Kendrick Lamar dropped a video for “Humble” yesterday (March 30), a new song from his forthcoming album. While the track primarily details all the reasons why his competition should “Be humble, sit down,” one section of the song’s lyrics and visuals discuss his preferences when it comes to a woman’s body. Per Genius:
I’m so fuckin’ sick and tired of the Photoshop
Show me somethin’ natural like Afro on Richard Pryor
Show me somethin’ natural like ass with some stretchmarks
Still will take you down right on your mama’s couch in Polo socks, ayy
The reaction was mixed. Some Black women online pushed back on the idea of a man policing women’s looks. Some others took issue with the use of a model with light skin. Still others said that while they are already quite secure in their bodies, thank you very much, they still appreciate the body positive shout:
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
Big ups to Kendrick for appreciating real bodies. Real men never cared about stretch marks.
— Black&Bougie???? (@NeWWave_Female) March 31, 2017
IG models and fake rappers after listening to Kendrick’s #Humble pic.twitter.com/BcEpRMjMYY
— ?African&Boujee? (@faith_kabiru) March 31, 2017
How long before someone gets mad at Kendrick for saying he’s tired of photoshopped bodies and likes stretch marks?
— ScarlettTakesATumble (@sarahsosincere) March 31, 2017
Hmmm. The photoshop/stretch marks thing low-key policing womxn’s bodies again but ok ? https://t.co/d4dVOE9vQa
— Palesa Kgasane (@palesakgasane) March 31, 2017
Kendrick praising women for wearing natural hair, no make-up is just the other side of the same misogynistic coin. Still policing us!
— BitchesLoveLibraries (@aliciafiasco_) March 31, 2017
& he only used the dark skin girl to show off her ass. Like ugh
— Supreme Brat (@bewareofscorpio) March 31, 2017
Y’all: show natural girls some love!
Kendrick: *shows beautiful light skin girl all natural*
Y’all: pic.twitter.com/ZUz41nbF81
— Killa Camm (@cammiemark) March 31, 2017
all the misogynistic music we listen to daily & Kendrick says some positive shit and y’all mad he’s "policing bodies" please, save it
— Toni. (@ItsDigitalToni) March 31, 2017
With that being said… Kendrick just dropped the most powerful, important video/single since Formation if we being honest.
— Bad & Hoochie (@BadFatBlackGirl) March 31, 2017
Watch the video above and decide for yourself.