GNX (song)

Last updated
"GNX"
Song by Kendrick Lamar featuring Hitta J3, YoungThreat, and Peysoh
from the album GNX
ReleasedNovember 22, 2024
Genre Hip-hop
Length3:13
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Sounwave
  • Antonoff
  • Kenny & Billy
  • Rascal
  • Tim Maxey (add.)

"GNX" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song by the American rapper Kendrick Lamar from his album GNX (2024). It features the American rappers Hitta J3, YoungThreat, and Peysoh. The song was produced by Sounwave, Jack Antonoff, Kenny & Billy and Tobias "Rascal" Breuer, with additional production from Tim Maxey.

Contents

Background

Rascal revealed that Kendrick Lamar had received the beat for "GNX" from him only two days prior to its release. He had given the beat to Lamar after the rapper requested "some ignorant west shit" in an Instagram text message. [1]

Composition

The production contains a piano figure of four notes, along with snares, kicks and hi-hats. [2] The song consists of three verses, each rapped by one of the featured rappers. Kendrick Lamar performs only on the chorus, in which he shouts out to the rapper performing (with lines including "Who put the west back in front of shit?" and "Tell 'em [rapper] did it") [3] [4] [5] as he joins them. [6] Peysoh, Hitta J3 and YoungThreat deliver verses with boasting and gun-related lyrics. [2]

Critical reception

Alexis Petridis of The Guardian had a favorable reaction to the "kind of abstraction" found on the song's "itchy, fidgety backing and old-fashioned 80s Latin freestyle". [7] Kyann-Sian Williams of NME described the song as "a menacing and grimy tune dedicated to those whose urge to stand on business is unwavering", [5] while Clash's Karl Blakesley called it a "dominant rap muscle-flex". [8] Dakota West Foss of Sputnikmusic remarked "The song's refrain, 'I'm trippin' and I'm lovin' it,' might be the best elevator pitch for the project's existence. You can practically hear Kendrick struggle to not break out into laughter when he utters those words in some absurd accent that sounds like a revival of one of the dozen or so characters he embodied in 'Family Ties,' and you can tell he's having the time of his life getting whacky with it. It's an obnoxious song that will likely filter a lot of people with its off-kilter piano, and an even odder choice to make the ostensible flagplant of the album. You either 'get' it or don't, and I happen to love it." [9] Ben Devlin of MusicOMH regarded YoungThreat's performance to be a highlight, writing "his low-key flow coming through after a second or two of silence with the already minimal beat stripped down still further, and Kendrick performs an engaging hook with comic vocal inflections." [2] AllMusic's David Crone called the song a "staggering rekindling of the 'King Kunta' flame". [3] Billboard's Michael Saponara placed the song at number 9 in his ranking of the songs from GNX. [10] Matthew Kim of The Line of Best Fit gave a negative review, commenting "The track itself is comparatively weak, mostly due to an upsettingly wonky instrumental that falls over itself for three whole minutes. Each of the featured artists deserved way better – they rap in top form, as does every feature on this album, even when they only get a few bars." [4]

Charts

Chart performance for "GNX"
Chart (2024)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA) [11] 72
Australia Hip Hop/R&B (ARIA) [12] 15
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [13] 49
Global 200 ( Billboard ) [14] 35
Lithuania (AGATA) [15] 57
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [16] 36
South Africa ( Billboard ) [17] 22
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan) [18] 14
US Billboard Hot 100 [19] 24
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [20] 11

References

  1. Blake, Cole (November 23, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar's "GNX" Producer Reveals He Only Gave Him The Title Track Beat Days Ago". HotNewHipHop . Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Devlin, Ben (23 November 2024). "Kendrick Lamar – GNX". MusicOMH . Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  3. 1 2 Crone, David (November 22, 2024). "GNX". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 2, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  4. 1 2 Kim, Matthew (November 23, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar Sketches the Blueprint For a New Rap Zeitgeist on GNX". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  5. 1 2 Williams, Kyann-Sian (November 25, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar – GNX Review: Turning Hatred Into a Teachable Moment". NME . Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  6. Wood, Mikael (November 24, 2024). "For Kendrick Lamar, spite is an engine on the exhilarating 'GNX'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  7. Petridis, Alexis (November 25, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar: GNX Review – Stunning Surprise From a Rapper Determined to Be the Greatest". The Guardian . Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  8. Blakesley, Karl (November 26, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar – GNX". Clash . Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  9. Foss, Dakota West (November 26, 2024). "Review: Kendrick Lamar - GNX". Sputnikmusic . Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  10. Saponara, Michael (November 22, 2024). "All 12 Songs From Kendrick Lamar's 'GNX' Album Ranked". Billboard . Retrieved 17 April 2025.
  11. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 2 December 2024". The ARIA Report. No. 1813. Australian Recording Industry Association. December 2, 2024. p. 4.
  12. "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. December 2, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  13. "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  14. "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  15. "2024 48-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. December 7, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  16. "Official Top 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. November 29, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  17. "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (South Africa Songs)". Billboard . Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  18. "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 48". Sverigetopplistan . Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  19. "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  20. "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2025.