God, how I love Kendrick Lamar. If he isn't the epitome of an outstanding artist, then I don't know who is. I've been watching and listening to Kendrick grow since 2008, so to see where he's at right now creates another level to my elation. His music always speaks volumes to me and has saved me (and others, to be sure) from droughts of unhappiness. So being gifted his newest short film "God Is Gangsta" (the visuals for "u"/"For Sale?-Interlude") creates an entirely new appreciation for the introspection this man goes through to help us, his loyal fans.
The roughly seven minute film opens with what I believe are the strongest visuals of this year, and for Kendrick to date. Dot is in a very compact room, with a bottle in his hand while he's clearly going through an internal fight emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Physically he looks beat up and exhausted. As he spits the first verse of "u", he appears to be talking to no one, yet to someone. I saw it as Kendrick representing two versions of himself. One being his conscience becoming confrontational about all the depression, darkness and guilt that is bringing him to the brink of suicide. The second being the man we all see, except now it isn't through rose colored lenses, hence his appearance. Kendrick Lamar is visually giving us a look into the torment he went through with himself, the Devil and every other bring of bad vibes. The video sequence is powerful and carries a lot of weight due to its realism. By the time the bridge comes in is when "God Is Gangsta" takes a shift. Without revealing what's going on, I'll just say K. Dot gives us his most personal viewpoint in the "u" video that knotted up my stomach and made me feel pain that wasn't my own. It's spectacular.
Shortly after this sequence is when the video cuts and the "For Sale?" visuals open. Playing even stronger on the faith theme there's an introduction of Kendrick getting baptized juxtaposed with him in a room full of women and red lights, clearly a metaphor for The Devil and God. When paying close attention to the intro on "For Sale?" everything in that red room is supposed to be everything that Kendrick thought he wanted. But in reality it is all of the sins of temptation pulling him further away from God and the things that truly matter. The Devil is trying to find out if Dot's soul is for sale, but because of his relationship with God he won't budge. This brings us full circle as to why God is so gangsta, which I think wraps up quite nicely what just happened in the "u" video. It's genius.
Kendrick Lamar will reach a lot of people with this video. "God Is Gangsta" moved me to feel what I wasn't even feeling. The visuals shout out to the depressed, the suicidal, the addicts - whomever you are - that you can overcome whatever it is that you are battling, and more importantly that you're not battling it alone. It is the most amazingly human video I've ever seen. I only wish I could thank Kendrick Lamar for this in person.
Check out "God Is Gangsta" below.
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