Whether you’re running, working, or sustaining a fight for the basic human rights of already marginalized communities, music can be a great motivator. Which makes now the perfect time for another Kendrick Lamar record. The Compton rapper’s new album isn’t literally out now, April 7 — as he suggested it might be when he dropped the fiery political banger “The Heart Part 4” last month — but it is out very soon. The tentatively(?) titled ALBUM is currently available for pre-order on iTunes with an April 14 release date.
K-Dot wasn’t subtle about the unnamed rapper he took shots at on “The Heart Part 4,” though Twitter had some theories. Our president, meanwhile, was referenced explicitly. “Donald Trump is a chump, know how we feel, punk!” Kendrick spat before accusing Russian officials of being “up to somethin’.” Another single “HUMBLE” saw him morph into the Young, Black Pope. Overt politics is hardly a new avenue for the visionary artist. Kendrick’s unifying To Pimp a Butterfly protest track “Alright” literally soundtracked the Black Lives Matter movement and had its remarkably hopeful sentiments validated by then-president Barack Obama. Guess we can rule out another Kendrick White House performance in the near future.
Perhaps a less expected element of the new album is its collaborators. Alongside BADBADNOTGOOD and James Blake nods is a songwriting credit for U2. It’s not known whether “Track 11” features a collaboration with the Irish rock group or just samples one of their tracks. Then again, maybe a full collab wouldn’t be that crazy: finding artists willing to help soundtrack the resistance is hardly difficult these days.
Credits
Text Hannah Ongley
Image courtesy of Reebok