Kendrick Lamar says he isn't working on a new album but something 'long-form'

He's been jotting down 'thoughts, ideas and questions'

Kendrick Lamar (Getty)

With the Black Panther soundtrack and a world tour now behind him, you might assume that Kendrick Lamar is now working on his next album.

But in a rare interview with the Los Angeles Times, he says he’s been writing “long-form”, though not on a new album.

From the interview:

“When asked about new music, he demurs — claiming that he’s merely been jotting down thoughts, ideas and questions.

When prodded about what questions he’s asking, he cagily quips: ‘That’s personal.’

All political talk is ruled off the table. He’s friendly but cryptic, inclined toward vague generalities open to interpretation. He’s been writing long-form, but declines to articulate what it’s about, what themes are reoccurring and in what form it will eventually see release. He claims he hasn’t been working on a new album, but says that he’s constantly working. Someone in his camp mentions they’re going to the studio immediately after this.”

This could suggest some kind of novel or a new soundtrack from Lamar. More likely, perhaps, is that he is indeed working on new music that may or may not appear on a new album, but he’s not ready to discuss the record yet.

Given the fierce anticipation that comes with Lamar’s releases, he might not yet want to say “I’m working on a new album” and start a new cycle of fans demanding to know when it will drop.

Lamar received his first Oscar nomination this week, with “All the Stars” from the Black Panther soundtrack being nominated alongside Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born duet, “Shallow”.