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The Heart Part 5

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"The Heart Part 5"
Promotional singlebyKendrick Lamar
from the albumMr. Morale & the Big Steppers
ReleasedMay 8, 2022(2022-05-08)
RecordedMarch 2020
Genre
Length5:32
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Beach Noise
Music video
"The Heart Part 5"onYouTube

"The Heart Part 5"is a song by American rapperKendrick Lamar.It wassurprise releasedon May 8, 2022, throughpgLang,Top Dawg Entertainment,Aftermath EntertainmentandInterscope Records,as a promotional single to help anticipate the release for Lamar's fifth studio albumMr. Morale & the Big Steppers,where it was later included as a streaming bonus track.[1][2]It is the fifth part in his "The Heart" song series following "The Heart Part 4"in 2017, and his first solo release in over four years.[3]The song received five nominations at the65th Annual Grammy Awards,including forRecord of the Year,Song of the Year,Best Music Video,Best Rap PerformanceandBest Rap Song,eventually winning the latter two.

Background[edit]

On August 20, 2021, Kendrick Lamar revealed through a blog post on his website that he was in the process of producing his upcoming fifth studio album; his final project under Top Dawg.[4]He shared the album's name and release date through a pgLang-headed letter on April 18, 2022.[5]Following the announcement, his website was updated with a new page entitled "The Heart", which contained 399 empty computer folders.[6]News of the song's release was accidentally leaked by music streaming serviceSpotify,who teased the song through a description of Lamar's playlists before being changed.[7]

Lyrics and composition[edit]

"The Heart Part 5" is aconscious hip hoprecord driven bysoulandjazzinfluences.[8]Lamar wrote the song alongside its producers Johnny Kosich, Matt Schaeffer and Jake Kosich (known collectively as Beach Noise).[9]Leon WareandArthur "T-Boy" Rossreceived posthumous songwriting credits for the interpolation of the 1976 single "I Want You",as performed byMarvin Gaye.[10]

Lyrically, "The Heart Part 5" follows in the footsteps of its previous parts, and Lamar's third studio albumTo Pimp a Butterfly(2015), by offeringsocial commentaryon the climate ofAfrican-American cultureandinstitutionalized discrimination.The song also delves into personal themes ofempathy,death,anddepressionfrom different perspectives.[11][12]

Music video[edit]

The music video usesdeepfaketechnology, showing LamarmorphingintoO. J. Simpson

The music video for "The Heart Part 5", directed by Lamar andDave Free,was released alongside the song on May 8, 2022.[13]In the video, Lamar performs the song against a red wall, while usingdeepfaketechnology to transform himself into six modern Black American figures: in order, they are former football player and convicted felonO. J. Simpson,rapperKanye West,actorsJussie SmollettandWill Smith,former basketball playerKobe Bryant,and rapperNipsey Hussle.The deepfakes were made bySouth ParkcreatorsTrey ParkerandMatt Stone's studio Deep Voodoo.[14]

Each of the six deepfakes perform a verse from the song that reflects on their own perspectives.[15]Simpson's verse, which addresses itself as being done "for the culture", mentions a "bulletproof rover" as a reference to his1994 Ford Bronco chase.[16]West's verse reflects on his battle withbipolar disorderand how often he has been taken advantage of.[17]Smollett's verse reflects on the hypocrisy surrounding the media coverage of his2019 hate crime hoaxand subsequent arrest.[18]Smith's verse reflects on the backlash he received following hisslapping incident ofChris Rockat the94th Academy Awards.[19]After a moment of silence from Lamar, Bryant's verse reflects on being an influential figure through hard work and dedication.[20]Hussle's verse, the longest in the video, takes the form of asoliloquyin the aftermath of his2019 murder,saying that he forgives his killer but that his "soul's in question".[21]

Critical reception[edit]

"The Heart Part 5" was met with widespread critical acclaim, with Lamar's tribute to Hussle, a lifelong friend, receiving universal praise amongst critics and his peers.[22][23]Hussle's longtime partner, actressLauren London,described the music video as "powerful art."[24]Pitchforkcrowned the song with its "Best New Track" honor, with Dylan Green writing, "The convincingness of the deepfakes is mixed, to say the least, but they amplify Lamar's words and serve to visualize a complicated lineage through Blackness and the pressures of celebrity. [...] Perspective constantly changes the playing field of life and Lamar is preparing us for what feels like his biggest shift yet."[25]

