GNX Album Review: Kendrick Lamar’s Dedication to West Coast Legacy

GNX Album Review: Kendrick Lamar’s Dedication to West Coast Legacy

2024 will go down in the history of hip hop as one of the most influential and buzzing years, and one man has been at the forefront of this historic year, i.e., Kendrick Lamar. His first appearance on the scene this year was on the chart-topping track, “Like That,” which became the catalyst for The Great Rap Beef between two titans, Kendrick and Drake. Kendrick Lamar dominated the beef with scathing allegations, masterful chess moves, and blockbuster music. He dominated the charts with smash-hit tracks from the battle, including “Euphoria” and “Not Like Us,” the cultural conversation with “6:16 in LA” and “Meet the Grahams,” then bagged the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show gig. What could Mr. Lamar have done after this to make this year even bigger and better for him? That is where GNX comes in. The album, which came in as a surprise drop on a random Friday, is his first release outside of TDE, his former label, and his first album on PGLang, his new label. GNX takes its name from the 1987 Buick GNX, the car that features on the cover. This record is an ode to the west coast. The theme, both sonically and lyrically, pays homage to the legacy of the West Coast and its rich hip-hop heritage. Kendrick starts off the album by saying, “Fuck a double entendre, I want y’all to feel this shit,” and that is exactly what he does in most of the projects. GNX is Kendrick’s most straightforward project to date. He strips back the lyrical gymnastics (on most parts), moves away from too many vocal inflections he has used in the past, and gives us a solid banger, a 12-cut tracklist with a runtime of about 45 minutes. The record, executive produced by Sounwave and Jack Antinoff, shows us the future of the West Coast with the beat selection and the guest appearance. Apart from SZA and Roddy Ricch, every guest on this record is an underground artist from the West Coast. But how does all this sound?

Let’s take a deep dive into the world of GNX with a track-by-track breakdown and explore the album in detail:

• wacced out mural: the record starts with a haunting yet beautiful Spanish chorus by Deyra Barrera, which translates to her saying, “I feel your presence here, last night, and we start to cry.” The song is a bold, unfiltered statement about Kendrick’s unwavering commitment to his art, his struggles with external pressures, and his vision for his legacy, which he perfectly delivers with an understated, clenched delivery behind the mic. Kendrick calls out the hypocrisy of the industry by taking shots at Lil Wayne (Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud, Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down), Snoop Dogg (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), and comedian Andrew Schulz (Don’t let no white comedian talk about no Black woman, that’s law) and shouts out Nas (Won the Super Bowl and Nas the only one to congratulate me). The intro track foreshadows a lot of themes that Kendrick covers throughout the tracklist and acts as the perfect opener for this record.

• squabble up: The term squabble is LA slang referring to a fight or squaring off; this track was the most anticipated track from Kendrick Lamar for months after the snippet on the “Not Like Us” video. “Squabble Up” is a West Coast-infused party anthem that showcases Kendrick Lamar’s unparalleled ability to combine infectious energy with sharp lyricism. Rooted in his California heritage, the track features elements of G-funk, creating a dynamic and vibrant soundscape with its electro synths and that bumpy groove that Kendrick raps with.

• Luther: “Luther” takes its name from the singer of the sample used in the track (“If the World Were Mine”) by Luther Vandross. The track opens up with beautiful Spanish strings and moves along on the luscious tone with its keys, 808s, and the booming bass. Kendrick and SZA take turns talking about their idea of love and peace, complimenting each other with their views on a world where peace prevails. The part where Kendrick and SZA come together to harmonize on the chorus is a definite highlight of the entire album. This slow jam provides a much-needed moment of reflection and serenity on the album.

• man at the garden: On “man at the garden,” Kendrick interpolates Nas’ 2002 track “One Mic” and displays his hunger and yearning to get everything: money, power, and fame. The phrase ‘man at the garden’ refers to the story of a man who is listing the things he did to deserve to enter the “garden,” referring to the biblical paradise. The production builds on this theme with the somber, muted drums and the angelic humming, which make the listener feel like an ascent into paradise. With an understated performance in the first half, Kendrick moves into a more assertive state as he moves from verse to verse, making the user connect with his desire to have everything.

• hey now: after a heavy track, Kendrick goes all goofy with fellow LA rapper Dody 6. Talking about his exploits from the start of the year (“the Black know I just strangled me a goat”) and talking about keeping his artistic integrity until the goofy space synths enter and Kendrick enters a gittry contest with Dody 6. This is what I would call a west coast G-Funk takeover with the crazy production from Mustard, Sounwave, and Jack Antinoff.

