Los Angeles rappers Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem have teamed up once again for a new single, “The Hillbillies”. The track, which marks the follow-up to the cousins’ Grammy-winning 2021 collab, “Family Ties”, marks the first new release from Lamar since his 2022 double-album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.
The single, which arrived on Tuesday alongside a lo-fi music video, also brought with it some exciting news for the L.A. hip-hop community: The video ends with a cameo by Tyler, the Creator, who meets Kendrick and Keem in front of Dodger Stadium to confirm that his Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival will return in 2023 after four years away.
Tyler, the Creator launched Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, formerly known as OFWGKTA Carnival, in 2012 and continues to serve as its curator. The Goldenvoice-produced festival, typically held in the fall at Dodger Stadium, has consistently featured artist lineups loaded with hip-hop heavy-hitters and more. Camp Flog Gnaw has not taken place since 2019, first because of the pandemic and later due to the Grammy-winning rapper/festival curators busy touring and recording schedule.
As Tyler, the Creator’s manager, Chris Clancy, told Billboard about the decision not to host the event in the fall of 2022, “It’s really not that deep. Tyler toured all year and was busy with a number of projects. Reading the tea leaves and what’s happening with festivals coming out of the pandemic, we thought it would be best to come back next year.”
[Screengrabs via “The Hillbillies” music video – Tyler, the Creator confirms Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival 2023 at Dodger Stadium]
Prior to the release of Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar’s “The Hillbillies” video, no official announcement had been made about Camp Flog Gnaw 2023. While the details have yet to be revealed, the official festival website has been updated to display the new “The Hillbillies” video on its home page. Neither Kendrick Lamar nor Baby Keem have performed at the event in the past, but after this soft announce, we wouldn’t be surprised to see their names on the official festival lineup when it arrives.
[UPDATE 5/31/23]: After silently confirming the 2023 return of Camp Flog Gnaw to Dodger Stadium in the video for “The Hillbillies” on Tuesday, Tyler, The Creator and company on Wednesday confirmed the initial details of the event, set to take place on November 11th and 12th. The artist lineup has yet to be announced. For more information, head here.
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Related: Kendrick Lamar Brings ‘The Big Steppers Tour’ To New Orleans [Review]
Check out the Neal Farmer-directed music video for the EVILGIANE-produced, Bon Iver-sampling “The Hillbillies” via Lamar’s pgLang entertainment company below.
Baby Keem & Kendrick Lamar – “The Hillbillies” (Official Video)
[Video: pgLang]