Kendrick Lamar and Eminem have both achieved new milestones, cementing their legacies in hip-hop. Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy-winning video for “HUMBLE.” has surpassed 1 billion views on YouTube, marking his second visual to hit this milestone after his feature on Travis Scott’s “goosebumps.” Originally released in 2017, “HUMBLE.” remains a defining moment in Lamar’s career, showcasing his artistic vision and lyrical prowess.
At the same time, Lamar’s latest single, “Not Like Us,” continues to dominate the charts, holding the #1 spot on the US Top Songs chart. Fueled by his ongoing lyrical sparring with Drake, the track has also secured the #25 position on the Global Top Songs chart, while Lamar ranks #8 on US Top Artists.
Eminem’s iconic 2000 hit “The Real Slim Shady” has officially joined YouTube’s Billion Views Club, further cementing his status as one of rap’s enduring legends. The video, known for its playful, star-studded visuals, has stood the test of time as a fan favorite.
In addition to this achievement, Eminem continues to chart with three current hits: “Temporary” (#57), “Houdini” (#59), and the JID-assisted “FUEL” (#81) on the US Top Songs chart. His recent success has propelled him to #3 on the US Top Artists chart, highlighting his ongoing influence in the rap world.
Together, these two rap titans continue to dominate both the streaming world and the charts, showcasing their lasting impact on music.
Kendrick Lamar, while mostly more of an artist’s artist, still has loads of bangers and hits in his catalog. “B****, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” “Money Trees,” “Swimming Pools,” “All The Stars,” and most recently, “Not Like Us,” are just a handful. The other one you have to throw in there is “HUMBLE.,” easily the biggest record off of Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN. The lead single went on to debut at number two in the Billboard Hot 100. However, it would eventually climb to number one, making it Kendrick’s first-ever solo release to do so. Overall, though, it was his second, as his feature on Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” was the first.
What was also incredible about “HUMBLE.” was that it was the highest chart rap song at the time since Eminem and Rihanna’s “Love The Way You Lie.” Now, after seven years, the track is still doing massive numbers. According to HipHopDX, it’s fantastically creative music video (Dave Meyers, Kendrick, and Dave Free) now has over one billion views. Currently, it sits at 1,000,574,820.
Kendrick Lamar Deserves To Not Be “HUMBLE.” After This Amazing Accomplishment
It’s easily his most-watched set of visuals, with the next closest being “All The Stars” with over 465 million. This is just one more accomplishment for Lamar in 2024, as he has already been named the Super Bowl Halftime Show headliner and took down Drake head-to-head in their heated battle. Some may nitpick or view this as a fairly insignificant achievement. There’s already a lot of people hating on Lamar a ton in 2024. But overall, he’s doing some incredible things that need to be praised.
What are your thoughts on Kendrick Lamar’s music video for “HUMBLE.” achieving one billion views on YouTube? Is this a major accomplishment, why or why not? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Kendrick Lamar. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Today, Grammy award-winning musician SAINt JHN announced the release of his new Afrofusion single, “Humble.” In this introspective track, JHN reflects on his humble beginnings and the adversities he overcame on his journey to success, crooning, “They didn’t imagine the thing I’d do, didn’t have faith in someone new.”
“Humble” marks JHN’s first new music release since collaborating with Victony on “Tiny Apartment” in June. Last summer, he showcased his versatility with the collaborative track “Jessica,” featuring Michaël Brun, Charly Black, and J Perry.
JHN’s previous solo releases include “Overstimulated” and “You Laughed At Me” from February 2023, and the high-octane single “Stadiums” with producer London On Da Track in December 2022.
Beyond his music, JHN recently narrated a short film for Moncler and Roc Nation’s collection, designed by JAY-Z, where he encouraged viewers to “climb above the noise to find your voice.” He also made his acting debut in the 2023 film, The Book of Clarence, directed by Jeymes Samuel.
Throughout his career, JHN has created anthems like “Roses” and “Trap” and written songs for artists such as Usher, Hoodie Allen, Nico & Vinz, and Jidenna. His acclaimed third studio album, While the World Was Burning, featured collaborations with Lil Uzi Vert, Future, A Boogie with da Hoodie, Kehlani, and 6Lack. The “Roses” remix became a global hit, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
JHN’s star power was further showcased alongside Beyoncé and Wizkid on the 2019 anthem “BROWN SKIN GIRL” from The Lion King soundtrack.
