Kendrick Lamar has released the music video for brand-new single i. The clip takes us on a journey through Lamar’s neighbourhood of Compton, California. Tired of the self-destructive behaviour that surrounds him, Lamar goes from the club to the streets in hopes of inspiring some good.
Like LA’s answer to Chris Martin, Pied Piper Lamar dances and raps along to his infectious tune, helping people to put their troubles temporarily to the side and join in on the positivity. Eventually a sizable crowd converges on an abandoned block where the dancing kicks into high gear, when, suddenly, TWIST!
The video, directed by Alexandre Moors and The Little Homies, also pays homage to Heath Ledger’s Joker from 2008 film The Dark Knight, with Lamar recreating the scene where Joker hangs his head out of a moving car. The clip also guest stars The Isley Brothers’ Ronald Isley.
Speaking on i, Lamar recently told Hot 97, via CoS, that the track is for “the homies that’s in the penitentiary right now” and “kids that come up to my shows with these slashes on they wrists, saying they don’t want to live no more”.
Though Lamar’s follow-up album to 2012s Good Kid, M.A.A.D City still has no release date or title, we do know he’s worked with Pharrell Williams and Thundercat, along with mentor Dr Dre, on the new record.
You can check out the clip for i below
Watch: Kendrick Lamar – i
