This is the script for music video analysis done by Clara Barroso.

1. Clara Barroso
A2 Media Studies
HUMBLE-Kendrick Lamar
Music Video Analysis
BACKGROUND
“HUMBLE.” was the single that brought the best out of Kendrick Lamar back into the rap
music industry. The single was released on the 30th
March 2017. The video was released on
YouTube and the audio was released on any music platforms, such as; Spotify, iTunes and
many more. This music video was directed by Dave Meyers and The Little Homies (aka
Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free). The Little Homies are mostly known for creating some
rap’s best visual with in Kendrick Lamar’s music videos in the past years.
The “HUMBLE.” song is a hip-hop/rap song. The song was composed by Kendrick Lamar
and Mike WiLL Made-It. HUMBLE.” is the eighth track on the “DAMN.” album. This year
alone he has won 11 MTV Music Video Awards and a Grammy just for this very specific
music video.
WHAT IS POSTMODERNISM?
Postmodern media reflects the idea that any media products or text is of any greater value
than another. Anything can be art, anything can be deserve to reach an audience and
culture ‘eats itself’ as there is no longer anything new to produce or distribute. The distinction
between media and reality has collapsed and we now live in a ‘reality’ defined by images
and representations. Images can be refer to each other and represent each other as reality
than some actual reality that exists before the image represented it in the media, which is the
state of hyper-reality.
HOW CAN A MUSIC VIDEO BE POSTMODERN
The aspects of making a music video a postmodern music video are:
1. Parody
2. Playfulness
3. Pastiche
4. Intertextuality
5. Eclectism
6. Hyper consciousness
7. Narcissism
WHAT DID THE ARTIST SAY ABOUT THE VIDEO? WHAT WAS HE TRYING TO ACHIEVE?
The use of the different settings sets a specific use of media language and the use of only
black people identifies clearly that his video is just about his race and the ways his race is
portrayed and how racist it can be. It’s a media language for the society as a whole to reflect
how racist people to this day still are towards black people. The use of the religious settings
also follow the message of Kendrick Lamar trying to tell and portray through imagery that he
is the King of rap, that is why the music video starts with him dressed as a Pope with a strike
of light coming down at him in an empty cathedral. The idea that he is recreates ‘The Last
Supper’ painting also reflects on how people see him on being the one and only. As
throughout the music video he portrays clearly the concept of religion, racism and him as the
king of rapper.

2. Clara Barroso
A2 Media Studies
WHY IS ‘HUMBLE.’ POSTMODERN?
When it comes to explain and break down the ‘HUMBLE.’ music video, Kendrick Lamar used
a lot of different postmodern references throughout the music video. The postmodern
references starts by…
Reference 1
The video opening with Kendrick Lamar dressed as a Pope inside an empty cathedral.
Werther by designed or coincidence it has reference from ‘The Young Pope’. This show only
started airing in America in January 2017, however it all depends when they started to shoot
the ‘HUMBLE.’ music video. This is the first reference that links to post-modernism, by the
fact that he took an original piece from the platform ‘Netflix’ and used at the right start of the
music video. The reference of K-D0t being dressed as a Pope, also links to the idea of him
being the King of Rap which is the genre of all his music, including this music video.
There’s also intertextualityin the music
video as in the first scene on the music
video he is dressed up as the Pope.
Having him starting to reference that he is
the best rapper in the rap music industry.
He has also been considered as the King
of Rap from all his work, career and
albums. So this is a true reflection at the
start of this single, the way he
demonstrates his first impression by being
dressed as the Pope, representing a huge
religious character and belief within Christianity.
Reference 2
On the next scene, Kendrick Lamar shows up as this new character, as the victim of the
media. You can see that the women are counting money and the ban not counter looks like
typewriters and these girls represent paparazzi journalists. They are making money of this
character like parasites. Their faces are hidden underneath which means they are
undercover.

3. Clara Barroso
A2 Media Studies
Reference 3
The next scene that comes up next is where Kendrick is found in a salon as the women are
enjoying what is said in those magazines and they seem not to be questioning the
information as they seem very concentrated with what
they’re reading. He is the only one that is not reading
those magazines because he already knows the truth.
He therefore does not get brainwashed by what’s going
on in the media and the information the women seem
to be taking in as they read the magazines.
Reference 4
The next visual reference is the 360 degree, tiny planet, and stereographic shot of Kendrick
Lamar riding a bike. Which may also be seen as a postmodern reference to the more
visually daring to late 90’s and early 2000’s music videos as there has been used 0f 360
degree tiny planet shot in different angles and use of the space around from other previous
artist. The artist that has used this type of shot was; Ludacris, Missy Elliot and Busta
Rhymes. Also this shot on the music video has an Easter egg, where K-Dot’s white shirt has
the name of the album with the same font that is used on the final album cover.
Reference 5
Then Kendrick Lamar comes with a scene of bold men, all dressed in black with their heads
turned down bobbing around. The scene is a reference to Eninem song ‘The Real Slim
Shady’ but it could also be taken from an inspiration from another HBO show ‘Curb Your
Enthusiasm’ but they might all linking from the 1999 ‘Being John Malkovich’. Also, it can be
refencing that African Americans in history have been forced not to question anything and
just follow the orders as it is saying be humble shit down as you see some men looking
down. This shot K-Dot is making clear that he is referring to the skin colour as they are all
dressed in black.

