Mick Jenkins - Martyrs | Simple |

: It features Jenkins and others with nooses around their necks, a stark visual metaphor for the "simulacrum of Chief Keef's 'I Don't Like' video".

: Fans on Reddit noted that the video makes the already "blunt" message hit even harder, emphasizing how society demonizes those who don't "fall in line". Mick Jenkins - Martyrs

: The song famously co-opts the conceptually loaded sample of Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit," similar to Kanye West's "Blood on the Leaves," to ground its modern social critique in historical trauma. The Music Video : It features Jenkins and others with nooses

: The track features a "thumping bass and a ticking beat" over an underlying piano melody, described by The Cougar Claw as starting with witty wordplay before shifting into a fluid, thought-provoking flow. The Music Video : The track features a

: Reviewers from Pitchfork highlight how Jenkins attacks "youthful hypocrisy and conformity," specifically targeting the empty pursuit of money and sex.

The song's "intricate lyricism" and "harsh truths" earned Jenkins praise from industry veterans like Timbaland and helped establish him as one of the most exciting MCs of the mid-2010s. It remains a highlight of The Water[s] , an album frequently rated as a "9/10" by listeners. Mick Jenkins - Martyrs : r/hiphopheads

Critics and fans alike praise the track for its dense lyricism and unflinching social commentary.