Kendrick Lamar

Now that Drake and Kanye West have released their respective new albums, it can be argued that Kendrick Lamar’s upcoming fifth project is rap’s most anticipated of 2021. Excitement in the upcoming project spiked after he announced last month that the full-length effort would be his last with TDE, a label he’s called home since 2005. Anticipation increased again after he and his team seemed to register multiple songs with ASCAP (The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), an organization that protects artist’s musical copyrights.

The titles for some of the new uploads go as followed: “Before The Hangman’s Noose,” “Director,” “Believe,” “Blow Ya Mind,” Feel For You,” “End of the Line,” “Erika Kane,” “Driving Down The Darkness,” “Lesson Learned,” “Living My Life,” and “Hood Love.” It’s unknown when the tracks were uploaded.

In the statement about his departure from TDE, Kendrick gave us a glimpse into his headspace as he puts the finishing touches on his fifth album. “I spend most of my days with fleeting thoughts,” he wrote. “Writing. Listening. And collecting old Beach cruisers. The morning rides keep me on a hill of silence. I go months without a phone. Love, loss, and grief have disturbed my comfort zone, but the glimmers of God speak through my music and family.”

He added, “While the world around me evolves, I reflect on what matters the most. The life in which my words will land next.”

You can view screenshots of the songs that were uploaded to ASCAP above and read some reactions to them from fans below.