Kendrick Lamar new album

The 34-year-old rapper is set to release his fifth studio album on Friday — his first release in half a decade. It's one of the most highly-anticipated ...

In 2018, Lamar acted as the executive producer for the “Black Panther” soundtrack, and appeared on half a dozen tracks. “The gloved hand on the right is taken from the infamous picture of O.J. Simpson in his 1995 murder trial, and the hand with a Band-Aid on it is Kobe’s after he won his fifth championship. The Struggles. The Success. And most importantly, the Brotherhood. May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators. “TPAB,” which won the Grammy for the Best Rap Album, is an incredibly ambitious and musically progressive album, one that incorporated elements of jazz, funk and electronic music. Last Sunday, Lamar dropped “The Heart Part 5” – the fifth instalment in a series of singles the rapper typically shares ahead of each new album release. For example, Kendrick takes 15 seconds to inhale and exhale in the middle of the song, which is the number of seconds required to check one’s heart rate. His fourth studio album, “DAMN,” was Lamar’s biggest commercial success. He also cuts the drums for Nipsey and Kobe, symbolizing the stoppage of a human heart beat.” It contained a blurry fax-like message, addressed “from the desk of oklama,” announcing Lamar’s forthcoming album would be released on May 13. In the song’s video — which opens with an esoteric statement: “I am. To the audience, we see what appears to be a gun, partially hidden in his pants. In the background is his fiancé Whitney Alford, cradling a newborn baby.

The cover features Lamar with a crown of thorns and a gun tucked in his waistband holding his two-year-old daughter and fiancée, Whitney Alford, nursing what we ...

A notoriously private individual, it probably shouldn't come as much of a surprise that Lamar wouldn't make a big public announcement about the arrival of his second kid. The cover features Lamar with a crown of thorns and a gun tucked in his waistband holding his two-year-old daughter and fiancée, Whitney Alford, nursing what we presume to be the couple's second child in the background. I don’t even like the term that society has put in the world as far as being a companion — she’s somebody I can tell my fears to.”

Kendrick Lamar appeared to confirm with his "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers" album cover that he and fiancée Whitney Alford have welcomed baby No. 2.

“I wouldn’t even call her my girl,” he said of the beautician at the time. The couple, who began dating in high school and confirmed their engagement in 2015, did not previously announce that they were expanding their family. The 34-year-old rapper seemingly confirmed in the cover art for his fifth release that he and his fiancée, Whitney Alford, secretly welcomed baby No. 2.

Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and J. Cole are the “Big 3” rappers of their class. Here's how they stacked up against each other in every year since 2010.

And for what it’s worth, “Duppy Freestyle” was a good diss track; it just couldn’t compete with the narratives around “The Story of Adidon.” J. Cole had a solid 2018 out of the big three, but even he had an unusual year. He did officially roll out the singles for “Wet Dreamz” and “No Role Modelz” with a video for the former (although they first arrived in 2014). Overall, he was quiet, making him the easy third place entrant for 2015. In January 2016, he called his shot with “Summer Sixteen,” before proceeding to actually run the summer with pop-friendly hits like “Hotline Bling,” “One Dance,” “Pop Style,” “Controlla,” and “Too Good.” Views might not top everyone’s “Best Drake Albums” lists, but it was an undeniable commercial smash, sitting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart for a mindblowing ten nonconsecutive weeks. It felt good to hear “i,” and Tupac on “Mortal Man.” The Rapsody-assisted “Complexion (A Zulu Love)” was an important reflection on colorism. His declaration as the “King of New York” infuriated other rappers, both young and veteran, and “Control” was both a cultural reset and a wake-up call to all other rappers in the game. After Meek accused Quentin Miller of giving Drake reference tracks, he shot back with the fatal two-piece of “Charged Up” and “Back to Back.” Then he dropped “Hotline Bling,” an undeniable earworm with a neon video that became one of rap’s first massive meme moments. To Drake’s credit, “0 to 100 / The Catch Up” and his feature on “Tuesday” generated momentum that eclipsed the buzz of other rapper’s entire projects in 2014. Cole also delivered an emotionally-charged performance of his new single “Be Free” on Letterman in 2014, around the time the nation was protesting the murder of Mike Brown. Kendrick and Drake didn’t take the year off, though, despite not releasing studio albums. He also appeared on major singles from other artists, like DJ Khaled’s “I’m On One” and Lil Wayne’s “She Will.” Ultimately, Drake was rewarded for his massive year when Take Care won a Grammy for Best Rap Album. J. Cole also had a strong year, as Cole World: The Sideline Story debuted at No. 1 and sold a little over 200,000 in its first week, aided by hits like “Lights Please,” “Can’t Get Enough,” and “Work Out.” In comparison to his peers, Kendrick Lamar was still on his ascent and had less of an impactful year, but he still released great music. Songs like “In the Morning” with Drake and “Before I’m Gone” marked him as a sharp storyteller with a clear lens of who he is and who he’s speaking to. It was full of classic tracks like “The Motto,” “Marvins Room,” and “Take Care,” but Drake didn’t stop there. The project was so cinematic it felt like a 2K redux to west coast classic movies like Boyz N The Hood and Menace To Society. Kendrick’s ability to imbue a concept album with strong singles like “Backseat Freestyle,” “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe,” and “Swimming Pools” marked him as the leader of the new school to many rap fans.

