Kendrick Lamar. Picture: Instagram
With Kendrick Lamar’s long awaited fifth studio album, “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” scheduled for release on Friday, the ace musician has surprised fans with a new single and music video.
The Heart Part 5 https://t.co/DlnQO2g5nw
— Kendrick Lamar (@kendricklamar) May 9, 2022
“The Heart Part 5” sees Kendrick picking up where he left off from on 2017’s “The Heart Part 4”, and is the latest addition to his long-running “The Heart” series which have typically preceded his new albums.
“Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” will follow Kendrick's Pulitzer-winning 2017 album “Damn”.
The new video was directed by Kendrick and Dave Free, who is his business partner at his new agency PgLang, and someone with whom he’s often collaborated with.
The video starts with Kendrick looking off camera with a maroon backdrop as he says, “As I get a little older, I realise life is perspective.”
A minute into the video, Kendrick begins morphing into various digitally produced celebrity fakes, from OJ Simpson to Kanye West, to Will Smith.
In the final part of the song, he pays homage to the late Nipsey Hussle by seemingly rapping to his family from his perspective., as he morphs into a Nipsey lookalike.
“Kendrick rapping the 3rd verse in Nipsey’s perspective is just beautiful man,” tweeted @songsandsamples.
Kendrick rapping the 3rd verse in Nipsey’s perspective is just beautiful man
— 𝘚ongs // ᔑamples (@songsandsamples) May 9, 2022
pic.twitter.com/TztO50MQYY
The video includes a thank you message to South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker.
A few months ago, ‘Deadline’ reported that he was working on a live-action production with the duo.
Kendrick announced the new album, which is set to be his final album with his record label TDE (Top Dawg Entertainment), a few weeks ago, with a post on his social media platforms.
Previously, he had shared a rare update on his current situation on his website: “May the Most High continue to use Top Dawg as a vessel for candid creators. As I continue to pursue my life’s calling, there’s beauty in completion. And always faith in the unknown.”