Even Oscar nominees want to work with Kendrick Lamar. The video for “DNA.” opens with Don Cheadle playing a kind of alternate manifestation of the artist as the two rap with and against one another in an interrogation room before Cheadle, who started out as a hostile cop, is left entranced and disarmed by the MC. After Lamar goes free, the rest of the video rides on the strength of his charisma as a screen presence, as well as a car full of women going absolutely wild while doing donuts in the street. Lamar is one of the great music-video performers in the history of the medium, and even if he was just sitting and slicing envelopes open for five minutes it would probably contain more truth and conviction than something with a much bigger price tag or overly elaborate premise. All Kendrick needs is Kendrick — but of course, he’s great with a higher concept, too.
Watch Don Cheadle Lip-Sync in Kendrick Lamar’s ‘DNA.’ Video
