SZA Lobbies For Collaborative Album With “Genius” Kendrick Lamar
SZA appears to be as enthusiastic about the possibility of crafting a collab album with Kendrick Lamar as she is about promoting her upcoming film project with Keke Palmer.
During a recent appearance on Sherri Shepard’s daytime talkshow, the TDE vocalist spoke to the actress/host about her work with Palmer for their film, One Of Them Days, and her SOS deluxe album LANA.
The conversation took a major shift when Shepard began mentioning the chart-topping singer’s collaborations with Lamar, including “Babylon,” “Doves In The Wind” and their latest joint effort, “30 For 30.”
SZA didn’t hold back her admiration for Lamar, calling him a “genius” and perking up when asked if the two would ever consider teaming up for an entire project.
“I would love that,” SZA quipped. “I think that would be amazing.”
SZA delved deeper into what makes Lamar’s artistry so unique, highlighting his enigmatic nature as a defining trait.
“Part of his genius is him being so elusive and so mysterious,” she explained. “I don’t know what’s going on as much as you don’t know what’s going on.”
She described the almost cryptic process of working with him, recounting moments of surprise during their creative sessions. In the process, she revealed just how secretive Lamar was, even with his own collaborators, while crafting his surprise GNX album last year.
“When [songs like] ‘Luther’ came out, I said, ‘Okay, that’s the vocals we’re using, period,’ and same with ‘Gloria’.”
For SZA, these unexpected moments of brilliance are a testament to Lamar’s unparalleled skill. What’s more, his influence seems to be extending beyond the music itself. SZA shared how working with him has helped shape her current creative journey, which she described as her “fumbling” era.
“He’s a huge part of my fumbling and finding era because I’m just trusting all of his expertise,” she admitted. “Being thrust into these moments and the spotlight and saying yes—he’s so good at saying yes, but staying grounded. So I’m just like, teach me, sensei, what you know.”
As fans eagerly await any updates on a potential joint album, they continue to boost the success of SZA and Kendrick Lamar’s “30 For 30.” The track has been a commercial triumph, debuting at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and amassing more than 50 million on-demand streams in its first week.
The single has also climbed to the top of the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while dominating playlists and racking up millions of views on YouTube. With numbers like these, the duo’s synergy is undeniable and the anticipation for what’s next is at an all-time high — given SZA only has two more albums left before she completes her deal with TDE.
Check out the full clip in the post above.