“It’s not enough-”
a lyric not only included in my favorite song off of Kendrick Lamar’s latest studio album “GNX,” but also the only thing in my mind after listening to it.
Kendrick Lamar makes a vehement statement in his latest studio album, “GNX,” following an intense summer of dropping rapid fire battle raps. With a variety of producers, most notably DJ Mustard (“Not Like Us”) and Jack Antonoff (known for his work with Taylor Swift), Lamar reflects on his life and his illustrious rap career. He personifies powerful ambition through his artistic style of West Coast hip-hop (a sound that is defined by laid-back, funky beats), taking pride in his work both sonically and lyrically.
Lamar is coming off one of the most successful periods for a rap artist in recent years following his over five month long rap beef with Canadian rapper, Drake. Throughout the ongoing verbal disagreements, the adversaries released several songs riddled with blatant allegations (including claims of pedophilia and abuse), many of which fueled the fire for heightened tensions between them. In a mic drop moment, Lamar effectively ended the feud with the release of the West Coast anthem “Not Like Us.”
In the music video for his 22-week Billboard Hot 100 topping #1, “Not Like Us,” Lamar included a 20-second teaser of new music that would later be revealed on his surprise drop album in the song “squabble up.” The preview quickly gained traction, garnering excitement for even more from Lamar. The wait wasn’t long, as Lamar decided to release “GNX” on Nov. 22, following the announcement of his headlining gig for Super Bowl 2025 halftime show.
After listening to the entire album (yes, in one sitting), Lamar beautifully portrayed his love for music and his songs demonstrated a different facet of himself that wasn’t present in previous releases. The first song off the album, “wacced out murals,” addressed the many controversies facing Lamar, including his mural literally getting “wacced out” (destroyed by vandalism) and Lil Wayne’s, one of his idols, reaction to his success. He proudly owns his throne as the best in the game, showcasing that it’s okay to take pride in his success, and tuning out the naysayers. Lamar continues to use this aggression in his next track “squabble up,” a G-funk (a subgenre of gangster rap) party track, where he explores both conflict and celebration. These two songs were perfect openings to this album because they not only were able to subtly address recent conflicts brought on by Lamar’s surplus of success, but he took advantage of the motivation to showcase his lyrical abilities.
The next tracks on the album, “man at the garden” and “hey now,” speak about his influence on the rap industry and highlights his work ethic as the secret to his success. In the former, he continuously raps “I deserve it all,” which explains Lamar’s belief that his sacrifices have led him to where he is. These songs hold deeply resonating messages about the importance of self-worth, something that is difficult to maintain in such an opinionated industry. I was less moved by a few tracks on the album, notably “gnx” (which ironically was the title track), which felt stiff compared to others on the album.
Two of my favorite tracks off the album were “luther” and “tv off,” which showcased Lamar’s versatility as an artist. Grammy-award winning R&B singer SZA, featured on “luther,” has great musical chemistry with Lamar. The lofty song perfectly blended stagnated gritty and melodic chords between the two that felt transcendent (a similar effect their previous collaboration, “All The Stars,” had on me). Contrastingly, “tv off” was a high energy rap track that incorporated metaphors about rising above toxic influences and focusing on a greater purpose–turning the TV off. The chorus asserts the message of that hate “[is] not enough” to prevent someone with passionate drive from becoming successful. Lamar’s complex storytelling and radio ready flow came together to create an immersive album.
Lamar is a master of creating captivating, memorable art that speaks to the global listener by tapping into themes that are relatable and universal. One of the songs I felt had this impact the most was “reincarnated.” Beginning with Spanish poem and later sampling Tupac’s “Made N******” (unlike Drake’s AI generated feature), the song resurrected West Coast flavor while highlighting the theme of reincarnation. One of the most powerful verses of “GNX” is when Lamar raps, “Every individual is only a version of you. How can they forgive when there’s no forgiveness in your heart?” This idea was one so beautifully questioned that it added a greater depth behind the true meanings of Lamar’s songs and why he was evoking them.
In his fifth studio album, Lamar has successfully painted a vivid picture of the power of pride without hubris beautifully showcasing his prolific form of storytelling. When tickets to his Grand National stadium tour, announced Dec. 3, went on sale, I immediately got tickets because I knew it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity. I truly encourage anyone, especially those seeking a hip hop album that wants to inspire and empower, to give this album a listen, something I will surely do again.
