Back in 2017, Kendrick Lamar remarked on his track "The Heart Part 4" that there's "a difference between accomplishments and astonishments." To no one's surprise, one of the greatest artists of the past fifteen years continues to do both. Moreover, the Compton MC's 2022 album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers has spent a full year on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Chart Data reported the accolade and specified that the project currently sits at No. 110. Interestingly enough, his previous LP (2017's DAMN.) is currently at No. 41.
Of course, such an achievement is expected from a body of work that has garnered such widespread and agreed-upon acclaim amid hip-hop heads, casual listeners, and the wider pop culture sphere. Kendrick Lamar's latest full-length work won Best Rap Album at the 2023 Grammys, and provoked deep conversations around its themes. Across its nineteen tracks, the former TDE artist delves into spirituality, family, generational trauma, talent, responsibility, social change, and much more. In fact, it's quite the feat to have such a dense album contain as many accessible bangers as it does emotive breathers.
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Kendrick Lamar's Chart Longevity
Still, that's Kung Fu Kenny for you, who continued his streak of record-breaking and awe-inspiring moves. For example, his tour for the project, supported by Baby Keef and Tanna Leone, became the highest-grossing headlining trek by a rapper in history. With that milestone, he surpassed the likes of Kanye West, Drake, Lil Wayne, Travis Scott, and many other insane concert series. Especially these days, it can seem tough to find artists in the game who break artistic ground as much as they break commercial records. But those talented MCs are always there, and Kendrick Lamar is currently leading the charge.
However, rap fans are also excited to see who will reach similar heights of crossover appeal and creative amazement. That's not to say that they've become less hungry for new offerings from the 35-year-old, not by a long shot. His leaks garner a lot of attention online, whether for the potential displays or by their quality as they stand. For at least ten years, he's been at the top of the game, and it's been crazy to see him hold onto that spot no matter how long he takes to drop. For more updates and the latest news on Kendrick Lamar, log back into HNHH.