Kendrick Lamar has released the visuals for ‘squabble up’, a fan favourite from his surprise new album ‘GNX’.
- READ MORE: Kendrick Lamar – ‘GNX’ review: turning hatred into a teachable moment
Lamar dropped his sixth album without warning on Friday (November 22), his first release since 2022’s ‘Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers’. It features production from Jack Antonoff, Kamasi Washington, Mustard, Terrace Martin and Sounwave and also includes uncredited guest vocals from SZA.
The video for ‘squabble up’ was directed by Calmatic as opposed to Lamar’s frequent creative partner Dave Free. It is set in a mostly empty ballroom with a rotation of cast members dancing, including Lamar himself.
The scenery frequently changes – at one moment a giant Nate Dogg CD hangs from the chandelier while later an old Buick GNX (the car that’s the namesake for the album) bounces on hydraulics. Lamar is seen reading from a book called How To Be Like Kendrick For Dummies, and later holds a sign reading ‘Jesus Saves Gangsters Too.’ At the end, a banner that says ‘Compton Christmas Parade’ unfolds on the wall.
Check the videos out below:
The video makes reference to the album cover for Ice-T‘s 1988 album ‘Power’, when it zooms in on a woman in a white leotard, who is holding a gun, facing towards the wall.
Ice-T shouted out Lamar in an Instagram post, writing: “The 👑 @kendricklamar gave me some love… Now YOU have the POWER 👊🏽”
‘GNX’ arrived as a surprise, although Lamar has spoken in recent months about a new album, including in an interview with SZA in October for Harper’s Bazaar. SZA went on to reshare a post from Devin Malik, an affiliate of Kendrick’s label Top Dawg Entertainment, which read: “Mood cause new k dot album otwwww”.
There had been speculation that Taylor Swift would appear on Lamar’s next album, with DJ Snake suggesting that the collaboration would take place, but the album does not have any credited guest spots. It does, however, feature uncredited guest vocals from SZA on the tracks ‘Luther’ and ‘Gloria’.
In a five-star review of ‘GNX’, NME wrote: “In a way, ‘Gloria’ is symbolic: ‘GNX’ starts off with such an ominous tone that doesn’t necessarily leave. But Lamar channels what could be interpreted as hate and negativity into a teachable moment, leading you to draw upon the purest emotion known to man: love. In a year that started with so much venom, Kendrick Lamar shares the antidote on ‘GNX’.”
In September, Kendrick was named the headline performer for the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime show. “I don’t want you to miss it,” he said. “Meet me in New Orleans, February 9, 2025. Wear your best dress too, even if you’re watching from home. Let’s go.”
On the album opener ‘wacced out murals’, Lamar referenced the belief held by some that Lil Wayne should’ve been headlining in his hometown of New Orleans. “Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud / Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down,” Lamar raps.
Lil Wayne then responded to the namecheck, writing on X/Twitter: “Man wtf I do?!”
“I just be chillin & dey still kome 4 my head. Let’s not take kindness for weakness. Let this giant sleep. I beg u all. No one really wants destruction, not even me but I shall destroy if disturbed. On me. Love.”
Last month, it was also reported that Kendrick had supposedly turned down an offer to headline Coachella next year.
