Kendrick Lamar surprised the entire hip-hop world on Friday when he decided to drop off a new album called GNX. Overall, this is being considered the hip-hop album of the year, and it has only been out for a couple of days. If one thing is for certain with this album, it is that Kendrick has united the West Coast. He featured numerous smaller West Coast artists on the project, and it has made for one of Kendrick's most unique listens to date.
In the past, Kendrick has gone heavy with the concepts for his albums. GKMC was about his life growing up in Compton. Meanwhile, TPAB was all about America and the racism it was founded on. Mr. Morale was one huge therapy session. However, GNX is not burdened by a grandiose concept. Instead, it is Kendrick having a whole lot of fun. A great example of this is the song "Peekaboo" with AzChike. The song contains skeletal yet bouncy production in which Kendrick sounds as menacing as ever. On numerous occasions, he and AzChike trade bars and it makes for an amazing balancing act.
Ultimately, "Peekaboo" serves as an example of the type of creative space Kendrick is in right now. He wants to have fun but he also wants to embrace the boogeyman nickname that has been given to him. GNX is a victory lap and we're not sure the lap is going to come to an end, anytime soon.
Kendrick Lamar x AzChike
Quotable Lyrics:
Double-park it all at Tam's, Mr. Get-Off-On-Your-Mans
If he hatin', disrespect, you better follow up with hands
Losses to the neck, but now I'm trophied up, I'm sayin', like
Bing-bop-boom-boom-boom-bop-bam
The type of shit I'm on, you wouldn't understand
The type of skits I'm on, you wouldn't understand
Big-dog business, I would not hold your hand