We consider the branching problem for generalized Verma modules Mλ(𝔤, 𝔭) applied to couples of reductive Lie algebras [Formula: see text]. Our analysis of the problem is based on projecting character formulas to quantify the branching, and on the action of the center of [Formula: see text] to construct explicitly singular vectors realizing the [Formula: see text]-top level of the branching. We compute explicitly the top part of the branching for the pair [Formula: see text] for both strongly and weakly compatible with i( Lie G2) parabolic subalgebras and a large class of inducing representations.