Daveed Diggs, known for his role in Broadway's "Hamilton," has earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the song "Raise Him Up" from the final season of Prime Video's "The Boys." He collaborated with Christopher Lennertz on the track, which served as a centerpiece for his character, Oh Father, a preacher exploiting religion for financial gain.
Diggs joined "The Boys" for its fifth and final season, portraying Oh Father, a character who believed the villainous Homelander should be elevated to a god-like status, primarily for personal profit. The song "Raise Him Up" debuted during a significant musical number in the penultimate episode, "The Frenchman, The Female, And The Man Called Mother’s Milk."
Showrunner Eric Kripke approached Diggs with the idea of performing a musical number, a type of performance Diggs typically avoids. However, having committed to fully embracing the "Boys" experience, Diggs agreed. He described the writing process with Lennertz as collaborative, initially exploring a rap-style song before shifting to the gospel-inspired "Raise Him Up." Diggs found the final version brilliant and humorous, contributing numerous ad-libs and vocal choices during recording.
The filming of the musical sequence was a highlight of the season for Diggs. He praised director Sylvain White and noted that the musicians and dancers involved were professionals, creating a lively atmosphere on set. Despite a compressed rehearsal schedule compared to Broadway productions, Diggs found the experience incredibly fun.
Diggs aimed for the song to embody "The Boys'" subversive political satire. He hoped the catchy tune would lead listeners to sing along before fully processing the lyrics, which he believes contain sharp commentary on the use of religion as a political tool. Lines such as "After centuries of religious fraud, say hello to your real God" and "The world’s too dark for a Jew in robes and sandals" exemplify the song's satirical intent.
Reflecting on his character, Oh Father, Diggs aimed to fulfill the role's narrative purpose within the season. He described Oh Father's complex justifications for aligning with Homelander as significant "mental gymnastics." The character's controversial death scene, involving a "Chekhov's ball gag," was something Diggs was happy to see executed effectively, noting the precision of the stunt team.
Diggs expressed that "The Boys" has been overlooked by the Television Academy in the past, particularly concerning writing and performance awards. He feels the Emmy nomination for "Raise Him Up" is a fitting recognition of the show's unique blend of elements, serving as a strong representation of its satirical and creative nature.