Kendrick Lamar's a strange beast, a rare sort of hip-hop artist that can be both intellectually stimulating while being a commercial juggernaut.
While it has been over three years since Kenny appeared on the Billboard charts, that's not due to a lack of effort. On the contrary -- there has actually been a scarcity of new Kendrick Lamar music, dating back to his 2017 studio album DAMN. Luckily, all signs point to his triumphant return. Not only did he confirm that his final TDE album was on the way, but that a wave of new flows are en route.
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Though we don't know when Kendrick's album will be arriving, he already has some momentum in his favor. Thanks to a scene-stealing appearance on Baby Keem's The Melodic Blue single "Family Ties," Kendrick Lamar has returned to the Billboard charts in the eighteenth position. According to HipHopDX, the placement marks Keem's first top 40 hit and Kendrick's highest-charting Hot 100 track since Lil Wayne's "Mona Lisa" in 2018.
It will certainly be interesting to see how the success of "Family Ties" translates into direct sales for Keem's upcoming Melodic Blue project, but one thing is certain. The people want new Kendrick Lamar, and it wouldn't be surprising if his comeback album emerges as the biggest rap album of the year.
In the meantime, look for Baby Keem's The Melodic Blue to land on Friday. You can check out the full tracklist right here.