• reincarnated: On the halfway point of the album, Kendrick samples his idol Tupac’s famous track with Outlawz called “Made N****z” and delivers one of his best storytelling cuts. The track starts off with the Deyra Berra continuing the intro from the first track, followed by Kendrick talking about being a spiritual incarnation of legendary Black artists, John Lee Hooker and Billie Holiday. In the first two verses, Kendrick raps about their lives, the accolades, the struggle, and the vices. He later moves to his conversation with his spiritual guide, who critiques his every move, calls him out on his behavior, and shows him the way to move forward in his quest for greater good. Kendrick talks about learning from the legends, from their good and their bad, in order to take the legacy forward.

• tv off: on “tv off’ Kendrick talks about being mindful with the things we consume, which is a very important thing in the current time because of the overdose of information we get on a daily basis. This track feels like a sequel to “Not Like Us, with the first half sounding like a continuation of the same beat and Kendrick bringing the same energy into his rapping. Once again he dives into his goofy bag with some of his goofiest rhymes and rapping style. He nods to his partner in crime, Mustard, by possibly giving him a new producer tag by randomly shouting “MUSTAAARRDDD” and turning him into an overnight meme. Left Gunplay, the featured artist, doesn’t have much to do here but still makes it memorable. A banger that will age very, very well.

• dodger blue: the eighth track, “dodger blue,” is a vibrant ode to LA culture, highlighting neighborhoods like Compton while critiquing the superficial narrative for the city. Kendrick delivers sharp, assertive verses, reflecting his experiences and resilience growing up in the streets of Los Angeles. Wallie The Sensei and Roddy Ricch enhance the track’s West Coast vibe with a chorus emphasizing ambition and loyalty. Kendrick may start a new dance trend now with his “Walk, walk, walk, walk, tip, toe, pivot, walk,” a trend I am definitely interested in seeing (and maybe doing myself).

• peekaboo: this short track acts as an interlude for the final half of the album. With its short runtime and the weird but infectious chorus, this is nothing but a fun banger with AzChike on the surface. If you look into the banter, you find that it is a tribute to LA, with the track being full of slang and pop culture references that are important in the West Coast lore.

• heart pt 6: Kendrick is out here reclaiming what was always his, the Heart series. From the onset it might look like Kendrick will address the rap battle on this track; he does not make any reference to the beef and commits to his original idea for the series: expressing his thoughts on the culture at large as well as his personal life. Here, he focuses on his early years in the industry and his eventual departure from Top Dawg Entertainment and Black Hippy. Kendrick takes full responsibility for his actions and some things that he has done for his own benefit. Kendrick also gives us an insight into his future by saying, “Now it’s about Kendrick; I wanna evolve and place my skillset as a Black exec,” which is something that would be great to witness.

• gnx: The titular track is another posse banger between Kendrick Lamar, Hitta J3, YoungThreat, and Peysoh. This song is a high-energy anthem that radiates unapologetic pride and hustle, with Kendrick Lamar and his collaborators asserting dominance in the rap game and on the streets. Each verse highlights personal triumphs, street credibility, and resilience, reflecting a shared commitment to representing their roots and staying true to their experiences. The recurring hook, “Tell ‘em [name] did it,” underscores their influence in reviving the West Coast’s prominence and their roles as trendsetters. With vivid storytelling, gritty imagery, and a celebratory tone, the song solidifies their legacies while inspiring others to own their achievements unapologetically.

• Gloria: Gloria continues the Spanish theme as it means glory in Spanish. In the verses, Kendrick talks about a lady and his relationship with that person, which he later reveals is a metaphor for his relationship with his craft and his pen. The relationship he describes is both a nurturing and a toxic bond that has the power to uplift him or consume him in his quest for becoming the biggest. Along with SZA, the track talks about the duality of love, how it has the power to heal and grow and how it has the power to consume and harm the person. Talking about the abilities of a rapper using a metaphor is nothing new in rap, but Kendrick puts his spin on it and gives us a refreshing spin on an idea that is already used several times.

“All I ever wanted was a black Grand National,” says Kendrick on the opening lines of the eighth track, “tv off,” which gives me a feeling that this is a record that he always wanted to make. GNX gives off a mixtape energy but still has all the elements of an album. The track list is loosely connected, where tracks foreshadow what’s about to come in the ones following them. After the events that went down during the start of the year, we had no idea what Kendrick might do next and how quickly he would come back to give his afterthoughts. He was chosen as the Super Bowl performer for 2025, which was a controversial decision to say the least, and now he gives us GNX, which continues his victory lap and rounds off the year for him on a high note. The best thing about this record is that it keeps itself away from the clickbait narrative and focuses on music and Kendrick’s love for the west coast. The question now is, is this it, or is there more to follow? For me, as an enthusiast, I would really love to see how things go from here, but for now, GNX is good enough for me. All 12 tracks on this project are amazing, making me happy with what we got. Anything more from here is an added bonus. Here is a link to the album if you would like to check it out.