New music may not be the only thing Kendrick Lamar is welcoming into the world. The “Family Ties” rapper, 34, debuted album cover art on Instagram Wednesday ...

The new LP is a double album with nine songs on each half, and guests include Ghostface Killah, Portishead's Beth Gibbons, Sampha, Summer Walker, Baby Keem, and ...

Kendrick Lamar's first album in five years, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, is finally here. We recently included that song at #6 in our list of the best Kendrick Lamar guest verses. Stream Kendrick Lamar’s new album ‘Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers’

OK. It's here. It's time. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Let's do this. There was always going to be an incredible amount of hype for the first proper ...

The album is here. After all that, the anticipation is so breathless that we’ve almost suffocated. First there was the news last summer that this would be his last album for Top Dawg Entertainment. Then, more recently, the reveal of the eyebrow-raising title and release date. The world has not yet heard a note of music from Kendrick’s new project, but even the tiniest slivers of information have all served to stoke curiosity. It’s time. OK. It’s here.

Since his 2017 album, “DAMN.,” the California rapper has won seven Grammys and the Pulitzer Prize for music. “Mr. Morale,” his fifth LP, is expected to make ...

To some extent, those may also serve as clues for the next stage of Lamar’s career. Even after Lamar’s extended absence, “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” is expected to make a sizable opening-week splash on the Billboard albums chart. “DAMN.” was cited in 2018 as “a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life.” Lamar embraced the accolade, appearing in concert with a “Pulitzer Kenny” banner behind him. “Mr. Morale,” his fifth LP, is expected to make a big splash on the charts. The visual artist Lina Iris Viktor sued, saying her work was used without permission in the track’s video; the lawsuit was settled in late 2018. His 2017 album, “DAMN.,” won five Grammy Awards, though it lost album of the year to Bruno Mars’s “24K Magic.” (The rapper has 14 total Grammy wins.) Lamar, who grew up in Compton, Calif., and has made that area’s culture and struggles a central part of his music, also became the first rapper to receive the Pulitzer Prize for music.

Lamar's long-awaited follow-up to Damn., and his final album for TDE, has arrived at last.

