What's the craziest thing one of your good friends has ever talked you into doing?
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Rapper J. Cole and stand-up comedian Kevin Hart — both GRAMMY nominees — have been friends for years, so it came as a surprise to some that Cole chose to so openly reference and lyrically explore his friend's recent, very publicly embarrassing infidelity/extortion scandal on the new track "Kevin's Heart," from Cole's fifth studio LP KOD.
On the other hand, Cole has never been one to shy away from tackling difficult subjects head-on and encouraging both his listeners and his peers to strive to live better, more upright lives. And Hart, for his own part, has remained both self-aware and openly apologetic as he works to rebuild the trust of his family following the recent scandal.
All things considered, it's still a shock to see that Cole was able to convince Hart to take a such a self-deprecating starring role in the new music video for a track that references Hart's personal failings with lyrics such as, "Love get confused in the mind of a child/'Cause love wouldn't lie like I lie and it's wild."
In practice, the video manages to take a refreshingly even-handed tone (considering its subject matter). We see Hart trying to go about his daily life, grocery shopping as everyone in the store openly stares at him in public judgement. Managing to mix a light-hearted tone with its justifiably serious message, the video's climax sees Hart ultimately confronted by a large stranger by the sinks in a restaurant bathroom. The man puts his hand on Hart's shoulder and exhorts him, "Nobody's perfect, and you're only human. Learn from it. Learn from it, man."
For all of Hart's humor and humility, KOD is set to become Cole's fifth No. 1 album and the year's biggest debut on the Billboard 200.
