Hold Up

### Writer

Thomas Pentz Ezra Koenig Beyoncé Knowles Emile Haynie Joshua Tillman Uzoechi Emenike Sean "Melo-X" Rhoden Doc Pomus Mort Shuman DeAndre Way Antonio Randolph Kelvin McConnell Yeah Yeah Yeahs

"**Hold Up**" is a song recorded by ***Beyoncé*** for her sixth studio album, ***Lemonade***. 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" Pomusand 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" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

## Critical reception:

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.

## Lemonade track listing

### Next Song

Don't Hurt Yourself

After the release of *Lemonade*, "Hold Up" debuted on *Billboard* Hot 100 chart at number 13, becoming Beyoncé's twenty-fifth top 20 entry on the chart[5] "Hold Up" also entered on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs at number 8.[5] In overseas charts, the song entered in multiple digital charts in top 5: Denmark, Greece, Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway.

## lyrics

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

Something don't feel right

Because it ain't right

Especially comin' up after midnight

I smell your secret, 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'm a fuck me up a bitch

Know that I kept it sexy, and know I kept it fun

There's something that I'm missing, maybe my head for one

What's worse, lookin' jealous or crazy?

Jealous or crazy?

Or like being walked all over lately, walked all over lately

I'd rather be crazy

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

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 say

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

Oh it is 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

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

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

I hop up out the 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 the bed and get my swag on

I look in the mirror, say, "What's up?"

What's up, what's up, what's up

## References

1. ↑ http://mashable.com/2016/04/24/beyonce-lemonade-review/
2. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7350148/beyonce-lemonade-hold-up-diplo-ezra-koenig-demo-maps-dance
3. ↑ http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/18207-beyonce-hold-up/