Kendrick Lamar has released the short film for his song “We Cry Together,” the Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers highlight featuring actress Taylour Paige.
“We Cry Together” is already set up like a dramatic play in terms of how the narrative structure sounds like an argument between Kendrick and Paige rather than a normal song. The video, which is being described as a short film, further enhances the experience by depicting the uncomfortable and aggressive type of conversation that the song is commenting on.
Directed by Jake Schreier, Dave Free, and Kendrick with Adam Newport-Berra serving as cinematographer, the visuals were filmed in one take with live vocals back in March 2020. This means both Kendrick and Paige’s performances in the short film are distinct from how they sound on the recorded version of the song.
This is the second track from Mr. Morale to receive a video, the first being “N95” featuring Baby Keem upon the release of the full album earlier this year.
Paige, who notably starred in the A24 film Zola which was based on Aziah “Zola” Wells’ viral Twitter thread, first shared a teaser for the video all the way back in May.
“We Cry Together” highlights one of the many personal themes that Mr. Morale covers. The album finds Kendrick being transparent about some of the things he’s been struggling with. The rapper revealed that he’s been going to therapy on the album, which marks a major moment in breaking down some of the stigmas around counseling. Notably, the album was released during Mental Health Awareness Month.
Mr. Morale debuted at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart earlier this year, making it K. Dot’s fourth consecutive No. 1 album. The record earned an impressive 295,000 equivalent album units in its first week, and all of its songs charted on the Billboard Hot 100. The 35-year-old rapper has recently been busy on his The Big Steppers tour.
Watch the short film for Kendrick Lamar’s song “We Cry Together” featuring Taylour Paige up top.
