Karena Evans Finds Herself Dragged In The Drake & Kendrick Lamar Stan Wars: From “God’s Plan” To “luther”

The feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar will likely continue for the next few years. After all, how does one forgive someone who had the entirety of the Superdome calling them a pedophile? It’s been over 12 months since Kendrick Lamar and Drake kicked off. The beef has taken on different levels of insanity, from Kendrick’s Super Bowl performance to Drake’s lawsuit against UMG alleging that “Not Like Us” was defamatory. However, there are the much more subtle shots that fans have had to decipher, especially as it relates to the chart battle between Kendrick’s “luther” ft. SZA, which has stayed atop the Hot 100 for weeks, and Drake’s “Nokia,” which is slowly creeping up to the top spot and will likely dethrone the GNX song in the coming weeks. 

But, maybe that won’t be the case, though. This morning, Kendrick Lamar and pgLang revealed the long-awaited visual for “luther,” a stunning black & white video with a moody and picturesque quality directed by none other than Karena Evans—a once close collaborator of Drizzy’s and a Toronto native at that. Not only did some point out that the black-and-white aesthetic matched that of “Nokia,” but Evans’s newfound connection to both artists sparked further speculation surrounding whether Kendrick weaponized her involvement as yet another jab at his foe. After all, everything is intentional, right? 

During the Scorpion campaign, Evans’ cinematic touch defined the aesthetic that captured the essence of the double-disc. Karena Evans masterfully translated Drake's hit records into compelling visual stories: she captured the heartfelt generosity of his $1 million giveaway in "God's Plan," hosted a Degrassi reunion for “I’m Upset,” infused "Nice For What" with a vibrant, neon-lit celebration of female empowerment, and transformed the viral #InMyFeelingsChallenge into a dynamic homage to New Orleans culture in "In My Feelings.”

However, her resumé has expanded since then with directorial credits in other high-profile music videos and television shows, including Snowfall and P-Valley. Interestingly enough, she also directed several music videos for TDE—Kendrick’s former label and SZA’s current one—in the past. Let’s take a closer look at some of the notable work she’s done over the years.

In her music video debut, Karena Evans teamed up with Drizzy to blow the entire video budget—nearly $1 million—on charitable donations to strangers, families, and students across Miami. Through Evans’s lens, each interaction felt authentic and heartfelt, adding emotional weight that helped elevate the already massive hit. While some questioned the motives behind Drake’s generosity, Evans’s breakthrough moment was undeniably legendary.

Karena Evans exploded onto the scene with this now-iconic visual. Set to a bounce-heavy anthem, the video features a collage of powerful women—from Issa Rae to Michelle Rodriguez—dancing, working, and simply existing on their own terms. Evans brought energy, glamour, and joy to the forefront, making for a refreshing shift that centers femininity and celebration without compromise.

Read More: Drake Honors Creative Partnership With Director Karena Evans

Evans’s earliest collaboration with TDE came through this smooth, sun-drenched video. Set in Jamaica, the video blends street scenes with weed-filled interludes, making SiR’s ode to temptation feel both grounded and escapist. It’s simplistic, yet it’s an exceptional example of how Evans can allow her subject's charisma to shine in the best way possible.

Another 2018 standout, this visual is full of softness and surreal beauty. SZA moves through dreamlike tropical settings with Donald Glover by her side, and Evans captures every moment like a memory. The direction is gentle and dreamy in a way that amplifies the vulnerability in SZA’s sultry vocals.

Evans returned to TDE with a sleeker, more high-concept energy for this Jay Rock single. Flashy lighting, sexy camera work, and stylized production elevate the song’s sensuality. It’s a pivot away from gritty street realism that has been associated with Jay Rock’s gruff bangers, but even with Evans setting a more seductive atmosphere, it still kept the TDE touch.

In her TV directorial debut, Evans directed the pilot episode of P-Valley, setting the tone for a show that would become a cultural staple. Her direction captures both the grit and glitter of life inside The Pynk, blending Southern sensuality with aching vulnerability. Every detail, down to the lighting, carries her signature cinematic feel.

Tension was high in Season 4 of Snowfall, but Episode 2 captured the genesis of a neighborhood war after Franklin Saint and co. attempted an ambush attack on Skully. Paranoia peaks, blood is shed, and the entirety of the Saint operation is on pace to crumble at the hands of intense gang warfare in South Central. Easily one of the best episodes of the season, Evans navigates through the chaos with deliberate pacing and visual restraint that allowed her to showcase her range as a director.

Her most recent high-profile project might also be her most controversial. The black-and-white visual for “luther” is stark, stripped down, and dripping with symbolism (see the covered GNX car). With what’s already cemented as one of the biggest songs of the year, Evans’ direction doesn’t embolden it to further commercialize its success but uses a gorgeous finesse that feels lush and dreamy. Of course, with her previously working with Drake, and the aesthetics being compared to “Nokia,” the video has taken on a whole separate discourse. However, we definitely wouldn’t be mad if we saw more Kendrick Lamar visuals with Karena Evans at the helm.