Kendrick Lamar Gives Us the ‘i’

When “good kid, m.A.A.d city,” Kendrick Lamar’s third record, debuted in 2012, it was instantly and nigh-universally acclaimed by rapturous critics and adored by legions of fans. The musically and narratively sophisticated album instantly catapulted the Los Angeles based rapper to superstar status. Since then he has been a constant presence, appearing as a guest vocalist on many of the biggest hip hop hits of recent years, but has been, understandably, taking his time in producing a new album to follow up his career-defining opus. Finally, that anticipated release is on the horizon, marked by this lead-off single, “i.”