"The Heart Part 5" uses an easily identifiable sample of Gaye's "I Want You" single — the leading track off of his 1976 album of the same name. Similar to the classic song, the lyrics from Lamar's track allude to giving love and wanting it to be reciprocated, too — specifically, from his own people. "(I want, I want, I want, I want) / But I want you to want me, too (I want, I want, I want, I want) / I want the hood to want me back (I want, I want, I want, I want)," he raps.
The message behind the sample connects to the deepfake technology Lamar employs to portray the famous Black celebrities in his video. In reference to the quote Lamar shares at the start of the music video ("I am. All of us."), he represents these figures while seemingly calling for more compassion for their complex circumstances. In a time when vulnerability in hip-hop, especially among Black men, is not often represented, Lamar's use of Gaye's sample alongside these figures calls for more love for those who may need it most.
Another Easter egg is the deep shade of red used as the backdrop for the music video — a nod to Gaye's "I Want You" album cover, which uses the same color.
