Kendrick Lamar enthusiasts have finally gotten what they’ve been waiting for: the first Kendrick drop in five years. “The Heart Part 5” release signals the return of the rapper and his fans could not get enough of it. The track also boasts of a sample from Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You” which is equally as big of a deal. Let’s walk you through the history of “The Heart” first.

The Significance Of “The Heart” Series

OG Kendrick fans know that whenever the rapper drops another addition to his “The Heart” series, he is going to release a full project shortly after. Some may even go as far as to consider it a bat signal of sorts.

“Part 1” was the very beginning of Kendrick’s career in early 2010. This was a time before he was widely known and before the release of his mixtape “Overly Dedicated.”
Parts 2-4 followed suit; releasing before his big projects, sort of like a prelude. Although “Part 5” seems to have the largest fan reaction, “Part 4” is a close second.

The rapper teased the drop on his Instagram by simply posting “IV.” Fans immediately put on their conspiracy theory hats to try to decode what this meant. Shortly after posting he released “The Heart Part 4”

A Marvin Gaye Sample Is Indeed, A Flex

We already know the music industry can be tough to navigate so clearing samples shouldn’t be taken too lightly, especially a Marvin Gaye sample. The team behind Marvin Gaye’s estate does not play.

Robin Thicke and Pharrell were sued by Gaye’s camp for their hit single “Blurred Lines” in 2015 for copyright infringement. The argument was that the song was similar to Gaye’s single, “Got to Give it Up.” Thicke and Pharrell lost the lawsuit resulting in paying 5 million dollars in damages.
Additionally, in 2016 Gaye’s team sued Ed Sheeran for his single “Thinking Out Loud” for its similarities to Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.”

Marvin’s team doesn’t let just anyone sample his music. Which makes Kendrick’s return that much more groundbreaking.

Of Course, Twitter Did It’s Thing

 

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While fans wait for the anticipated album, “Mr. Morale and The Big Steppers,” to drop this Friday, they all lost their minds collectively on twitter when “The Heart Part 5” dropped. We’ve dug up some of the best ones for your viewing pleasure.