Kendrick Lamar surprised his fans on Nov. 22 with his album “GNX,” and fans were not disappointed: With “Luther” standing at number three on the Top 50 on Spotify and “tv off” at seven, it’s clear that the album has gained significant popularity since its release.
“GNX” houses 12 tracks featuring a total of nine different artists. The album explores Lamar’s view on the black perspective in an unjust world and dives into lived trauma that can only be endured by those of color. There’s Lamar’s usual use of craft and intellect, but there is also a great deal of emotion and passion in his lyrics. “GNX” differs significantly from Lamar’s two most recent albums before it, “DAMN.” and “Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers.” Compared to his previous works, there’s a much less relaxed tone to his work in “GNX,” exploring new ways to express his feelings about African American-struggle.
The album has some hits and some misses: For those who like Lamar’s more traditional style, “luther”, “man at the garden”, “heart pt. 6” and “gloria (with sza)” may be your favorite tracks from the album. These are my favorite of the album because they maintain Lamar’s slower rhythm and softer tone. If you’ve been into Lamar’s newly released music like “Not Like Us” and/or “Euphoria”, your favorite tracks may veer more toward “squabble up” or “tv off”.
Lamar maintains his lyrical genius status on this album, unafraid to create controversy. Lamar takes a small jab at Lil Wayne in his song “wacced out murrals:” “Used to bump that Carter III, I held my rollie chain proud/Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down”. These lines allude to Kendrick’s future headline at the 2025 Super Bowl over Wayne, disappointed that he wasn’t able to headline it himself in his hometown. On “hey now”, Lamar makes a callback to his feud with popular hip hop/rap artist Drake: “The Black Noah, I just strangled me a goat”. Again in “peekaboo”, feature AzChike alludes to Drake’s “Her Loss” released in 2022: “Heard what happened to your mans, not sorry for your loss”.
“GNX” seems like a victory lap following his 2024 feud with Drake rather than an attempt at a groundbreaking album. With this, some fans were left disappointed: they expected more from a surprise album by a renowned artist like Kendrick Lamar. Fans, though—who have been listening before his rise in popularity—appreciate the craft and message in “GNX”. Even with its low Pitchfork rating, the album continues to climb on Spotify, securing second on the Top Albums USA and sixth on Top Albums Global.
While tracks from “GNX” may not appear much on my playlist, its lyricism did not disappoint. It’s interesting to see an artist I’ve listened to for over a decade make such an abrupt change in style from one album to the next. On June 10, Lamar will be in Detroit for his concert with SZA at Ford Field. Fans and Lil Wayne, though, may be able to watch Kendrick perform some of his new songs, before his tour, live during the 2025 Super Bowl in New Orleans.
