Kung Fu Kenny Emerges: Watch Kendrick Lamar's New Video for "DNA," Starring Don Cheadle (dir. Nabil)
The Kung Fu Kenny era continues with the arrival of the rapper's new single and video, "DNA." In the Nabil-directed video, Kendrick, who self-assigned the moniker on To Pimp a Butterfly, begins his transformation handcuffed and only slightly lucid, trading bars with an entranced (possessed?) Don Cheadle, before breaking free and rushing the streets to the embrace of Schoolboy Q and a righteous crew of fellow Angelinos, as his fully-realized traditional-garb-a-la-Bruce-Lee-in-Chinese-Connection self.
"DNA" arrives as a follow-up to "HUMBLE." as the album's tone-setting anthem, a feverish extension of the Kendrick's conquer-all "Backseat Freestyle," almost a week after he dropped "The Heart Part 4" and sent all the internets into a frenzy with that closing line and the rapidly-approaching date that came and went. On April 14th, Kendrick officially dropped his new album DAMN., now slated to be his third-consecutive No. 1 debut, after untitled unmastered and To Pimp A Butterfly.
Hit the link below to see Kendrick Lamar and Don Cheadle star in the video for "DNA" below. Revisit the cut in this week's installment of The Round-Up and be sure to pick up a copy of the new album on iTunes today.