Kendrick Lamar avslöjar sista album med TDE: “See you soon enough”

Det är inte ofta Kendrick Lamar använder sociala medier, så när det väl dyker upp något brukar det vara högintressant. Så blev det definitivt under fredagskvällen, då Pulitzer-vinnaren postade ett kryptiskt inlägg som ledde till ett uttalande kring hans kommande och högst efterlängtade album. Ett album som blir hans sista med Top Dawg Entertainment.

“I spend most of my days with fleeting thoughts”, börjar han. “Writing. Listening. And collecting old Beach cruisers. The morning rides keep me on a hill of silence. I go months without a phone. Love, loss, and grief have disturbed my comfort zone, but the glimmers of God speak through my music and family. While the world around me evolves, I reflect on what matters the most. The life in which my words will land next.”

Kendrick fortsätter:

“As I produce my final TDE album, I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years. The Struggles. The Success. And most importantly, the Brotherhood. May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators. As I continue to pursue my life’s calling. There’s beauty in completion. And always faith in the unknown. Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts. I’ve prayed for you all. See you soon enough.”

De senaste åren har det sporadiskt dykt upp tecken på att TDE haft en del interna problem. I oktober 2020 berättade Reason för HipHopDX att bolaget var “going through a weird time” och även SZA har klagat på sin situation offentligt. Tidigare ordföranden Dave Free lämnade sin roll 2019, efter att ha varit utan kontrakt i flera månader enligt Rolling Stone. 2018 pratade Free med Vibe, där han förklarade att bolagets modell för att lansera sina framgångsrika artister var sämre lämpad för dagens spelplan.

“None of the tactics we used back in the day to break Kendrick, Ab-Soul, Jay Rock or Schoolboy would work now. It’s a whole new game. Blogs were very influential back then and I’d have to build a lot of relationships with blogs and now it’s just more about streaming. You have to have the relationships with the streaming sites and it can’t just be a fake relationship.”

Hur som helst, kort efter att Kendrick offentliggjort sina intentioner kommenterade grundaren Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith nyheten, där det både bekräftades att splittringen var ett faktum och att ingen dispyt verkar ligga till grund för beslutet.

“The whole goal when we started this thing was to make music, make money, and make history. We did those things 10 times over and then some. TDE and its artists have provided a way to end generational curses that we were all personally born into over the last 17 years in this business. With this being Dot’s last album on TDE, this is more of a VICTORY LAP, a celebration. I know he will be successful in whatever it is he decides to do and will have our FULL support.”

Han tillade:

“As for Top Dawg Entertainment, we will continue to grow, develop and give artists the platform to expand into whatever way they choose. Heart, Honor, Respect.”