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Kendrick Lamar Recorded 30 to 40 Songs for New Album

TDE rap star covers Aug./Sept. issue of Complex magazine, talks challenging himself.

Kendrick Lamar talked more about his sophomore album and meeting the high expectations set by his major label debut in the August/September 2014 issue of Complex magazine.

Lamar invited the publication to follow him through studio sessions in L.A. The 27-year-old rapper said that he has recorded "30 to 40" tracks but is still "flirting with ideas" to title the new project, which will feature production from Tae Beats, Sounwave of Divi+Phonics and possibly Dr. Dre. The album is slated for a fourth quarter release later this year. 

As he has said before, the "Swimming Pools" MC isn't concerned with topping good kid m.A.A.d. city. "If I keep focusing on, 'I need to make something better than good kid,' it's going to be just that," he said. "That's not challenging yourself. I don't want to become that person reflecting on what has been done. What I'm doing now is the question. I'm only as good as my last word, my last hook, my last bridge."

Lamar also touched on the last year or so in his career –– mainly the "Control" verse and getting snubbed at the Grammys, the latter of which "wasn't really a huge deal," he said. "Macklemore deserves the accolades. That's still my partner regardless," he maintained. "He probably didn't need to Instagram the text. But what's done is done."

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