Don Cheadle may be an Academy Award nominated actor, but as it turns out he’s also pretty darn good at rapping Kendrick Lamar verses.
On Tuesday, Lamar released the music video for “DNA”, the second single off his new album “Damn.” The spot features Cheadle as a cop who, attempting to interrogate Lamar, ends up possessed by the rapper instead, sparking a rap battle between the two.
The video starts off with the “House of Lies” actor in full “bad cop” mode, scoffing at the rapper and remarking at how absurd it is that he has two first names — Kendrick and Lamar.
“You know what DNA stands for? Dead N—– Association,” says Cheadle before sitting down by a lie detector test. As soon as he touches the machine, he transforms from a hostile police officer to an entirely different person. The 52-year-old actor then begins rapping the verses of “DNA,” and the pair start alternating bars.
Unsurprisingly, Twitter could just not handle it — mostly due to Cheadle’s cameo.
don cheadle is a fucking legend
— bean (@nomyhead) April 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/izadikram01/status/854428023952556036
Don Cheadle the goat too! ?
— Quarantine Papi of House Targaryen. (@AllenxCal) April 18, 2017
Others felt that all respect needed to be given to the actor’s rap hands though.
https://twitter.com/kmpinault/status/854432008008863744
DNA music video is amazing. Kendrick really had Don Cheadle lip synching his verse with the rap hands ??????
— Balsamic Vineguh (@SuperFlashiago) April 18, 2017
Watch the video above.
See some of the best reactions below.
Don Cheadle won the week…
— Just Ricky! (@ImDerrickCurtis) April 18, 2017
Don Cheadle went from War Machine to spittin kendricks bars what cant he do
— johan (@JonahHyp) April 18, 2017
I'm not a Kendrick fan, but the DNA. video got my baby Don Cheadle in it. Giving me some serious chills ???
— maxine shaw. ?? (@mmahkumo_) April 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/SupahSanik/status/854431192824893440
I never knew I needed to see Don Cheadle rap before but clearly I did
— T. (@hernameistye) April 18, 2017