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The Pop Out is a collaborative compilation album by American rapper Kendrick Lamar and record label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), released on September 30, 2024, by the label itself, pgLang and Interscope Records.
The album serves as a "back-in-time" return by Lamar to TDE, following his other creative projects with pgLang and music projects with Interscope Records, to work on Drake disses, and serves as a "peace follow-up" to his publicized feud with the rapper (2024), as well his fifth studio album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers (2022). The "Pop Out" collective is composed of Lamar himself, pgLang signee Baby Keem, and TDE flagship artists (except Punch and Alemeda) Jay Rock, Ab-Soul, ScHoolboy Q, SZA, Isaiah Rashad, Lance Skiiiwalker, SiR, Zacari, Ray Vaughn, and Doechii. Guest appearances on the album include Swae Lee, Lorde, Rosalía, Tommy Richman, Brent Faiyaz, Khalid, Travis Scott, Nav, Snoop Dogg, A$AP Rocky, ¥$, Future, Dom Kennedy, Roddy Ricch, Steve Lacy, former TDE artist Reason, Chris Brown, Mozzy, Vince Staples, Kodak Black, Anna Wise, Big Sean, Tyga, Ellie Goulding, Sam Dew, Miguel, Alicia Keys, future TDE signee Alemeda, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Blxst, Ghostface Killah, Jhené Aiko, Summer Walker, Pharrell Williams, Thundercat, former pgLang artist Tanna Leone, YG, Pusha T, Tyler, the Creator, and Sampha. Production on the album was handled by many producers, including Lamar (under the pseudonym "OKLama"), Baby Keem, ¥$, Lacy, Williams, Thundercat, and Tyler, the Creator themselves, alongside Willie B, Kal Banx, Sounwave, Tae Beast, Mustard, Max Martin, Ilya, Shellback, J.Lbs, DJ Dahi, Bēkon, Ludwig Göransson, Mike Will Made It, Ricci Riera, James Blake, BadBadNotGood, Greg Kurstin, The Alchemist, Terrace Martin, Taz Arnold, Thundercat, Rahki, LoveDragon, Flying Lotus, KXVI, Pharrell Williams, FnZ, Knxwledge, Metro Boomin, Cardo, and Jack Antonoff, among many others. The album was partially recorded from May to September 2024, on multiple locations, as well a "tour(ish) visit" to the SoFi Stadium by Lamar, while he was recording a beat following his The Pop Out: Ken & Friends residency. The hit single "Not Like Us" appears on the album, alongside an "album Megamix" as a bonus track.
The album received positive critical reviews and debuted atop the Billboard 200, and sold 108,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, purchasing ¥$' Vultures 2. It also debuted at the number two and the top 10 on several countries. It was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album was also nominated at the 68th Grammy Awards at the Best Rap Album and Album of the Year categories, while "Not Like Us" won Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, Record of the Year, Grammy Award for Song of the Year, and Best Music Video categories, whom Lamar also earned him a Guinness World Record for "Most Awards on a Simple Song by a Rapper".
Recording
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Lamar first recorded "Not Like Us" on May 2024, with Mustard serving as its beatmaker. The song samples Monk Higgins' cover of Ray Charles' composition "I Believe to My Soul". Following his The Pop Out concert, he experimentally recorded the album at the SoFi Stadium on the same place following a "tour(ish) visit" to the stadium. Baby Keem recorded his vocals in Las Vegas, the TDE artists' vocals were recorded at the TDE Red Room in Carson, Spanish singer Rosalía's vocals were recorded in Barcelona, New Zealand singer Lorde and Jay-Z's vocals and Jack Antonoff's beats were recorded in New York City, the string section were recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, Swedish producers Max Martin, Ilya and Shellback's beats were recorded at Stockholm, the album's mix was recorded at Larrabee Sound Studios on North Hollywood, and Lamar's vocals were recorded at Santa Monica on two studios owned by "himself". The album's executive production was handled by Lamar himself (under the pseudonym "OKLama"), Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith and his son Anthony "Moosa" Tiffith, Jr., Terrence "Punch" Henderson and Dave Free, who guest appeared on the music video for "Not Like Us".
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Lamar also recorded music on July 2024, and invited fellow rappers Rick Ross and Childish Gambino at his "owned" studio Windmark Studios at Santa Monica, were Rick Ross' vocals appeared on "Extravagance" and Childish Gambino's vocals on "Get This Shit Up". On an interview with XXL, Lamar praised both artists' performances on the album, and added it on his "Note Like Us" critics poll, like Pazz & Jop, but made for hip hop music.
