Kendrick Lamar stunned everyone on Friday afternoon. There had been hopes for months that a new album was on the way following his high-profile feud with Drake, and it looked like we were going to get another sign that something big was on the horizon when he released the music video for “GNX.”

And then, Kendrick took things a step further by just releasing his sixth studio album, which is also titled “GNX.” Because it is an album that Kendrick Lamar released out of nowhere, people went from being stunned to praising the project. And it’s possible that no one ends up being happier about this than the Golden State Warriors.

Why, you may ask? Well, as it turns out, good things tend to happen to the Warriors — which entered Friday night’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans with an 11-3 record, good for first place in the Western Conference — when Kendrick puts out an album. Each of the last four times that has happened, the team has gone on to win an NBA championship, with To Pimp a Butterfly coming out in March 2015, Damn. getting released in April 2017, and Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers dropping in April 2022. There was also the soundtrack to Black Panther, which came out in February 2018 and featured songs that were either performed or curated by Kendrick.

As for his other two studio albums, Section.80 and good kid, m.A.A.d city, the former came out a few weeks after they drafted Klay Thompson, and the latter was released in Oct. 2012, one week before the start of the 2012-13 NBA season, which marked the first time that Golden State made it to the postseason with Steph Curry on the team. Now, the overwhelming likelihood is that this is a bunch of insane coincidences, but if the Warriors do end up winning a championship, we’re going to think something weird is going on … and Kendrick will probably be a little bummed, as he’s a well-documented fan of the Los Angeles Lakers, which are currently the 4-seed in the West and find themselves 1.5 games back of Golden State.

The Best New Hip-Hop This Week includes albums, videos, and songs from Kendrick Lamar, Lil Nas X, and Lola Brooke.

Thanksgiving is just a week away, which means that we’re officially entering the window of the year in which the recording industry shuts down. Just when it seemed that new music would slow down to a trickle, though, who should show up but Kendrick Lamar, who dropped his sixth studio album, GNX, without warning to cap a stellar, standout 2024. While there are only a couple of other notable releases, we’re still more than happy to run down the rest.

Lil Nas X continued his Dreamboy rollout with the pining “Need Dat Boy.”

Jack Harlow once again expanded his sonic palette with “Hello Miss Johnson” and its cleverly shot music video.

Eminem and JID dropped “Fuel,” a collection of tongue-twisting raps proving the Atlanta upstart is soon to take his place as one of the foremost lyrical-miracle rappers in the business.

Snoop Dogg released his latest Missionary single, “Outta Da Blue.”

And Bossman Dlow celebrated his own incredible 2024 with “The Biggest, Pt. 2.”

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending November 22, 2024.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

Boldy James & Harry Fraud — The Bricktionary

Rap, at its core, is a game of puns, and the Detroit rapper is one of the best wordplay technicians currently working in hip-hop today — just look at that title. Pairing the always impressive poetic styling of Boldy with the smooth instrumentation provided by Harry Fraud is a guaranteed winner.

Kenny Mason — Angel Eyes

The Atlanta grunge-rap pioneer releases his second full-length of the year. While many rappers would be content to tack these nine songs onto 9 and call it a deluxe album, Kenny gives more diligence, allowing Angel Eyes to stand on its own, and continue building his musical legacy.

Kendrick Lamar — GNX

Dropping from out of nowhere, GNX sees Kendrick Lamar once again upsetting the equilibrium of the rap world — or perhaps setting it right after doing so earlier this year with “Not Like Us.” GNX is every bit as combative, but with more purpose, and just as introspective as Mr. Morale, but more focused. It’s the platonic ideal of a Kendrick Lamar album.

Rucci — Can’t Stop Won’t Stop 2

Kendrick isn’t the only rapper from the Los Angeles area dropping a project today. While Kendrick’s more conventional approach to West Coast post-G-funk is a departure for him, Inglewood rapper Rucci is one of the mainstays of that style, and demonstrates exactly why here.

Singles/Videos

Coi Leray — “Heart Don’t Lie”

In a departure from her usual high-energy releases, Coi gets reflective on the somber “Heart Don’t Lie,” describing a love that makes her feel more whole. It’s the second of two new tracks from Coi this week, following the equally emotive “Candy Crush.”

EST Gee — “Go”

The Louisville rapper returned after near year-long hiatus three months ago with “Never Need” and follows up today with the propulsive “Go.” The time away must have done him some good; he sounds re-energized, with sharper lyrics, and the same concussive beats.

Lola Brooke — “Go To Yo Head”

After joining Kurtis Blow on an updated version of the rap pioneer’s ’80s classic, “Basketball,” the pint-sized Brooklyn rapper once again goes solo with her latest single. A belligerent, get-money anthem, “Go To Yo Head” warns listeners not to get too big for their britches, because Ms. Brooke will always be bigger.

