Kendrick Lamar’s pgLang Announces Latest Signee 

BY Aron A.
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Kendrick Lamar accepts the award for best rap album for Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers - USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Imani Imani releases her debut project "Papercut."

The pgLang roster is expanding as the Kendrick Lamar-led label and creative communications company announced their latest signee: Imani Imani. The announcement of the R&B artist’s signing occurred this morning with the surprise release of her 11-track project, Papercut. Imani has reportedly been signed to the label since 2024.

For some, the release of Papercuts serves as a formal introduction to Imani. However, she already gained momentum online under the name Imani Selina. A quick YouTube search shows several snippets and songs surface. Most notably, fans probably know her best from the unreleased Kendrick Lamar song, “I Feel Something” that debuted at Chanel S/S 2024 Fashion Show, which she contributed vocals to. Her song "Snatch" was also included in the Fashion Show.

"a powerful wave of admiration, and deep validation for a major accomplishment, steady progress, or perseverance through hardship. Congratulations @imanimani :-)" Dave Free wrote in the comments of her Instagram post announcing Papercut.

In addition to the release of her new project, she also dropped off the music video for “Mindgames,” directed by Keanna Williams & Neal Farmer.

pgLang Signs Imani Imani

It looks like pgLang will be continuing their 2026 run throughout the summer. Earlier this year, Baby Keem came through with his latest body of work Ca$ino. Now, Papercuts will certainly soundtrack the summer season. 

However, fans are still wondering if we’ll be receiving a new album from Kendrick Lamar soon. The rapper is less than two years removed from GNX, and fans have suspected that he might have new music that he’s revving up to drop in the near future. The “Who Is The Giant?” Posters that appeared in L.A., Atlanta, and New York fueled speculations, though there was no actual confirmation that those posters were even associated with the L.A. rapper. However, with the release of ICEMAN and the numerous shots that Drake sent at Dot’s direction, fans are certainly hoping to hear a response at some point. 

Check out the music video for “Mindgames” above and sound off with your thoughts on the latest pgLang signee. 

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.

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