Producer: Beach Noise, DJ Khalil, J.LBS, Sounwave Composer/Lyricist: Anthony Dixon, Dennis COles, J. Pounds, Jake Kosich, Johnny Kosich, Kendrick Lamar, Khalil Abdul-Rahman, M. Spears, Matthew Schaeffer, Sam Dew, Summer Walker Additional Producer: Beach Noise, J.LBS A&R: Brock Korsan, Kevin Rodriguex for pgLang A&R Coordinator: Juanita “Niya” morton for pgLang Assistant Mixer: Anthony Vilchis, Trey Station, Zach Pereyra Associated Performer: Ghostface Killah, Kendrick Lamar, Summer Walker Asst. Recording Engineer: Andrew Boyd, Evan Fulcher Engineer: David “Dos Dias” Bishop, Johnny Kosich Mastering Engineer: Michelle Mancini Mixer: Manny Marroquin Rap Vocalist: Ghostface Killah, Kendrick Lamar Recording Engineer: Jonathan Turner, Matt Schaeffer, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Raymond J Scavo III Studio Personnel: Andrew Boyd, Anthony Vilchis, David “Dos Dias” Bishop, Evan Fulcher, Jonathan Turner, Johnny Kosich, Manny Marroquin, Matt Schaeffer, Michelle Mancini, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Raymond J Scavo III, Trey Station, Zach Pereyra Producer: Beach Noise, Bekon, Dahi, Duval Timothy, Sounwave, Victor Ekpo Composer: D. Natche, Daniel Tannenbaum, Duval Timothy, Jake Kosich, Johnny Kosich, K. Jones, Kendrick Lamar, M. Spears, Matthew Schaeffer, Sampha Sisay, Victor Ekpo Lyricist: D. Natche, Daniel Tannenbaum, Duval Timothy, Jake Kosich, Johnny Kosich, K. Jones, Kendrick Lamar, M. Spears, Matthew Schaeffer, Sampha Sisay, Victor Ekpo Additional Producer: Duval Timothy, Victor Ekpo A&R: Brock Korsan, Kevin Rodriguez for pgLang A&R Coordinator: Juanita “Niya” Morton for pgLang Assistant Mixer: Anthony Vilchis, Trey Station, Zach Pereyra Associated Performer: Bekon, Dahi, Kendrick Lamar, Sampha, Sounwave Assistant Recording Engineer: Andrew Boyd, Brandon Wood, Kaushlesh “Gary” Purohit, Rob Bisel, Sedrick Moore II, Tristan Bott Bass: Bekon Drums: Sounwave Engineer: Charles Brown Jr., James Hunt, Johnathan Turner, Johnny Kosich, Matt Schaeffer Featured Artist: Sampha Keyboards: Bekon Mastering Engineer: Michelle Mancini Mixer: Manny Marroquin Narrator: Whitney Alford Programming: Dahi Rap Vocalist: Kendrick Lamar Studio Personnel: Andrew Boyd, Anthony Vilchis, Brandon Wood, Charles Ray Brown Jr., James Hunt, Johnathan Turner, Johnny Kosich, Kauslesh “Gary” Purohit, Manny Marroquin, Matt Schaeffer, Michelle Mancini, Rob Bisel, Sedrick Moore II, Trey Station, Tristan Bott, Zach Pereyra Vocalist: Sampha Producer: Dahi, Sounwave, franO Composer: A. Thomas, D Dennis, D. Natche, Frano Huette, G. Jackson, Kendrick Lamar, M. Hall, M. Spears, Sam Dew A&R: Brock Korsan, Kevin Rodriguex for pgLang A&R Coordinator: Juanita “Niya” morton for pgLang Assistant Mixer: Anthony Vilchis, Trey Station, Zach Pereyra Associated Performer: Dahi, Kendrick Lamar, Sam Dew, Sounwave, franO Assistant Recording Engineer: Andrew Boyd Background Vocalist: Sam Dew Bass: Dahi Drums: Sounwave Engineer: Johnathan Turner, Ray Charles Brown Jr. Keyboards: franO Mastering Engineer: Michelle Mancini Mixer: Manny Marroquin Percussion: Dahi Programming: Dahi, franO Rap Vocalist: Kendrick Lamar Studio Personnel: Andrew Boyd, Anthony Vilchis, Johnathan Turner, Manny Marroquin, Michelle Mancini, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Trey Station, Zach Pereyra Producer: J.LBS, Sounwave, Tae Beast Composer: Donte Lamar