KENDRICK LAMAR - MR. MORALE & THE BIG STEPPERS

Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987), professionally known as Kendrick Lamar, is an American rapper and songwriter from Compton, California. He is also a member of the hip-hop supergroup Black Hippy along with members Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, and Schoolboy Q. His music is largely influenced by the works of 2Pac, Eminem, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Quik, E-40, Suga Free, André 3000, Mos Def, DMX, Nas, Kurupt, Snoop Dogg, and N.W.A. He began to gain major recognition in 2010 after his first retail release, Overly Dedicated. The following year, Lamar independently released his first studio album Section.80, which included his debut single, "HiiiPoWeR" produced by J. Cole. By that time, he had amassed a large Internet following and collaborated with several artists in the hip-hop industry, including The Game, A$AP Rocky, and Drake. Lamar secured a major-label record deal with Aftermath and Interscope Records in 2012. His major-label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city, was released in October 2012 to critical success. The record contained the top 40 singles "Swimming Pools (Drank)", "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe", and "Poetic Justice". It debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Lamar won his first Grammy Award for "i", the lead single from his critically acclaimed third album To Pimp a Butterfly (2015). The album drew on free jazz, funk, soul, and spoken word, debuted atop the charts in the U.S. and the UK, and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 58th ceremony. In 2016, Lamar released untitled unmastered., a collection of unreleased demos that originated during the recording sessions for Butterfly. Lamar's fourth album, DAMN., was released on April 14, 2017, to widespread critical acclaim. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, earning Lamar his third consecutive number-one album in the United States. The album was supported by the lead single, "HUMBLE.". Lamar won the Pulitzer Prize for DAMN. Lamar's fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers, was released on May 13, 2022, his first album in five years. Drake and Lamar's relationship started in 2011 with the collaboration "Buried Alive Interlude" on Drake's album Take Care, followed by "Poetic Justice" on Lamar's album good kid, m.A.A.d city in 2012. Lamar also accompanied Drake as an opening act on his 2012 Club Paradise Tour. In 2013, Lamar dissed Drake and several other rappers on the song "Control" by Big Sean, later clarifying that his verse was intended to be seen as "friendly competition". In the ensuing years, Drake and Lamar publicly dismissed speculations of a conflict between them. However, media outlets identified numerous potential disses by both parties in the years leading up to the escalation in 2024. On March 22, 2024, Lamar dissed J. Cole and Drake on "Like That" as a response to Drake and J. Cole's 2023 song "First Person Shooter", where Cole claims that he, Drake, and Lamar are the "big three" in modern rap music. On April 5, Cole responded to Lamar on the diss track "7 Minute Drill", but in the week following its release, Cole apologized for the song and removed it from streaming services. Drake then released the songs "Push Ups" and "Taylor Made Freestyle" in April. "Taylor Made Freestyle" was later deleted from social media over copyright concerns from Tupac Shakur's estate. In response, Lamar released "Euphoria" on April 30 and "6:16 in LA" on May 3. Drake responded with "Family Matters" later on the 3rd, accusing Lamar of being a domestic abuser and alleging that one of Lamar's children was fathered by Dave Free. Less than an hour later, Lamar released "Meet the Grahams", accusing Drake of sex trafficking, being a sexual predator, and fathering a second secret child (in a 2018 diss track by Pusha T, it was revealed that Drake was secretly fathering his son Adonis). Lamar then released "Not Like Us" the following day, more explicitly accusing Drake of pedophilia and disrespecting the rap scene. On May 5, Drake responded with "The Heart Part 6", denying Lamar's accusations and claiming that his team gave Lamar false information about the secret child. Several publications have described Lamar as winning the feud in popular consensus, citing music critics and social media Kendrick Lamar's sixth studio album, GNX, was released as a surprise on November 22, 2024, through PGLang and Interscope Records. The album features guest appearances from artists such as SZA, Dody6, Lefty Gunplay, Wallie the Sensei, Siete7x, Roddy Ricch, AzChike, Hitta J3, YoungThreat, and Peysoh. Production was primarily handled by Sounwave and Jack Antonoff, alongside contributions from Mustard, Sean Momberger, and Kamasi Washington, among others. The release of GNX was unexpected, with Lamar dropping the album without prior announcement or promotion. This surprise release strategy garnered significant attention and acclaim from both fans and critics. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, marking Lamar's fourth consecutive studio album to achieve this feat. It also topped charts in several other countries, including Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden, Australia, Denmark, and the UK. In support of the album, Lamar announced the Grand National Tour, co-headlined with SZA. The tour is scheduled to begin on April 19, 2025, in Minneapolis and conclude on June 18, 2025, in Landover. GNX has been praised for its innovative production and Lamar's lyrical prowess, further solidifying his status as one of the most influential artists in contemporary hip-hop. 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