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Kendrick Lamar & Dave Free Launch ‘pgLang’ Service

blame it on Shake March 5, 2020

Kendrick Lamar and his longtime friend and business associate Dave Free have joined forces again to launch a new company called pgLang.

Today (3/5), the Grammy-winning rapper and the man behind the scenes both wiped their Instagram pages (which is usually a sign of new music, but that remains to be seen this time around) to upload a series of announcements about the multilingual “at service company” that will be sharing stories through music, film, television, art, books, and podcasts.”

A full statement from the company can be read below.

“As of 9.01am Pacific Time today, March 5th, 2020, pgLang is live. Created by Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free, this is a new multi-lingual, at service company. It is not a “record label”, a “movie studio”, or a “publishing house.” This is something new. 

Lamar and Free’s new purpose at pgLang embodies something deeply personal to them. pgLang is at service to creators and projects that selflessly speak with, and for, the shared experiences that connect us all. “In this overstimulated time, we are focused on cultivating raw expression from grassroots partnerships,” says co-founder Free. Lamar simply says “Selfless. Reset.”

This  is  happening  now  because  the  media  landscape  is  rapidly  changing,  empowering audiences with choices like never before. Only a few contemporary creators have figured out how to speak the evolving language of this generation without fading into the white noise  or  pre-assigned  market  share. pgLang  is  designed  to  be  artist-friendly  above  all  else and embrace both quality and unconventional concepts. This ethos will be applied to an array of creators who will join pgLang, including authors, film and television directors, fine artists, producers, musicians, and blah, blah, blah… you have all heard this shit before. 

Baby Keem, artist one partnering with pgLang, says, “Astronaut ideas. That is what I call the shit that I know I want but that stand alone. You know? Like, not everything has to ‘make sense’ to me in a rational way. This is how my mind stays fresh, by letting myself have my astronaut ideas and developing them even though it might confuse anyone else.”

On top of the announcement, a “visual mission statement” has also been released on the website that features a four-and-a-half minute film with appearances from Kendrick, Baby Keem, Jorja Smith, and Yara Shadidi. It also previews a song called “Jump 2” by Keem (and possibly Kendrick).

Check out the Dave Free-directed clip below.