Kendrick Lamar releases Spotify mini-doc, A Day In Accra, Ghana

Kendrick Lamar celebrated his 35th birthday by releasing a mini doc in partnership with Spotify, which sees the Compton rapper paying a visit to Accra, Ghana. A Day In Accra, Ghana shows Lamar at Freedom Skatepark, a sanctuary funded by the late Virgil Abloh, as the artist discussed his latest body of work, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, which he labelled his “most present” album to date.

Against the backdrop of Accra’s shimmering coastline, Lamar reflected on the themes of the album, which had the most successful No. 1 debut so far this year. The rapper shared his favourite line from the record comes from ‘Father Time,’ wherein his long-term partner Whitney Alford states, “you really need to go to therapy.”

“We learned to hold all our shit in,” shared the rapper in conversation, adding that attending therapy was not only a personal challenge but an attempt to eradicate the stigma in his generation surrounding mental health. “That’s like a whole new step in a whole new generation. It’s growth.”

In the mini doc’s short four minute duration, Lamar discussed establishing space between his personal life and the online buzz around his album release. He talked with local kids about Abloh’s contribution to their community and shared the importance of remaining present, as his song ‘Crown’ played faintly in the background.

A fan tweeted the news of Lamar’s arrival in Accra just days before the documentary release, hinting at the possibility of such a project. The L.A. rapper was joined on the trip by Alford, close collaborator and pgLang co-founder Dave Free, and photographer Renell Mendrano, who also shot the cover art for Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. Check out the full video below.

Kendrick Lamar will headline Glastonbury 2022 this week alongside other big names Billie Eilish and Paul McCartney. He will make his way to the emerald isle this fall for the UK & Irish leg of ‘The Big Steppers’ world tour, with remaining tickets few and far between.