Perkins, J. Pounds, Kendrick Lamar, M. Spears, P. Darnell, Sam Dw, V. Crane Lyricist: Donte Lamar Perkins, J. Pounds, Kendrick Lamar, M. Spears, P. Darnell, Sam Dw, V. Crane Additional Producer: J.LBS A&R: Brock Korsan, Kevin Rodriguez for pgLang A&R Coordinator: Juanita “Niya” Morton for pgLang Assistant Mixer: Anthony Vilchis, Trey Station, Zach Pereyra Associated Performer: Kendrick Lamar Assistant Recording Engineer: Andrew Boyd Mastering Engineer: Michelle Mancini Mixer: Manny Marroquin Narrator: Bill K. Kapri Rap Vocalist: Kendrick Lamar Recording Engineer: Johnathan Turner, Matt Schaeffer, Ray Charles Brown Jr. Studio Personnel: Andrew Boyd, Andrew Vilchis, Johnathan Turner, Manny Marroquin, Matt Schaeffer, Michelle Mancini, Ray Charles Brown Jr., Trey Station, Zach Pereyra Producer: Beach Noise, Duval Timothy, J.LBS, OKLAMA, Sounwave, Tim Maxey Composer: Duval Timothy, J. Pounds, Jake Kosich, Johnny Kosich, Kendrick Lamar, M. Spears, Matt Schaeffer, Sam Drew, Tim Maxey Lyricist: Duval Timothy, J. Pounds, Jake Kosich, Johnny Kosich, Kendrick Lamar, M. Spears, Matt Schaeffer, Sam Drew, Tim Maxey Additional Producer: Beach Noise, Tim Maxey A&R: Brock Korsan, Kevin Rodriguez for pgLang A&R Coordinator: Juanita “Niya” Morton for pgLang Assistant Mixer: Anthony Vilchis, Trey Station, Zach Pereyra Associated Performer: Kendrick Lamar Assistant Recording Engineer: Andrew Boyd, Sedrick Moore II Engineer: Jonathan Turner, Johnny Kosich, Matt Schaeffer, Ray Charles Brown Jr. Mastering Engineer: Michelle Mancini Mixer: Manny Marroquin Narrator: Whitney Alford Rap Vocalist: Kendrick Lamar Studio Personnel: Andrew Boyd, Anthony Vilchis, Johnathan Turner, Johnny Kosich, Manny Marroquin, Matt Schaeffer, Michelle Mancini, Ray Charles Brown Jr., SEdrick Moore II, Trey Station, Zach Pereyra In the background, a woman sits on an unmade bed holding a baby. Historically, Lamar has shared these tracks as a prelude to a bigger project. Producer: Boi-1da, Hykeem Carter, Jahaan Sweet, Sounwave Composer: Hykeem Carter, Jahaan Akil Sweet, Kendrick Lamar, M. Spears, Matthew Samuels, Sam Drew Lyricist: Hykeem Carter, Jahaan Akil Sweet, Kendrick Lamar, M. Spears, Matthew Samuels, Sam Drew Additional Producer: Hykeem Carter A&R: Brock Korsan, Kevin Rodriguez for pgLang A&R Coordinator: Juanita “Niya” Morton for pgLang Assistant Mixer: Anthony Vilchis, Trey Station, Zach Pereyra Associated Performer: Kendrick Lamar Assistant Recording Engineer: Andrew Boyd, Sedrick Moore II Engineer: Matt Schaeffer Mixer: Manny Marroquin Rap Vocalist: Kendrick Lamar Studio Personnel: Andrew Boyd, Anthony Vilchis, Manny Marroquin, Matt Schaeffer, Sedrick Moore II, Trey Station, Zach Pereyra Two CDs were held on top of the book—one with “Morale” and the other with “Steppers,” each marked as a master copy. “I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years,” he wrote of Top Dawg Entertainment. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers follows his Pulitzer Prize–winning 2017 full-length Damn. At long last, Kendrick Lamar has released his new album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, his final album for Top Dawg Entertainment. Lamar officially announced the record last month with a link to his Oklama website, which revealed the LP title and release date. Listen to Kendrick Lamar’s new album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers below.