Jussie Smollett is clearing the air after Kendrick Lamar’s powerful and polarizing 2022 music video for “The Heart Part 5,” went viral for its use of deepfake technology.
The critically acclaimed video was created with South Park’s DEEP VOODOO studio. It featured Lamar transforming into several public figures, including the late Kobe Bryant and OJ Simpson.
In addition, the video unpacked trauma, culture, and accountability. Among those faces was Smollett, whose own legal drama had dominated headlines prior to Lamar’s video release.
Jussie Smollett recently appeared on “Funky Friday” with former NFL quarterback Cam Newton. The “Empire” actor made it clear he has no hard feelings toward Kendrick for including him in the video. When asked if he felt any resentment, Smollett quickly shut it down.
“I love Kendrick Lamar,” he said. “What I got an issue with Kendrick for?”
Smollett went on to explain that there’s no personal relationship between them, making it difficult to have anger towards him and Dave Chapelle, who reference Smollett in his 2019 Netflix special “Sticks & Stones.”
“I don’t know these people so what would be the reason for me to have an issue with them, cause they don’t know me either” he says. Even when Newton suggested Lamar may have purposely referenced Smollett’s legal troubles, the actor didn’t budge. “I don’t know what Kendrick meant by the video. I respect him as an artist and that’s as far as it can go.”
Jussie Smollett even emphasized that he is not releasing a diss track towards Lamar. The public scrutiny surrounding his arrest has become “the least of my concerns.” He seems focused on moving forward, without any animosity toward or the cultural conversation that was sparked by the video or his legal drama.