Kendrick Lamar video goes deep into deepfakes
Rapper Kendrick Lamar is causing a stir with the video for “The Heart Part 5,” his first single in four years.
The new song premiered Sunday along with a five-minute music video, which sees the hip-hop star deep-fake some famous Black men as he criticizes modern notions of culture.
Directed by Dave Free and Lamar himself, the video starts simply enough. The words: “I am. All of us,” credited to “oklama” (apparently an alter ego of Lamar) are shown against a black background.
The visuals take a more unsettling turn as manipulated video makes Lamar seems to change into shamed former NFL star O.J. Simpson, rapper Kanye West, controversial “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett and Hollywood star Will Smith, as well as late NBA star Kobe Bryant and slain rapper Nipsey Hussle.
“South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are given “special thanks” in the video's credits, along with their Deep Voodoo deepfake studio.
While being questioned by prosecutors at Batali's sexual misconduct trial, the 32-year-old said he appeared drunk and was slurring his words and closing his eyes as they took multiple photos together at his insistence. The trial opened Monday after Batali — in a surprise move — waived his right to a jury trial and opted instead to have a judge decide his fate.Batali's lawyer AnthonyFuller
argued the assault never happened and that the accuser isn't a credible witness and has a financial incentive to lie.
Batali could face up to 21/2 years in jail and be required to register as a sex offender if convicted.
Citing health, queen will skip Parliament's opening
Queen Elizabeth II will not attend the opening of Parliament today amid ongoing mobility issues. Buckingham Palace said in a statement Monday that the decision was made in consultation with her doctors and that she had “reluctantly'' decided not to attend. “At her majesty's request, and with the agreement of the relevant authorities, the Prince of Wales will read the Queen's speech on her majesty's behalf, with the Duke of Cambridge also in attendance,'' the palace said in a statement.
It will mark only the third time during her reign that Elizabeth, 96, has not opened Parliament. The centuries-old ceremony marks the start of the legislative year.