Kendrick Lamar’s latest video Element provided more insight into isolated incidents that have driven the rapper to become the person he is. In the album’s song “Element,” Lamar emphasizes the passion he’s put into making himself arguably this generation’s best rapper, noting that “I’m willin’ to die for this shit / I done cried for this shit. Might take a life for this shit.” Today, the Compton native released a video for the song, making it the third visual of the album.
The Jonas Lindstroem-directed video goes through a number of scenes that harken back to the song’s lyrics. In it, a supposed father urges his son to hit punch him in the face as a way to toughen him up. That later transitions into grown men participating in similar behavior, mostly in slow motion to act out the song’s catchy hook: “If I gotta slap a pussy ass nigga, Ima make it look sexy.” There’s also a shot of women dressed as nuns that could be a representation of Kendrick mentioning that, due to both of his grandmothers being dead, no one is left to pray for him.
There are also moments of a man floating in the air and a group of homies beautifully mobbing out in the whip, both of which have happened in previous videos. There’s enough in here to unpack and watch a million times. Kung Fu Kenny delivers again.
Peep the visuals below
