America is a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities full of rich history. A nation full of diversity leads to many people around the country having different views of what America is like. Considering African Americans are the largest racial minority, they contribute to many of these thoughts because of their racial history. Furthermore, race is a huge factor of what people experience in America. One way to encounter thoughts and views of one’s country is through music. Music is a central part of today’s world that can have effects on society. Moreover, a part of music are music videos that can be seen as short films that tell a story using elements that can make visuals stand out to promote awareness of a serious issue such as racism, violence, or an illness. It’s no surprise that one of the most controversial music videos caused social media stir with the hashtag #ThisIsAmerica after rapper Donald Glover or as he goes by “Childish Gambino” released it. It turned many people’s attention by how the video was composed of choreography hidden messages. Ultimately, “This Is America” focuses on how America is willing to protect guns over people leading to gun violence. Also, police brutality conducting excessive use of force to African Americans which depicts what it is like to live as a black man in America. Throughout the video, Childish Gambino dances to an upbeat track making it contradictory to the aesthetics of negative chaotic imagery that essentially serves to portray horrific things that America turns away from.
Throughout the video, Gambino is seen as America on a metaphorical perspective because of the violence he is committing. The overall video focuses on the African American culture and what is perceived to be the terrible experiences they had to undergo. African Americans have always been a crucial aspect to American society because of the various years struggling to obtain rights in America. Historically, this race was subjected to severe oppression as well discrimination even after the Civil War, the oppression continued in terms of politically and economically. This is seen throughout the video as many clips represent events that African Americans face in America such as Jim Crow, Charleston Church shooting, and police shootings. The video shocked many and has projected a variety of opinions on social media. Furthermore, some refer to Gambino as a “genius” for developing a life changing video that brings awareness to the black culture whereas others describe the video as garbage noting the extreme violence. We live in a society with social distractions where everyone is more focused on what to post on social media or what that clothing brand someone else is wearing than focusing on real issues in their country. With the art of utilizing symbolism, Childish Gambino challenges the normalization of violence.
“This is America” depicts the way in which many people get to dance, sing, and laugh meanwhile others are ignored and trapped in the background dealing with acts of violence. Furthermore, this is an overall image of some having the privilege to be entertained with the acts of violence that minorities endure such as gun violence. Guns have been a part of America since birth and have been used to protect one own’s country, protect families, or to hunt food throughout history. The video confronts the audience with horrifying gun violence only to include dancing and singing which is there to remind us that America contains an outbreak of gun brutality while being hidden with entertainment. The first gunshot in the video occurs in the opening moments in a lonely warehouse where an African American is walking towards a chair with a guitar and sits down as he begins to play strumming a guitar to a smooth, relaxing beat. As the camera zooms in, shirtless Gambino stands still and then begins to dance and walk towards the man in the chair who then has his head covered, guitar out of sight as Gambino shoots him in the head. This happens right when the beat moves from the guitarist’s choral sounds to a trap sound. This symbolizes dreams that die due to innocent people being victims of gun violence, the man’s head being covered implies that shooters view their targets as lives without value. In another scene, a jovial church choir dances and sings as Gambino enters and starts dancing with them