I wasn't really feeling Kendrick Lamar's new album, until I saw all three of the videos he recently released for his new album, intelligently titled 'DAMN.'
All the videos are beautifully directed, push the envelope and most importantly make you question.
First one on the list is 'ELEMENT.'
The videography sucks you in as you see a hand emerge from the water and when Kendrick comes in and drops the verse:
"I'm willing to to die for this shit. I done cried for this shit. Take a life for this shit. Put the bible down and go eye for an eye for this shit. D.O.T. my enemy, won't catch a vibe for this shit."
Then he just unloads a lyrical a-bomb and describes all angles of hell, he's going to have to pay just for doing so.
The most thought-provoking line for me anyway, is 'Ain't nobody praying for me.'
Next one on the list is the big banger 'HUMBLE.'
What I love about this song are the conventions about the music industry Kendrick, annihilates through his lyrics.
Much respect to him. There aren't that many artists, who are willing to make such bold statements, for fear of having their checks cut in half and/or catching hell from the music industry.
Favorite verse in 'HUMBLE,' is:
"I'm so fuckin sick of the Photoshop. Show me something natural like Afro on Richard Pryor. Show me something natural like ass with some stretch marks."
Wait ... come on ladies and you know that's big for a dude to say. Not that you're going to aspire towards having stretch marks, but life ain't gonna to be a conventional music video forever.
Finally, there's 'DNA.' Not much to say about this one, the video and the lyrics say it all.
Definite homage groupie now. I was already a fan of Kendrick's before, but now thanks to these iconic music videos I'm now a die-hard fan.
Is Kendrick the greatest rapper of all time?
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