Kendrick Lamar released his sixth studio album on November 22, 2024, to the surprise of almost everyone, including me. I opened my phone to see an Instagram post from the Compton rapper showing an image of him leaning on a car. That car was the 1987 Buick Grand National GNX, which the album takes its name from. After listening to the album, listening again, and listening several more times, I believe I meditated on it long enough to give my review of Kendrick Lamar’s GNX.
California’s conscious hip-hop star started his new installment in his discography by referencing recent occurrences within the rap community, much of it stemming from his earlier beef with Drake in the first track “wacced out murals.” Kendrick speaks about Snoop Dogg posting one of Drake’s diss tracks earlier this year and seems regretful about recent tensions between himself and Lil Wayne over the SuperBowl. On the opening track, Kendrick Lamar does not stay shy. Another interesting element of the song, repeated in others throughout the project, is the inclusion of Deyra Barrera. Barrera, a Mexican Mariachi singer, met Kendrick Lamar in Los Angeles, which this album seems to pay tribute to. I really enjoyed this opening track because while other songs throughout the album may become bigger hits, like his previous albums, the introduction feels strong and memorable.
After the title track, Kendrick Lamar gave us two bangers that dominated charts and trends after the release of GNX. The songs “squabble up” and “luther” became two of the most recognizable and loved tracks from the album very quickly. In the case of “luther,” the inclusion of SZA, and samples from Luther Vandross’ rendition of “If This World Were Mine,” creates a soulful duet that became one of my favorite songs from this new album. I am a sucker for old soul music, so the Vandross sample in tandem with one of R&B’s greatest modern stars in SZA really made this song an earworm for me.
I also found myself enjoying songs like “hey now” and “dodger blue”. The beat on “hey now” intrigued me at first and later became one of my favorite elements from the project. The featured vocals and laid back musical elements of “dodger blue” made it clear to me that this song celebrates Los Angeles but also makes a perfect cruising song while you drive your car.
Overall, I enjoyed this album a lot. Kendrick gave us another strong addition to his catalog with this project, which I found very easy to listen to. I have kept GNX in the rotation since its release. While it does not surpass most of Kendrick Lamar’s other albums, it definitely has staying power. I rate Kendrick Lamar’s GNX a 8.5/10.
