“Humble” is further proof that we need to have conversations on intersectionality, a term defined by critical race theorist Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw in 1989, as the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage. Kendrick’s “Humble” challenges black men to take a seat and have this conversation amongst themselves and with women. Part of the solution will come through first listening to women.
We can’t afford to have women standing on the frontlines alone without the support of men any longer. Throughout history, black women have organized against the routine violence responsible for destroying homes and communities. Black women have always showed up to fight for and on behalf of black men. However, more often than not black men have not showed up in the same way for us.
This disjointed approach hasn’t gotten us far. The Million Man March, started by Minister Louis Farrakhan in 1995, was meant to bring together African American men with the intent of addressing the economic and social ills plaguing the African American community. However, women were completely left out of the conversation and on the 20th anniversary of the march, Louis Farrakhan reportedly began to compare and slut shame women, while reinforcing problematic gender roles on national television. Black men can no longer march under misogyny’s stronghold, while hashtagging the names of women lost to systematic violence.
Kendrick’s “Humble” is what Beyoncé’s “Formation” was to black women—a call for black men to take an introspective look at their place and power. He is self-aware of the stance of humility he needs to take and is encouraging other men to do the same. He is telling black men to get into formation, by ridding themselves of respectability politics, the lines used to disenfranchise the movement and to be humble—women and looks aren’t going to get us free. Kendrick roots his lyrics in religion and credits his newfound understanding to the divine as he looks into the camera with a sea of bald headed Black men nodding their heads in agreement, as he sings, “Be humble, sit down, be humble.”
Priscilla Ward is a celebrated writer whose work has been featured on Essence, Salon and is also the creator of #BLCKNLIT. You can find her tweeting about bell hooks, sandwiches and art shows @MacaroniFRO.
