“Kendrick Lamar could have hibernated for five years after dropping ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’, a record that will soon be mandatory listening in hip-hop’s vast syllabus. Instead, two years later, he’s spent 2024 far from keeping a low profile. In March, he responded to what seemed like an innocent shout-out from J. Cole on ‘First Person Shooter’ with a verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s ‘Lik”
“The Compton rapper’s masterful sixth LP is a surreal, hypnotizing, danceable trip through a hip-hop prophet’s own ego death and immediate, braggadocious, finessing renewal.”
“**Favorite tracks:** on the album, but it is a genuinely ballsy and unhinged effort that despite it being a little unpalatable, I still admire it. Then there's Gloria, the very grand and personal finisher for the record, where in so many words, to put it very simply, Basically, Kendrick essentially writes about his writing process, his pen, as it were, no line hits harder on this track than when h”
“Given the year Kendrick Lamar has had, a new album felt imminent. From starting his year with a show-stealing verse on Future's "Like That" and igniting his feud with Drake to the resulting success of "Not Like Us" to being announced as the next Super Bowl halftime performer, Lamar has been a force in hip-hop and popular culture for the entirety of 2024. On Friday, the always enigmatic artist pos”
“Burning down the industry with a reinvigorated competitive spirit”
“Appositely named after a vintage model car that’s dear to his heart, Kendrick Lamar’s sixth album would sound great with the top down and a back seat full of friends nodding in sync to this album’s taut Sounwave productions and bullish self-belief. Lamar ropes in just three famous pals – SZA, Kamasi Washington and, notably, ubiquitous pop producer Jack Antonoff – preferring to showcase new guest r”
“**💭 Thoughts:** There are some great samples, and the production is really strong overall. I think a few of the rapper features could’ve been better, but they don’t take much away from the album for me. My biggest issue is that most of the songs feel as if they don’t have a lot of replay value. It’s an important and well-executed statement, but I don’t see it reaching the same classic status as *To Pimp A Butterfly* or *good kid, m.A.A.d city*. Of course, only time will tell. **🎶 Tracklist Review** 1.) wacced out murals 🟢 2.) squabble up 🟢 3.) luther 🟢 4.) man at the garden 🔵🥈 5.) hey now 🔵 6.) reincarnated 🟡 7.) tv off 🔵 8.) dodger blue 9.) peekaboo 🔵🥉 10.) heart pt. 6 🔵🥇 11.) gnx 🟡 12.) gloria 🔵 ──────────────────── **🤔 Track Rating Scale** 🔵 Loved — Thoroughly enjoyed it and will revisit often. 🟢 Liked — Enjoyed it, but it’s not one I’d revisit often. 🟡 Mixed — Enjoyed it somewhat, but some aspects held it back for me; most likely won’t revisit. 🟠 Disliked — Didn’t enjoy it very much; won’t be revisiting. 🔴 Hated — Didn’t enjoy any part of it; no desire to revisit ever again. ⚪️ Interlude, etc. — Not rated as an actual song. ──────────────────── **🏅 Ranking Scale** 10 — Perfect 9 — Exceptional 8 — Great 7 — Good 6 — Decent 5 — Average 4 — Below Average 3 — Poor 2 — Bad 1 — Awful 0 — Unlistenable”
“Kendrick Lamar’s GNX is another testament to his undeniable talent and versatility as an artist. From the moment you hit play, you know you’re in for a ride. The album blends hard-hitting beats with introspective, thought-provoking lyrics that only Kendrick can deliver. Tracks like “Echoes of the Mind” and “In the Flames” show Kendrick at his lyrical best, where he’s not afraid to dive deep into themes of self-reflection, society, and his place in it all. The production is top-notch too, with a mix of experimental sounds and more traditional hip-hop beats that keep you engaged from start to finish. While there are some moments that feel a bit slower or less impactful than others, the album as a whole is a solid effort, proving once again that Kendrick is in a league of his own. GNX isn’t his most groundbreaking project, but it’s still a must-listen for any fan and a clear reminder of why he’s one of the best in the game.”
“Listen date: February 25, 2025 Yes, I listened because of his Super Bowl performance. I think it could have been better. I guess I had higher expectations, and i hoped it would sound a bit more cohesive(?). Instead, it kind of sounded messy at times. Some lyrics were overly repetitive and kind of annoying, but the album as a whole isn’t a disaster. i like the politically-conscious lyrics and the way he brings awareness to currently relevant issues. My favorite tracks were “Squabble Up”, “Luther”, and “Dodger Blue”. The latter two I hadn’t heard before, and I liked the first since before the Super Bowl. It was nice to hear more of his music and find myself liking some more of it. Slightly below average score, but not a failure by any means. I think he’s one of my favorite rappers.”
“Good album from Kendrick which strays away from seriousness and self reflection of his last release ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’. This album goes for a west coast style hits with the production mostly from DJ Mustard, heavily inspired by it as well. This still has songs with a lot of thought and depth to them such as ‘wacced out murals’ & ‘man at the garden’ which are great. Compared to the rest of Kendrick’s discography this doesn’t really hold up or match with them, but that’s not a bad thing considering the album you’re comparing ‘GNX’ to. Top songs are ‘wacced out murals’ ‘squabble up’ ‘luther’ ft SZA ‘reincarnated’ ‘peekaboo’ ft azchike ‘tv off’ ft lefty gunplay ‘man at the garden’”
“Really underwhelming project, definitely Kendrick's worst. I have no idea how this won a grammy when it's just incredibly messy and just a really poorly made album. It's got some aight songs tho.”
“great Kendrick project, just lackluster from his other work”
