The genre-defining rapper Kendrick Lamar has shock-dropped a new album that seems to represent a turning point in his career. 

The album, GNX, was released earlier today with no build up, advertisements or hints. 

That was the right choice for this Kendrick album, as it feels a lot less thematic and story driven than his previous albums. 

Not to play down the seriousness of the emotions and stories described by Kendrick on this record, but it seems to have less of a specific direction than his earlier work. Rather, he seems to just be reflecting on himself and also enjoying the fruits of the immense amount of labor he’s put into the industry. 

His reflective mood is seen in the song “Reincarnated,” where Kendrick delves into the duality of his role as a rapper and former gang affiliate. He also comes to terms with his father kicking him out of the house. Kendrick uses different voice pitches in the song, which is possibly symbolic of him battling with his conscience and trying to justify his actions. 

Another song that really stands out and seems like a true Kendrick piece is “Man at the Garden.” Kendrick defiantly repeats the phrase “I deserve it all” almost as a defense of the hard work he’s put in. Yet at times it sounds like he might be doubting himself.

Kendrick does still try to feed his more mainstream audience with the inclusion of the previously leaked and TikTok viral song “Squabble Up.” 

He also seems to work with a lot more hype and upbeat music as well as more aggressive production, with most of the album having a faster tempo and a much more percussion-filled beats. One of the best examples of this is the song “Gnx” in which Kendrick raps over a jerk beat or a drill beat, which utilizes very sped-up snares. 

Hearing him on such a modern sound will surely make waves with newer and more casual fans. Furthermore, the track is genuinely very good and refreshing for all layers of Kendrick’s fandom.