Today, Grammy award-winning musician SAINt JHN announced the release of his new Afrofusion single, “Humble.” In this introspective track, JHN reflects on his humble beginnings and the adversities he overcame on his journey to success, crooning, “They didn’t imagine the thing I’d do, didn’t have faith in someone new.”
“Humble” marks JHN’s first new music release since collaborating with Victony on “Tiny Apartment” in June. Last summer, he showcased his versatility with the collaborative track “Jessica,” featuring Michaël Brun, Charly Black, and J Perry.
JHN’s previous solo releases include “Overstimulated” and “You Laughed At Me” from February 2023, and the high-octane single “Stadiums” with producer London On Da Track in December 2022.
Beyond his music, JHN recently narrated a short film for Moncler and Roc Nation’s collection, designed by JAY-Z, where he encouraged viewers to “climb above the noise to find your voice.” He also made his acting debut in the 2023 film, The Book of Clarence, directed by Jeymes Samuel.
Throughout his career, JHN has created anthems like “Roses” and “Trap” and written songs for artists such as Usher, Hoodie Allen, Nico & Vinz, and Jidenna. His acclaimed third studio album, While the World Was Burning, featured collaborations with Lil Uzi Vert, Future, A Boogie with da Hoodie, Kehlani, and 6Lack. The “Roses” remix became a global hit, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
JHN’s star power was further showcased alongside Beyoncé and Wizkid on the 2019 anthem “BROWN SKIN GIRL” from The Lion King soundtrack.
Kendrick Lamar’s new song “Not Like Us” has upended the hip-hop landscape, and such a seismic single warrants an equally world-shaking music video. That’s what K. Dot provided with the supporting visual for “Not Like Us,” a four-minute celebration of not just his victory over one of the biggest stars on the planet, but also of his city, Compton, and LA culture in general.
Those elements often appear in Kendrick’s videography, which spans far longer than the obvious decade or so since he became a Grammy-winning, Fox News-terrifying, esoteric yet somehow ubiquitous fixture of pop culture. The following list was debated, discussed, and even outright dissed by my colleague Wongo and I (with our long-suffering editor, Phil, playing referee) until we got to his best — both in their visual representation of K Dot’s messaging and for their dynamic and memorable imagery.
Disclaimer: We left “The Heart Part 5” off this list over its use of deepfake AI — contrived and problematic technology on its own — that we believe aged poorly in hindsight.
12. “Michael Jordan”
The song that put Kendrick Lamar on the map in the city of LA. If the unofficial through-line of this list is how deeply Kendrick connects to his city through his visuals, this is where that line begins. It may not be as visually striking as other clips on this list, but it is likely one of the most thematically impactful — look no further than the fact that the then-relatively unknown Kendrick, considered something of a sidekick at the time to TDE’s “real” star, Jay Rock, shut down the 110 Freeway in Downtown Los Angeles to shoot much of this video. For non-Angelenos, this is vaguely akin to choking off the superior vena cava of the human heart. For a less heady comparison, consider this: The only other times this is done is to film major Hollywood productions like San Andreas and La La Land, or for major protests like the ones against police brutality in 2020 and advocation for a Gaza ceasefire. Basically, Kendrick was saying, “I AM LA. I am bigger than Hollywood. I am a world-changing event.” He wasn’t wrong. — Aaron Williams
11. “The Hillbillies” w/ Baby Keem
Though “Family Ties” launched it, “The Hillbillies” solidified the pgLang era of Kendrick Lamar and Baby Keem’s careers. Released without much warning, the vlog-style Neal Farmer-directed video captures the true laid-back personas of both Lamar and Keem. Between time in London and Los Angeles (where Tyler The Creator joins them), Lamar and Keem do everything from dance outside a private jet, prance through a shopping mall, flex clothes and jewels, play video games, help Tyler tease news about Camp Flag Gnaw Carnival at Dodger Stadium, and more. Quirky camera tricks and numerous meme-worthy moments from Lamar and Keem add to the carefree and fun energy that the duo brings to the video, a rarity for the former when it comes to his visuals. — Wongo Okon
10. “B*tch, Don’t Kill My Vibe”
An early standout from Kendrick’s catalog, the video for “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” lays much of the groundwork for what will become recurring motifs throughout his videography: Striking, spiritualistic imagery (a funeral in a well-appointed church, with mourners dressed in white-on-white rather than the traditional black), an unexpected cameo from a Los Angeles legend (in this case, standup comic Mike Epps, who baptizes Kendrick in a “pool full a liquor,” a callback to another Good Kid, M.A.A.D single, “Swimming Pools”), and the abiding contrast/coexistence of communal celebration and solo introspection. A bonus highlight: The very 2010s unsubtle product placement shot, which scans as one of K. Dot’s most “here, damn” concessions to commercialism in a career full of them. — A.W.
