Kendrick Lamar releases new album, ‘GNX,’ capping a year of wins
In 2024, Kendrick Lamar has put together one of the biggest years of his career: He was the undisputed winner of the highest-profile rap beef in years; he’s had a hit near the top of the pop charts for six months; he’s nominated for more than half a dozen Grammys, including song and record of the year; he’ll headline the halftime show at next year’s Super Bowl. All of this without releasing an album. At least until today.
At noon Eastern Time on Friday, Lamar dropped his sixth studio album, GNX. He did it without sharing a hint of its existence — no advance singles or videos or cryptic social media posts. (Not that it stopped fans from speculating.) GNX is Kendrick’s first full-length release since 2022’s Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers. The 12-track album features performances from mariachi singer Deyra Barrera, SZA and Dody6; producers include Jack Antonoff, Sounwave and Kamasi Washington.
Even before this surprise drop, Lamar was already on a roll.
In May, he capped his ferocious back-and-forth with rival Drake with the diss track “Not Like Us,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart twice — the week of its release as well as later, in July, when its video came out — and earned him several nods from the Recording Academy. On June 19, he hosted The Pop Up – Ken & Friends, a concert at the Forum in Los Angeles that was live-streamed by Amazon Music and featured cameos from some of the West Coast’s biggest rappers, from Roddy Ricch to Tyler, The Creator.
In September, it was announced that Lamar will return to the Super Bowl stage next year to headline the halftime show. “Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date. And I’ll be there to remind the world why,” he said in a statement. “They got the right one.”
In 2022, Kendrick performed “m.A.A.d City” and “Alright” at the Los Angeles hip-hop-focused halftime show led by Dr. Dre. That year, he had broken his five-year hiatus from the spotlight following 2017’s DAMN, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Music. GNX is Lamar’s first album since his departure from long-time label Top Dawg Entertainment. It was released under his own label, pgLang, via Interscope Records.
Trump asks the Supreme Court to delay the start of the TikTok ban
President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a "political resolution" to the issue.
U.S. homelessness jumps to another record high, amid affordable housing shortage
The annual federal count finds more than 770,000 people living in shelters or outside. It cites rising rents and the recent surge in migrants as key factors behind the increase.
Sportscaster Greg Gumbel dies at age 78
Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78.
Costco egg recall for salmonella receives FDA’s most severe designation
The FDA has classified its recall of eggs sold under Costco's Kirkland brand as a Class I recall, a designation reserved for instances of the highest potential health risk — including death.
Syria’s U.S.-backed Kurdish coalition faces an uncertain future after Assad’s ouster
After Bashar al-Assad's ouster, there are questions about the fate of the Syrian Democratic Forces, the U.S.-backed Kurdish coalition that currently controls a third of Syrian territory.
At least 9 people died when a bridge collapsed in Brazil
Another eight people remain unaccounted for. Several cars and trucks plunged into the Tocantins River after a section of the 1,748-foot-long bridge crumbled on Sunday.
