Kendrick Lamar surprised the rap world when he delivered his GNX album last week (Nov. 22). Dot’s sixth LP is a shimmering 12 tracks filled with commercial appeal alongside egotistical, haterade-filled raps over glossy production from a collective that includes Mustard, Sounwave and Jack Antonoff to name a few.
The project also feels very connected to Los Angeles — like Kendrick had a point to prove he hasn’t forgotten about his Compton roots in the midst of his 2024 rap MVP campaign.
When Dot and Drake were entrenched in battle earlier this year, it was a popular knock used by the OVO faithful to ding Lamar about his alleged lack of allegiance to putting on younger artists from the West Coast.
Kendrick appeared to keep that in mind when crafting his latest offering, which enlists a versatile crew of underground rap talents that call California home ranging from AzChike to Dody 6 and Lefty Gunplay.
Tracks like “Dodger Blue” find Lamar shouting out local L.A. high schools and repping his Cali ties. “What school you went to? Gardena, Compton/ Westchester, King/Drew, then we function,” he raps. “Don’t say you hate L.A. when you don’t travel past the 10.”
He even sampled 2Pac’s “Made N—az” for “Reincarnated” where he delivers a brash flow and husky vocals seemingly following in the footsteps of Makaveli.
GNX is another blockbuster for Lamar, who is expected to notch another No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 next week.
Learn more about each burgeoning West Coast rapper to make a cameo on GNX below.