Early this morning, Kendrick Lamar made his proper return to music and, naturally, everyone rejoiced. Here's "i", the first single from the Compton rapper's wildly anticipated (and still untitled) sophomore album.
The song was produced by Rahki, an L.A. producer and protege of DJ Khalil who worked previously with Lamar on "Black Boy Fly," a bonus track from his 2012 debut Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.
As Kendrick Lamar songs go, "i" is unabashedly uplifting and message-driven, a psychedelic guitar-based call for self-love and acceptance that will be sung in showers and out of car windows.
After the largely narrative and introspective work of Good Kid, Lamar seems to be revisiting the more overtly socially conscious inclinations he displayed on his 2011 independent album Section.80.
On Twitter, the new song inspired some enthusiastic praise.
But some were skeptical of the shift in tone.
There's no word yet on a release date for the new album, but if it's our attention Kendrick was after, mission accomplished.