Kendrick Lamar’s new ‘rock-influenced’ album reportedly on its way

Kendrick Lamar has not released a new solo album since his 2017 Pulitzer Prize-winning Damn.

While the rapper has since kept a low profile, Billboard’s former editorial director Bill Werde hinted that the musician could unveil his much-anticipated fifth opus later this year.

“Are you interested to know that I hear from several friends that recording on the new album may finally be done? And that he’s pulling in more rock sounds this time?” he recently tweeted, without sharing additional details about the inspiration behind the yet-untitled full-length.

The columnist later clarified his comment, pointing out that “just because recording had hit a point where folks believe it may be finished – albums go back to the studio all the time after this point, and for a million different reasons”.

Speculation that Lamar would release a new studio project arose last year, when it was revealed that the Grammy winner would appear at a number of summer festivals in 2020.

Among them are the hip-hop-infused WOO HAH! Festival, which will take place from July 10 through 12 in Beekse Bergen, the Netherlands.

The 32-year-old musician will also take the stage of Lollapalooza Stockholm, Open’er Festival and Bilbao BBK Live.

Although Lamar hasn’t released a new album in nearly three years, he co-produced the soundtrack to Black Panther in collaboration with Top Dawg Entertainment president Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith and director Ryan Coogler in 2018.

The vocalist also collaborated with several fellow chart-toppers, such as 2 Chainz, Pharrell Williams and Anderson Paak.