Nottingham Guardian - Kendrick Lamar drops surprise new album

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Kendrick Lamar drops surprise new album
Kendrick Lamar drops surprise new album / Photo: Yuki IWAMURA - AFP/File

Kendrick Lamar drops surprise new album

Rap superstar Kendrick Lamar surprised fans on Friday with the unannounced release of a 12-track album.

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"GNX," the performer's sixth studio album, appeared on streaming services without fanfare at midday on the US East Coast (1700 GMT).

The offering from the 37-year-old comes at the end of a year that has seen his music fueled by a feud with Drake, a spat that produced some of the year's biggest hits.

One of them, Lamar's "Not Like Us," grabbed the top spot on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and garnered him a number of Grammy nominations for next year's gala.

"GNX" is the first album from Lamar since his mega-selling "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers" in 2022, which itself came after a five-year wait.

Friday's release is timely for an artist who will headline the Super Bowl halftime show in February, a coveted showcase that takes place in the middle of the NFL season finale, which is routinely watched by around a third of Americans.

R.Ryan--NG