We waited years after, "Damn," for, "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers." There was a whole build-up and everything for, "Morale," and it was a great album but not an especially commercial/radio-friendly work. Then, on Friday, Kendrick dropped with little warning an entire album. 12 songs, 44-ish minutes. The LP is titled, "GNX." It is good and I do mean really good. It isn't as soul-searching or dedicated to digging into generational trauma as, "Morale," was, but it goes hard and has some definite fire tracks.
Kendrick basically obliterated Drake with some hit singles during their feud, so he avoids beating a dead horse on, "GNX," but still has plenty of statements to make about other rappers, society, and the way the World is. On the banger of an opening track, "Wacced Out Murals," he discusses how Lil' Wayne having an angry reaction to Kendrick headlining the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show upset him (and he makes his displeasure with multiple other folks for various reasons apparent too). The Luther Vandross sampling, "Luther," is superb with SZA's contributions to the track being a treat. I also dug, "TV Off," and, "Heart Pt. 6," has some vulnerability and emotion in case you thought Mr. Lamar only spat harsh bars now since his notable squabbles--"Squabble Up," being another fun track, speaking of the term.
I wasn't expecting to spend my weekend engrossed in a whole new album by Kendrick Lamar, but when a lovely surprise such as this happens you've got to take advantage of the opportunity to listen to a genius at work. "GNX," is superb even if it is not quite as amazing as, "DAMN," which I consider Lamar's best work. This ties for second place with, "To Pimp a Butterfly," perhaps. That said, something being considered the second-best thing Kendrick Lamar has put out in his lifetime of work means it is better than 99% of anything else that will be released this year, so yeah, "GNX," is a treat!
5 out of 5 stars.
There are much worse ways to spend a weekend than with a genius!
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