(FILES) In this photo taken on June 11, 2023, US rapper Kendrick Lamar performs during the 2023 Governors Ball Music Festival at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in New York City. Rap superstar Kendrick Lamar surprised fans on November 22, 2024, with the unannounced release of a 12-track album.
Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP
Rap superstar Kendrick Lamar surprised fans on Friday with the unannounced release of a 12-track album.
"GNX," the performer's sixth studio album, appeared on streaming services without fanfare at midday on the US East Coast (1700 GMT).
The 37-year-old's offering comes at the end of a year that has seen his music fueled by a feud with Drake, a spat that produced some of the year's biggest hits.
One of them, Lamar's "Not Like Us," grabbed the top spot on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and garnered him several Grammy nominations for next year's gala.
"GNX" is the first album from Lamar since his mega-selling "Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers" in 2022, which came after a five-year wait.
Friday's release is timely for an artist who will headline the Super Bowl halftime show in February. This coveted showcase takes place during the NFL season finale, which is routinely watched by around a third of Americans.
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