Kendrick Lamar has unexpectedly dropped a new track on his Instagram, reportedly titled “Watch the Party Die.”
The five-minute song includes mentions of Christian rapper Lecrae and Terrace Martin, along with apparent references to DJ Akademiks. Lamar raps about the radio personality, saying, “The radio personality pushing propaganda for salary / Let me know when they turn up as a casualty.”
He also hints that his conflict with Drake may not be fully resolved, with lines suggesting there are still tensions: “Just walked that man down, that’ll do everyone a solid / It’s love but tough love, sometimes you gotta result in violence.” The cover art features a pair of worn sneakers, which seems to allude to Drake’s single cover for “Push Ups,” a track that poked fun at Lamar’s shoe size.
This new song is Lamar’s first release since his hit single “Not Like Us,” which was a major success during his recent back-and-forth with Drake. “Not Like Us” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May and dominated charts like Hot Rap Songs, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and Streaming Songs, and it reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Song of the Summer chart.
Additionally, the announcement of Lamar performing at the 2025 Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime show adds to the excitement. This will be his second appearance in such a role; he previously performed during Dr. Dre’s all-star lineup at the 2022 show alongside Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and 50 Cent.
“Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date,” Lamar stated regarding the Halftime show. “And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.”