Arkansas Couple Tells The Story Of Kendrick Lamar Using Their Black Forces Listing As Cover Art

As with a lot of things Kendrick Lamar-related in 2024, there’s a curious backstory behind his most recent song, commonly referred to as “Watch The Party Die.” It dropped right when the MTV VMAs began, and its crusade against insufficient industry standards and cultural degradation certainly ruffled some feathers. But folks still wondered: where on Earth did he get the cover art of a pair of scuffed Black Air Force 1s, a common symbol of “demon time”? Well, fans quickly unearthed that it was a random eBay listing that had already sold for $70, and what they found out next thanks to local Arkansas news station THV11 is very interesting.

Moreover, the outlet published a video interview with Arkansas citizens Billy Lingo and Darla Wilson on September 24. The North Little Rock couple have been together for 20 years, and launched their eBay account (Good2BYou) in 2021. When Kendrick Lamar dropped the song, they received an onslaught of calls and messages breaking the news, and they canceled the order – despite it already being sold – given how much more valuable the shoes are now.

“I’m not gonna lie to you, I didn’t know a lot about him, but I really know about him now,” Billy Lingo said of Kendrick Lamar. He and Darla Wilson put the shoes up for auction starting at $5,000 and also included a “Buy It Now” option for $75,000. At press time, there are currently no bids for it. In addition to this, the couple also plans on selling merch depicting the cover art. It just goes to show how magnanimous the context behind this new song can be, and how much value hip-hop fans place on the genre’s history – however minimal or, frankly, expensive.

Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar fans are very excited about the prospect of another Steve Lacy collab, which the latter recently teased. “I’m moved by what’s weird,” Lacy told Fantastic Man of his creative process for his next album. “It’s almost like I hear them, and I think, I need to call this person. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want a Kendrick verse.” Let’s see if this opportunity manifests…