In the midst of the last day of school before Thanksgiving break, rap sensation Kendrick Lamar dropped a surprise album “GNX” on Nov. 22. With the album being his sixth studio piece, this collection does not disappoint.
Being an avid Kendrick fan, I have grown to admire his style of rap, especially with the mixes he utilizes in his music. His last studio album, “Mr. Morales & The Big Steppers”, debuted in 2022, and there are significantly more West Coast vibes elicited in his music this time around. The last time we heard from him, after his last studio album, was during his three song diss track spree: “Euphoria”, “meet the grahams” and “Not Like Us”.
Awakening the internet from his viral instagram post that Friday morning, five out of his twelve songs from the album – “squabble up”, “tv off” ,“luther” ,“wacced out murals,” and “hey now” – were in the Billboard’s Hot 100 Top 5 list in only a few hours — a status which only a few albums have achieved before.
Emotions were a take away from “GNX”. In the early verses of “wacced out murals”, he hinted at his more widespread anger about his dispute with individuals in the rap scene since the release of “Not Like Us”. Occasionally throughout the album, he also confronts personal struggles and reflects on societal commentary from an emotional standpoint. The collection of songs in Lamar’s album narrates a story of him putting into perspective of his hard-working culture to display his bravery towards being one of the best icons in the rap scene.
With this album, we listen to the Kendrick Lamar we are all used to — speaking out his mind to display the raw and unfiltered realm of hip hop culture which I find myself enjoying.
From the get-go to the end of this album, Lamar gifted his audience with songs that have playlist longevity. Although this album lacks variety in terms of music styles, it was directed towards the West Coast hip-hop rap listener, which I find myself a part of. Having been grasped by the rhetoric of the songs in “GNX”, this album deserves great applause.
OVERALL RATING: 9/10
FAVORITE SONGS:
– “luther ft. SZA”
– “gloria ft. SZA”
– “tv off ft. Lefty Gunplay”
– “man at the garden”
– “reincarnated”
