Is Kendrick Lamar Dropping Another Album This Sunday?

Image credit: Top Dawg Entertainment

Even as the world is just starting to dissect Kendrick Lamar‘s powerful new album DAMN., many of the Compton rapper’s more hardcore fanbase is already speculating that there’s more where that came from, and it’s arriving much sooner that you think. Everything in this post is pure conspiracy theory (also: spoilers), so take it with a grain of salt:

It's only the beginning.

— Kayla Duckworth (@Silnovia) April 14, 2017

Kendrick’s sister.

So the word is that, on Sunday, Kendrick will be dropping another project named NATION…this theory seems to have been birthed from a Reddit thread that makes note of the religious (Christian) significance of the weekend — today is Good Friday (the crucifixion of Jesus), and this Sunday will be Easter (a celebration of Jesus’ resurrection). On DAMN.‘s intro, Kendrick is (again, spoilers) killed by a blind woman who he was trying to help…this may mean that the intro depicts his death and Sunday’s supposed release could be his ‘resurrection’.

Then there’s Matrix references:

4|14|17 pic.twitter.com/IGXPG21iI1

— Sounwave (@SounwaveTDE) April 14, 2017

On the album’s outro, Kendrick repeats his story, almost alluding to a different outcome to be told on another album — adding in images like the one from TDE producer Soundwave, this could mean that the project now takes on a “red pill, blue pill” concept…there’s more:

When one thinks of red and blue, Bloods and Crips come to mind — an important part of Compton and L.A.’s culture and a fixture in Kendrick’s music. Back on “The Heart Part IV,” Kendrick said the following lines:

I said it’s like that, dropped one classic, came right back
‘Nother classic, right back
My next album, the whole industry on a ice pack
With TOC, you see the flames
In my E-Y-E’s; it’s not a game

Now, many are guessing that “TOC” in the above excerpt could mean ‘The Other Color’, which could signify the next release following the “classic” mentioned. Again, Kendrick has always rapped about Crips and Bloods (the latter of which he has affiliations), and there are more than a few references to ‘blood’ on DAMN. (ex. the second track is titled “BLOOD.”). This could mean that the second release will speak more towards Crips.

Or not. Again: rumors and speculation (and possible reaching).

These are the biggest points made on social media, and there are many, many others (you can see a lot of them here). Whether or not this is true remains to be seen — if another album does surface, you can expect Hip-Hop as a whole to spontaneously combust as a result.

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#Kendrick Lamar

Posted By

Jon Powell

Currently working as Senior Editor of RESPECT. Magazine, I (Jon Powell) have 10 years experience in digital and print media -- this includes writing, photography and video editing production. I have worked extensively in Washington, D.C. and London, England and specialise in urban music and culture.