DJ Akademiks & Adam22 on Kendrick and AZ Chike’s Album

DJ Akademiks and Adam22 have sparked discussion around AZ Chike album rollout after Kendrick Lamar was notably absent from No Rest For The Wicked. Kendrick’s involvement in the album had generated significant expectations, particularly after AZ Chike shared studio photos with the Compton rapper. When the project arrived without a Kendrick feature, speculation quickly followed about what happened behind the scenes.

Kendrick Lamar Was Expected to Appear

The speculation surrounding Kendrick did not come out of nowhere. AZ Chike had previously shared images of himself with Kendrick in the studio while promoting No Rest For The Wicked. Those posts led many fans to believe that Kendrick could eventually appear on the project.
However, when the album was released on September 18, Kendrick was not listed among the featured artists. The 14-track project instead included collaborations with artists such as Tyler, The Creator and JMSN. (hotnewhiphop.com)
That absence immediately became part of the conversation surrounding the album. Some reports suggested Kendrick may have recorded a verse that ultimately did not make the final tracklist, although that claim has not been officially confirmed by Kendrick or his team. (hotnewhiphop.com)

Adam22 Questions the Album Rollout

Adam22 became one of the more outspoken voices discussing the situation. His comments focused on the expectations created around Kendrick and whether those expectations ultimately affected the way people viewed Chike’s album.
Adam22 suggested that Kendrick’s involvement may have complicated the rollout because so much attention became centered on the possibility of a feature. Instead of focusing exclusively on Chike and the music itself, fans were waiting to see whether Kendrick would appear. (hotnewhiphop.com)
The criticism should be viewed as commentary rather than established evidence. There is currently no confirmed data proving that Kendrick’s absence directly caused weaker album performance.

DJ Akademiks Adds His Take

DJ Akademiks also discussed the situation and claimed that Kendrick had pulled a verse from the project. That claim remains unverified, meaning it should be treated as speculation rather than confirmed information. (hotnewhiphop.com)
Interestingly, Akademiks did not simply attack Kendrick over the situation. His comments also suggested respect for Kendrick’s approach, arguing that Kendrick was not obligated to heavily promote another artist's album simply because he had been involved in the creative process.
That distinction matters because the discussion is not necessarily about whether Kendrick helped or hurt Chike. Instead, it highlights how the presence of a major artist can dramatically change expectations around a release.

Kendrick Had a Creative Role Anyway

Although Kendrick did not appear as a featured vocalist, his influence on No Rest For The Wicked reportedly went much deeper than a potential guest verse.
AZ Chike explained that Kendrick and producer Sounwave helped curate the album and provided feedback on the project's structure and tracklist. Their involvement reportedly included decisions about song placement and the overall direction of the record. (hotnewhiphop.com)
One example involved “God's Favorite.” Chike reportedly had the song positioned further down the tracklist, but Kendrick encouraged him to move it closer to the beginning. The song ultimately became the third track on the album. (hotnewhiphop.com)
This makes Kendrick's absence from the final credits more interesting. His influence appears to have been primarily creative rather than centered on appearing as a featured artist.

Sounwave Also Helped Shape the Project

Sounwave was another important figure in the album's development. Chike has described both Kendrick and Sounwave as influential in shaping the project's sound and tracklist. (dancehallmag.com)
Their involvement connects the album to Kendrick's wider creative circle while allowing Chike to maintain his own identity as the project's main artist.
The distinction is important because studio collaboration does not automatically mean a guest appearance. Kendrick could contribute ideas, feedback, and creative direction without ultimately appearing on a song.

No Rest For The Wicked Stands on Its Own

Despite all the Kendrick speculation, No Rest For The Wicked remains AZ Chike's album. The project contains 14 tracks and represents his major-label debut through Warner Records. (readdork.com)
Tyler, The Creator appears on two songs, while JMSN is another featured vocalist. The production lineup also includes major names such as Pharrell Williams, Hit-Boy, Terrace Martin, and Sounwave. (hitsculture.com)
That lineup gives Chike plenty of established creative support even without Kendrick appearing on the final album.

The Album's Early Numbers

The discussion became more intense after early projections suggested No Rest For The Wicked could open with roughly 9,000 album-equivalent units in the United States. Those figures were projections rather than final first-week results. (ratingsgamemusic.com)
The number alone cannot establish that Kendrick's absence damaged the rollout. Many factors can influence an album's opening performance, including marketing, audience size, playlist exposure, release competition, touring activity, and the artist's existing fanbase.
It is also possible that the Kendrick speculation generated additional attention for Chike. Even without a feature, Kendrick's association with the project gave the album another layer of media interest.

Did Kendrick Actually Hurt the Rollout?

There is currently no definitive evidence that Kendrick Lamar ruined AZ Chike's album rollout.
The more concrete story is that Kendrick was involved creatively, fans expected a possible feature, and the final album arrived without his vocals. That gap between expectation and reality created a significant amount of online discussion. (hotnewhiphop.com)
DJ Akademiks and Adam22 have offered their own interpretations of the situation, but those interpretations should not be confused with confirmed facts.
The reported early sales projection also does not provide enough evidence to establish a direct connection between Kendrick's absence and the album's commercial performance.

The Bigger Lesson for Album Rollouts

The AZ Chike situation illustrates how expectations can become almost as important as the music itself. Once fans believe a major artist is going to appear on an album, that possibility can become part of the project's marketing narrative even if the collaboration was never officially confirmed.
For Chike, that creates both an advantage and a challenge. Kendrick's association brought additional attention, but it also created expectations that the album had to meet.
Ultimately, No Rest For The Wicked gives Chike an opportunity to build his own identity. Rather than being defined by whether Kendrick appears on a song, the project can now be judged by its music, performances, and long-term audience response.

Final Thoughts

The debate around Kendrick Lamar AZ Chike began with expectations that Kendrick would appear on No Rest For The Wicked. When the album arrived without his vocals, speculation quickly emerged about a possible unused verse and its impact on the rollout.
DJ Akademiks and Adam22 have both discussed the situation, but their comments represent opinions and claims that are not fully supported by independently confirmed evidence. (hotnewhiphop.com)
What is clearer is that Kendrick had a meaningful creative role in the album. AZ Chike has described Kendrick and Sounwave as contributors to the project's curation and tracklist, even though Kendrick ultimately did not appear as a featured artist. (hotnewhiphop.com)
For now, the bigger story is not whether Kendrick “ruined” the rollout, but how much attention his association brought to an album that ultimately belongs to AZ Chike.