Luhh Dyl — “Slow Down” Feat. Veeze

There’s just something about the slurry, slightly behind-the-beat delivery of newcomers like Dyl and Veeze that makes them very appealing and easy to listen to. While my backpacker sensibilities are more accustomed to sharper, often more syncopated flows, songs like “Slow Down” offer a welcome change of pace.

L.S. Dunes — the supergroup made up of Anthony Green (Saosin and Circa Survive), Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance), Tim Payne and Tucker Rule (Thursday), and Travis Stever (Coheed And Cambria) — have released a new song from their upcoming album, Violet. It’s called “Paper Tigers,” and as you might expect from the talent involved, it rips. That bass line!

You can watch the visualizer for “Paper Tigers” (created by The Mars Volta’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala) above.

“I think when I initially started writing the chord progression for this song I was originally writing it for myself, because it didn’t feel like an L.S. Dunes song to me, and if it was an L.S. Dunes song, it would most certainly be a departure from what we had done in the past,” Iero said in a statement.

He continued, “And then I started to think well, that’s really silly of me, why wouldn’t Dunes be able to do something like this? If I want listeners to not put us in a box and believe we can do anything then I’m going to have to believe it first. So I reworked the progression a little bit and sent it over. Hearing it now, I can’t believe I ever doubted it. ‘Paper Tigers’ was always an L.S. Dunes song. Together we can do anything.”

Violet is out 1/31/2025 via Fantasy Records. Find more information here.

If fans were asked to sum up West Coast rap pillar Snoop Dogg in just one word, the answers would vary so much, it might be hard to recognize that they are all talking about the same person. For six-year-old viral sensation VanVan, who just joined the cast of Snoop’s children’s YouTube series, Doggyland, as Vancy the Dalmatian, the rap elder statesman-turned-mentor is, simply, “kind.” VanVan, who has become popular online due to her freestyle raps and incredible memory for lyrics, both acts and raps as the new addition on songs like “Thanksgiving,” which released earlier this week in honor of the upcoming holiday.

It’s a sentiment echoed by VanVan’s manager, another hip-hop veteran whose legacy precedes even Snoop’s. “I just think that it’s so great that he has enveloped her and shown his kindness, which she can feel, and so happy that they’ve landed on something that’s so positive and so uplifting,” says MC Lyte, whose Sunni Gyrl, Inc. has signed on to manage the prepubescent rapper’s career. “It was the conversations that they had where they felt comfortable enough knowing that we would get out and do what we needed to do to expound on her short-lived career at this point. But since joining forces, she’s been able to do some amazing things.”

Here’s where I admit, that as a rap fan of a certain age, the idea of a “kid rapper” still sparks some skepticism for me, even as I have championed the expansive nature of the form (God’s working on all of us, as Desus and Mero would say). But it helps that the show’s creator is such a force in the hip-hop world. Claude Brooks is perhaps best known as the creator of another rap-centric kids’ show, Hip-Hop Harry, but real heads know he got his start in showbiz as the creator of the 2000 MTV series, The Lyricist Lounge Show, which brought the popular New York underground rap showcase to the screen as a sketch comedy show in which the talent (which included Mos Def and the TV debut of Tracee Ellis Ross) rapped their way through bank robberies and traffic accidents.

He says the surprising part about VanVan’s smooth addition to the cast is that they “weren’t looking to add another character.” However, “it came up so organically. She was buzzing doing her thing on social, and we were doing ours. But we did start talking and realized how much of a true hip-hop head she is. So we leaned in and we sent her a track. We gave her ‘The Affirmations Song’ and gave her eight bars to work something in. She ended up killing this thing and this thing goes crazy viral. So, eventually we find out, ‘They want to do something with Doggyland.’ And so we did ‘The Cleanup Song’ with her, which is great. And then ‘I’m Grateful’ was just this amazing song that just came out this week.”

VanVan actually had a hand in the design of her character, from Vancy’s breed to her wardrobe. “She’s really fancy, and I like that she’s a Dalmatian,” says the precocious proselytizer, lighting up at the chance to get to talk fashion. “And she wears my style. My mom styles me. My favorite outfits are the ones where I have a tank top and I have [points at legs], so it all be colored. It all has to be the same color. So I like when I have the tank top and I have the jacket and I have the pants and the bow. And one time I had that, and I loved it. That’s my favorite style.” As surprising as VanVan’s viral freestyle ability can be, it’s a fun reminder that she’s still allowed to be just a kid — a kid who is still just now learning to read.

