Kendrick Lamar shared his love for women’s natural looks and imperfections in the video for his new single “Humble,” but not everyone is feeling the same as some accused him of misogyny.
After Lamar obliterated his hip-hop peers on “The Heart Part 4” last week, “Humble,” released in the early hours of Friday, March 31, is a change of pace due to his appreciation of unapologetically Black afros and women’s stretch marks.
“I’m so f—–‘ sick and tired of the Photoshop,” Lamar spits. ” Show me somethin’ natural like afro on Richard Pryor / Show me somethin’ natural like ass with some stretch marks / Still will take you down right on your mama’s couch in Polo socks, ayy.”
The highly visual clip also contains overt religious themes like a take on Leonardo da Vinci’s mural “The Last Supper,” but Twitter users were stuck on Lamar’s musical celebration of women’s unedited beauty and the song quickly went to No. 1 on the iTunes songs chart.
Many applauded the ode to embracing natural looks.
So… I'm thinking about @kendricklamar's new video for #Humble & the casting call where they said. "Naw, sis. Not enough stretchmarks." pic.twitter.com/kXPKxWfQ40
— April (@ReignOfApril) March 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/ThatsJeanDeaux/status/847588635075637249
Didn't realize how much I wanted to see an ass like mine represented until I saw that ass w/ stretch marks in Kendrick's video #Humble 🙌🏾😭
— It’s Miss Tolerrrr (@suzie_melonz) March 30, 2017
Girls when they heard Kendrick say bring back asses with stretch marks #kendricklamar #humble pic.twitter.com/SKEu8fyovE
— TUFFKNIGHT (@OWU5U) March 31, 2017
Shout out to Kendrick Lamar for saying he likes women with stretch marks and all. These fake IG models can take a rest.
— Ayomide Tayo (@AOT2) March 31, 2017
At least one was a bit cautious.
I appreciate Kendrick mentioning stretchmarks. I also know he probably only means certain types of stretchmarks on certain kinds of women.
— LJ (@ellejkaye) March 31, 2017
Some took issue with Lamar’s stretch mark line, as they felt he was trying to control women’s bodies.
https://twitter.com/kaichare/status/847628920417468420
For all of his supposed brilliance that y'all assign to him it would be nice if he knew that black women didn't exist on two spectrum ends
— Sierra (@SKEEerra) March 31, 2017
Kendrick has a rather patronizing, shallow way of looking at situations relating to women. I wish I could tell him about himself lol
— CANDACE SINCLAIRE (@delafro_) March 31, 2017
You guys just can't handle that people (namely women) don't like Kendrick despite his benevolent, incense coated misogyny
— Small Crimes (@JasMoneyRecords) March 31, 2017
That led other users to slam negative responses to “Humble.”
Kendrick said he like natural bodies… where is the problem…. 99% of y’all can’t afford surgery so why are you upset
— Lance (@CashflowinRE) March 31, 2017
https://twitter.com/Iad3uxieme/status/847778684870197248
"Why rappers glorify fake bodies what about REAL women"
*Kendrick raps about real booty with stretch marks and natural hair*
"Hotep!"
— Ti 👨🏾💻 (@GroovyTi) March 31, 2017
https://twitter.com/EastsideAllure/status/847675497395798017