4. Clara Barroso
A2 Media Studies
Reference 6
However, on the very ending on the last scene you
see them dressed in a social status and no one is
looking down, even though he sings “sit down” and
he is the only one completely wearing white. As it
potentially means that he will be keeping on fighting
against racism until his mission is over/ completed.
Reference 7
In “Formation by Beyoncé. She sank a cop car with her body. And in “Humble”, Kendrick
Lamar mirrors his own imagery with a little more humour as Kendrick Lamar swinging golf
balls off deserted whip. This is a reference to post-modernism as a link that he took a scene
from a different artist, the same concept, idea and look but made in his own imagery which
made this scene more ‘modern’.
Reference 8
Then Kendrick Lamar very humbly compares himself to Jesus where there is reference to
‘The Last Supper’ which was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci from the late 1400’s that
captures Jesus breaking bread with his disciples before being portrayed. ‘The Last Supper’
is one of the most famous paintings ever, so it’s a popular culture reference into post-
modernism, but in Rap music genre as many other rappers have already used this reference
K-Dot did in this music video.

5. Clara Barroso
A2 Media Studies
Reference 9
This scene explains how the racist people think and say.
They often imagine someone is taking over their place and
it is clearly affecting the dreamers. Notice the word
‘dreamers’ on his sweater, which is clearly visible as this
shot changes from a close-up shot to a mid-shot as the
director creates movement with the camera. Their heads
are on fire because they cannot fulfil their dream. They are
forced by the society to live a life like the guys sitting in the background which is what people
from his race and colour would fit in the media and how the media world would portray them
instead of being able to achieve their dreams and becoming far.
But it can also mean…
The idea of K-Dot having his head on fire which resembles the Marvel superhero; Ghost
Rider of Vengeance. Which is a film that was produced by Columbia Pictures.
Reference 10
From the lyrics…
“I’m so fuckin’ sick and tired of the Photoshop,”
Kendrick preaches. “Show me somethin’ natural like
afro on Richard Pryor.”
His logic is a little “woman, thou art loosed” — there
are a political connotation surrounding black women’s
hair, and choosing a lace front over natural coils
doesn’t necessarily reflect one’s black identity. Still,
Kendrick counts himself as a proud admirer of stretch
marks.
Richard Pryor
Richard Pryor is an African American comedian and he is known for working against racism
so mentioning him on the lyrics “I’m so fuckin’ sick and tired of the Photoshop,” shows the
meaning of talking about girls in the media and when he sings “Show me somethin’ natural
like afro on Richard Pryor.” changes the whole lyric meaning from girls to Pryor. With the
true meaning of him talking about being tired of people hiding their truth ethnic background
just to be accepted by the society. This is because African people are most unemployed just
because of their true background.

6. Clara Barroso
A2 Media Studies
Reference 11
The last postmodern reference from the video is a classic to a 1981 Grey Poupon
commercial from Hall of Advertising. Kendrick Lamar isn’t the first to reference the ad.
Perhaps the most memorable Pop culture reference is from the 1992 film ‘Wayne’s World’
(Paramount Pictures). For whatever reason, in the media and in the music world, Grey
Poupon has a lot of cultural resemblances in Hip-Hop. In 2011 alone 50 different rap songs
mentioned Grey Poupon and last year Kanye West refenced it on his album ‘Life of Pablo’
on the song ‘Facts’.
WHAT DO THE AUDIENCE THINK ABOUT THE SONG?
Kendrick Lamar target audience is the demographics from ages 18-50. This is a huge
demographic and huge age range, from a really young age to an older age that wouldn’t be
seen in a rapper. It is a huge demographic for hip-hop and contemporary rap. The target
audience over all think that the song itself has a good reflection on his personality and his
music. As the audience claim that releasing this single was the best come back of his music
career. When the single was released on different platforms, the audience had high hopes
for the album to be as good as the ‘Humble’ song. At the end, Kendrick Lamar did not
disappoint the audience. Just on this song the audience we’re really excited with it.
Especially on how surprised they we’re with all the special effects and the camera effects
used on the music video.
CONCLUSION- MYOPINION
As a conclusion, in my opinion I think the music lyric follows the music video well and there
is so much meaning to the song that the music video shows. The fact that Kendrick Lamar
still brings up awareness of racism and religion belief. His point of view on racism and what
his race and background has to go through. This shows a true reflection on the music video
that nothing has really change in humanity when it comes to background and race which is
really upsetting to the society because at the end of the day we’re all equal. This music video
shows really understanding of the society issues as a whole and the way the audience has
an awareness from all the imagery and scenes shown on the music video.