Why Kendrick Lamar Fans Think New Music Is Imminent

It has been four years since Kendrick Lamar released his last full-length studio album, DAMN., and fans are officially under the impression that new music from the Compton rapper is coming soon. On Wednesday, Lamar’s record label, Top Dawg Entertainment, released a teaser on social media that featured the company’s logo along with a loading bar that climbs to 100 percent and then changes to show a date: May 7, 2021. In the post, Top Dawg wrote that “the wait is [over],” and many of Lamar’s fans seem to think this means new music is on the way.

“If it ain’t Kendrick ima cry in the car,” one fan exclaimed. “If this isn’t Kendrick ima just jump off a bridge,” someone else joked. “If this is Isaiah or Kendrick I’m cancelling summertime sadness,” another fan tweeted. “Can’t wait for Kendrick, Rashad, SZA, and Absoul to all drop on the same day. Incredible,” quipped music reviewer Anthony Fantano, referring to other big Top Dawg artists that fans have been eager for new music from. At this time, Lamar does not appear to have issued a comment on whether or not he plans to drop new music.

While 2017 was last when Lamar dropped a new album, he did contribute a number of songs to the Black Panther soundtrack, including “All the Stars,” which featured his label-mate SZA. The song was a major hit with fans and critics, landing a number of high-profile award nominations, such as one for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards. Other artists to be featured with Lamar on the album include Travis Scott, The Weeknd, and Future.

Lamar hasn’t been completely off the hip-hop grid the past few years, contrary to how it may feel for fans. In 2019, he was featured on the 2 Chainz track “Momma I Hit a Lick,” from the Georgia rapper’s fifth album, Rap or Go to the League. He also appeared on tracks by Beyonce, Raphael Saadiq, and J. Cole that same year. The most recent musical delivery from Lamar came in 2020 when he was a guest on “Look Over Your Shoulder,” a track from Busta Rhymes’ newest album, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God.