“GNX” is an album deeply rooted in Los Angeles Culture. “GNX”, Kendrick Lamar’s 6th studio album is a tribute to the culture that helped foster the career and the life that made Lamar. Some may also say that “GNX” is a bit of a power trip, Lamar patting himself on the back for having changed the landscape of the contemporary rap scene. Whatever “GNX” is, it’s unapologetically authentic in the way it pays respect to classic west coast rap, and ruthlessly attacks the “enemies” of Lamar and the larger rap industry.
Perhaps the best way to explain the explosive lyrics throughout the entire album, is to look at the beginning of the first track, “Wacced Out Murals.” In his second verse, Kendrick says “This is not for lyricists, I swear it’s not the sentiments. F*** a double entendre, I want y’all to feel this.”
Cyrus Lariz, ERHS Student and Kendrick Lamar aficionado says, ”The album itself doesn’t require any in-depth analysis, as Kendrick says that at the start of the album.”
Several songs carry that same energy and proud mentality throughout the 44-minute runtime. Tracks such as “Squabble Up”, “hey now”, “TV Off”, and “GNX” show Lamar’s self-awareness to his talent and potentially egotistical views of himself. Other songs, such as “Heart pt.6” and “Gloria” speak more towards the personal growth and development that Lamar has gone through in his career, reminiscing on where he’s been and what he had to go through to become the artist he is today.
Another thing done well throughout “GNX” is the unique lineup of features. LA artists make up the majority of the ensemble brought up for this album, including rap artist Roddy Rich and mariachi artist Deyra Barrera. The best feature on the entire album for most will have to go to R&B artist SZA. “Luther and Gloria” are great, largely in part due to the angelic vocals from SZA.
When asked about the features on the album, Lariz had to say, “Dody6 was by far the best feature for me,” adding, “his ego and lyricism go hand in hand with Kendrick on their track together [‘hey now’].”
At the end of the day, “GNX” is a reflection of the culture and career that made Kendrick Lamar the multifaceted artist that he is today. His unique production style, dark lyricism, and carefully curated list of features combine to make a brilliant rap album.