A wild new visual is the prelude to Lamar’s long-awaited Damn. follow-up, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
Kendrick Lamar Shares New Song “The Heart Part 5,” Kanye, Nipsey, Will Smith in Video: Watch
K-Dot's “The Heart Part 5.” It’s the rapper’s first single prior to his long-awaited Damn. follow-up Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers and his first new track as a lead artist since 2018.
Kendrick Lamar surprise dropped a new song Sunday night (May 8), In the video, directed by Dave Free and Kendrick Lamar, sees Lamar morphing into popular figures like Kanye West, OJ Simpson, Jussie Smollett, Kobe Bryant, and Nipsey Hussle.
The lyrics often align with the person he’s resembling, discussing bipolar disorder when he’s West and murder when he’s the late Hussle. It opens with this quote attributed to Oklama: “I am. All of us.”
The song was produced by Beach Noise, the production and songwriting trio of Matt Schaeffer, Johnny Kosich, and Jake Kosich whose other production credits include multiple tracks by Baby Keem. “Part 5” also includes instrumental contributions from Kyle Miller and Bekon. It appears to sample “I Want You” by Marvin Gaye.
Kendrick closes off on the second half of the third verse with several lines that are evidently from the perspective of Nip, who was murdered on March 31, 2019, when K. Dot was performing in Argentina.
“I wake up that morning with more heart to give you,” Kendrick raps. “As I bleed through the speakers, feel my presence. To my brother, to my kids, I’m in Heaven. To my mother, to my sis, I’m in Heaven. To my father, to my wife, I am serious, this is Heaven. To my friends, make sure you countin’ them blessings. To my fans, make sure you make them investments.”
Lamar then sends a message to “the killer that sped up my demise,” rapping from the perspective of Hussle that his murderer is forgiven, but his “soul is in question.”
“I seen the pain in your pupil when that trigger had squeezed,” K-Dot spits. “And though you did me gruesome, I was surely relieved. I completed my mission, wasn’t ready to leave. But fulfilled my days, my Creator was pleased.”
Lamar’s new album is set to be released on May 13.