--- --- # Kendrick Lamar Paid Homage to the Iconic Images of Photojournalist Gordon Parks With His 'Element' Video  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Jun 29, 2017 9:19 PM UTC  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Jun 29, 2017 9:19 PM UTC [Kendrick Lamar](http://time.com/4745314/don-cheadle-kendrick-lamar-music-video-dna/)‘s striking new music video for his track “Element” is a meditation on the complexities, struggles, and triumphs of the black experience in America, something that was further emphasized by his earnest homage to the images of [legendary photojournalist and filmmaker Gordon Parks.](http://time.com/4328189/gordon-parks-and-ralph-ellison-how-a-man-becomes-invisible/) When the [_DAMN_](http://time.com/4741238/kendrick-lamar-damn-review/)_._ rapper’s video dropped on Wednesday afternoon, many people were quick to note the footage’s striking resemblance to many of Parks’ [iconic photos of black life in America](http://time.com/3461593/revisiting-gordon-parks-classic-photo-essay-harlem-gang-leader/) — from a touching image of a boy with a ladybug on his head that brought to mind Parks’ “Boy With Junebug” to a clip of women wearing headwraps that references [Parks’ famed 1963 photo essay for _LIFE_ about Black Muslims, “The White Man’s Day Is Almost Over.” ](http://time.com/4200148/gordon-parks-photographs-black-humanity/) > [](https://twitter.com/intentlondonco/status/880335249267453953) > [](https://twitter.com/marxtheus/status/880269994797486080) > [](https://twitter.com/abustamante/status/880319657281953792) The homage wasn’t lost on the Gordon Parks Foundation, whose executive director, Peter W. Kunhardt, Jr., told [_Okayplayer_](http://www.okayplayer.com/news/gordon-parks-foundation-shares-their-reaction-to-kendricks-element.html) that the music video honors the late photographer. “The Gordon Parks Foundation is pleased to see Kendrick Lamar recognize Gordon Parks’ important photography while working at _LIFE_ magazine and honoring his legacy,” Kunhardt said. “The Gordon Parks Foundation uses Gordon’s creative work to educate and inspire young artists.” A pioneer, Parks was a noted as a trailblazer in film, documentary, music, and literature. Watch the “Element” video below. Kendrick Lamar Pays Homage to Gordon Parks in Element Video ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4839295/gordon-parks-kendrick-lamar-element-video/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4839295/gordon-parks-kendrick-lamar-element-video/"},"headline":"Kendrick Lamar Paid Homage to the Iconic Images of Photojournalist Gordon Parks With His 'Element' Video","datePublished":"2017-06-29T21:19:02.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:45:01.792Z","description":"Real recognize real","url":"https://time.com/4839295/gordon-parks-kendrick-lamar-element-video/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Music","viral","Kendrick Lamar","photography","gordon parks"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Cady Lang","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/cady-lang/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4839295/gordon-parks-kendrick-lamar-element-video/","name":"Kendrick Lamar Paid Homage to the Iconic Images of Photojournalist Gordon Parks With His 'Element' Video"}}]}] ```