Favorite albums of 2024: GNX
Entry #4
Kendrick Lamar had a hell of a year.
He dissed one of the biggest rappers of all time and proceeded to make half of the world refer to him as a pedophile for weeks on end. The beef became the center of attention for American media, eventually dying where every pop culture reference does: SNL.
He secured the Super Bowl halftime performance from Jay-Z, the NFL’s executive director for said show, with a cheeky promo video to go with it. Then, Kendrick surprise released his first album in two years. To some, “GNX” seems more like a victory lap for his successful year rather than a long-anticipated journey like previous albums. Kendrick has always had this reputation for being “deep” since he hit the mainstream, which is what happens whenever a Black rapper raps fast, mentions more than two topics in a song, and uses words with more than three syllables. I’m convinced some of Kendrick’s biggest fans don’t even know why they like him. They just think he’s deep.
Drake referred to his music as “trying to get the slaves free” during their ongoing beef, whatever that’s supposed to mean. I don’t get it because most Kendrick songs cover the following: gang culture, Compton, telling other rappers he’s better than them, dead friends, literally trying to become 2-Pac, loving his family and reciting stories from his daily life. Apparently if you do any of those things you’re trying to be Martin Luther King Jr. He’s even told us he doesn’t want the label or to be anyone’s hero. Plainly. If you ask me, Vince Staples and Kendrick Lamar rap about the same things but Kendrick gets all the “freedom fighter” clout because he dared to perform in chains a couple of times.
Anyway, GNX is still a victory lap in some ways. DJ Mustard, the other half of the massive single “Not Like Us,” is all over the album and its biggest track “tv off.” Still, constant collaborators like Sounwave, SZA and Kamasi Washington show up like usual to set the tone with LA-grown beats, vocals and horns. No Kendrick album is void of LA homages, since the beginning, but GNX turns it up to 11 with a plethora of lesser known LA artists like AzChike, Peysoh and Lefty Gunplay. The artists do their own thing, with Kendrick acting as a compliment to their style rather than trying to force them into his box. He even uses the off-beat flow LA is known for from artists like E-40 and Drakeo The Ruler. The result is an ode to the modern LA rap scene with punchy, short verses and that signature bounce that the region is known for.
In between, though, are direct references to the Drake beef, a comment on Lil Wayne acting like a baby about not getting the Super Bowl performance , his certainty in his craft and self (I deserve it ALL) and another “heart” track to replace the poorly crafted Drake track of the same name. It’s like Kendrick steps out of the party to address the obvious before heading back into tracks like “Peekaboo” and “Dodger Blue.” “Luther” is a beautiful track using a sample from its namesake’s legendary catalogue to wonderful effect as Kendrick subdues himself and lets SZA do her thing. The bars on this thing are clever (The Black Noah, I just strangled me a goat) and at times hilarious (I HATE A NIGGA HATING ON A NIGGA AND THEY BOTH BROKE) but still, to me, not exactly something I would call “slave” music unless I literally wasn’t listening and saw Kendrick as only a dark-skinned black guy who yells in funny voices.
GNX is solid, reminding me of the execution and fun that was had with the Black Panther soundtrack, which was also heavily LA influenced. I hope no one’s brain short circuits trying to find the “message” in this one.
Favorite tracks: squabble up, luther, tv off, dodger blue, peekaboo, heart part 6.