After relentlessly releasing four songs in almost as many days, we are now back to an age-old question: where in the world is Kendrick Lamar? He hasn’t appeared since the music video for “Not Like Us,” which continues to break streaming records (Drake’s old records, to be precise) and has accomplished many other things, among many more milestones, accomplishments, surprises, and a whole lot of fan discourse. While many passionate online voices aren’t here for that, DJ Akademiks has only added fuel to that fire of speculation. Moreover, he recently expressed during his livestream that his sources were pointing to an upcoming K.Dot drop coming very soon. His fans are praying that these reports come true in 2024, lest we push this into the second half of the 2020s decade.
“Wait a minute, why did I get the message that Kendrick was coming?” DJ Akademiks claimed about Kendrick Lamar’s next musical move. “I have some sources telling me Kendrick — I don’t think it’s some diss shit. But I heard Kendrick is gearing up. I don’t know if that means an album, I don’t know if he’s finally going to start handing out the handouts of features that he probably promised the n***as that were crip-walking and blood-walking on that stage. I don’t know if it’s just going to be a loosie. Maybe it’s the track that was at the beginning of the ‘Not Like Us’ video. But I was told… Kendrick is coming. So — and by the way, wait a minute. That sounds crazy.”
DJ Akademiks with an ominous and exciting claim: “Kendrick Lamar is coming”
Plus, this is particularly interesting news this time around, thanks to the new Drake tracks he dropped on IG over the weekend. Many lines in this new three-pack reference the various feuds he’s been involved in this year, but not many of them directly reference Kendrick Lamar. So perhaps the 6ix god wants to keep things generally and subliminally shady, although the word “subliminal” has pretty much lost all meaning in the absence of just one super-obvious reference. Whatever the case, DJ Akademiks’ theory that the Compton lyricist won’t rehash the feud is widespread among fans.
Meanwhile, some fans even believe that Kendrick Lamar predicted Drake’s new approaches in these songs, particularly in a line about therapy. Of course, this could just be another classic pgLang Stan slip-up, or it could simply show how effective he was at destroying his opponent’s character. Regardless of whether you hate Kendrick or not, whatever comes next is definitely going to make a splash. Only time will tell if the Boogeyman will resurface or if he’ll instead fuel the other side of his old-fashioned Gemini habits.
About the author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a music and pop culture news writer for HotNewHipHop. He started as a weekend writer in 2022 and has developed an in-depth knowledge of hip hop news and releases since joining the team full-time. Whether it’s regular reporting or occasional interviews and album reviews, he continues to seek out the most relevant news for his audience and find the best new releases in the genre. What excites him most is finding interesting pop culture stories, as well as a deeper passion for the art form of hip hop and its contemporary productions. In particular, Gabriel enjoys the fringes of rap music: the experimental, boundary-pushing and raw alternatives to the mainstream sound. A proud native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, he also stays up to date on the archipelago’s local scene and its greatest musical exponents in reggaetón, salsa, indie and beyond. Before working at HotNewHipHop, Gabriel produced several short documentaries, artist interviews, venue spotlights, and audio podcasts on various genres and musicians. Hardcore punk and go-go music informed much of his coverage during his time at George Washington University in DC. His favorite hip hop artists working today are Tyler, The Creator, Boldy James, JPEGMAFIA, and Earl Sweatshirt.
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