After a wait of nearly five years, Kendrick Lamar dropped his fifth studio album “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers” on May 13, 2022. And while all 18 tracks proved to be a hit among fans, the We Cry Together track garnered rapid popularity for its horrifyingly realistic depiction of an abusive relationship.   

Today, nearly four months after the release of the album, the Compton-based rapper has dropped a short film, in both censored and uncensored versions of the song. Starring K-Dot himself along with actress Taylour Paige, the two of them can be seen arguing in a small apartment, where Paige’s character seems to be on her way to work while being in an argument with Lamar.   

The two seem to be engaged in a war of words of sorts, with entire verses being delivered to each other in the form of a dialogue, rather than a song. All of this, of course, culminates into sobbing, and then eventually the two of them have sex. The camera is then shown pulling away, exposing the film set, perhaps a statement on how much play-acting is involved in a relationship.   

This isn’t the first time Lamar has done something like this. Throughout his career, the rapper has put out some of the best music videos in the hip-hop scene, including Element, Alright, King Kunta, and more.   

Lamar seems to have higher ambitions for the short film. His company pgLang held a week of under-the-radar screenings of the film in June, qualifying it for Best Live-Action Short at the Oscars. If it does end up grabbing the top spot, Lamar stands to win some silverware as well, with the rapper being credited as co-director alongside Dave Free and Jake Schreier, of Paper Towns fame. Yes, you read that right.