Kendrick Lamar drops surprise album GNX, hints at Drake Feud and gears up for super bowl halftime show

Kendrick Lamar surprised fans with the release of his new album, GNX , on Friday. This is his first full-length project since 2022, and the low-key release, with little advance notice, adds to its allure. Just moments before the album dropped, Lamar shared a teaser for the title track, maintaining his reclusive approach to promotion. The album’s description on Apple Music is cryptic: "He asked us to 'watch the party die,' but only so he could resurrect it," suggesting deeper themes within the music. GNX features 12 tracks, combining Lamar’s intricate, fast-paced rhymes with a mix of genres. Superstar producer Jack Antonoff, who’s worked with artists like Taylor Swift, and regular collaborator Mustard helped shape the sound of the album. Guests include SZA, Dody6, and Sam Dew. The album leans heavily on sampling, blending hard rap with operatic vocals and retro R&B influences, giving it a textured, experimental sound. The cover art features Lamar leaning against a Buick GNX, a high-performance car, signaling themes of status and nostalgia. The album opens with "Wacced Out Murals," where Lamar raps, "Riding in my GNX with Anita Baker in the tank," a reference to the high-performance Buick. GNX arrives amid Lamar’s ongoing feud with Drake, which has simmered for years. Their rivalry became public in 2024 when Drake dropped two diss tracks targeting Lamar. This sparked a series of retaliatory tracks, including Lamar’s "Euphoria" and "6:16 in LA." Though the feud has calmed, it brought renewed attention to their rivalry, especially following Lamar’s recent chart-topping single, "Not Like Us." Notably, Not Like Us is absent from GNX , signaling it was a one-off diss track rather than part of a larger album. Track 10, "Heart pt. 6," is another possible nod to the tension between the two rappers. It mirrors Drake’s 2024 diss track, The Heart Part 6 , which was quickly removed after backlash from fans. Lamar is also set to headline the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans, adding even more excitement to his year. The GNX tracklist includes songs like "Squabble Up," "Luther," and "Gloria," continuing Lamar’s tradition of pushing musical boundaries and exploring personal and societal themes through his art.