Hold Up

"Hold Up" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her sixth studio album, Lemonade (2016). The song was written by Thomas Pentz, Ezra Koenig, Beyoncé, Emile Haynie, Joshua Tillman, Uzoechi Emenike and Sean "Melo-X" Rhoden; and it contains a sample of "Can't Get Used to Losing You", written by Jerome "Doc" Pomus and Mort Shuman; an interpolation of "Maps", written by Brian Chase, Karen Orzolek and Nick Zinner; and an interpolation of "Turn My Swag On", written by DeAndre Way. The song's music video is part of a one-hour film with the same title as its parent album, originally aired on HBO. The video features Beyoncé destroying multiple cars and security cameras. Knowles also makes reference of Oshun, a Yoruba goddess of water, fertility, love, sensuality. A demo of "Hold Up" was first written and recorded by Diplo and Koenig in 2011, using a sample of "Maps" Pitchfork Media's Ryan Dombal named "Hold Up" as the "Best New Track" of the day, praising Beyoncé's emotive vocals and stated "The music has no weight, no place, no time—a calypso dream heard through walls and generations...When Beyoncé works in the pained refrain of Yeah Yeah Yeahs' “Maps,” she makes it glorious while allowing our memories to hint at the anguish underneath. Soulja Boy’s swag—invoked here as a shoulder-brushing afterthought—has rarely felt so on. There are a few rapped bars that put her rapper husband’s deepest insecurities on display; the quick verse is more incisive than anything Jay Z has done in years."

[Chorus] Hold up, they don't love you like I love you Slow down, they don't love you like I love you Back up, they don't love you like I love you Step down, they don't love you like I love you Can't you see there's no other man above you? What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you Hold up, they don't love you like I love you Oh, down, they don't love you like I love you [Verse 1] Something don't feel right because it ain't right Especially comin' up after midnight I smell your secrets, and I'm not too perfect To ever feel this worthless How did it come down to this? Scrolling through your call list I don't wanna lose my pride, but I'ma fuck me up a bitch Know that I kept it sexy, you know I kept it fun There's something that I'm missing, maybe my head for one [Refrain] What's worst, lookin' jealous or crazy? Jealous or crazy? Or like being walked all over lately, walked all over lately I'd rather be crazy [Chorus] Hold up, they don't love you like I love you Slow down, they don't love you like I love you Back up, they don't love you like I love you Step down, they don't love you like I love you Can't you see there's no other man above you? What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you Hold up, they don't love you like I love you Slow down, they don't love you like I love you [Verse 2] Let's imagine for a moment that you never made a name for yourself Or mastered wealth, they had you labeled as a king Never made it out the cage, still out there movin' in them streets Never had the baddest woman in the game up in your sheets Would they be down to ride? No They used to hide from you, lie to you But y'all know we were made for each other So I find you and hold you down Me sing se [Chorus] Hold up, they don't love you like I love you Slow down, they don't love you like I love you Back up, they don't love you like I love you Step down, they don't love you like I love you Can't you see there's no other man above you? What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you Hold up, they don't love you like I love you Slow down, they don't love you like I love you [Bridge] Hey, this such a shame You let this good love go to waste I always keep the top tier, 5 star Backseat lovin' in the car Like make that wood, like make that wood Holly like a boulevard [Refrain] What's worse, lookin' jealous or crazy? Jealous and crazy? Or like being walked all over lately, walked all over lately I'd rather be crazy [Chorus] Hold up, they don't love you like I love you Slow down, they don't love you like I love you Back up, they don't love you like I love you Step down, they don't love you like I love you Can't you see there's no other man above you? What a wicked way to treat the girl that loves you Hold up, they don't love you like I love you Oh, down, they don't love you like I love you [Outro] I hop up out my bed and get my swag on I look in the mirror, say, "What's up?" What's up, what's up, what's up I hop up out my bed and get my swag on I look in the mirror, say, "What's up?" What's up, what's up, what's up