Are J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar Putting Out An Album?
There’s arguably nothing hip hop fans want more than some kind of collaborative project from J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar. Lauded for their lyrical dexterity and socially conscious rhymes, the artists have an unspoken chemistry that fans think would translate well on wax.
Talks of an album have repeatedly come up over the years to no avail. But could our luck be turning around? Recently, the topic of an album reemerged and someone close to Kendrick Lamar gave a hopeful update.
J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar’s rumored album
Album rumors have swirled since 2010, as NME notes. In 2016, TDE rapper Ab-Soul confirmed to The Breakfast Club that one was indeed in the works. But J. Cole downplayed the rumors in a 2018 interview with Power 105.1 host Angie Martinez.
He said years ago, “We just did a few songs. Like, we did a bunch of ideas. Put it like that. It was nothing like, you wouldn’t call it an album. It’s not like it’s something that’s actively happening. Not because it’s never gonna happen. Just because, like… it’s not right now, and I don’t like teasing or playing the game ’cause this has been going on for a minute.”
The latest on the J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar album
XXL reports that the rumors resurfaced on May 20 after TDE President, Terrence “Punch” Henderson, tweeted about releasing his own music. When fans pleaded for the collaborative project instead, Punch tweeted: “That’s never going to happen.” But then he doubled back.
“Nah I don’t know,” he began. “It might still happen. I want it to happen.”
Shocked that fans were still interested, he continued: Y’all really want that album still??? Like for real? I think it would great for hip hop. I did my part though. I spoke to both of them. Hit them n*****!”
Punch has yet to provide an update on how the artists responded to him, though.
J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar are said to be working on individual projects
Who knows if their music will ever see the light of day. But the good news is that they both have new tunes on the way.
Consequence of Sound reported in November 2019 that J. Cole intends to release a new album sometime in 2020. Titled The Fall Off, it is a rap album that will follow the critically-acclaimed KOD (2018).
Kendrick Lamar, on the other hand, is said to be working on a rock album. Billboard columnist Bill Werde tweeted in January the album even “may be finally done.” But Werde urged fans not to get too excited in a follow-up tweet, noting that “albums go back to the studio all the time after this point, and for a million different reasons.”
The project will be his first since Kendrick Lamar’s Pulitzer Prize-winning album DAMN., which came out in 2017.
Read more: When Will SZA Release a New Album?
