It seems we could be one step closer to one of the most anticipated albums of 2017.
TDE artist Kendrick Lamar wiped his Instagram profile of all previous posts overnight, replacing them with a mysterious image of the roman numeral for four, “IV.”
The reference is likely to a new studio album, which would be the fourth in his well-received discography that includes Section.80, good kid, m.A.A.d city and To Pimp A Butterfly.
After the massive critical and commercial success of To Pimp A Butterfly, the bar has been set incredibly high for Kendrick Lamar’s official follow-up. TPAB dominated Top 10 lists and award shows after its release in March 2015, with HipHopDX giving it a perfect 5.0 score and calling it the best album of that year.
Even the untitled. unmastered compilation of demos and session extras that came out in 2016 made the Top 20 of DX’s albums of the year list.
Lamar hasn’t exactly been dormant as of late, regularly popping up for guest verses for the likes of Thundercat, TDE labelmate Isaiah Rashad, The Weeknd, DJ Khaled and many more.
He’s also been doing interviews and dropping hints about the direction of the new project, recently telling the New York Times’ T Magazine about themes of religion and community.
“I think now, how wayward things have gone within the past few months, my focus is ultimately going back to my community and the other communities around the world where they’re doing the groundwork,” he said. “To Pimp a Butterfly was addressing the problem. I’m in a space now where I’m not addressing the problem anymore. We’re in a time where we exclude one major component out of this whole thing called life: God. Nobody speaks on it because it’s almost in conflict with what’s going on in the world when you talk about politics and government and the system.”
As of right now, there are no further details on the album’s name or release window, but the IG post indicates that the gears are in motion.
Lamar is also scheduled to headline Coachella in April and Rolling Loud in May, where we’ll hopefully get a preview of his new music — if it’s not already out by then.
Check out the DX Breakdown making the case for K.Dot as the GOAT.
Already hyped af. He’s the best artist of our generation.
The game needs some new fire!
King Kendrick. Alrdy 2 classics in and they were back to back.
TPAB was overrated and over hyped, 2 maybe 3 ok tracks on it. section .80 and gkmc we’re great. Hopefully the new album will be worth a shit. K Dot is still the most overrated mc, but still better than the mumble rap generation.
So you can relate to an album about a life you’ve probably never lived with GKMC, but can’t relate to real social issues which he tackled with TPAB? OK dude smh. Rap fans are horrible smh
Negro please based off of your screen name you are a kendrick hater. So your viewpoint is invalid.
Probably worse than TPAB which was trash, so i won’t get my hopes high. I kinda gave up on Kendrick, dude just tries too hard. Mad overrated. #Facts
100% on point. Good Kid Maad City was a good album but after that zzzzzz. I think he is better as a feature artist but he keeps trying to prove that he is so versatile and can rap in all kind of ways and voices like his andre 3000 layered up vocals, then the yelling eminem rap voice. We get it you rapping your ass off but what are you really saying in your raps? not much..
Bruh if Kdot wasn’t saying much in TPAB then what the hell are you hearing from all these other rappers lmao
This comment just proves that you don’t listen for content. You just like hearing about stuff you can’t relate to smh
How is Wesley’s Theory trash? What bout King Kunta,Mortal Man,u & Alright? You gotta be on some gucci trap shit to hate like this smfh…
King muthafckin KENDRICK!! Cant wait for his new shtzz!!
The ONLY reason many are saying that TPAB was wack on here is cause Kendrick’s focal point was on the black experience & how messed up things are in our community & trying to uplift those, while dealing with the trapping of fame, depression, etc. Ohhhhh I get it now: rapper raps about gang life, hoes, money trees? Classic album. Rapper wakes up, sees depravity & uses his music to uplift while making a classic project? Trash. Smh rap has some of the most fickle fans of any genre. Y’all hate artists growth, but champion mumble rap & culture vultures?? Y’all have killed hip hop more than the labels have!!!
