After experiencing the success and critical acclaim Kendrick Lamar did upon releasing his debut album, good kid, m.A.A.d city, many Hip-Hop fans were worried he’d experience somewhat of a sophomore slump. However, he didn’t rush into releasing new music, in hopes of maintaining his buzz. Instead, he took the time required to put together an album that he believes will have people saying this album is better than his last. When he released its’ first single “i,” it didn’t instantly appeal to urban radio listeners. However, over time Hip-Hop heads began to take a liking to it and it was announced as the official song of the 2014-2015 NBA season.

Last night, he decided to release its’ follow-up single to “i” (which is currently on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for 11 weeks and running,)  as he performed on the last episode of “The Colbert Report” on Comedy Central. The song’s title has yet to be announced, however it does feature production from Astronote (who is known for remixing classic Hip-Hop tracks from legendary artists such as Biggie and Jay-Z.) Thundercat and Terrance Martin joined Lamar for the live performance of the song, but isn’t known if they will appear on the studio album version of the song.

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When you hear an album that’s billed as “a short film by Kendrick Lamar,” you’d better believe there are going to be plenty of music videos accompanying its sounds. And when you hear an album as narrative and introspective as good kid, m.A.A.D. city, you’d better believe those videos are going to be pretty damn good. In Kendrick‘s case, that story, originally expressed through his critically and publicly praised debut LP, has only gotten richer and more vivid over time. Most of that is due to the fact that his videos have stayed true to the album’s cinematic composition and given us a visual representation of the world K-Dot describes musically on the record.

“Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst,” the 12-minute epic off of gkmc, features a deeply poetic Kendrick at his best. Lamenting on everything from the concept of death and street life to legacy and the impact of artistry, it is the most honestly harrowing track from an album that thrives off its unflinching transparency. The newly-released video, labeled “Sing About Me, Part 1,” begins with a quote on the legacy of art: “When the lights shut off, an artist’s dream is that their work will stand the test of time.” From there, we find Kendrick taking a monochromatic ride through the streets of L.A. while, elsewhere, visual artist Eddie Peake constructs a mural made up of phrases from the song itself. The black and white shots of run down Compton neighborhoods are powerful, and K-Dot‘s natural cool in delivering the rhymes shines on the track. The video concludes with Kendrick arriving at the warehouse with the finished mural on display, where he leapfrogs the song’s second verse and instead raps the third with the mural as a backdrop. The image of a desaturated Kendrick in front of a colorful mural displaying quotes like “infatuated with death” and “never fade away” is certainly a moving one, and the video is a worthy addition to the increasingly powerful good kid, m.A.A.D. city tale. The final shots of the video tease the January 2014 release of “Sing About Me, Part 2,” and, frankly, the new year can’t come soon enough. Check out the video below.

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Anyone who has heard Kendrick Lamar‘s “Money Trees”, knows that it’s really Jay Rock‘s “Money Trees”. The verse is so raw and painting the clearest picture of the struggle that many people face growing up in the hood. The TDE member sat down with Life + Times to break down the verse, and explain it came to be. Check it out below. “Imagine Rock up in them projects…”

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