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LOS ANGELES, July 1 (UPI) -- The video for Kendrick Lamar's most recent single, "Alright" from his To Pimp a Butterfly follows the 28-year-old rapper as he floats through L.A.'s city streets unable -- or unwilling -- to touch the ground. The video, shot entirely in black and white and directed by Colin Tilley and The Little Homies, made its debut Tuesday. In less than 24 hours, the production gained over 500,000 views on YouTube.
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"Alright" is portrayed as a creative response to police brutality in America, touching on instances of violence between authorities and black civilians. The images recall various real-life scenarios -- including the death of Michael Brown in Missouri -- that have played out in recent months, with young men dead at the hands of police.
In the video, and above it all, Lamar is seen floating over the streets between scenes of violence, finding his footing not on the asphalt below but on streetlights, while the city's skyline sits in the distance. "And we hate po-po/ wanna kill us dead in the street fo sho," the rapper says. "I'm at the preacher's door/ My knees gettin' weak, and my gun might blow/but we gon' be alright."
Early images of four police officers carrying a car in which Lamar and his friends dance set the tone for the rest of the seven-minute short film, which in more ways than one contradict the song's seemingly motivational lyrics.
