Kendrick Lamar's new album to include Toronto's BADBADNOTGOOD and U2
The composer credits to the Compton MCs's upcoming album have been released.
"Y'all got 'til April the 7th to get y'all s--t together," Kendrick Lamar rapped on "The Heart Part 4," released on March 23. It was a warning shot to other rappers that something big was coming from the Compton MC, who has never shied away from challenging his peers to compete lyrically with him.
It was widely speculated that Lamar would release his fourth album, the follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2015 album To Pimp a Butterfly. Instead, what fans got was an actual release date for the forthcoming project — April 14 — and a pre-order link on iTunes. A list of collaborators was also revealed, including Toronto jazz group BADBADNOTGOOD, U.K. electro-soul singer James Blake and stadium rockers U2, among others. The U2 track, which credits "P. Hewson, D. Evans, A. Clayton & L. Mullen," is believed to be a sample or interpolation, although there are no details about which U2 song was used.
Other production credits include Mike Will Made It, 9th Wonder and the Alchemist, as well as longtime collaborators and in-house producers Sounwave and DJ Dahi. For now, listen to Lamar's previous release, "The Heart Part 4" and "Humble," below. Advisory: both songs contain strong language.
'The Heart Part 4'
'Humble'
— Jesse Kinos-Goodin, q digital staff