"Tupac meets Eminem"- Fans think Kendrick Lamar's 'reincarnated' on GNX album is inspired by 2 legendary rappers
Kendrick Lamar dropped his fifth studio album, GNX, as a surprise release on Friday, November 22. One of the 12 tracks on the new album, reincarnated, has caught the attention of his fans, with many of them reacting to it on social media.
Many of them have pointed out on X that they can trace the influences of Tupac and Eminem in the K-Dot song. One user said:
"Tupac meets Eminem = Reincarnated by Kendrick Lamar"
Some users have pointed out Eminem's influence on the track, while others appreciated the song as inspired by the two legendary rappers.
"If you don’t hear Eminem’s influence In Kendrick Lamar’s Reincarnated then you don’t really have an ear for Rap," wrote an X user.
"Kendricks Reincarnated feels like a mix of Eminem and Pac! I love it! #GNX" commented a second one.
"'Reincarnated' from Kendrick album got a Tupac/Eminem vibe to it," replied a third user.
Multiple other users commented on the influence of the two rappers on Kendrick.
"Yall hear Pac on Reincarnated... I hear Eminem from Kendrick too often," posted another user.
"Kendrick sound too much like tupac/eminem on reincarnated lmao," wrote a fan.
"On reincarnated, Kendrick definitely got a 2Pac and Eminem feeling to him" - commented a user on X.
Kendrick Lamar sampled Tupac's Made Ni***z in his reincarnated
According to The Fader, released as the sixth single of his latest album, GNX, reincarnated witnesses Kendrick Lamar sampling Tupac's 1996 track, Made Ni***z. In the song, K-Dot pays homage to the late rapper by following his aggressive flow and exploring the theme of rebirth. The track opens with:
"I got this fire burnin’ in me from within/ Concentrated thoughts on who I used to be, I’m sheddin’ skin/ Every day, a new version of me, a third of me demented, cemented in pain/ Juggling opposing kinds of fame/ I don’t know how to make friends, I’m a lonely soul"
Lamar also makes historical references in the song, mentioning a Michigan-based guitarist born in 1947, which could be a reference to Drew Abbott, Jeff Hanna, or Iggy Pop.
Elsewhere in the song, K-Dot referenced a female Black singer from the Chitlin' Circut, who dealt with substance abuse, mentioning "heroine needles," "cocaine," and "brown sugar" in the song.
Towards the end of the track, Lamar returns to his present life, where he has suggestively been reincarnated as his current self and is trying to rewrite the story written by the Devil as he battles his demons.
According to Billboard, reincarnated has been ranked as the top-rated song from his new album.
Lamar addressed his Superbowl alleged controversy with Lil Wayne in Wacced Out Murals
While Kendrick Lamar's reincarnated is being praised on the internet for its Tupac and Eminem influences, another track from the album, Wacced Out Murals, has gained popularity for the Grammy-winning rapper addressing his recent Superbowl controversy in it.
Addressing Lil Wayne in the song, Kendrick Lamar raps:
"I used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud/Irony, I think my hardwork let Lil Wayne down/ Got the Super Bowl and Nas the only one congratulate me, all these n***as agitated I’m just glad it’s on their faces."
The Superbowl Halftime alleged controversy between Wayne and Lamar started in September when the NFL announced that the latter would headline the upcoming show. As per L.A. Times, since the event took place in New Orleans, Lil Wayne felt "hurt" and "broken" that he was not to be asked to headline the event.
NFL's Superbowl Halftime LIX show is scheduled to take place on February 9, 2025, at the Caesar's Superdome in New Orleans.