Lyte notes how important it is to protect her charge, and the complications that her age brings to VanVan’s burgeoning career. “I think it’s more about, wow, she’s only now six, which means the thought of when she did the BET Awards, she could only be on set for a certain amount of time because they only allow minors [for a limited time]. So we have to strategize, okay, she’s got to rehearse, but then we got to get her out of the building and not let the six-hour maximum time be spent frivolously. And if she was going to sit and watch the show, the show is three hours, so it’s almost like we had to split it up three and three and be very careful about it.”

The young rapper isn’t sweating the hard work, though, because for her, it’s all fun. “You can have fun while you have to work really, really hard,” she enthuses. “You can just play, you can dance… it just makes me happy when I’m done with raps and my dad just hype me up.” As to her stint on Doggyland, she says she “really wanted to be a character,” and despite her young age, she recognizes the value in the work. “I like that they play some songs that teach kids to start doing stuff that they say on videos. I really like that they do that.”

Taylor Sheridan must never sleep. That’s the only way to explain how he’s not only releasing about as many shows as Ryan Murphy but also writing them, too. Recently, he wrapped up Tulsa King‘s sophomore outing, and Lioness is pushing through its brutal second season as well. Also, Sheridan killed off John Dutton, which rattled Yellowstone addicts while Kevin Costner was just fine. I mean, it wasn’t literally a “f*ck you car crash,” but it was close enough, yet Costner was likely prepared for worse.

Anything else? Landman made a bawdy debut and is ready for more.

When Does Landman Season 1 Episode 3 Come Out?

Billy Bob Thornton will still probably be hanging onto that Dr. Pepper when it happens on Sunday, Nov. 24 on Paramount+.

Hopefully, Sheridan will let Tommy Norton relax and also cool it with those stressful oil-rig explosions. Instead, maybe we can have more of Michael Pena and Emilio Rivera shooting the sh*t while grilling up a storm? We’ll see. Soon, Ali Larter is set to move from FaceTime nightmare to in-person menace, so watch out, Billy Bob.

Before long, Sheridan viewers will also be staring down the final 1923 season and The Madison. Could 6666 finally be on the way, too? Only Taylor Sheridan knows for sure.

In addition to Thornton, Pena, Rivera, and Larter, Landman presents Jon Hamm and Demi Moore dripping in opulence along with a worse-for-wear Jacob Lofland, Andy Garcia, Paulina Chavez, and Kayla Wallace.

What a day: Out of nowhere, Kendrick Lamar just released GNX, a surprise new album. An immediate question some might have is:

What Is A GNX From Kendrick Lamar’s New Album?

The album title refers to a car: the 1987 Buick Grand National Regal GNX.

In a 2012 interview with Complex, Lamar explained that after he was born, he was driven home from the hospital in a Regal, saying, “My pops put me on to rap. When I was born, I came home from the hospital in an ’87 Buick Regal while my pops was bumping Big Daddy Kane. He would say, ‘This is Rakim. You get your whole style from Rakim!’ Or, ‘Go listen to Biz Markie!’ Sometimes I sit back and listen to hip-hop with him to see where my hip-hop roots come from.”

Earlier this year, Lamar showed off photos of a GNX he apparently acquired (as XXL notes), likely the same one that appears on the GNX album cover (below). On his finsta, he wrote, “aye life get real tricky. no matter where you at with it. i never pick and choose what stories to relate to. all of them is relative. like my momma say tho. different strokes for different folks. a good ol saying can snap you back into reality sometimes. but in the moment of confusion, the best thing you can do is find a gnx. make you realize the only thing that matters in life is that original paper work. that TL2 code. 1 of 547. yea i finally changed. its over with. dhz. my big cousin pat dogg smiling down. anybody wanna line it up. i’ll pull heem off the floor and flip yo sh*t.”

Kendrick Lamar’s GNX Album Cover Artwork

GNX is out now via pgLang/Interscope. Find more information here.

Kendrick Lamar shocked the world today, releasing his new album GNX without any advance warning. The album features the long-awaited release of “Squabble Up” and production from frequent Taylor Swift collaborator Jack Antonoff. However, it doesn’t list the guest artists, despite featuring some familiar voices like Kendrick’s former labelmate SZA. So, who are the features on Kendrick Lamar’s new album GNX?

The features include:

Regional Mexicano singer Deyra Barrera, and South Central/Compton rappers AzChike, Dody 6, Hitta J3, Peysoh, Siete, Wallie The Sensei, and Young Threat. Clearly, GNX is a hometown affair, with Kendrick sharing his spotlight with plenty of rising stars from Hub City. Many of the above names appeared during Kendrick’s Pop Out concert earlier this year, so it’s unsurprising to see him continuing to share his platform with the city.

