Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “luther,” one of eight songs vying for Record of the Year at the 2026 Grammys, was originally set to be a mere interlude.
This revelation is among several featured in a GNX-focused Rolling Stone feature from Preezy Brown, published Monday (Dec. 15). Sounwave, a producer on the Luther Vandross-sampling Hot 100 hit, recalled a drumless version of the song that preceded what is now considered a standout from both Kendrick and SZA’s respective catalogs.
Key to “luther” making the transition from interlude to full-fledged hit was Ink, a co-writer on the track and an artist in her own right.
“It was literally me chopping the sample and Dot just humming melodies,” Sounwave told RS of the original version of the track. “We had the sample in the tuck forever, we just never could crack it. But once he hit this one specific melody, I knew that this had to be bigger.”
And bigger it most certainly became. The song peaked at No. 1 on the Hot 100, ultimately spending a total of 13 weeks in the top spot. In addition to vying for Record of the Year at next year’s Grammys, the GNX hit—also featuring production from Jack Antonoff, among others—is up for Song of the Year and Best Melodic Rap Performance.
GNX, previously ranked as the best album of 2024 by Complex, is eyeing potential wins in the Best Rap Album and Album of the Year categories at next February’s Grammys ceremony. Both Kendrick and SZA have multiple past Recording Academy victories to their name, with Kendrick a 22-time winner and SZA a five-time winner, respectively.