K-Dot is eying for an Oscar award with “We Cry Together”
Kendrick Lamar has ambitions for the Oscars with the short film of his Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers song, “We Cry Together.” Along with his manager Dave Free, K-Dot recently had a discussion with Variety about the almost six-minute-long video which is directed by Jack Schreir, Free, and the Compton rapper himself, who also co-stars alongside Taylour Paige.
Kendrick explained that he wanted the song and its visuals to “feel personal” and relate universally with the world.
“So in writing, I say, ‘Okay, how can I make this feel personal, but also holding up a mirror as a collective concept, rather than just a personal concept,’” he disclosed. “I wanted to bring that drama because, at the end of the day, whether we like it or not — the good, the bad and the ugly, the pros and cons — that’s what makes everything evolve.
“It challenged me to actually live in what I was writing, and really be there and be present with Taylour [Paige],” Kendrick continued. “And I remember us going back and forth and feeling like, damn, 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.”
Free expounded that Kendrick wanted to have an environment that allows them to tackle issues that society “shy away from.”
“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 explained. “He wanted to really address topics that we, as a society, kind of shy away from.”
Kendrick concluded: “Ultimately, the main thing is people that we can actually identify with. Not only from our culture but from cultures all around the world. So the environment plays a huge role, and that’s something we definitely wanted to bring to life along with the script. It was just as important as the individuals that were actually spewing out the insults.”
As “We Cry Together” contends in the Best Live Action category, voting for shortlists will be held from December 12-15, and the ten films that’ll move to nominations will be announced on December 21. The complete nominations list will be revealed on January 24.
