Kendrick Lamar released a surprise album on Nov. 22. Overall, this album has its highs and lows. The album is definitely not Kendrick Lamar’s best album, but at the same time, the standards for his music are a bit higher because of his past projects and his popularity. GNX shows a side of Lamar’s music in the sense that it has story essence in certain songs, but at the same time, in others, it is just Lamar having fun and enjoying rapping.
This album was fun to listen to. It had many great features and, overall, was a really solid addition to his portfolio. The features on this album were people like AzChike, Dody6, Hitta J3, Peysoh, Roddy Ricch, Siete7x, SZA, Wallie the Sensei, Lefty Gunplay, and YoungThreat.
SZA was the best feature as she had to feature and was a co-creator of both the songs “Luther,” and “Gloria.” In both of these songs, SZA did a great job on her part in the song and I don’t believe another person could have made these songs as good if they were featured as opposed to SZA. Her vocals in both songs were great and she delivered on both songs. “Gloria” is the best song on the album. The song was very well written and all the lyrics are very good. Everything in the song is consistent with one another from the beat to the vocals, to the pacing, everything.
Now with this all being said, it’s not a perfect album. There are definitely weak points in the album like songs such as “Dodger Blues,” “GNX,” and “Peekaboo.” The songs just were not as consistent with the other songs in the album and nothing really stood out in these songs. My least favorite songs in this album were “Dodger Blues,” and “TV off.”
“Dodger Blues” is the worst song on the album, as it is a way slower, more laid-back song, and it did not have any crazy beat drops or verses that really made the song sound all that great. Then “TV off” sounded too much like “Not Like Us” for my liking.
“My favorite song on the album was Gloria,” Wadsworth High School Junior Kellan Burk said. “I liked the flow of the song and SZA’s part was good for the song.”
Collin Ely, a sophomore at Wadsworth High School said his favorite song on the album was “Heart Part 6.”
“Lyrics are amazing with lots of meaning behind them; they tell a great story, and the beat is one of the best I have ever heard,” Ely said.
As a whole, the album has its ups and downs but it is a must listen to album. It is not for everyone but one thing that can be guaranteed with this album is people will enjoy listening to it.
