Kendrick Lamar is known for his depth. Critics and the public uphold the 37-year-old musician as one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time. Every word in his songs is dissected to gain the littlest bit of meaning due to how much effort he puts into every song. Especially since his victory in the beef and subsequent “diss tracks” against the world’s most popular rapper, Drake, Lamar has had a street cred that few can match.
Since the final and most popular track from the beef, “Not Like Us,” was released, the question on everyone’s mind has been: “What will he do next?”
He dropped an album completely out of the blue with a raucous and totally different sound. GNX represents Kendrick’s home, South L.A., in its totality. In the first track, “Wacced Out Murals”, Kendrick reflects on the hate between gangs in L.A. and the hate he has developed for the music industry over a hauntingly minimalist beat. The song foreshadows the album’s main themes, which are the struggle between good and evil in Lamar’s hometown and his struggles with his position as the de facto leader of hip-hop culture.
The rest of the album follows suit, switching between those two ideas often flagged by the differing styles of the two main producers: major pop producer Jack Antonoff and LA legend Mustard. Songs like “Man at the Garden” and “Reincarnated” involve Antonoff’s complicated and ever-changing instrumentals, while Lamar waxes poetic about his difficulties with ego and legacy. The latter being an especially intricate song where in each verse Kendrick positions himself as a different musical artist struggling with sin. Eventually resolves this personal struggle on the song “Heart Part 6” where he explains his history with his former label Top Dawg Entertainment, his love for the members, and the reasons why he split from the label to form his own in PGlang.
On the other hand, the songs most clearly produced by Mustard are hype, west-coast influenced, and describe not only Kendrick’s love for his city but also the problems that lie within. On the track “Peakaboo,” Kendrick attacks rappers who he believes use “street” visuals as well as overplayed & underwritten bars without actually being a part of or even respecting the culture. On the other hand “TV Off” is a bop with a fun beat switch meant for a club setting but still has a deeper meaning about unnecessary splits in groups with similar lives and cares.
GNX is Kendrick’s most split album than ever before from inside and out. Not only is the album split in its sound, but peoples’ opinions are splintered on Lamar’s carefree stylings throughout the tracklist. For the average listener, it is a true love-it-or-hate-it album. I love it. GNX is a deserved Victory lap for Kendrick and contains all the best aspects of his artistry in a less intense and more fun format.
