Kendrick Lamar Morphs Into 6 Prime Celebrities In 'The Heart Part 5' Video

Kendrick Lamar has officially returned with new music. After teasing the release of his upcoming album Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers last month, the pgLang founder has shocked the music industry with his first music video of the year.

On Sunday night, May 8, Kendrick Lamar released his new song "The Heart Part 5." The song is produced by L.A. trio Beach Noise and samples the legendary Marvin Gaye's 1976 record "I Want You." Kendrick's fifth installment of his ongoing single series was accompanied by eye-popping visuals that has the Compton native transforming into some of the most talked-about Black figures in pop culture.

“As I get a little older, I realize life is perspective and my perspective may differ from yours,” Kendrick says as the record begins. “I want to say thank you to everyone that’s been down with me. All my fans, all my beautiful fans, anyone who’s ever gave me a lesson. All my people.”

The video begins with a solo shot of Kendrick wearing a black bandana and a white t-shirt as he stands in front of a maroon background. Kendrick opens the song by thanking his fans and supporters before he gets into his intellectual bars, some of which appear to allude to the lives of numerous Black celebrities that have made an impact on Hip-Hop and beyond. Then his face begins to morph into the likes of OJ Simpson, Kanye West, Jussie Smollett and Will Smith. Towards the end of the video, we can see K Dot's face become the late Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Hussle.

"And Sam, I'll be watchin' over you, Make sure my kids watch all my interviews," Kendrick raps. "Make sure you live all the dreams we produce/Keep that genius in your brain on the move/And to my neighborhood, let the good prevail, Make sure them babies and them leaders outta jail/Look for salvation when troubles get real/'Cause you can't help the world until you help yourself, And I can't blame the hood the day that I was killed/Y'all had to see it, that's the only way to feel/And though my physical won't reap the benefits, The energy that carry on emits still."

"The Heart Part 5" might not appear on his upcoming album, but it's a great way to hype up Kendrick's first solo album in five years. Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers drops Friday but for now you can watch his powerful new music video up top and catch The Breakfast Club's reaction to the song below.