9. “Element”
Kendrick Lamar’s promise to “make it look sexy” if he ever had to “slap a p*ssy ass n****” on “Element” hits a lot differently in the wake of his beef with Drake. Prophetic foreshadowing aside, “Element” is a prime example of the persona Lamar carries today: impenetrable, undefeatable, and unconquerable. Its visual, directed by Jonas Lindstroem & The Little Homies, captures Lamar in militant form. Nearly every time Lamar appears in the video, he is either standing above us or surrounded by a crew of supporters who are all on standby for a brutal fight. For three-and-a-half minutes, Lamar, bloody white t-shirt and all, embraces the boogeyman characteristic in a fine display of kingship in the rap game that resonates more than ever today. — W.O.
8. “These Walls” Feat. Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat
“It was Kendrick! Yeah, Kendrick Lamar!” Corey Holcomb proclaims this in the opening scene of the “These Walls” video which is actually titled “Behind The Walls: A Black Comedy.” The video, directed by Colin Tilley and The Little Homies, lives up to that title as we’re invited into a house party complete with drinking, drugs, fights, and loud music. In this one, Lamar doesn’t even rap the Grammy-winning song’s words until the very end. Instead, he enjoys a dance with a woman against a wall before breaking through it and falling into another room, all to continue the fun in another room. He also teams up with an overzealous Terry Crews to perform the Hit The Quan dance at a talent show. The colorful visual continues with a shift back to the party where Holcomb arrives to see Lamar with his lady, something that doesn’t entirely mind as he finds two for himself. The fun is short-lived for Holcomb who gets hauled away by two cops after he crashed into a police cruiser as he parked before entering the party. Comedic angle aside, the video, true to the song’s message, is a true visual representation of what occurs within the walls of the mind and a home as men like Kendrick and Holcomb aspire to explore the walls of a woman. — W.O.
7. “Loyalty” Feat. Rihanna
“Loyalty,” Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna’s first-ever collaboration, is a standout on DAMN. for many reasons, one being the perilous visual the song received. For four minutes, Lamar and Rihanna flirt with many of life’s harmful dangers to prove that their love and loyalty to each other are unmatched. Rihanna taunts a man by spitting her gum on him, and when he angrily approaches her, Lamar is there to knock him out. He later dangles Rihanna off the roof of a building before they both lay on its edge as if they’re on ground level and not hundreds of feet in the air. The “Loyalty” visual ends with Lamar and Rihanna absorbing the blow of a tractor-trailer crashing into their car as Lamar does donuts in the middle of an intersection. — W.O.
6. “Count Me Out”
Though Kendrick Lamar’s video for “Count Me Out” isn’t as eventful as the other standout visuals in his videography, it excels by capturing the mindset that created< em>Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers. The visual begins with a conversation with his therapist, played by Oscar award-winning actress Helen Mirren, where the two laugh about Lamar stealing a woman’s parking spot and delve into a more serious discussion about his self-doubts. The Dave Free and Kendrick Lamar-directed video then splits into three screens with a visual of Lamar rapping the first verse of “Count Me Out,” another of Mirren listening intently, and a third that pairs images of pain, anger, fear, joy, strife, contention, and more to Lamar’s words. — W.O.
5. “N95”
“N95” is hands-down the best video to come down from the Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers era for a multitude of reasons. It succinctly captures the erratic and chaotic atmosphere of the song and the album as a whole. Want to see and hear where Kendrick’s head was in 2022? Look no further than the “N95” video. Furthermore, from a more general standpoint, it’s just a sick visual. It juxtaposes itself over and over again in just seconds, going from Kendrick in full sprint as he evades an angry mob to watching the rapper gracefully scales down steps by a waterfall. He sits in peace and reads a pgLang magazine before a car tumbles by a clears out chairs just a few away from the one he sits in. Add in shots of Lamar doing burpees, floating over the ocean in a Christ-like position, hitting donuts in a car with Baby Keem, and more, and you have a visual worthy of a top-five slot in Lamar’s career. — W.O.
