Fans are still talking about Kendrick Lamar‘s acting debut as “Laces” on Power. Now, Kendrick hit Variety to break it down, sitting down with showrunner Courtney Kemp to discuss his turn as “Laces.” When asked about how the move initially went down, Kendrick revealed “it was something that’s been in the works for a long time, just being a fan of the show. Me, 50 and Top, we always communicate like man, we gotta do something today, make something right. I wanna say four years. It’s been a while.” He proceeds to shout out Kemp’s role in facilitating the transition. “Courtesy of you, we found the right moment. The right character.”

Kemp reveals that Kendrick had a few requests upon their initial phone call. Reflecting on his words, Kendrick says “I don’t want to be something that people will predict. I want to be something out of the ordinary, but something I connect to at the same time. Drug abuser! Laces, a hot head, a dude that’s ready to go always on the take. It’s a character I know, just growing up in Compton.”

When Kemp praises his fearless approach to acting, Kendrick admits he applied the same principal he applies in his music. “To always have that open space to evolve,” he says. “The same hundred percent I put in music, I want to put on the screen as well.” It’s safe to say that Kendrick’s turn as Laces was a home run across the board, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him amassing a deeper filmography in the near future.