Kendrick Lamar at Life Is Beautiful 2023 on September 23, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images)

We didn’t see this coming.

Kendrick Lamar did it again. The rapper who proclaims himself Candyman has come out of nowhere and dropped off a five minute song. No context, no rollout. Not even a title. The rapper just put the song up on Instagram. It’s the first Lamar song that hasn’t been a direct Drake diss in over seven months. That said, there are plenty of bars littered throughout the song that suggest he still has a bone to pick with the 6 God.

Lamar’s timing is fascinating. The rapper has become centered in a controversy involving the Super Bowl Halftime Show after it was announced he would headline the event in 2025. After pleasing virtually every listener that wasn’t a Drake fan, Lamar found himself on the wrong side of a media narrative. It’s difficult to tell whether the Halftime Show led to the release of this new song, but it definitely feels connected. K. Dot sounds weary as he raps over a wailing vocal sample. There’s barely a chorus, and instead he goes off on a series of unnamed targets.

Kendrick Lamar Takes Subliminal Shots On New Release

Kendrick Lamar has no problem calling other people out by name. “Control,” the 2013 song that basically kickstarted the Drake feud, named over a dozen rappers. It then feels intentional that Lamar chose not to go the direct route on the new song. He takes a more subtle approach, and lets the listener put together the clues. There’s a lot of bars to sift through here. That said, we’d be shocked if there weren’t at least a few that could apply to Drake. Eagle-eyed fans might even find a few targeted at Nicki Minaj and the rest of Young Money. Let’s all get to listening.

Do you like Kendrick Lamar’s new song? Did he sneak in a few more digs at Drake? Let us know what you think of this brand-new track, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.