How did "luther" by Kendrick Lamar and SZA come together? Producer Sounwave reveals the song started as an interlude

Kendrick Lamar and SZA's hit luther demonstrates how a song can grow from a fleeting idea into a fully realized collaboration.

In a conversation with Rolling Stone, published on Dec. 15, songwriter Ink credited producer Sounwave's call for bringing the team together and creating a standout piece that reflects both artists' chemistry.

According to Sounwave, Kendrick Lamar's chief producer and longtime friend, luther wasn't supposed to be a complete track. But what began as an interlude transformed into a full song.

Ink shared:

"I got a call from our boy Sounwave, 'Yo, pull up on this.' We been locked in since then. It’s always good to work with people that inspire you."

Sounwave added:

"There were no drums. It was literally me chopping the sample and Dot just humming melodies. 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."

Also Read: "Spitting bars all the way to the top": Fans erupt after Kendrick Lamar is named 2025's best songwriter based on Billboard’s Hot 100 data

Kendrick Lamar and SZA's luther nominated for the 2026 GRAMMYs

Kendrick Lamar and SZA's tribute song luther, which pays homage to the song If This World Were Mine by Luther Vandross and Cheryl Lynn, had amassed significant awards since its release in November 2024.

It clinched the Best Collaboration trophy from the BET Awards, as well as the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Music Collaboration. The song also reached Gold Platinum status in multiple regions like Central America, the United Kingdom, and France, as well as a 4x Platinum record in Australia.

Further, it has scored nominations for the upcoming 2026 GRAMMY Awards — Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Melodic Rap Performance — following its massive success on music charts like the Billboard Hot 100.

Lamar's luther was also nominated for Collaboration of the Year and Favorite Hip-Hop Song at the 2025 American Music Awards. It also received a nod from the recently concluded VMAs for the Best Collaboration title.

A track off GNX, his 6th studio album, Lamar and SZA performed the song live at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show performance last February.

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The two constant collaborators also embarked on a joint tour, Grand National Tour, where they performed luther as one of their closing songs. Both Kendrick Lamar and SZA are also credited as composers and songwriters behind the highly acclaimed record.

Also Read: Why did Kendrick Lamar pause his Spilt Milk set? Rapper stops performance to sing and gift signed hat

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