This past Friday, Kendrick Lamar shocked fans with the surprise release of his new album, GNX. The title pays homage to the legendary high-performance Buick GNX of the late 1980s, while the album art features the rapper leaning against a sleek, blacked-out two-door, with a black-and-white color scheme and polished body panels. The album continues Kendrick Lamar’s ongoing rap feud with Drake.
The 12-track album features contributions from prominent artists like Jack Antonoff, SZA, and Kamasi Washington, alongside credits for Bobby Hawk, Ink, Sam Dew, and Roddy Ricch, among others. Two tracks, “Wacced Out Murals” and “Heart Pt. 6,” have already garnered attention for continuing Lamar’s ongoing diss feud with Drake.
In his lyrics, Kendrick Lamar also addresses the controversy surrounding his upcoming Super Bowl halftime show, where Lil Wayne expressed frustration over being excluded from performing in his hometown of New Orleans.
While the album’s release was a surprise, rumors about a potential new project have run rampant for months. Indeed, 2024 has been a monumental year for Kendrick Lamar thanks to hits like “Euphoria,” “Meet the Grahams,” and “Not Like Us,” the latter of which made a significant splash on the charts and gained widespread critical acclaim.
As for the album namesake, GNX refers to the Buick GNX, or Grand National Experimental, which was produced for just one year in 1987 and is now known as one of the most celebrated GM performance cars of all time.
Built in collaboration with ASC / McLaren, the GNX was based on the Buick Grand National, but with significant performance upgrades, including a turbocharged 3.8L V6 engine rated 276 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque, figures that were significantly underrated at the time. The GNX could sprint from 0 to 60 mph in roughly 4.6 seconds, outpacing many of its competitors, including several V8-powered muscle cars. Its stealthy, all-black exterior, aggressive stance, and advanced turbocharged engine made it an instant classic, while its limited production status makes it a collector’s item, as well.
Comments
If Darth Vader was an automobile. Oh how I, as a teen, begged my father to buy a used GNX when I saw one for sale in 1988. It would be worth a lot of money one day I tried to convince him. He either didn’t care or realized I probably would have killed myself driving it (if he let me) because he didn’t buy it. Now you need rap star money to buy one. If only…if only….
Buick should capitalize on this by releasing a modern Grand National on Alpha 2. (They will make Chinese market FWD crossovers instead)
I hope it does happen, once trump gets in.
That would be expecting a lot for Buick to change product strategy AND create a new car just because someone has released an album titled after the GNX.
It will be interesting to see if any will pop up for sale. I am holding my GNX probably until I die, then my family can sell it at a garage sale. No, but seriously it does have me thinking…
Have a nice day fellow readers.
The Buick GNX is a phenominal choice for a HI-PO sleeper sedan. The GNX mixes grace, style w/an aggressive image. Every time i saw a GNX ” that was an amazing culture icon”! The GNX would also give the Big 3 a run for their profit’s, present’s!