 20-second snippet. It previewed the entire intro of “squabble up,” and many were clamoring for him to drop the full recording. Well, it’s here now and didn’t disappoint in the slightest. The same can be said for the rest of the tracklist of GNX, which hit streaming platforms out of the blue just moments ago. See what K. Dot did with “squabble up” with the link below.
I got hits, I got bucks, I got new paper cuts I got friends, I got foes, but they all sitting ducks Hit his turf and get crackin’, double back like a deluxe Fifty deep, but it ain’t deep enough F*** a plea, there he go, beat him up Fallin’ from my money tree and it grow throughout the months
Rumors of a new Kendrick Lamar album have been swirling for some time. Now, the Compton-born hitmaker has finally delivered. He took fans by surprise by unleashing his new LP GNX today without notice, leaving social media users in shambles. Of course, listeners are already hard at work picking the project apart line by line. They were quick to point out an interesting reference in the first track, “wacced out murals.”
In it, he seemingly admits to being shocked that Snoop Dogg posted Drake’s “Taylor Made Freestyle” on his IG Story. The infamous diss used AI to replicate Snoop and 2Pac’s voices and diss Kendrick, a controversial move among fans. “Snoop posted ‘Taylor Made,’ I prayed it was the edibles/ I couldn’t believe it, it was only right for me to let it go,” Kendrick spits.
“Taylor Made Freestyle” was released back in April of this year. It was later pulled from DSPs after 2Pac’s estate threatened to sue Drake over it. The estate claimed they were “deeply dismayed and disappointed” that Drake replicated the late icon’s voice without permission. “Not only is the record a flagrant violation of Tupac’s publicity and the estate’s legal rights, it is also a blatant abuse of the legacy of one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time,” litigator for the estate Howard King said in a letter to Drake, according to Billboard.
Of course, this is far from the only moment of the song that fans are paying close attention to. Later on, Kendrick also calls out Lil Wayne for being outraged that he’s performing at the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show. “I used to bump Tha Carter 3, I held my Rollie chain proud / Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down,” he raps. “Got the Super Bowl and Nas the only one congratulate me, all these n***** agitated I’m just glad it’s on they faces.”
Kendrick Lamar might have really cemented himself as the hip-hop GOAT of 2024 with the surprise release of his new album GNX today (Friday, November 22). Of course, he already made one heck of a case for himself thanks to the Drake battle, but if this new project ends up being a hit, then it will really quell any doubts about this being his year. What’s more is that fans can’t believe that they already got the album so soon, as they usually have to wait a long time and endure a lengthy rollout for a new K.Dot project. But as you can see from the reactions on social media down below, fans have never been happier to experience a change of pace.
Sure, it’s not like Kendrick Lamar was back to back to back with all his new drops, but he certainly fed fans a lot more than they expected this year. Also, we just received an album trailer – that we didn’t even know was an album trailer – about 30 minutes before GNX actually came out, so fans didn’t even have time to process everything.
Overall, the surprise nature of this drop is something that we’re all still clearly reeling from, and certainly an exciting and impactful wind-down to 2024 as a whole. Kendrick Lamar’s 12 new tracks, 44 minutes in length, have a lot to get into, but we’ll try not to spoil much. It also comes at a curious time now that we’re months away from the Drake feud, since folks like Future and Metro Boomin are reminiscing on the whole thing. Also, now that the Super Bowl halftime show is right around the corner, K.Dot has some new material to create a spectacle with and a huge new hype boost.
Meanwhile, the Grammys are also right around the corner, and we have a feeling that Kendrick Lamar’s nominations won’t stop in 2025. This new project should definitely result in a couple of Grammys for just opening his mouth, and however well “Family Matters” ages doesn’t change the critical acclaim from pretty much every lane. In any case, check out more reactions to this surprise drop down below.
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(@mosthiphop) November 22, 2024
(@T2uso) November 22, 2024