In a five-star review, Ben Beaumont-Thomas ofThe Guardiancalled the song "a heartstopping call for uplifted humanity", adding that Lamar's "flow is as charged and acute as ever as he lays out a manifesto of radical empathy." Highlighting Lamar's "own love for his community", Beaumont-Thomas praised how he "divines"Marvin Gaye's "innatesocial conscience,changing the title line from one of lust to one of hope, using the urgentdiscorhythm to perfectly impart the seriousness of his feeling. "[26]Kyann-Sian Williams ofNMEwrites that "In the final version of his form (he's said this will be his last album on the Top Dawg Entertainment label), Lamar – or Oklama – is taking ownership of his elder role in the rap world. He sees his influence and now wants to be a voice of reason and morality, not just a coveted rap star."[27]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Awards and nominations for "The Heart Part 5"
Year Ceremony Award Result Ref.
2022 MTV Video Music Awards Video for Good Nominated [28]
Best Visual Effects Nominated
BET Hip Hop Awards Impact Track Nominated [29]
MTV Europe Music Awards Best Video Nominated [30]
Video for Good Nominated
2023 Grammy Awards Record of the Year Nominated [31]
Song of the Year Nominated
Best Rap Performance Won
Best Rap Song Won
Best Music Video Nominated

Personnel[edit]

Adapted fromJaxtsa.[32]

Musicians

  • Kendrick Lamar – vocals
  • Bekon– violin
  • Johnny Kosich (Beach Noise) – percussion
  • Kyle Miller (Aeris Roves) – violin, cello
  • Matt Schaeffer (Beach Noise) – guitar, mellotron, Rhodes, bass, drums

Technical

  • James Hunt – recording engineer
  • Johnathan Turner – recording engineer
  • Johnny Kosich (Beach Noise) – recording engineer, mixer
  • Matt Schaeffer (Beach Noise) – recording engineer, mixer
  • Ray Charles Brown – recording engineer
  • Rob Bisel – recording engineer
  • Kaushlesh "Garry" Purohit – assistant recording engineer
  • Marco Echeverria – assistant recording engineer
  • Sedrick Moore II – assistant recording engineer
  • Thomas Warren – assistant recording engineer
  • Emerson Mancini –mastering

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for "The Heart Part 5"
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[33] 31
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[34] 18
Global 200(Billboard)[35] 25
Iceland (Plötutíðindi)[36] 27
Ireland (IRMA)[37] 18
Lithuania (AGATA)[38] 15
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[39] 83
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[40] 15
Portugal (AFP)[41] 45
South Africa (TOSAC)[42] 1
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[43] 6
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[44] 50
UK Singles(OCC)[45] 24
UK Hip Hop/R&B(OCC)[46] 10
USBillboardHot 100[47] 15
USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs(Billboard)[48] 5

References[edit]

