Kendrick Lamar Drops Surprise Album on Spotify

Kendrick Lamar shocked the Internet by releasing his highly anticipated sophomore major label album, early. In 2016, it appears he’s besting that delivery with one of pure surprise altogether. Hours ago today (March 3), an eight song EP hit Kendrick Lamar’s Spotify page, called (at present) untitled. unmastered.

Every track is untitled—some with what appears to be dates, as far back as 2013 and as recently as this year. Fans of the Compton, California Grammy Award-winning MC know that he has previously performed several songs in an “untitled series”—three believed to be official. The first debuted in December of 2014, during the finale of The Colbert Report. That song was omitted from T.P.A.B. Jimmy Fallon’s own late-night platform, Kendrick returned in early 2016 with another unreleased song performance. Less than two weeks ago, Kendrick then closed his Grammy night with a new song during his corresponding set.

These songs deal strongly with slavery images, Middle Passage, and African American heritage. Perhaps, untitled unmastered plays on that same idea—with Kendrick breaking the chains of the record system, and what is expected of artists. Additionally, the records are strong testaments to K-Dot’s and TDE’s inner-circle, with producers and executives being shouted out.

The EP follows an idea used by Kanye West with his eighth album. Previously, West had discussed surprise releasing the album—before giving it a release date in 2016, and delaying the work by more than a day. That album, The Life Of Pablo, features Kendrick Lamar. In 2015, Drake released If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late, a retail mixtape on less than one day’s notice as well.