Image via Getty/Kevin Mazur
Earlier today, Kendrick Lamar finally emerged from wherever he’s been hiding out and shared a very rare post on social media. It was an image of a folder labeled “nu thoughts” with a link to a website called okama.com.
At first, it looked like he might have surprised us with a new album, but the folder didn’t contain music. Instead, there was a letter that gave a short update on what’s been happening in his world. Most notably, Kendrick revealed that his next album will be his final project with his longtime label Top Dawg Entertainment. (Don’t worry, he’s not saying it will be the final project of his whole career).
The letter is less than 200 words long, but there’s more than enough material here for attention-starved Kendrick fans to run wild with theories. And why not? When an artist as elusive as Kendrick decides to share a rare update, it’s worth a deep dive. Donda still isn’t here and Drake is still sitting on Certified Lover Boy, so we decided to join in on the fun this afternoon and completely overanalyze Kendrick’s letter. Here are six theories about the note.
The move from TDE might have been in motion since at least last year
Last October, Instagram rap account AntiXBound took to IG Live with speculation on what was happening in Kendrick Lamar’s world. According to a Redditor’s recap of the live, the runners of the account hinted that “Kendrick basically might’ve left TDE to pursue pgLang with Dave Free,” who departed TDE in 2019. In previous Kendrick-centered live sessions, AntiXBound alleged info about TDE’s album release plans and claimed to be “pretty much” affiliated with pgLang, which gave the speculation legs as insider news. Many people in the media reported on the rumor.
The talk got so intense that they later posted an IG story asking people not to take their words out of context, though they also doubled down that they “don’t spread wrong information.” Kendrick eventually popped out last year to defuse the rumors on an IG Live session of his own with TDE CEO Top Dawg, where he joked, “They been smuttin’ my name all year, man...Enough is enough...Got ’em sayin’ I done shook the label and all that, man.” AntiXBound might have leaked the news before Kendrick was ready to announce his departure from TDE, but maybe AntiXBound was “pretty much” right that Kendrick has plans on joining his longtime friend Dave Free. —Andre Gee
Kendrick's attention is shifting to pgLang
What is Kendrick going to do after leaving TDE? Well, in March 2020, he announced the launch of pgLang, a mysterious platform that is focused on building stories and engaging with audiences through different forms of media. According to the company’s mission statement, Lamar’s “new purpose at pgLang embodies something deeply personal.” It also explains that pgLang “is at service to creators and projects that selflessly speak with, and for the shared experiences that connect us all.”
Since its launch, pgLang has released several visual projects. The first visual, titled Welcome to pgLang, starred Baby Keem, Jorja Smith, Yara Shahidi, and Kendrick. The second video, Propaganda, depicted short clips from Baby Keem’s 2019 concert (who is rumored to be the first musical artist on the pgLang roster). And the third visual project was a collaboration with Calvin Klein. While pgLang is still in its infancy, Kendrick’s departure from TDE suggests he may be looking to dive deeper into his new venture, and it could be the home for his future albums. It’s unclear what this next chapter will entail, but pgLang “speaks music, film, television, art, books, and podcasts,” which could mean a handful of multimedia projects from K. Dot are coming as well. —Jessica McKinney
We’ll have to stay patient for his next album
It’s exciting to hear Kendrick acknowledge the existence of a new album, but based on the tone of this letter, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to arrive any time soon. Instead of announcing that a new project is on the way, he carefully chose his words to make it clear it’s still a work-in-progress. “As I produce my final TDE album, I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years,” he wrote. It seems more likely that Kendrick’s motivation for writing this letter was to get ahead of rumors about his departure from TDE, rather than to kick off an album rollout. He likes to take his time with albums, and if he’s still working on this one, it could still be a while until we get to hear it. He notably ends the letter by saying, “See you soon enough.” And if Kendrick’s clock is anything to go on, “enough” could have a much different meaning for him than it does for impatient fans. —Eric Skelton
He’s going to stay off the grid
My favorite part of this letter is the first paragraph, where Kendrick gives us an extremely on-brand update on his life. Apparently he’s been unconcerned with all your complaints about his reclusiveness, because he’s more than happy spending his time collecting old bikes and ignoring his phone for months at a time. So if you thought Kendrick might finally get active on social media for his next rollout, you thought wrong. This man sounds totally content living his life off the grid, contemplating in silence and getting really into vintage bikes. Meanwhile, we’re sitting here overanalyzing a letter from a celebrity we’ve never met, glued to our phones. Fuck. Kendrick has life figured out. Don’t expect him to return to this chaos any time soon. —Eric Skelton
The album could have a very serious, somber (and religious?) tone
OK, I’ll admit, this is where we’re going to start reaching a little. Kendrick hasn’t given any updates on his life for a long time, and we don’t have many clues about the lyrical direction of the next album. But he gives us a peek into his headspace in this letter. “Love, loss, and grief have disturbed my comfort zone, but the glimmers of God speak through my music and family,” Kendrick writes. “While the world around me evolves, I reflect on what matters the most. The life in which my words will land next.” Based on this short update, it seems he’s been in a very serious and reflective mood lately. If loss and grief have shaken him from his comfort zone, we might be in for an album that’s more somber in tone than DAMN—and don’t be surprised if it covers religious themes. Kendrick promises that God speaks through his music, before ending the letter by revealing, “I’ve prayed for you all.” Religious overtones have long been a part of his music, but this could be a hint they’ll be even more apparent on the next album. —Eric Skelton
The Oklama era has begun
Kendrick signed the letter with the name Oklama, which is also the title of the website it appears on. So, what the hell does it mean? Did Kendrick make a typo when he was spelling Oklahoma, which is home to a small town called Kendrick? Is it the name of a new alter ego? Is it the title of a new album? Honestly, it’s too late in the day on a Friday to pull out the tinfoil hat and come up with ridiculous theories about how you get “Oklama” when you jumble the letters of his parent’s names or some shit, but it’s clear it has something to do with his next era. I wouldn’t be surprised if he keeps adding new folders to the “Oklama” website as the album gets closer, and it ends up acting as a homepage for everything involving the new project (singles, music videos, personal messages, merch, etc). We’re in the Oklama era now—whatever that means. —Eric Skelton