Mustard Reacts To Kendrick Lamar's Surprise 'GNX' Album And Says 'TV Off' Screamed 'Was Elite' To Him

Without warning on Friday, November 22, Kendrick Lamar has since released his sixth album, GNX. Featuring vocals from SZA and production from “Not Like Us” producer Mustard, along with Sounwave and Jack Antonoff (another shocker) among others, the 12-song album clocks in at just under 45 minutes.

“You know what's crazy? It was a surprise to me, as it was to everyone else,” says Mustard. “I thought maybe it would come at the top of the year, maybe it would come around the Super Bowl or whatever. I'm at the gym working out today and I see him post a snippet of a song and I'm like, “Oh shit, that shit's probably coming next week,” I think about Thanksgiving when they're all together at home. 10 minutes later, the album is out.”

“TV Off” – one of the tracks co-produced by Mustard (along with Sean Momberger, Sounwave, Antonoff and Kamasi Washington) appeared early GNX stands out, in part because of its close connection to Lamar's breakout hit “Not Like Us,” which Mustard says was “definitely intentional.” And like the album that arrived without warning, Mustard hadn't heard the full version of the song until today.

“What was I thinking?” he says, his energy palpable. “I was losing it. I mean, I already knew I was into beats, you know? But Kendrick is the best rapper, bro. Like, all the time. I think he's one of the best.”

Mustard says he made “TV Off” around the same time as “Not Like Us,” but clarifies that the two halves of “TV” were made at different times from two different beats. “That first half was definitely in the same realm of doing stuff like 'Not Like Us,'” he says, “and the second half was a beat I did for this other theater album I'm trying to do. And I was like, 'Man, let me see if Kendrick would like it.'' I sent it to him and he said, 'It's crazy.'

Even crazier? The multi-second transition between the two segments, when Lamar gleefully shouts “Mustaaaaaaaaard.” As Mustard himself says, “That was the elite. So fire. So, is it a new label? I can't wait to perform that song and just hear people say that, 'cause everybody's going to say it like crazy.

As for “Hey Now”, (another of his co-produced tracks), Mustard made this beat 3-4 years ago on his own before Sounwave and Antonoff added to it. “I just knew that if I had the right person to do it, it would be perfect. I sent it to [Kendrick] and he took it right away and said, “Okay, I know what to do.”

“I got this thing where I'm trying to ship [Kendrick] something every day,” he continues. “I always am [wondering] what follows You know, this morning I'm texting like, “What do you need from me?” Whatever it is, I'm on board and ready to keep my head down and keep working.”