On March 30, Kendrick Lamar teased his anticipated fourth album with the release of a music video for his latest single “Humble,” and the video is anything but.
From shots of the Grammy award-winning rapper dressed as the Pope or making a sandwich in the backseat of a car, the video serves as an allusion to controversial topics present in today’s media.
The video begins with Lamar standing in a beam of light dressed as the Pope, followed by a shot of him lying in money surrounded by half-dressed female accountants. The video then continues with a variety of shots, ranging from portrayals of the rapper as Jesus in the last supper to him in a hair salon.
Directed by David Meyers and The Little Homies, the music video remains true to Lamar’s cinematography original style.
Besides stunning visuals, Lamar is known for his commentary on racial and political issues, as well as conflict in the rap world. This single does not disappoint; the lyrics include comments on female body image, his so-called rap “competition” and President Trump.
One of the scenes in the video shows the rapper side by side with a woman, accompanied by the lyrics, “I’m so fucking sick and tired of the Photoshop/Show me something natural like afro on Richard Pryor/ Show me something natural like ass with some stretch marks.”
Sparking online debate, some fans express distaste, claiming that Lamar’s love letter to natural beauty is hypocritical. While the rapper hasn’t addressed allegations that his seemingly-feminist lyrics have misogynistic undertones, it can be expected that his upcoming album will carry similar themes.
The chorus of the song repeats the lyrics “Hol’ up lil’ bitch sit down. Sit down, hol’ up, lil’ bitch. Be humble.” Many fans interpret this lyric as being directed at fellow rapper Big Sean, while others speculate that this is a commentary on all of Lamar’s “competition.”
The Grammy award-winning rapper receives countless praise for each one of his original albums while seemingly staying incredibly humble.
Lamar also mentions former President Barack Obama in his lyrics saying, “I blew cool from AC, ayy, Obama just paged me, ayy.” The rapper and the former president are known to have a close relationship after Obama praised Lamar by naming his song “How Much a Dollar Cost” off the album To Pimp a Butterfly his favorite song of 2015.
Not shying away from politics himself, Lamar expresses his involvement with the Black Lives Matter movement in multiple albums. And criticized President Donald Trump on a recent single, “The Heart Part 4.”
This video and track leaves people wanting more of K-Dot’s powerful lyrics and persuasive style. I anticipate fans will not be disappointed when Lamar continues his roles as a social justice advocate and powerful rap presence with his upcoming album, which was supposed to be released on April 7 but is now scheduled for April 14.
Overall I give the video a 9.5/10 for its outstanding cinematography, powerful message and enchanting lyrics that fans have come to expect from the rapper.
Contact CU Independent Arts Staff Writer Charlotte Spaeth at charlotte.spaeth@colorado.edu
