TURN THE TV OFF! | Kendrick Lamar – “TV Off” GNX Reaction

TURN THE TV OFF! 📺🔥

For this episode of Hazed Reactions, we’re kicking back with Kendrick Lamar’s “tv off” featuring Lefty Gunplay from his GNX album and honestly, this one is exactly what we needed for a Friday.

After all the heavy conversations, lyrical deep dives, beef analysis, and Kendrick Lamar history we’ve covered throughout this journey, sometimes you just need to press play on a ridiculous beat, turn the volume up, yell “MUSTAAAAARD!” and have a damn good time.

But of course… this is Kendrick Lamar we’re talking about.

Because underneath the infectious production, West Coast energy, wild beat switch, and one of the most recognizable screams in modern hip-hop, “tv off” has a LOT going on.

Before we even hit play, we take a little time to set the stage for GNX including what a GNX actually is, why the car carries so much cultural significance to Kendrick and Los Angeles, and how this album continues Kendrick’s long-running celebration of California, West Coast hip-hop, and the communities that shaped him.

We also talk about Kendrick’s decision to spotlight Los Angeles Latino artists and voices that might not have the mainstream recognition of the biggest names in hip-hop.

That brings us to Lefty Gunplay.

Kendrick has repeatedly used his platform to shine a light on artists from his community, and “tv off” is another example of that. We talk about Lefty’s role on the track, his Los Angeles roots, and why Kendrick giving artists like him a larger platform matters, especially within the history and culture of L.A. rap.

Then we finally hit PLAY.

And this one is different.

We aren’t trying to overanalyze every second of the song before we let ourselves enjoy it. We wanted to vibe. We wanted to have fun. We wanted to experience “tv off” the way it feels when it comes blasting through the speakers.

And then Kendrick being Kendrick gives us plenty to talk about afterward.

We break down some of the lyrics from the first verse, including Kendrick’s biblical references and the larger thesis behind the song. We talk about the way “tv off” works as both a celebration and a statement about Kendrick’s position within California hip-hop.

We also take a closer look at the production, especially those opening horns and the way the track drops out before Kendrick comes in. The production on this song is deceptively simple in how effective it is, and the transition into the second half is one of the reasons “tv off” became such a standout from GNX.

Then comes THAT beat switch.

And THAT scream.

“MUSTAAAAARD!”

😂🔥

We talk about why that moment works so ridiculously well, why it was so unexpected, and how something that could have sounded completely absurd somehow became one of the most iconic moments on GNX.

But underneath all the energy and celebration, Kendrick is still saying something.

We talk about what it means to “turn the TV off,” the references to the Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake beef, and why this song can be viewed as another victory lap following the events of 2024.

We also discuss the possibility that parts of “tv off” originated during the same period as the Drake/Kendrick battle. Mustard has explained that the two sections of the song came from separate beats and that the track was recorded around the same period as “Not Like Us,” which helps explain why the production feels so connected to Kendrick’s biggest song of the beef.

And then there’s the Super Bowl.

Kendrick opened his Super Bowl LIX performance with the line:

“The revolution's about to be televised.”

And then “tv off” became the closing performance of the entire halftime show.

That creates a beautiful little circle around one of the biggest themes of Kendrick’s career: the idea of the revolution being televised, while Kendrick simultaneously controls exactly what the world gets to see.

We talk about why that ending makes the Super Bowl performance feel even more intentional in retrospect.

We also dig into some of the darker material hiding underneath the party atmosphere, including Kendrick’s references to CRASH and the history of aggressive policing in Los Angeles. Robert brings some personal perspective and history to the conversation, helping explain what that environment meant for people growing up around Watts, Compton, and other communities in Los Angeles.

And somehow, in the middle of all of that, Kendrick is still quoting The Notorious B.I.G.

Yep. Even while wearing a Biggie shirt, I somehow missed the reference until we got into the discussion. 😂

We also talk about Kendrick’s rhyme schemes, delivery, flow, the way he shifts between celebration and confrontation, and how he manages to make “tv off” sound like a massive party without abandoning the deeper themes that have always made his music so compelling.

Because that might be the thing we love most about this song:

Kendrick gets to have FUN.

He gets to talk his shit.

He gets to celebrate his city.

He gets to make a gigantic, accessible, ridiculously catchy hip-hop song.

And then, almost like an afterthought, he reminds you:

Oh yeah…

I still have something to SAY.

That balance is a huge part of what makes “tv off” such a fascinating Kendrick Lamar song and why GNX can function as both a celebration of West Coast culture and another chapter in Kendrick’s much larger artistic story.

So for once, we're not making this one miserable. 😂

No endless beef arguments.

No comment-section wars.

No trying to prove who understood the song better.

Just Kendrick Lamar, Lefty Gunplay, Mustard, GNX, California, some ridiculous production, and a Friday vibe.

Turn the TV off.

Turn the speakers up.

And come vibe with us. 🔥

🎵 SONG: “tv off”
🎤 ARTISTS: Kendrick Lamar feat. Lefty Gunplay
💿 ALBUM: GNX
🎧 GENRE: West Coast Hip-Hop / Hip-Hop
📅 RELEASED: 2024

Kendrick Lamar’s GNX era has given us some of the most talked-about moments in modern hip-hop, from “Not Like Us” and the Drake feud to the Super Bowl halftime show and Kendrick’s continued celebration of Los Angeles and West Coast culture.

If you're a Kendrick Lamar fan, hip-hop fan, West Coast rap fan, GNX listener, or just discovering Kendrick’s music for the first time, we hope you’ll come along for the journey.

And if you've been following our Kendrick Lamar journey from the beginning…

Thank you. ❤️

This chapter may be coming to a close, but the journey through hip-hop history is absolutely NOT over.

Next week, we're opening a brand-new chapter.

And we're going back to where so much of this story begins:

Tupac Shakur.

With the trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis scheduled to begin in Las Vegas on August 10, 2026, Tupac’s story is once again at the center of national conversation.

So we're going to take that moment and use it to start learning about one of the most important figures in the history of hip-hop from the beginning.

But first…

MUSTAAAAAARD! 🔥

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And tell us:

What is your favorite moment from “tv off”?

Was it the beat switch?

The Mustard scream?

The lyrics?

The Super Bowl connection?

Or is there a deeper meaning in this song that we didn't talk about?

We want to hear what YOU think.

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CHAPTERS:

CRUMBS OF CONTEXT - 0:00

TAKE IT AWAY KDOT - 03:30

AN ODE TO CALI - 04:30

BACK TO IT KDOT - 07:15

REVOLUTION TELEVISED - 08:20

MUSTAAAAAAARD - 14:35

IT'S DEEPER THAN THAT - 16:35

CLOSING THOUGHTS - 26:30

I SHOWED UP AT YOUR PARTY - 30:50