US rapper Kendrick Lamar has secured his second number-one album in the UK chart with GNX.
The 12-track record was a surprise release featuring contributions from American R&B star SZA as well as artist Lefty Gunplay, among others.
Lamar’s other chart topper, To Pimp A Butterfly, soared to number one in the UK’s albums chart following its release in 2015.
The Grammy winner’s latest offering is his first release since 2022’s Mr Morale & The Big Steppers, and his sixth studio album overall.
Lamar has released a number of songs this year including Euphoria, which peaked at number 11 on the chart, and Not Like Us, which went to number six.
He also appeared in a verse for song Like That, by producer Metro Boomin’ and rapper Future, which took aim at a J Cole verse that suggested he, Drake, and Lamar were the top three rappers in the game.
In the song, Lamar, who has been embroiled in a feud with Canadian rapper Drake this year, rapped “the big three … it’s just big me”.
The rap megastar, who found success with his 2012 album Good Kid, m.A.A.d City, is headlining the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans this February.
He has accumulated 17 Grammy wins and became the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize for his 2017 album Damn.
At number two in the albums chart this week is the record Small Changes by Mercury Prize winner Michael Kiwanuka, with Sabrina Carpenter’s Short N’ Sweet sitting at number three.
The rest of the top five is comprised of Linkin Park’s From Zero and Brat by Charli XCX.
Elsewhere, US singer Gracie Abrams has made it a straight month at the top of the singles chart with pop song That’s So True, according to the Official Charts Company.
This week’s number two is Sailor Song by US songwriter Gigi Perez with APT by Blackpink’s Rose and pop star Bruno Mars in at number three.
Making their debut at number four and five respectively is Lamar’s Squabble Up and Luther.