4. “Alright”
Arguably the best of Kendrick Lamar’s videos, “Alright” earns its place thanks in part to bearing the hallmarks of Kendrick’s videos — community, camaraderie, visual metaphors for resilience — and throwing in one of the best-sounding unreleased songs of Kendrick’s entire catalog. It’s still the only place to hear this song, which by itself should be enough of a recommendation for this video, but just for the sake of argument, “Alright” is also the recipient of the 2016 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and was nominated for that year’s MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year. — A.W.
3. “Not Like Us”
This is why we’re here, people. A visual representation of Los Angeles culture, of Kendrick’s rap dominance, of his hometown hero status, the video also doubles as a bit of a wake for that poor OVO owl. From smashing an owl piñata to putting a live owl inside a cage, the video reflects the song’s primary goal of burying Kendrick’s longtime foe Drake, while at the same time, uses the controversy as an opportunity to highlight K Dot’s hometown, from the Tommy The Clown and DeMar DeRozan cameos to its raucous, impromptu community gathering at Compton City Hall. — A.W.
2. “DNA”
The best videos in Kendrick Lamar’s career came from his DAMN. era. Look no further than the “DNA” visual for proof of this. Don Cheadle stars as an interrogator ready to give Lamar a lie detector test when he is shocked into the same rhythm as the rapper, rapping the lyrics of “DNA” as if they both wrote the song from the same experience of anger and struggle. The moment takes a mental toll on both men, but Lamar reigns supreme as Cheadle succumbs to Lamar and lets him go before falling to his knees in defeat. For the rest of the “DNA” video, we watch an erratic Lamar shoot dice with friends, recount past events, show off his Grammys, and more all while a group of girls drive a car recklessly through city streets – a conclusion that pairs perfectly with the song’s chaotic second half. — W.O.
1. “Humble”
“Humble” was the first single from Kendrick’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2017 album, DAMN., and its release heralded the largest leap the Compton artist had taken in public awareness in his career. It was his first solo No. 1 on the Hot 100, and it won Grammys for Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and most relevant here, Best Music Video. The video is another Dave Free masterwork, incorporating more of the religious iconography that Kendrick has grappled with throughout his career, borrowing as much from the distinctive visual style of Hype Williams as from Leonardo da Vinci, whose “Last Supper” plays centerpiece to the point Kendrick makes lyrically on “Humble.” To this day, it is still the most-viewed video on his YouTube channel. — A.W.
With all the years she’s spent working as a stripper and rapper, you’d figure that by now, Cardi B should be pretty confident in her twerking skills. Since her initial rise to fame, the “Bodak Yellow” artist has hardly stopped clapping her surgically enhanced cheeks – even more so since she crossed paths with Offset. The pair now shares two children, but even that hasn’t been able to stop Bardi from shaking her booty.
Earlier this week, the 31-year-old uploaded a video to her Instagram Story which shows her shamelessly throwing it back. It’s hard to deny that Cardi’s hourglass shape looks awesome, but even she can admit that her rhythm feels off in this clip. “Body on 10, twerk on 0 ,” she wrote over the screen, laughing at herself while throwing her bodacious behind in a circle.
Her dancing abilities aren’t the only area of her life where Cardi has been feeling off. This year for Thanksgiving, the Invasion of Privacy artist admitted to missing out on all of her family’s festivities while enjoying a seriously deep sleep. Seeing as she’s working hard on putting her long-awaited sophomore album together for a 2024 release, and raising two little ones, it’s understandable if she needed to use her day off to catch up on her beauty slumber. Hopefully, Bardi also makes time to work on getting her booty-shaking game back on 100 before she films her next music video.
Besides inspiring herself (and probably countless others) to work on her twerking skills, it seems Cardi B’s OnlyFans efforts are encouraging another woman in the public eye to consider launching an account. After learning that the New Yorker and Iggy Azalea both reportedly made eight figures from their content creation on that platform alone, Blueface’s mom, Karlissa Saffold, has said she’ll be starting her profile in early 2024. Read more about that at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
Kendrick Lamar’s “HUMBLE.” is one of the biggest rap hits of the past few years, especially coming from one of the most respected and acclaimed artists today. Its appeal is quite universal, with engaging and catchy refrains and melodies, plus some sharp bars. In fact, it’s stretching beyond genre and national boundaries, as Italian rock superstars Måneskin covered the track at their Madison Square Garden show in New York on Friday (September 22). “We cannot be the last rock band,” lead singer Damiano David remarked to the crowd before they went into their homage. “But maybe we can be the first rap band,” he added, albeit incorrectly.
