A mutual friend of Kendrick Lamar and Playboi Carti's has just given both fanbases exactly what the want, but precisely what they don't need: hope. Moreover, after a fan proposed to Hitta that they should work together, he had the following to say: "Bet we can get this done when the time right most def." For those unaware, he's a longtime affiliate of both MCs, although this obviously isn't 100% confirmation that his word is gospel. Still, it does contribute to wildly hyped new album rumors concerning these creatives, which have followed Carti for four years and Kendrick for two.
Of course, in Kendrick Lamar's case, the hype for a new album looks very different thanks to his Drake battle and West Coast renaissance. For Playboi Carti, this might just be yet another attempt at a rollout, but it's easily his most complete yet since Whole Lotta Red dropped in 2020. IG-only singles, massive collaborations, rare media appearances, and more keep fans foaming at the mouth with every new minuscule detail. All we can hope for concerning this Hitta update is that, if they ever do cross over, they execute it creatively, purposefully, and in an excitingly fresh way.
Will Kendrick Lamar & Playboi Carti Collaborate One Day?
After all, both Kendrick Lamar and Playboi Carti are great artists with wildly different skill sets, albeit with some similarities here and there. Just think of K.Dot's vocal dynamism on any number of cuts from TPAB, Mr. Morale, etc. The wild energy that Carti brings to the table on Die Lit and other projects (as well as his psychedelic croons and wails) aren't that far off. Maybe these artists are losing their window to drop as fans grow more impatient, disillusioned, and disinterested. But a collab would certainly change that conversation, especially since the Atlanta rage icon was just removed from a recent Drake collab...
Meanwhile, Playboi Carti recently debuted new material with The Weeknd, and the Kendrick Lamar rumors still run rampant. We don't know what a collab would really sound like or if it would even work in the first place. But both rappers have the creativity and artistic drive necessary to build bridges and make magic with like-minded individuals. If they can connect and land on any sort of common ground, the results could be a generational torch-passing from one vocal chameleon to another. Or just a straight-up banger; either is fine.