It's hard to deny that Kendrick Lamar's latest single, "i," is an upbeat anthem -- the chorus repeats the refrain, "I love myself!" after all. And though he says it is definitely meant to be just that, there are other feelings lying under the surface of the track, as well.

"The record feels great; it feels good," K. Dot said during an interview with 93.7 The Beat in Houston. "But it comes from a place of depression. It comes from a place of insecurity. Not only for [other people], but for myself. It's a lot of things that I deal with personally. That you deal with, that everyone in this room deals with."

"So, it touches on so many different things, as far as equality within us as human beings, and accepting one another. People that wanna commit suicide; people that just don't respect themselves or like the way they look, feel, talk, dress, and not accept who they are. We all put on this world to be kings, and walk in his image, and that's how it starts -- that song."

Related: Learn Kendrick Lamar’s ‘i’ Dance With Help From These Gifs

Despite the success that the Compton native has had in recent years thanks to his music, he says he's battled depression both before he was in the public eye and in the time since.

"In my life, not only then, but even now, in these recent years of being in the limelight and trying to deal with it," he added. "And balance your personal life with the music and what you do. There comes a lot of turmoil, when you talking about money, when you talking about fame and fortune and success. A lot of things you gotta handle and balance, and that brings a whole lot of depression. I’ve spoken with artists that have done it before me, and they said they’ve been through the same phases, too. So, it's really about me tapping in not only my emotions but people around me."

Kendrick's upcoming album is due out later in 2014 or early next year. Watch the video for "i" below.