Songs, themes and styles
[edit]The songs are performed by the "Pop Out" collective consisting of Lamar, Baby Keem, and TDE flagship artists (except Punch).
The themes are talking about Lamar's fame and consciousness, as well getting a "semi-peaceful" theme to the album to honor his feud with Drake. He also introduces his self-acclaim and personal fame of being one of the world's best-selling music artists of all time, and giving a billion of wealth given by Dr. Dre. On the song "Get'cha Back Nigga" (originally titled "Fame and Money" on leaked versions of the album), he mentions "give all of Dre's money, wealthiest man in the world it's meh!". He also explores themes on previous albums such as childhood and generational trauma, infidelity and celebrity worship (Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers), religion, wickedness and weakness (DAMN.), political commentary, African-American culture, racial inequality, depression and institutional discrimination (To Pimp a Butterfly), gang lifestyle and street living (good kid, m.A.A.d city), among other topics. Lamar also expresses transphobia and homophobia on several songs of the album, as well his teenhood watches on Censored Eleven cartoons. Throughout many songs, he uses his new "name-drop" technique, mentioning many celebrities and artists included on the album.
The music on the album is primarily hip hop music combined with R&B and trap music, with a broad range of record producers and featured artists. Other genres are included on the album are pop music, gospel music, alternative hip hop, gangsta rap, G-funk, rap rock, pop rap, jazz rap, conscious hip hop, hip house, electronic music, drill music, experimental music, soul music, neo soul, alternative music, and other delights.
Track listing
[edit]All songs written and produced by Kendrick Lamar alongside any guest artists, except producers and track 10, solely written by Jay-Z. All tracks co-produced by Sounwave, except track 10, only co-produced by Jay-Z, and bonus track, solely produced by Lamar. Co-producers listed below.
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "We Are the Pop Out" (performed by Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock and SZA featuring Travis Scott, Future and Tyga) | 03:02 | |
| 2. | "Not Like Us" (performed by Kendrick Lamar) | Mustard | 04:33 |
| 3. | "Extravagance" (performed by Kendrick Lamar, Baby Keem and ScHoolboy Q featuring ¥$, Tyler, the Creator and Pusha T) |
| |
| 4. | "Next Love" (performed by SZA and Doechii featuring Sam Dew and Lorde) | ||
| 5. | "Watch Out the Bottom" (performed by Kendrick Lamar and Doechii featuring Kodak Black, Sampha and Summer Walker) |
| |
| 6. | "It's All 'Bout the Kung-Fus" (performed by Black Hippy featuring Sampha and Jhené Aiko) | ||
| 7. | "Westmatic" (performed by Black Hippy, SZA, SiR, Isaiah Rashad, Baby Keem, Lance Skiiiwalker and Doechii featuring Snoop Dogg, Reason, Mozzy, Chris Brown, Swae Lee and Dom Kennedy) | Baby Keem | |
| 8. | "Right Now All Hail the K.I.N.G." (performed by Kendrick Lamar featuring Nav, Tanna Leone and Rosalía) |
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| 9. | "Busted!" (performed by Jay Rock featuring Alemeda and Vince Staples) |
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| 10. | "Jay-Z Interlude" (performed by Jay-Z) | ||
| 11. | "Get This Shit Up" (performed by Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q and Zacari featuring A$AP Rocky and Roddy Ricch) |
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| 12. | "All 4 U" (performed by SZA, Lance Skiiiwalker and Zacari featuring Tommy Richman, Brent Faiyaz, Alicia Keys, Anna Wise and Thundercat) |
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| 13. | "Hyphy Power" (performed by Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem featuring YG and Dom Kennedy) |
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| 14. | "Thankful" (performed by Kendrick Lamar featuring Khalid and Steve Lacy) |
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| 15. | "I'll Pray" (performed by Kendrick Lamar, SiR and Lance Skiiiwalker featuring Big Sean and Ellie Goulding) |
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| 16. | "Get'cha Back Nigga" (performed by ScHoolboy Q and Kendrick Lamar featuring Miguel, 50 Cent and Blxst) |
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| 17. | "Ninjas" (performed by Ray Vaughn and Kendrick Lamar featuring Ghostface Killah and Summer Walker) |
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| 18. | "Pop Out National Anthem" (performed by The Pop Out featuring Pharrell Williams) | Williams |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 19. | "Who Shot Kendrick Lamar?" (performed by Kendrick Lamar) |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 20. | "The Pop Out Album Megamix" | 05:00 |