Kendrick Lamar

Everything We Know About Kendrick Lamar’s Next Album

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Kendrick Lamar album
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Ahead of Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, rumors were circling that he’d have some new music to share before the show. And while that didn’t end up being the case, there have definitely been some recent advancements that give us a clearer picture of when the highly-anticipated follow-up to DAMN. is coming. Here’s what we know so far about the new Kendrick Lamar album.

Everything We Know About Kendrick Lamar’s Next Album

Kendrick Lamar hasn’t put out an album since 2017, when DAMN. debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. In August of last year, the “Humble” rapper issued a statement on his oklama.com website indicating that his next album would be “my final TDE album” and that he was indeed in the process of producing it. Then in October, his Spotify avatar changed for the first time since 2017, when DAMN. came out and fans were chomping at the bit. Then in November, as he was wrapping up his set at the Day N Vegas music festival, Lamar said “Vegas till next time! And when I say next time I mean very soon.” The plot thickens…

During Super Bowl Week, radio host Ebro Darden and his Rap Life Review co-hosts read a report that new music from the Compton raper was coming before the big game. And while it didn’t, a week later, the Milano Summer Festival in Italy announced that Kendrick Lamar would be performing and that he “will play the pieces of the new album, long-awaited by the fans.” Surely Lamar and his camp approved of that message. And if you need any further proof, last September, eleven new ASCAP song registrations popped up crediting “Kendrick Lamar” as the songwriter.

Perhaps the album has been done since September and Kendrick has been biding his time leading up to a big summer splash? We’ll find out soon enough…

When Is Kendrick Lamar Releasing A New Album?

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Kendrick Lamar Austin City Limits
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Go ahead and file Kendrick Lamar’s next album as perhaps the most highly anticipated album in not just hip-hop, but in any genre of music right now. The last time Lamar put out an album was in 2017, when DAMN. debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 chart and went on to win a Pulitzer Prize for Music in addition to the Best Rap Album Grammy Award. The years since have been filled with rumor after rumor about the next Kendrick Lamar album, including a confirmation that his next release, will be his final album with the TDE Records label that he has been with since day one. And with each subsequent piece of information, we get closer to knowing when this long-awaited release is coming.

When Is Kendrick Lamar Releasing A New Album?

This past August, Kendrick Lamar posted a note on his oklama.com website, where he said: “As I produce my final TDE album, I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years.” This flared up the excitement for the new album, which was then fueled by Lamar’s Spotify avatar changing in October. It was the first time since the avatar changed in 2017 (the same year DAMN. came out. Coincidence?) Then at November’s Day N Vegas Festival, he closed his performance by saying to the crowd: “Vegas till next time! And when I say next time I mean very soon.”

When 2022 came, a new batch of rumors swirled, including that he’d be debuting new music before his Super Bowl Halftime Show performance. That proved to be an unsubstantiated report pushed forth by radio host Ebro Darden. But the latest Kendrick Lamar-related news is the juiciest: Italy’s Milano Summer Festival posted on their Instagram page (in Italian of course) that not only would Lamar be performing at the June 23rd fest, but that he “will play the pieces of the new album, long-awaited by the fans.” Now we’re talking.

Depending on how you look at this statement from the Italian festival, it’s likely that he performs there before the album comes out. Which would mean we’re looking at a summer release. This would keep Lamar eligible for 2023 Grammy consideration, as the cut-off date is typically the end of September.

Meanwhile, Lamar is currently breaking down To Pimp A Butterfly on Spotify’s The Big Hit Show podcast. While TDE’s Terrence “Punch” Henderson has shared that he feels like Lamar is “ready to build his own thing,” following his final TDE album.

TDE President, Punch, Speaks On Kendrick Lamar’s Impending Departure From Label: “It’s A Beautiful Thing To Watch”

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Punch on Kendrick Lamar: "Please remember that this is FAMILY"

Last August, Kendrick broke his nearly 3 years of silence with an Instagram post where he said that his next album would be last on TDE. Kendrick has not revealed any details on his upcoming project, only dropping a couple of collab tracks with cousin and frequent collaborator Baby Keem, and delivering an iconic Super Bowl Halftime Show performance.

Recently, the President of Top Dawg Entertainment, spoke on the upcoming departure from Kendrick with Mic, explaining how he believes K.Dot is “ready to build his own thing.”

“That’s a grown man right now,” Punch said. “We watched him grow from a teenager up into an established grown man, a businessman, and one of the greatest artists of all time. So how long do you actually be signed up under somebody? It’s been almost 20 years.”

He added that it’s time for Kendrick to “move on and try new things and venture out.” He also gave Kendrick his props for developing Baby Keem as an artist.

“It’s always been there, but now it’s just time and space where he can actually do it,” he said. “It’s a beautiful thing to watch because that’s something that started with what we built in the beginning. To see it blossom, it’s a full-circle moment.” 

While Punch did not disclose any updates regarding Lamar’s upcoming project, he said that Kendrick is on his own timeframe when it comes to making this album. He doesn’t need anybody in the studio with him anymore to coach him through the process and can do it all on his own.

“It’s different now just because it’s different, not because it’s his last project. It’s just the evolution of where we are. Kendrick doesn’t need anybody in the studio to coach him and help him make an album anymore. He’s well capable of doing everything on his own. It’s just the timeframe that we’re in.” 

The post TDE President, Punch, Speaks On Kendrick Lamar’s Impending Departure From Label: “It’s A Beautiful Thing To Watch” appeared first on The Source.

TDE’s Punch Says Kendrick Lamar Is ‘Ready To Build His Own Thing’ Ahead Of His Departure From The Label

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Last summer, Kendrick Lamar made a rare appearance on social media, where he delivered a shocking announcement: He revealed that his upcoming fifth album would be his last under Top Dawg Entertainment. “As I produce my final TDE album, I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years. The Struggles. The Success. And most importantly, the Brotherhood,” he wrote. “May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators.” During a recent interview with Mic, TDE’s president Terrence “Punch” Henderson spoke about Kendrick’s upcoming departure and what it means to him.

“I don’t even know if I would describe it that way as ready to leave, as more so ready to build his own thing,” Punch said. “That’s a grown man right now. We watched him grow from a teenager up into an established grown man, a businessman, and one of the greatest artists of all time. So how long do you actually be signed up under somebody? It’s been almost 20 years. So it’s time to move on and try new things and venture out.”

He continued, “He’s doing a great job developing Baby Keem. It’s always been there, but now it’s just time and space where he can actually do it. It’s a beautiful thing to watch because that’s something that started with what we built in the beginning. To see it blossom, it’s a full-circle moment.”

You can read Punch’s full interview with Mic, where he also discusses SZA, TDE as a whole, and more, here.