Kendrick Lamar has a habit of making history in the most eclectic ways.
Whether it’s documenting living amidst mass violence (good boy, maad city), or celebrating and mourning the African-American experience over jazz-infused beats (to pimp a butterfly), Lamar’s music is on the charts, in your mind, and in conversations. Their albums have spawned songs sung during “Black Lives Matter” protests, and have cemented their place in the pantheon of instant classics.
His third outing,’Shame.’, sent him to number one with his hit ‘Polite.‘, and also he received a Pulitzer Prize for music, which was unknown to rappers or even pop musicians. And once he was given the title of “genius” and “hip-hop messiah”, his follow-up, “Mister Morel and the Big Steppers”, saw him vehemently shy away from the glamor and responsibility that came with it (“I am not your savior / I find it just as difficult to love my neighbor”,
Mr Morel This was the last the world heard from Lamar for nearly two years before he decided to make history once again.
In 2024, he continued making music with Canadian pop-rap legend Drake. The feud turned ugly – accusations were made, family members were insulted – yet it was unifying in its polarity, an unforgettable moment in Western pop culture.
Who won this beef? Ask any kid who screamed with Lamar at a party”not like us“, a scathing invocation of some of Drake’s alleged tendencies (“Certified lover-boy? /Certified pedophile.”,
Beef produced tracks like “Excitement” ,“I hate the way you walk/I hate the way you talk/I hate the way you dress”), making it easy to conclude that the current stage of Lamar’s career is motivated by pure, unadulterated hatred.
Kendrick Lamar performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club on April 16, 2017 in Indio, California. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File) | Photo Credit: Amy Harris
Or so it would seem. When Lamar “dropped” his latest album by surprisegnx”, on a random Friday, listeners expected a continuation of this energy. But gnx This is not an extension of this Vijay Chakra. Rather, it is the heavy sigh after the obstacles, efforts and drive it took to reach the finish line.
opener, “graffiti wiped off,” one post is a stark reflection of Kendrick’s psyche—mr morale World. Mr Morel And gnx At their core, these are confrontational albums. The difference is that this confrontation now involves Lamar’s detractors (which now includes hip hop legends Lil Wayne and Snoop Dogg), cultural appropriators, and perhaps even skeptical listeners.
“I deserve all this,” he repeats.man in the garden”, diligently justifying this claim in every poem, a stark contrast to his prior efforts to humanize himself. And amidst the growing confidence and fruitless output, you find yourself almost believing this god-like self-projection.
And then you get hit with the centerpiece of the album,”reincarnated,
Each Lamar album devotes a track or two to story-heavy writing practice (see: “Sing about me, I’m dying of thirst”) which ultimately reveals more about Lamar than any of its subjects.
As he wanders lyrically through the lives of black musicians like John Lee Hooker and Dinah Washington, he finds his musical genius powerful – in its ability to both rise and fall. The song, which interestingly samples 2Pac’s “Made N****z”, narratively describes Kendrick talking to God, comparing himself and these musicians to fallen angels, and his gift for spreading light. The vow to use ends with eating.
The tracklist, in its lower-case brightness and crisp 44-minute runtime, contains more such riffs on the foreground; It reflects the love for his city, culture, people and craft that has always inspired Lamar’s music. Besides being an obvious love letter to your city, “Dodger Blue“, the record’s even more vengeful, potential hit (“Fight”, “Turn off the TV”, “Hey now“) are embellished with the bass-heavy bounce associated with Lamar’s hometown, Los Angeles. Other artists featured on the record are almost exclusively from the West Coast, and pitch in unforgettable verses (see: Hita J3 and Youngthreat on the title track).
Lamar’s roots have always had a place in his songs, but this is perhaps his first album in which they appear so strongly in the sound.
“Heart Pt.6” is another challenge to Lamar’s curated exterior, a tribute to his peers at his previous record label, Top Dawg Entertainment, and his love for them that still dictates his business decisions ( ““If they’re your family, treat it like that.”,
“Luther” and “Gloria”, which prominently features frequent collaborator SZA, are straightforward love songs. However, even amidst a juicy, passionate cut Luther, Lamar’s satire finds its way (“If the world were mine / I would lead your enemies to God / introduce them to that light / strike them harshly with that fire”).
gloria is a slow jam that highlights the ups and downs, the apportionment of blame, and the love that remains in his relationship – not with his fiancée and high school sweetheart Whitney Alford, but with his pen pal.
gnx, In its constant sonic movement, repeatedly touches the line between the man who titled himself “Pulitzer Kenny” and the human beneath it, who lives with the consequences of provoking love, hate and jealousy in millions. Is. Where their previous albums have explored themes of fear, protest, scrutiny and acceptance, gnx Runs on self-preservation.
GNX is streaming on major music platforms.
published – November 29, 2024 06:35 PM IST
