Meaning of “Humble” by Kendrick Lamar
Humble is a song by renowned American rapper Kendrick Lamar. In this song, Lamar brags about his accomplishments, fame and toughness to fellow rappers and other challengers/detractors and instructs them not to be too proud nor do anything to intentionally provoke him. The track’s overall message is Kendrick Lamar is a head honcho in the rap game who deserves and demands respect from all other hip-hop artists.
Facts about “Humble”
- Humble was written by Lamar along with American record producer and songwriter Mike Will Made It (Michael Len Williams II) and Asheton Hogan.
- The song was produced by Mike Will Made It and Pluss.
- Humble was released on March 30, 2017 as the first single from Lamar’s fourth studio album titled Damn.
- The beat of the song, which was created by Williams II, was initially meant for American rapper Gucci Mane.
- Despite the fact that the lyrics of the song support a positive body image, many claim it is misogynistic.
- Humble peaked at number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 6 on the UK Singles Charts.
- Just like many other hip hop tracks, the lyrics of this song have also been labeled as misogynistic.
Frequently Asked Questions about “Humble”
Q: In the song Lamar raps about former U.S. President Barack Obama paging him. Is it true that Obama paged Lamar?
A: Over the years, Obama has said a number of times that he loves Lamar’s work. It is therefore possible that the pair might have communicated at some point prior to the making of the song.
Q: How true are the stories that Kendrick Lamar directed the music video of “Humble”?
A: The stories are true. The song’s video was directed by American music video director Dave Meyers and the duo The Little Homies, which is made up of Lamar and his longtime friend Dave Free.
Q: Which artists have sampled or remixed “Humble”?
A: Since the song came out in March 2017, it has been remixed by a number of artists, including singer Ne-Yo and DJ and electronic dance musician Skrillex.
Q: Some people have labeled the lyrics of this song as misogynistic. Which lyrics are the so called misogynistic lyrics?
A: The controversial lyrics can be found in the line in which Lamar raps about being sick and tired of all the Photoshop and wanting to see something as natural as a woman’s behind with stretch marks. While Lamar’s intentions were obviously to promote positive body image, many claimed that in doing that, Lamar unknowingly offended other groups of women down, which they see as nothing but a classic example of misogyny.
Q: How many Grammy Awards has “Humble” won?
A: In addition to winning multiple prestigious awards, Humble has been nominated for as many as four Grammy Awards at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in the following categories: Record of the Year, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance and Best Music Video.
Q: Which movies and television series has the song “Humble” appeared in?
A: It has appeared in such TV series as Skam and South Park.
