kendrick-pj

Kendrick Lamar narrates a tragic love story in the cinematic video for “Poetic Justice,” his collaboration with Drake. The West Coast’s new king takes it back to the streets of Compton, where he falls in love with a girl in his neighborhood. But their budding romance is quickly shattered by gunfire that breaks out in the crowd.

We’re left wondering who’s been hit as Drake calls Kendrick’s girl to leave a voicemail while sitting in a bedroom with a chick waiting for him. The camera cuts back to a bullet-riddled K. Dot, who is seen lying on the floor protecting his girl as an ambulance rushes to their rescue.

The song, which samples Janet Jackson’s ’90s hit “Any Time, Any Place,” appears on Kendrick’s acclaimed debut good kid, m.A.A.d city. He pleaded for the pop icon to appear in the video.

“This is a young boy that looked up to you for years. Please, yeah, video, Janet Jackson ‘Poetic Justice.’ It’ll only be right,” he told MTV News in December.

Watch Kendrick put it all on the line in the name of love.