It was the same way with Tupac. 2pacolypse Now, Strictly for My Ni**as, and Me Against the World were barely even listened to but contained some of his best work. On the other hand, All Eyes on Me is considered his best work because it had better beats to some, and talked about thug life. If you’re saying something real then these fake ass dummies bash it! When you’re not talking about nothing they worship the ground you walk on. Some people just hate to hear the truth about themselves and would rather keep dreaming.
TPAB was an album specific to people that deal drugs, gamble, protistitue and strip. It wasnt really anything to uplifgt “black folks” or the “black experience”. Not all black people are the same, definitely. The problem with your analogy is Kendrick Lamar was GLORIFYING drugs, stripping, gambling, drinking on his album. Just take a look at his video for “These Walls” and you will see Kendrick has the time of his life doing all the ignorant shit I just mentioned. He is actually smiling laughing and doing all the ignorant stuff throughout the whole video. So I really dont think so when you say he’s trying to “uplift” black people or whatever. 2pac was a real leader that talked about real life stuff, he didnt promote Drugs or Prostitution. On 2Pacalypse now tupac has a song called “trapped”, 2pac doesnt smile in that video bc there aint shit to smile about. On TPAB kdot is telling GROWN BLACK FOLKS at his concert not to fight, can you imagine that? Telling Grown black people not to fight bc children are at the concert? I mean thats how far backwards you went in Society. Go listen to 2pac not to Kendrick Lamar. Dont ever compare them 2 again
Go listen to the album again dude. You misfired on so many points. I didn’t compare him & Pac. You did.
I didn’t like TPaB because it just seemed like Kendrick was feeling himself too much as an intellectual. He was coming like he was some sort of delicate genius mastermind, I think ego got in the way of creativity. I wasn’t feeling it. Everyone sucked his cock over it though because his previous album and work was strong. I thought TPaB was far from classic and semi-wack. It kind of ruined Kendrick Lamar for me, and his copycats ruined it too.
This is just my opinion though. Maybe if all the mainstream rappers weren’t such garbage people wouldn’t call a mediocre album a classic
But if he talked about killing blacks all day, you would listen right? Have a seat racist smh
So TPAB was ignorant hood stuff? Please tell me what were you listening to? Issues facing black America is hood stuff? You have to be white to say that
Bro pay this man no mind . First off tpab was next level. And secondly dont respond to a dude that starts his argument by using something paul Mooney says . Acting like he said it nahhh busted
Heck yea!!! Support that quality Hiphop … Be Healthy y’all
Enough with the cryptic shit and riddles. Just announce the god damn album already.
Let’s be honest here. TPAB beats were wack, lyrics were dope. So you got a “trash” classic album. Hopefully he can ditch the producers from TPAB (Terrace etc) and come with some dope tracks.
U don’t know good music tony
Nah man, TPAB’s beats were crazy nice. Hardly anything wrong with that album. And, btw, Terrace Martin was also involved in GKMC, so your arguments don’t stand no ground.
You’re wack for stating this bullshit! What, he didn’t have some weak ass trap beats for your liking?
GTFOH
K.dot for life,#real talk. Ppl don’t want to talk about God any more smh, #i see comdemnation let us try and change our attitude towards worldly things coz there are vanity upon vanity.
Finally some real rap music on the way!
Kendrick needs better production. TPAB was unlistenable in my opinion…..to confirm…my opinion 🙂
Ya years is undeveloped
Let’s go, K. Dot!
If you’re referring to Drake’s More Life, then gotta disagree with you. More Life is a great album/playlist to vibe to. Drizzy got his own lane with the rapping/singing and he does it pretty well. I fucks with both Kendrick and Drake, never understood why both fanbases always clash with each other.
More life sucks, drake is talented but he is a average rapper at best
Drake’ ghost writer is talented. He sucks. He can’t freestyle to save his life. Kendrick would rap curdles around him, he does actually.
meanwhile, i’m still just waiting for him to respond to Lupe
Dont give a shit new kray n bizzy album coming ..hell yeah