Kendrick Lamar has returned with all the electrifying energy of battle rap and once again left the entire hip hop scene in awe. He’s equipped with everything needed to be the hip hop icon of his generation. With his undeniable rap prowess, exceptional lyrics that blur the lines between reality and literature, eye for dreaming up and producing visionary songs, deep respect for the culture, sharp social consciousness, and combative spirit that lets him head into rap battles head-on, the media and his listeners have every reason in the world to fall for him.
Since first encountering Lamar’s music through his 2011 album Section.80, what’s left the deepest impression on me has been his attitude toward the legacy and culture left behind by earlier hip hop—one that has always made him stand in stark contrast to his contemporaries. He’s never dismissed the foundation built through the achievements of his predecessors, consistently showing respect and expressing it through his music directly. A prime example is the song “m.A.A.d city” off his 2012 album good kid, m.A.A.d city, for which he brought in OG MC Eiht and paid homage to the production techniques of G-funk.
What Lamar emphasizes in “Not Like Us”—the iconic diss song that tipped his battle with Drake decisively in his favor—is cultural identity. Today’s hip hop scene has seen the once strong link between race and genre loosen to some extent, with a flood of opinions that regard such cultural discourse as outdated. In such a climate, Lamar used his persuasive music and incredible rapping skills to place the spotlight back on hip hop culture and the sense of authenticity so closely associated with it. But does this mean that he’s stuck in the past? Absolutely not. His music carves out a unique space, leaning neither on mere nostalgia nor fleeting trends.
His latest album, the spontaneously released GNX, is another work that encapsulates the distinct world of Kendrick Lamar. It merges his deeply rooted hip hop philosophy with personal stories, presented in a powerful and creative way. Notably, the album builds on his reverence for the traditional West Coast hip hop sound while experimenting with ideas that are more modern, even futuristic. Collaborations with producers Sounwave and Jack Antonoff make for an even richer soundscape that blends elements like trap, ratchet, hyphy, G-funk, alternative hip hop, and mariachi, which results in an album that balances local identity with global appeal.
GNX emerges from the settling dust of the rap battle of a lifetime and marks a shift in hip hop’s power dynamics. As such, it’s among the best displays of Kendrick Lamar’s artistic and philosophical depth. He sets himself up as an antihero king, oscillating between harsh criticism of others and searing self-reflection from start to finish, and continuously revisiting the concept of identity within the cultural context of hip hop.
For instance, in “dodger blue,” Lamar makes references to high schools and communities in LA, showcasing his local roots while symbolically bridging the gap between generations through collaborations with Wallie the Sensei and Roddy Ricch. The overall contemporary production style featuring a G-funk bassline impressively blurs the lines between present and past. Equally exciting is the inclusion of mariachi vocals from Deyra Barrera, featured on three tracks including album opener “wacced out murals.” Barrera previously performed a tribute to late Dodgers legendary pitcher Fernando Valenzuela during Game 1 of the MLB World Series—a performance that captivated many with its mix of sorrow and intensity—and it was this emotional performance that led to her collaboration with Lamar. Her sorrowful, hauntingly beautiful vocals add a spiritual aura to GNX.
One very welcome track off the album is “heart pt. 6,” thanks to the sample it uses: “Use Your Heart,” the iconic 1996 single by SWV, one of the defining R&B groups of the 1990s. Faithfully preserving the original’s emotional depth and lush melody, it’s a nostalgic experience for anyone familiar with SWV’s music. But the true significance of “heart pt. 6” goes beyond the music itself. Lamar’s The Heart series has long been an essential aspect of his career, poetically capturing his state of being at the time of recording each new entry, but it was hijacked during his diss battle with Drake. The Canadian rapper released a diss track under the title “THE HEART PART 6,” cutting into the legacy of Lamar’s series. But with “heart pt. 6,” Lamar signaled his determination to take it back. His departure from using “The” in the title and the switch to all-lowercase letters seems to be an intentional move to avoid confusion with Drake’s song.
The album opens with the striking and symbolic “wacced out murals.” Here, Lamar transforms his personal anger over his defaced mural into a broader public message. It evokes the journey of a hero battling both real-world enemies and inner demons—in this way, his rap often feels like a historic epic poem. Lines like, “Before I take a truce, I’ll take ’em to Hell with me,” reflect a combination of unrestrained vengeance and overwhelming power, revealing in a moment the complex emotions brewing within him. In fact, the whole album is packed with tracks showcasing Lamar’s poetic lyricism at its best.
Don’t forget—Kendrick Lamar is the first rapper to win a Pulitzer Prize. Take, for instance, “reincarnated,” situated in the heart of the album. Here, Lamar explores past lives in the first and second verses, while in the final verse, he positions himself as Lucifer, dissecting the legacy of the past, the struggles of the present, and a vision for hip hop’s future. Though Lamar doesn’t explicitly name the reincarnated artists he references, the song allows us to make educated guesses. They seem to be John Lee Hooker, renowned for his groundbreaking style and blues/R&B guitar work in the 1940s, and Billie Holiday, one of jazz’s greatest vocalists. With its meticulously structured narrative, profoundly philosophical themes, and an emotionally charged delivery paying homage to 2Pac—including a sample of the late rapper’s classic track “Made Ni**az”—the song exemplifies Lamar’s status as an artist and the musical heights he has achieved with GNX.
After releasing his fifth studio album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, in 2022, Lamar parted ways with TDE, the label he was signed to for roughly 18 years. He then cofounded the independent creative communications company pgLang with his high school friend Dave Free, a filmmaker. For Lamar, working on an album without the support of TDE and Aftermath Entertainment for the first time must have brought its share of pressure and uncertainty, and yet, once again, the hip hop icon has created a masterpiece. With GNX, Lamar respects tradition while critiquing the superficiality and moral decay of today’s commercial landscape, striving to open doors to new possibilities. To be here to witness and experience the extraordinary work of such a groundbreaking rapper as it happens is nothing short of thrilling.
