Kendrick Lamar’s GNX | A Review
K.Dot keeps his foothold on hip-hop with his surprise sixth studio album
Listen to GNX: Apple Music | Spotify
Here I was, minding my business on a chilly Friday morning. I had the day off from work and was heading to downtown Toronto to hang out when my X/Twitter feed started blowing up. Checking my phone for just a second and the message was clear: Kendrick Lamar just dropped an album. This was like the hip-hop equivalent of the second tower getting hit, immediately I checked my Apple Music to see if this was legit and low and behold, GNX was there in all its glory.
Save for a minute-long teaser posted to Kendrick’s YouTube, a mere 30 minutes before the album dropped, GNX had zero build-up. No rollout or months of edging fans (The Weeknd, A$AP Rocky, I’m looking at you). Even the record label had no knowledge of the album until that Friday morning.
It’s all a testament to Kendrick’s approach to music this year: Shock and Awe. Nearly 20 years in the industry, breaking record after record with acclaimed albums, and in the case of his 2024 Drake beef, one stellar diss track after the other. Lamar knows who he is and where he stands in the rap game. He knows when he moves, everybody stops.
In the aftermath of this year’s hip-hop soap opera that started with “Like That”, those involved are either starting their own podcasts (J.Cole), apologizing for what they said (Future and Metro Boomin), or still taking duck face selfies at 38 years old (Drake). Not Kendrick Lamar though, he keeps the timing he’s been on since March with GNX.
Like Thor in God of War: Ragnarok who revives a dead Kratos to continue the fight, Kendrick wakes the culture back up to deliver one final blow, the “Headshot for the year” as he put it in “Euphoria”. Which, oddly enough, GNX’s release date also coincides with another headshot that made the news over 60 years ago, coincidence?
Production-wise, this is West Coast hip-hop through and through. The synths and G-funk emphasis are strong. “squabble up” and “hey now” will have you c-walking all day. Kendrick even pays homage to Tupac by sampling his song “Made Niggaz” for “reincarnated”, interpolating the same piano melody and drums from ‘Pac’s track. Thanks to producers such as Sounwave, DJ Mustard, and Jack Antonoff of all people. They help Kendrick tap into his L.A. roots. Sonically speaking I found this more enjoyable compared to the messy nature of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.
We do get some instances of R&B sprinkled in with songs like “luther” and “gloria”. There’s some slow, almost synth-wave influences on “dodger blue”, arguably one of my favourite instrumentals on GNX. Other than that, the album fully engulfs you in it’s West Coast sound, which carries on to Kendrick’s delivery on each song. His rhyme scheme matches some Bay Area flows as heard on “peekaboo”, and his tone is quite controlled on the whole album. You can tell by his voice that he’s in his zone.
This also applies to the guest features on GNX. Save for former TDE labelmate SZA on “luther” and “gloria”, GNX showcases a handful of L.A. based rappers. It’s great that Kendrick allows them to get their recognition and hopefully up their following. rappers such as Dody6 and Lefty Gunplay shine on “hey now” and “tv off” respectively. Their inclusion just proves Kendrick’s commitment and love for his city and adds even more West Coast vibes to the album.
Lyrically, I and everybody else was so curious as to what Kendrick would address on GNX. It should go without saying that no, GNX is not an album full of Drake disses, although the thoughts and some sentiments do linger throughout. Kendrick uses the albums 12 tracks to address adversity, the industry and more importantly, himself.
“wacced out murals” sets the stage as Kendrick references being selected to perform at the 2025 Super Bowl, mentioning how disappointed he felt by his idols who didn’t congratulate him: (“Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud. Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down.”). Comparing himself to Katt Williams as he aims to speak the truth throughout GNX. He keeps it real and showcases his yearning for authenticity on “hey now”, and doubles down on this through “tv off”. Fighting for everybody to be on the same page as him and cutting them off if they’re not with him, even his own grandmother.
K.Dot’s introspective side shows up a few times on GNX. First with “man at the garden”, where Kendrick proclaims he “deserves it all” as he lists his accolades and accomplishments. The “garden” being a reference to biblical paradise, with Kendrick equating his successes as proof that he deserves his place in the garden. “reincarnated” sees Kendrick literally reincarnate himself as several past lives, rapping from their perspectives as he gets an understanding of their spirit. With the 3rd verse Kendrick raps from his own POV as God tells him he must learn to let go of his pride: (“How can they forgive when there’s no forgiveness in your heart?”).
The introspection carries over to “heart pt. 6”. Kendrick focuses on his early years when he signed to Top Dawg Entertainment, while giving his fellow Black Hippy members (Ab-Soul, ScHoolboy Q and Jay Rock) their flowers. Hearing him rap about their struggles coming up, and their determination to make this music thing work was incredibly eye opening. The kicker being Kendrick’s revelation as to why the much rumoured Black Hippy album/mixtape never saw the light of day: (“I jog my memory, knowin’ Black Hippy didn’t work ’cause of me. Creatively, I moved on with new concepts in reach.”). As a longtime fan of TDE and Black Hippy, this verse gave me some much needed closure.
Love permeates GNX here and there, the love for Kendrick’s wife is shown on “luther”, as he aims to create a world of peace and how her love keeps him going. Kendrick’s love for the rap game is the subject of the album’s closer “gloria”. Personifying the subject as a literal woman named “Gloria”. He talks about the times she was there for him, when she blocked him (read: Kendrick hitting writer’s block). He ends the song proclaiming that Gloria is his right hand, he’ll use her to write his saints and his sins as he puts it best: (“Ain’t no bitch like my bitch ’cause that bitch been my pen.”).
While I did enjoy GNX very much, it isn’t without some minor faults. That really only being the lack of variation in the production. I would’ve much preferred hearing more slower paced songs like “man in the garden” interspersed throughout the album. However, this is something incredibly minor and subjective, as the album’s overall energy makes up for this.
All in all, what can I say? This is yet another stellar album from Compton’s own Kendrick Lamar. A surprise release strategy just makes perfect sense for an artist of his caliber, and adds to the album’s in your face production and delivery. The strong West Coast influences are felt throughout, spreading into Kendrick and the guest artist’s performances. Meanwhile GNX sees K.Dot look at the world around and within him, using the 44 minute runtime to flex his penmanship and innate storytelling abilities.
For my final rating, I’m giving GNX a solid 9 out of 10. Personally, this was the shake up I think hip-hop needed at this point in 2024, following the aftermath of his and Drake’s public feud. GNX is going to have people talking and analyzing for months to come, as any Kendrick album does. Much like the Grand National its named after, GNX is a fast and furious project that will leave a lasting impression on you as time goes by.
Final Rating: 9/10
Favourite Tracks: wacced out murals, squabble up, man at the garden, hey now, reincarnated, tv off, dodger blue, heart pt. 6, gloria.
