Gambino is Back: This is America
Originally this was an Instagram post but I saw how long it was and now
here we are. Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover and his video and newly released song "This is America" have me out here thinking
deeply on all the messages and topics he broaches instead of finishing my thesis.
There is so much in this video I don’t know where to begin so I'll do a
quick run-down of what I caught.
The race commentary is obvious. The shooting down of innocent and unsuspecting Black people without provocation. The lyric "We just want to party" could be read as commentary on how Black people are seen as lazy and only good for entertainment. This is a part of historic thought concerning African-Americans dating back to slavery and the stereotype of the Sambo. There is also code-switching between masculinity and femininity in his dancing that can be read as gender fluidity. The choir shooting that recalls the church massacre/s that have taken place at Black churches throughout history. The lyric about needing to be strapped. Gambino's facial expressions that recall Black minstrelsy. The police chasing people and general chaos behind him throughout the entire video. His dad bod and shameless presentation of it throughout the video. The fact that his hair looks GLORIOUS. The Black girl magic and Black boy joy found in the young dancers. The white horse walking in the background that, according to the book of Revelation from the Bible, represents death. The desolate car park as a scene for where nefarious things notoriously take place. The lyric “get your money, Black man” as a comment on some of Black America only focusing on attaining wealth as opposed to spreading knowledge. How Gambino places the gun on a towel each time he completes another shooting so carefully as if it's routine and expected and this action insures he'll get away with it. The question of whether or not desensitization can be the result of seeing violence against Blacks so constantly in entertainment, the flip side of that being whether showing the violence is necessary to show the public that this is a rampant and pervasive issue that doesn’t seem to be letting up. The feeling of appropriation being shoved in somewhere too but I’m not 100% sure where. The scene at the end of Donald running that recalls a slave running literally for his life that gave me the chills each and every time I see it.
When was the last time you felt so moved as to comment on a music video? Gambino nails it with the visuals AND the lyrics as per the usual. Watch it and catch the message. Then listen and see what you find. Then watch it again.
The race commentary is obvious. The shooting down of innocent and unsuspecting Black people without provocation. The lyric "We just want to party" could be read as commentary on how Black people are seen as lazy and only good for entertainment. This is a part of historic thought concerning African-Americans dating back to slavery and the stereotype of the Sambo. There is also code-switching between masculinity and femininity in his dancing that can be read as gender fluidity. The choir shooting that recalls the church massacre/s that have taken place at Black churches throughout history. The lyric about needing to be strapped. Gambino's facial expressions that recall Black minstrelsy. The police chasing people and general chaos behind him throughout the entire video. His dad bod and shameless presentation of it throughout the video. The fact that his hair looks GLORIOUS. The Black girl magic and Black boy joy found in the young dancers. The white horse walking in the background that, according to the book of Revelation from the Bible, represents death. The desolate car park as a scene for where nefarious things notoriously take place. The lyric “get your money, Black man” as a comment on some of Black America only focusing on attaining wealth as opposed to spreading knowledge. How Gambino places the gun on a towel each time he completes another shooting so carefully as if it's routine and expected and this action insures he'll get away with it. The question of whether or not desensitization can be the result of seeing violence against Blacks so constantly in entertainment, the flip side of that being whether showing the violence is necessary to show the public that this is a rampant and pervasive issue that doesn’t seem to be letting up. The feeling of appropriation being shoved in somewhere too but I’m not 100% sure where. The scene at the end of Donald running that recalls a slave running literally for his life that gave me the chills each and every time I see it.
When was the last time you felt so moved as to comment on a music video? Gambino nails it with the visuals AND the lyrics as per the usual. Watch it and catch the message. Then listen and see what you find. Then watch it again.
Comments
Post a Comment