  1. ^Iasimone, Ashley (May 9, 2022)."Kendrick Lamar Drops New Song 'The Heart Part 5': Watch the Video".Billboard.RetrievedMay 10,2022.
  2. ^"Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers".Apple Music.RetrievedMay 30,2022.
  3. ^Hussey, Allison; Minsker, Evan (May 9, 2022)."Kendrick Lamar Shares New Song" The Heart Part 5, "Deepfakes Kanye, OJ, Will Smith in Video".Pitchfork.RetrievedMay 9,2022.
  4. ^Blistein, Jon (August 20, 2021)."Kendrick Lamar Teases 'Final TDE Album' in New Message to Fans".Rolling Stone.RetrievedMay 9,2022.
  5. ^"Kendrick Lamar announces new album, 'Mr Morale & The Big Steppers'".NME.April 18, 2022.RetrievedMay 9,2022.
  6. ^Bustard, Andy (April 20, 2022)."Kendrick Lamar Sparks 'The Heart Part 5' Excitement As New Album Rollout Continues".HipHopDX.RetrievedMay 9,2022.
  7. ^"Spotify accidentally leaks Kendrick Lamar album information early".Tone Deaf.May 8, 2022.RetrievedMay 9,2022.
  8. ^Aswad, Jem (May 9, 2022)."Kendrick Lamar Drops New Song, 'The Heart Part 5' — Video Features the Faces of Kanye West, Will Smith, O.J. Simpson, Others Photoshopped Over His".Variety.RetrievedMay 9,2022.
  9. ^""The Heart Part 5" official audio and credits ".YouTube.May 8, 2022.RetrievedMay 9,2022.
  10. ^"Watch Kendrick Lamar morph into O.J., Kanye, Kobe, Nipsey Hussle in new video".Los Angeles Times.May 9, 2022.RetrievedMay 9,2022.
  11. ^"Breaking Down the Symbolism and Meaning in Kendrick Lamar's" The Heart Part 5 "".Complex.RetrievedMay 10,2022.
  12. ^"Kendrick Lamar's new song 'The Heart Part 5' is an emotive glimpse into his latest form, Oklama".NME.May 9, 2022.RetrievedMay 10,2022.
  13. ^Owoseje, Toyin (May 9, 2022)."Kendrick Lamar's new video features Kanye and Will Smith deepfakes".CNN.RetrievedMay 9,2022.
  14. ^Aswad, Jem (May 9, 2022)."Kendrick Lamar's 'The Heart Part 5' Video Kicks Off Partnership With 'South Park' Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone".Variety.RetrievedMay 9,2022.
  15. ^Wood, Mikael (May 9, 2022)."Watch Kendrick Lamar morph into O.J., Kanye, Kobe, Nipsey Hussle in new video".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedMay 9,2022.
  16. ^Adams, Cydney (June 17, 2016)."June 17, 1994: O.J. Simpson white bronco chase mesmerizes nation".www.cbsnews.com.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  17. ^Fitzgerald, Kiana (March 1, 2022)."Bipolar disorder is complicated. So is how we talk about Ye".Vox.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  18. ^Jacobs, Julia; Chiarito, Robert (March 11, 2022)."Jussie Smollett Sentenced to Jail for False Report of a Hate Crime".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  19. ^Donnelly, Matt (March 28, 2022)."Why Will Smith Wasn't Ejected From the Oscars After Chris Rock Slap".Variety.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  20. ^"Breaking Down the Symbolism and Meaning in Kendrick Lamar's" The Heart Part 5 "".Complex.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  21. ^Aswad, Jem (May 9, 2022)."Kendrick Lamar Drops New Song, 'The Heart Part 5' — Video Features the Faces of Kanye West, Will Smith, O.J. Simpson, Others Photoshopped Over His".Variety.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  22. ^"LeBron James, Hit-Boy, Denzel Curry, and More React to Kendrick Lamar's" The Heart Part 5 "".Complex.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  23. ^Kenner, Rob (May 10, 2022)."How Kendrick Lamar and Nipsey Hussle's Yearslong Friendship Informed" The Heart Part 5 "".GQ.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  24. ^""The Heart Part 5": Lauren London Gives Stamp Of Approval To Kendrick Lamar's Nipsey Hussle Tribute ".BET.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  25. ^Green, Dylan (May 9, 2022)."Kendrick Lamar:" The Heart Part 5 "".Pitchfork.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  26. ^Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (May 9, 2022)."Kendrick Lamar: The Heart Part 5 review – a heartstopping call for uplifted humanity".the Guardian.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  27. ^Williams, Kyann-Sian (May 9, 2022)."Kendrick Lamar's new song 'The Heart Part 5' is an emotive glimpse into his latest form, Oklama".NME.RetrievedMay 11,2022.
  28. ^"Your 2022 VMA Nominations Are Here: Jack Harlow, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Nas X Lead The Pack".MTV.Archived fromthe originalon July 26, 2022.RetrievedJuly 26,2022.
  29. ^Grein, Paul (October 5, 2022)."Kendrick Lamar Tops 2022 BET Hip Hop Awards: Full Winners List".Billboard.RetrievedNovember 16,2022.
  30. ^Szalai, Georg (October 12, 2022)."Harry Styles Leads Nominations for MTV EMAs".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedOctober 12,2022.
  31. ^Nordyke, Kimberly; Thomas, Carly (February 5, 2023)."Grammy Awards: Complete List of Winners".The Hollywood Reporter.RetrievedFebruary 6,2023.
  32. ^"The Heart Part 5".jaxsta.com.RetrievedMay 13,2022.
  33. ^"Kendrick Lamar – The Heart Part 5 ".ARIA Top 50 Singles.Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  34. ^"Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)".Billboard.Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  35. ^"Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Global 200)".Billboard.Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  36. ^"Tónlistinn – Lög"[The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic).Plötutíðindi.Archived fromthe originalon May 20, 2022.RetrievedMay 20,2022.
  37. ^"Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50".Official Charts Company.Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  38. ^"2022 19-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)"(in Lithuanian).AGATA.May 13, 2022.RetrievedMay 14,2022.
  39. ^"Kendrick Lamar – The Heart Part 5 "(in Dutch).Single Top 100.Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  40. ^"Kendrick Lamar – The Heart Part 5 ".Top 40 Singles.Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  41. ^"Kendrick Lamar – The Heart Part 5 ".AFP Top 100 Singles.Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  42. ^"Local & International Streaming Chart Top 100 Week 19-2022 ".The Official South African Charts.Retrieved June 1, 2024.
  43. ^"Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 19".Sverigetopplistan.RetrievedMay 13,2022.
  44. ^"Kendrick Lamar – The Heart Part 5 ".Swiss Singles Chart.Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  45. ^"Official Singles Chart Top 100".Official Charts Company.Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  46. ^"Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40".Official Charts Company.Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  47. ^"Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot 100)".Billboard.Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  48. ^"Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)".Billboard.Retrieved May 17, 2022.
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