Kendrick Lamar uses deepfakes to morph into Ye, Will Smith in new music video
Kendrick Lamar’s new songs movie, which dropped Sunday, features the rapper morphing into the faces of many community figures working with deepfake technological innovation.
Directed by Lamar and longtime collaborator Dave Cost-free, “The Heart Portion 5″ movie marked Lamar’s return to the spotlight right after nearly 4 a long time.
The about 5-moment songs video clip opens with a black title display with a statement in white: “I am. All of us. –oklama.” As Lamar starts the video clip rapping by himself from a crimson backdrop, his face morphs into people of other Black adult men, which include Ye, formerly Kanye West, Will Smith, Jussie Smollett and O.J. Simpson, as nicely as the late Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Hussle.
The video experienced amassed just about 7.5 million views Monday afternoon.
To achieve the impact, Lamar utilized deepfake technologies, artificial media in which an existing graphic or video is visually or audibly manipulated to say and do anything that is not actual.
In the YouTube movie description, Lamar provides specific many thanks to “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and their Deep Voodoo deepfake studio.
Reps for Lamar, Parker and Stone did not immediately react to a ask for for an interview.
Lamar, widely recognized as a virtuoso who frequently pushes the boundaries with his initiatives, has attained lots of accolades, including 14 Grammy awards, for his do the job, which include the albums “To Pimp a Butterfly” and “Damn” and the soundtrack “Black Panther” for the Marvel movie of the identical identify. “Damn” was also the 1st non-classical and non-jazz album to acquire the Pulitzer Prize for tunes in 2018.
Lamar’s new album, “Mr. Morale & The Massive Steppers,” is scheduled for release Friday.