7/10

It has been almost impossible to deny the underlying impact Kendrick Lamar has had on commercial hip-hop this past decade. Elevating the genre to new heights with thought-provoking lyricism and an innovative approach to aesthetic has left him one of the more revered additions to the scene, one that always manages to maintain a high level of proficiency. And after a year occupied by a very public beef with Drake, he now surprise drops his sixth studio album 'GNX', a record that adds yet another layer to his progressive endeavours of late.

Much like what his 2022 LP 'Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers' had to offer, 'GNX' looks to almost rewrite the exceptions many of us would have had in pursuit of something more sprawling and heartfelt. Less of the sheer anger and bitterness that were spliced into his earlier work, his newest full-length finds him in one of his more emotive guises to date, one that looks to take stock of everything he has achieved so far and offer up something to those that really take note of his prose and intentions throughout.

It is certainly a more introspective release from him this time around. Almost brooding in its warm and inviting aesthetic, 'GNX' unveils a richer and more humbled Kendrick Lamar at the helm, someone who still has plenty to say to the world.