Kendrick Lamar's second No. 1 of UK Albums Chart with GNX, his surprise sixth studio album.
The Compton rapper previously topped the chart in 2015 with his third LP To Pimp A Butterfly, while 2017's DAMN. and 2022 Mr Morale & The Big Steppers both finished at No. 2.
Lamar achieved the feat through digital downloads and streaming numbers alone, with physical releases expected in early 2025. GNX arrived last Friday (Nov. 22) without any warning, but it comes in a banner year for the rapper following the success of “Not Like Us,” the latest blow in his vicious feud with Drake. The song went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 in UK Singles Chart earlier in the summer.
Earlier this week, Drake took legal action against Universal Music, claiming the company could have stopped the release of the song which saw Lamar “falsely accuse him of being a sex offender”. Both license their music through Universal Music, with Lamar working with Interscope Records and Drake licensing his OVO Records through Republic. Universal Music said the claims were “offensive and untrue”.
Lamar beat British soul star Michael Kiwanuka to the top, with the latter Minor Changes No. 2 making it his fourth top 5 LP on the chart since 2012 Home Again (No. 4), 2016 Love and Hate (No. 1) and 2020 Mercury Prize winner Kiwanuka (No. 2). Earlier in the week, Kiwanuka had a big lead over Lamar given his physical success, with 87% of his final total coming on vinyl, CD and cassette.
Sabrina Carpenter's Short n' Sweet reaches No. 3, featuring last week's chart-topper Linkin Park and their comeback album From scratch finishing at No. 4, while Charli XCX's Brat completes the top 5.
Elsewhere Father John Misty earns his fifth top 20 album Mahamasana closes at No. 12, while Afrobeats titan Wizkid's sixth album Moray making his highest charting album at no. 14.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/kendrick-lamar-gnx-number-one-uk-albums-chart-1235841189/
