Kendrick Lamar has been making the rounds on the press circuit following the announcement that he'll be performing on Saturday Night Live and stopped by Power 105.1's Breakfast Club this morning to chat about his latest single "i" and where he stands with the follow-up to his critically acclaimed, instant-classic debut good kid m.A.A.d. city. He clarified that he does not yet have a title or release date for the album but said the album is "almost there."
When asked how he'll know when the album is done, Lamar responded, "When I start tampering with things I shouldn't be tampering with. Me in the creative space, I'm so much of a thinker, everything is technical and has to be masterminded to how I hear it and feel. When creating an album, I'm big on that — it's not just one song, but a body of work."
His upcoming track "King Kunta" has been receiving praise from HBO Music Director Scott Vener. Lamar said that the track isn't about slavery but rather "it's about a few different things — me being as creative as possible." He also addressed Verner's praise saying, "He putting on a whole lot of pressure. It might be trash when people hear it."
Lamar also spoke about people's reactions to "i" not sounding like typical K. Dot.
"I don't like people to expect nothing though," he said. "I don't like to stay stagnant. Truthfully, my whole M.O. from the jump is to say something and not utilize my platform in a negative way. When I first came up with the idea of making the song, it came from a place where I wanted to write about two people from two different worlds - from the penitentiary standpoint that feel like they don't got nothing to live for and the people that be coming to my shows saying they want to commit suicide as well. So I say, 'Okay, my homies locked in, they doin' 25 years. Okay, they can trap your body but they can't lock your mind,' you know what I'm sayin. You have to have that self-pride in yourself first to go out there and be strong. And the same thing with the people out there dealing in the regular world. That's how I look at it and that's what the record comes about and that's how I feel."
As for the feel and sound of the track, he said he went back and listened to albums that he loved for inspiration.
"Isley Brothers is one of my favorite groups," he explained. "So when I came across the record and realized it hadn't been touched, I said 'Okay, I want to put my twist on it.' I want to do it in a way where it's not using 808s and being as modern. I want to sway away from it as possible and have an organic feel. So when I do a record like that you think of records that's been in the early '90s it always has some lot of instrumentation. I think that's where it stems from. It feels like something your favorite artist early on."
As for why he waited two years to put out another album, he says he doesn't go into the studio just to rap. He perfected that skill early on and knows he can go into a studio a spit bars. "I'm in a space now where I got to have something that moves me. Going around and experiencing different people and meeting different people and having my own issues in life in general that inspired me to get back in that studio and do what I go to do and say something where the people can connect again just like they did with good kid."
He says he isn't worried about the sophomore slump. "It's not hard because when you look at the simple things in life, when we don't realize how big of an issue they are, that's a whole 'nother subject matter to talk about. It can be something as simple as respect."
Elsewhere in the interview, he talked about growing up in Compton and never being exposed to things outside his city as well how things have changed since he got famous, noting that he couldn't date a celebrity. He claims he doesn't like to listen to his old records or even perform them because it doesn't push him to be creative. He also addressed his rumored assault in Vegas and his rumored beef with Drake.
"Oh my goodness. People need to let that go," he said about the alleged Drake feud. "Yeah we spoke. It wasn't no issue from the jump. I think people talk about beef, it's just a whole 'nother dynamic. I can't see myself going bar for bar with Drake. We're two different type of artist. People will say he say she say all the time."
Lamar released the video for "i" earlier today and will be performing on SNL on Nov. 15 with host Woody Harrelson.
Watch the full Breakfast Club interview below, and let us know what you think in the comments section!
