The end of an era is upon us. After nearly 2 decades with the label, rapper Kendrick Lamar and Top Dawg Entertainment are officially parting ways. Things are not ending bitterly between the company and Kendrick, despite what some might believe. Kendrick is staying with the label until his next studio album Mr. Morales and His Steppers is completed and released. The album is set to be available for purchase at the end of May 2022.
But if things are still cordial between Kendrick Lamar and TopDawg Entertainment, why is he leaving? Why is Kendrick terminating a 17-year-long relationship that was instrumental in building his now-legendary career?
7 It's Just Time To Part Ways
Fans shouldn't speculate too much about any kind of drama that may or may not be unfolding behind the scenes with Top Dawg and Kendrick. There is nothing to indicate that Kendrick is having a falling out with either the label's executives or founders. Artists make changes to their process all the time, and that includes moving to new labels or even starting their own. Artists like Tom Waits, Jay-Z, and even Taylor Swift have all made similar changes at some point in their careers. As one can tell from that short list, this is common thing to happen to labels across all musical genres. In any Hollywood industry, whether it is music or film, artists rarely work with the same companies for the entirety of their careers. After 17 years with the same label, it is perfectly natural for an artist like Kendrick to want a change of scenery.
6 There Are New Top Dawg Stars On The Rise
Kendrick is also making way for a new wave and generation of Top Dawg artists. True, Kendrick helped make the label what it is today just as much as the label made him the artist he is now, but a changing of the guard is always inevitable in any industry. Kendrick has given us 4, soon to be 5, top-shelf studio albums with Top Dawg, but now new artists are starting to make waves. Since Kendrick's last album, the label has signed SiR, DayLyt, Reason, Zacari, and Doechii.
5 Kendrick Is Focusing More On Film And New Ventures
In case anyone missed it, Kendrick Lamar ventured into the world of acting for the first time in 2018. Lamar had a one-time role on the show Power as a drug addict, and critics were rather impressed with Lamar's performance. One of the show's producers is 50 Cent, and he is the one who arranged to have Kendrick on the show. Kendrick Lamar has not yet acted in any other show or movie, but with the positive critical reception he received and his departure from Top Dawg he might have time for a new venture.
4 Kendrick Lamar's Work In Hollywood
While he has only acted the one time, Kendrick has broken into Hollywood. His music is used in film and television all the time, and Kendrick Lamar was one of the artists, along with other Top Dawg members, to help produce the soundtrack for the groundbreaking Marvel film Black Panther. Kendrick was even nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song for his work on the picture. Even though he did not win, just to be nominated is a huge boom for any artists career.
3 Kendrick Lamar Had Been With The Label For Nearly 2 Decades
The only surprising thing about Kendrick leaving Top Dawg is the fact he remained with the label for so long. Lamar signed on with Top Dawg in 2005 and he was one of the first artists both signed by the label and one of the first to achieve a successful career. Other early Top Dawg members include Schoolboy Q and Jay Rock, both of whom Kendrick has worked closely with for years.
2 Artists Often Need A Change
As mentioned before, it is totally normal for artists to seek out a change of scenery, whatever that might mean. Working for the same label or patron for the entirety of one's career does not exactly allow one to grow as an artist. True, it might help one thrive for a while, both financially and creatively, but stagnation is the death of creativity for most artists. If we want to see the full potential that Kendrick has to offer, how can we expect him to stay at the same place he has already been for 17 years? That's a rhetorical question, by the way.
1 He Isn't Leaving Until His New Album Is Released
Lastly, as mentioned at the top of the list, Kendrick Lamar is not immediately parting ways with the label. He is leaving, true, but not until his fifth studio album, Mr. Morales and His Steppers, is complete. Kendrick had been teasing his new album for quite some time now, and it will be the first album he has made since 2017's Damn, which was arguably one of his most popular albums. It went certified platinum within days of release.