Barrera appears on the first song, “Wacced Out Murals”, and “Reincarnated,” while AzChike pops up on “Peekaboo.” Dody 6 features on “Hey Now,” while “Dodger Blue” features Siete and Wallie The Sensei and the title track features Hitta J3, Peysoh, and Young Threat. In addition, singer Sam Dew shows up on multiple tracks providing background vocals alongside Ink.

The release of GNX caps an extremely successful 2024 for Kendrick, which unofficially kicked off with his industry-breaking feature verse on Future’s “Like That.” That song restarted Kendrick’s long-simmering feud with Drake, sparking a back-and-forth that culminated in Kendrick’s song “Not Like Us” becoming a massive hit and effectively putting Drake’s career in the dirt. K. Dot followed up his victory with the announcement of his upcoming performance at the Super Bowl, while “Not Like Us” and “Like That” were both nominated for Grammys.

GNX is out now. You can listen to it here.

Thanksgiving isn’t until week and Christmas is over a month away, but Kendrick Lamar just gave us a gift to be thankful for.

The “Not Like Us” rapper and Super Bowl Halftime Show performer dropped a new album, GNX, out of nowhere on Friday. It will take the weekend to fully absorb the album, Lamar’s first since 2022’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, but there’s one question on many people’s minds: where is Taylor Swift?

Is Taylor Swift On Kendrick Lamar’s New Album, GNX?

Earlier this week, producer DJ Snake claimed Swift and Lamar have teamed up for a new song. It would make sense: Swift enlisted Lamar for a remix of “Bad Blood,” and he once thanked her for “supporting not only my music but just the hip-hop culture. There’s really no gap. It’s music and it feels good.”

However, whether DJ Snake’s claim turns out to be true or false, we do know that Swift is not on GNX.

The only “Taylor” to be found is when Lamar references Drake’s “Taylor Made Freestyle” on “Wacced Out Murals” (“Snoop posted ‘Taylor Made,’ I prayed it was the edibles/ I couldn’t believe it, it was only right for me to let it go”). However, there is at least one connection to the “Fortnight” singer on GNX: much of the album is produced by Jack Antonoff, who also worked on 1989, Lover, Folklore, The Tortured Poets Department, etc.

GNX is out now via pgLang/Interscope. Find more information here.

By no means is Panchiko a new act (but they could still secure a Best New Artist Grammy nomination). Last year, the band shared their long anticipated album, Failed At Math(s). Now, keyboardist Andy Wright, guitarists Owain Davies and Robert Harris, bassist Shaun Ferreday, and drummer John Schofield are ready to drop their follow-up.

Today (November 22), Panchiko announced their forthcoming album, Ginkgo. Although the body of work isn’t set to be released until April 2025, Panchiko unveiled the project’s official title track. As an added bonus, Panchiko uploaded its supporting video. While Panchiko only make a few spontaneous appearances in the visual, director Simon Ellis found something worthy to fill its 2-minute-36-second runtime.

With the help of a kennel of chickens, Ellis treated viewers to a poultry version of Gladiator. If you need a refresher of Gladiator II‘s predecessor, a handful of feathered fighters unleash their inner warriors fitting for the track’s fiery nature.

“The heat it makes you lazy / And out of phase / It’s bending you out of shape / More than I ever could my love / Such a funny thing / I don’t know where you’ve been / You command the leaves to fall / The Ginkgo bends at will,” sings the group.

Listen to Panchiko’s new single “Ginkgo” above.

Ginkgo is out 4/4/2025 via Nettwerk. Find more information here.

Kendrick Lamar fans, rejoice! The Compton rapper has officially released that song from the beginning of the “Not Like Us” video. It’s called “Squabble Up,” and it appears on his newly released surprise album, GNX“. The full version of the song samples ’80s electro classic “When I Hear Music” by Debbie Deb, and sees K. Dot aggressively defending his patch, warning enemies to “get the f*ck out my faaace.”

Fans have been demanding the song’s official release ever since it first appeared in the “Not Like Us” video, but many had lost hope; after all, we never did get a full version of the snippet from the “Alright” video. However, it seems Kung-Fu Kenny was just waiting on the appropriate time to let it go, and now we can all bop along to the ode to good, ol’-fashioned fisticuffs in all its glory — and, true to Kendrick’s recent run, it’s an eminently quotable jam that’ll be as omnipresent in clubs as on the streets, blasting out of lowriders and barbershops.

“Squabble Up” is one of 12 songs that appears on the new project, which also includes, “The Heart, Part 6,” a not-so-subtle jab at Drake that snatches back the title of K. Dot’s long-running song series after Drake hijacked the name in the midst of their battle earlier this year.

You can listen to “Squabble Up” above.

GNX is out now. You can get more info here.