Kendrick Lamar Shares Feelings Behind Oscar-Worthy Short Film ‘We Cry Together’: It Challenged Me To Actually Live In What I Was Writing

Kendrick Lamar Shares Feelings Behind Oscar-Worthy Short Film ‘We Cry Together’: It Challenged Me To Actually Live In What I Was Writing

Kendrick Lamar is getting candid about the creative process behind We Cry Together.

The short film, written by Kendrick Lamar and linked to the song of the same name from his Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers album, is eligible for the 95th Academy Awards nominations.

According to Kendrick Lamar,

“It challenged me to actually live in what I was writing, and really be there and be present with Taylour [Paige]. And I remember us going back and forth and feeling like, d*mn, I understand this character even more because I’m evoking the energy from it and the passion from it because it’s alive, and it’s direct.”

He added,

“Being able to run toward my fear and say the things I want to say and do it in an artistic way — it allowed me to live my truth even deeper.”

Lamar, Dave Free, and Jake Schreier all contributed as directors of the six-minute short film, which captures the terrible toxicity of a damaged marriage between the Compton rapper and actress Taylour Paige. The project was reportedly shot in a single take with live vocals in March 2020, prior to the first shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Co-director Dave Free said:

“When we went into this project, Kendrick was telling me about how he wanted the room to feel thick, and the room to feel intense. He wanted to really address topics that we, as a society, kind of shy away from.”

Taylour Paige also has some strong feelings about the film. She said,

“I think beyond being a short film, it’s an experience; you’re like a voyeur in this couple’s life but it also reflects what the world sounds like. Whether it be arguing with your sibling or people on the internet … I don’t think there’s a container for it, it just is.”

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers was released in May 2022 and consists of 18 tracks. Featuring Summer Walker, Baby Keem, Blxst, and Kodak Black. The album explores thought-provoking themes such as infidelity, lust, fatherhood, and addiction.

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