Kendrick Lamar has reportedly signed an exclusive, worldwide administration agreement with Universal Music Publishing Group. According to Music Business Worldwide, the Top Dawg Entertainment standout and 13x-Grammy Award winner agreed to the publishing deal earlier this month, although no further details were provided.
UMPG Chairman and CEO Jody Gerson said in a statement, “Kendrick Lamar is not only one of the greatest lyricists that has ever lived, but he has done as much or more than any artist to promote much needed change in our society through music.
“I and my colleagues at UMPG are deeply honored to be afforded the opportunity to join Kendrick, Anthony ‘Top Dawg’ Tiffith and the TDE family to help forward his unique and important vision.”
Fans are eagerly awaiting the follow-up to Kendrick’s Pulitzer Prize-winning album DAMN., which arrived in 2017. TDE president Terrence “Punch” Henderson briefly quelled their thirst on October 19 with a Twitter post that insinuated the project was imminent.
When a fan asked him when the album was dropping, he replied “Pretty soon.” After being asked if that meant “this year soon,” Punch said, “As in soon soon.”
But those wanting to hear Kendrick spit even sooner can cop Busta Rhymes’ forthcoming album Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God on Friday (October 30). The 21-track project comes with a K. Dot feature alongside guest spots from Q-Tip, Rakim, Rapsody, Rick Ross, Bell Biv DeVoe, Mariah Carey and Pete Rock, among others.
In March 2012, MTV announced Kendrick had signed a deal with Interscope Records and Aftermath Entertainment. Then last year, he inked another publishing deal with BMI to represent his music catalog worldwide. He’s been with TDE since 2005.