Kendrick Lamar's Nov. 22 release of his album "GNX" was a welcome surprise to music and hip-hop fans worldwide. Though the LP doesn't compete with former Lamar classics, it executes exactly what it intends — and may open the door for another nearing release as well.
In 12 songs over 44 minutes, "GNX" gets straight to the point. Lamar is not burdening himself with some high concept or struggles with self and society — as he's said before, "he is not your savior."
Instead, like on past collaborations like "The Hillbillies" or "range brothers" with Baby Keem, Lamar lets loose on a number of tracks. Though Keem himself isn't seen on "GNX," his influence and style can be observed on the project.
Lamar can be heard boisterously jumping around, both lyrically and musically, on tracks like "hey now," "tv off" and "peekaboo". "Tv off" is becoming an instant hit because of Lamar's infectious energy. Despite the November release, these feel like summer songs — they're fun above all else.
And they, along with the bright and bouncy "dodger blue" and the titular "gnx" showcase the album's central theme. Lamar takes his victory lap ahead of his 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, but all with the purpose of uplifting the next generation of LA hip-hop.
Lamar is known for his involvement in his community, but this project specifically takes a new angle on how his music impacts it. Artists like Hitta J3, YoungThreat and Siete7x all have under 100,000 monthly listeners on Spotify as of December 2024, but Lamar gives them an opener-like opportunity with prominent verses on huge songs.
"Letting everybody know that he's so definitively LA, and so definitively about his town, his city, his state was a big statement, because I think people were confused about where hip hop culture really was rooted in the last few years," said Pablo the Don, a music and culture critic with over 250,000 followers on TikTok.
Though this theme runs through the duration of the album, one of the best features on "GNX" is SZA. She and Lamar sing circles around each other on "luther" — which is one of the most infectiously catchy songs released in a while — and she also brings the hook on the album's closer, "gloria."
Lamar can't just have fun, though. He still expertly, and briefly, delves into his life and the legacy of his art on "heart pt. 6" and "reincarnated".
The former, graced with an angelic performance from the legendary SWV, is a classic Lamar storytelling track that documents his process before he blew up.
The latter is a complex narrative revolving around deceased artists, God, and how they might be Lamar's past lives. The layers and interpretations are many, but Kendrick's vocal and lyrical performance over a classic 2Pac sample further illustrate the Pulitzer-winner's generational talents.
"This album, he's kind of in that same room as Beyoncé, where now it's about how artistic can you really get with it?" Pablo said. "You're not here for the hits anymore. You're not here for the commercial success. He's not even here for really the critical success, because he has a Pulitzer, so it's really like whatever he's feeling."
Despite its highs, "GNX" isn't life-changing or genre-setting like much of Lamar's previous work. But the bar for Lamar is just that high. It's quality from top to bottom and has a little something for any kind of hip-hop listener.
And he might not be done, either.
The music video for "squabble up" has clued fans into thinking another album might be on the way soon. And if it's true, after the run Lamar has been on, and the consistency and stylistic diversity he's shown with "GNX," music fans of all types should be spinning it on day one.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Editor's note: The opinions presented in this review are the author's and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
Edited by Senna James, Sophia Ramirez and Natalia Jarrett.
Reach the reporter at adirst@asu.edu and follow @andrewdirst on X.
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Andrew is a junior studying journalism and mass communication. This is his third semester with The State Press. He has also worked at The Arizona Republic.
