Hol' Up: The Best Thinking Emoji Moments From Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” Single
From beauty sentiments to papacy garb, check out the best lyrics and subs from Kendrick's new jam.
Kendrick Lamar’s latest musical offering has kept fans ready and willing for his new album.
Produced by Mike Will Made It, “Humble” lends direction to the rapper’s stream of consciousness and paired with its video, plenty of moments to gif and meme. Directed by music video legend Dave Meyers (Missy Elliott, Outkast), the rapper brings his vision to life by embodying figures like the Pope and Jesus Christ. He also gets in formation with his revolutionary, spiritual and street bredren.
The track plays to the idea of humility, expressing it with puns surrounding his recent successes. He also doesn’t waste time taking up a braggadocious persona when shunning his enemies.
With so much to digest, check out some of our favorite moments from the video in the gallery above.
Best Thinking Emoji Moments From Kendrick Lamar’s “Humble” Single
Kendrick Flips the History of The Papacy
The rapper plays up the narrative of faith in his discography by dressing the part of religious “humble” figures like the Pope and Jesus Christ. The latter is an homage to Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper with Kendrick taking on the role of the big homie. Jay Rock, engineer Mixed By Ali and Compton’s MackWop also tap into the theme with fitting cameos.
Kendrick Sets Up An Army Of Distinguished Gentlemen
We see men in a uniformed manner surrounding Kendrick in all back at a start of the song’s verse. By the video’s end, Kendrick’s squad are posted with him in the streets and the steps of a church. While the men are all different, you can still get the sense of unity in their alliance.
Kendrick Revisits An Old Sound While Mocking A New One
The constant loop of “hol up” has listeners wondering if this is yet another jab at Big Sean, given that the Detroit rapper uses the ad-lib quite often. Kendrick also used the ad-lib for the Section 80 cut, “Hol Up.” While his 2011 track may have highlighted his twisted relationship with hip-hop, “Humble” helps listeners understand Kendrick’s annoyance those who have taken subtle shots towards his throne and artists who enjoy rhyming with the help of drugs.
Kendrick Wants The Old Thing Back
“Natural beauty” or the idea of no-makeup life has garnered high waves recently. It’s no surprise Kendrick would take a bar or two to acknowledge this. “I'm so f***in' sick and tired of the Photoshop/ Show me somethin' natural like afro on Richard Pryor/ Show me somethin' natural like a** with some stretchmarks” he spits with images of a freckled face model and natural curves in salons.
Kendrick Couldn’t Wait To Do An Obama Brag
After teaming up for former (wah) president Barack Obama’s "My Brother’s Keeper Initiative", the two appeared to be faves of one another. There’s been a batch of rappers who have met with Obama, but Kendrick left a lasting impression. Speaking with People, Obama named “How Much A Dollar Cost” one of his favorite songs of 2015. Nothing says humble like an Obama shout out right?
Kendrick Loves Grey Poupon
Plenty of rappers have a thing for the tasty condiment, but Kendrick’s recreation of the Kraft brand’s classic commercial from 80’s is on point. He also connects it to what are considered to be enlightening factors like designer water and TED talks.
Kendrick and the Big Sean Factor
It’s hard to ignore the elephant in the room that is Big Sean. Aside from the very bass heavy beat, Kendrick’s use of “lil b**ch” is also a cause of question of the brewing beef. Fans have pointed out that shots from “Humble” are similar to “My Homies Still,” a 2012 Lil Wayne track featuring Big Sean. The reach can be real since the fish eye shot is a popular one, but we’ve learned that subliminals these days are anything but evasive.
What are some of your favorite moments from the video? Let us know in the comment section below.
