Kendrick Lamar GNX

Kendrick Lamar, who’s surprise-dropped an entire album, GNX, ahead of his performance at the Apple Music-sponsored Super Bowl LIX halftime show. Photo Credit: Renell Medrano

Just “Like That,” against the backdrop of multiple rap beefs, Kendrick Lamar has surprise-dropped an album entitled GNX.

The Super Bowl LIX halftime show headliner released the 12-track project, produced by Jack Antonoff and featuring SZA and others, in its entirety this afternoon. As many already know, GNX (Lamar’s sixth album overall) arrives on the heels of 2024 diss tracks including but not limited to “Not Like Us.”

Pertaining specifically to a far-reaching feud with Drake, the latter track broke multiple streaming records upon debuting in May. In short, then, there are personal as well as commercial incentives to build on rap-world disputes and, at least here, prior releases that have garnered many streams.

Notably, GNX doesn’t solely take aim at Drake, who didn’t appear to have addressed the album on Instagram at the time of writing.

Once again as many know, longtime Packers fan Lil Wayne was snubbed from a Super Bowl LIX halftime show performance spot in his native New Orleans. Unsurprisingly, the slap in the face isn’t sitting right with the rap legend, who Lamar mentions by name on GNX’s opening track.

“Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud / Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down,” the relevant lyrics read, per Genius.

(Diehard supporters have already elaborated upon the meaning of all manner of GNX lyrics with detailed annotations on Genius.)

However, despite seeming Drake references in tracks like “Reincarnated” (which, unlike Drake’s AI-powered Tupac verse, actually samples the deceased artist), “Heart Pt. 6,” and “GNX,” the album doesn’t focus only on feuds.

Many, including a number of fans, are taking to social media to unpack these multifaceted details, though listeners would perhaps do better to infer the songs’ meaning on their own.

Bigger picture, early feedback about the work appears positive, and Spotify, the halftime show sponsor Apple Music, and others yet promptly moved to draw additional listeners to GNX.

Of course, if prior headliners’ post-halftime show commercial spikes are any indication, the album will garner even more plays after Lamar takes the stage in February.

This interest will presumably drive non-streaming results as well; physical editions of GNX don’t appear to be available at present, but Interscope is still pushing a $100 Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers hoodie and vinyl package, to name one of many purchase options.