Kendrick Lamar surprises fans, announces long-awaited new album 'Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers'

Kendrick Lamar has been quiet long enough. After much anticipation, the rapper is releasing a new album.

On Monday, Lamar replied to a February tweet that read: "Kendrick Lamar is officially retired," linking out to the website Oklama.com, announcing the upcoming album titled "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers."

Lamar's fifth studio album will be out May 13.

Fans can expect future updates on the album to come straight from Lamar's website. "All factual information for this release will come directly from this source only," Lamar's release states.

This isn't the first time Lamar used the Oklama alias and website to announce career news. The Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper posted a lengthy statement on the website in August, indicating that his next album will be his last for Top Dawg Entertainment, the label he’s been with since his 2011 debut, “Section.80.”

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“As I produce my final TDE album, I feel joy to have been a part of such a cultural imprint after 17 years. The Struggles. The Success. And most importantly, the Brotherhood. May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators. As I continue to pursue my life’s calling,” Lamar wrote at the time.

Fans have been anticipating a new record from Lamar for years, even speculating in 2020 that he was about to leave the label. Lamar, 34, dismissed the claims and posted a video on the Instagram account of Top Dawg CEO, Anthony Tiffith, to proclaim his loyalty.

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But Tiffith’s Instagram later acknowledged Lamar’s impending departure.

“With this being Dot’s last album on TDE, this is more of a VICTORY LAP, a celebration,” he wrote in the August 2021 post, referring to Lamar by his old stage name, K. Dot. “I know he will be successful in whatever it is he decides to do and will have our FULL support.”

In 2018, Lamar wrote and produced 14 songs for the soundtrack to “Black Panther,” receiving kudos and scooping up another Grammy for “King’s Dead" (best rap performance).

But Lamar’s artistry hasn’t been on full display since his 2017 multi-platinum smash, “Damn,” which earned a best rap album Grammy (he competed for album of the year, but lost in a crowded field to Bruno Mars’ “24K Magic”).

Lamar’s website posting last year also referenced an apparent life of quietude and contemplation as he mentioned going “months without a phone” and time spent writing, listening and “collecting old Beach cruisers.” He reported that “love, loss and grief have disturbed my comfort zone, but the glimmers of God speak through my music and family.”

Lamar’s contemplations included a hopeful bent as well: “There’s beauty in completion,” he wrote. “And always faith in the unknown.”

He signed his words from, Oklama.

Lamar headlined the first day of the Day N Vegas weekend festival in November and appeared alongside hip-hop heavyweights Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg at the Super Bowl halftime show in February. He is also scheduled to perform at Milano Summer Festival on June 23.

Contributing: Edward Segarra

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kendrick Lamar's new studio album set for May release, title revealed