Jokes aside, the cover is about as energetic and electrifying as you’d expect from a rock-centered rendition of “HUMBLE.” Driving guitars, hard-hitting drums, and anthemic vocals made Kendrick Lamar’s track translate quite well. At the very least, this is a much more respectful and appropriate nod to the rapper than another European incident involving a blackface-laden Polish karaoke competition. Hopefully more bands of various genres keep seeing the magic in the Compton MC’s music, and how it connects to any crowd.
Of course, this shouldn’t come as much surprise to Måneskin fans, who know the group to be quite versatile. While speaking to Esquire for an interview, David explained how each member’s wide influences contribute to their aesthetics and songwriting. “Not to brag, but for us, it comes easy,” he stated. “We have four different and very strong backgrounds. Ethan and Thomas are very into rock and roll, punk, more classical, so they bring that energy. I’m very, very into mainstream music, mainstream hooks, mainstream melodies. So I bring that kind of idea, and they put steroids in what I do.”
Meanwhile, the Pulitzer Prize-winning lyricist impacts his peers in much more meaningful ways than just artistic inspiration. His Black Hippy and former TDE partner ScHoolboy Q recently gave K.Dot credit for “saving his life.” Surely, this will be far from the last cover of his music for generations to come. On that note, stay posted on HNHH for the latest news and updates on Kendrick Lamar.
Last night (September 22), Måneskin delivered a killer performance at Madison Square Garden. Over the course of the night, the Italian rock band, who won the Eurovision competition in 2021, performed several songs from their third studio album, Rush, as well as their cover of The Four Seasons’ “Beggin’,” which carried them over from Eurovision to TikTok fame. Later into the night, they added their spin on a fan-favorite Kendrick Lamar hit.
“We cannot be the last rock band… but maybe we can be the first rap band,” said Måneskin’s lead vocalist Damiano David, before diving into a cover of the 2017 hit single, “Humble.”
Humble (Kendrick Lamar’s cover)September 21, 2023; Madison Square Garden – New York City, USA.
This particular rendition of “Humble” was a lot more guitar-and-drum-driven, but maintained the powerful spirit of the original version.
This performance wasn’t the first time the band has displayed the influence they take from a multitude of genres. In an interview with Esquire, David revealed that this type of genre-fluidity comes naturally to him and the band.
“Not to brag, but for us, it comes easy,” he says. “We have four different and very strong backgrounds—Ethan and Thomas are very into rock n’ roll, punk, more classical, so they bring that energy. And I’m very, very into mainstream music, mainstream hooks, mainstream melodies. So I bring that kind of idea, and they put steroids in what I do.”
You can see a clip of the cover of “Humble” above.
The D.O.C. says that The Notorious B.I.G.’s humility is what sets him apart from other great artists. He recalled meeting the late rapper during a recent appearance on Ambrosia For Head‘s What’s The Headline podcast.
“I got mad at Biggie Smalls ’cause I could hear where I was gonna go,” The D.O.C. began. “When he first came [out], I could hear where I wanted to go, and couldn’t do it. So it made me be angry with him—before I met him.”
American rapper Notorious BIG (born Christopher Wallace) attends the 1995 Billboard Music Awards, New York, New York, December 6, 1995. (Photo by Larry Busacca/WireImage)
He continued: “But when I met him, he was such a genuine dude. He asked me to take a picture with him, and he was so fuckin’ humble. And I was like, how can you hate a dude like that? Ever since then, he’s been my No. 1, really. We were in Chicago at something. It was Saafir, and Craig Mack, and Smalls, and myself. And he was just a cool dude, man.”
The comments come as Warner Music Group is releasing a visual podcast series, Iconic Records. The first season focuses on The Notorious B.I.G.’s 1997 album, Life After Death.
The D.O.C. On Biggie’s Greatness
The D.O.C. has an iconic career of his own. Nelly recently picked him over The Notorious B.I.G. as the greatest “What If?” in hip-hop history. He explained why during a video on Instagram. “Listen, I know a lot of people got they own opinions about Hip hop but the biggest what if in Hip Hop has to be The D.O.C.,” he said at the time. “It has to be. The D.O.C. has to be the biggest what if in Hip Hop history. Like if you know anything about Hip Hop and you research it [… ] I love all my young n***as, I don’t knock y’all. I support all my young brothers but the biggest what if has to be D.O.C. One album — that’s all you got. One album. I would say Biggie but Biggie at least got off two albums and we all recognize him as being one of the greatest but the biggest what if is The D.O.C. n***a. Do your research.”
,” she wrote over the screen, laughing at herself while throwing her bodacious behind in a circle. 
September 21, 2023;
