What is the overall message or connotation of the video in relation to the events, issues, individuals and social groups represented?
The music video of 'This is America' is far from a conventional hip-hop video, while containing elements of these conventions, many of these are parodies, satire or ironic of other pieces of media, all elements of a post modern piece of media. It deals with many issues that affect the black community in America, issues that the media have tried to cover up, in particular the rise of gun crime.
The video depicts a representation of the black community as well as events that have happened in America, such as the Charelston church shooting of 2015 where a white supremisist shot and killed 9 black people. Interestingly, It is Donald Glover, better known as Childish Gambino, who commits these killings. Throughout the video the artist is the main focus of the video, he is always in focus as he performs traditional black dances such as the Shoki and Gwara Gwara, sometimes joined in dance by groups of schoolchildren, and pulls exaggerated faces (Common to Racist black Minstrel shows from the 19th century) and poses similar to that of Jim Crow, another racist black stereotype from the 19th century. Many intertextual references like these included in the video are not obvious, mostly depicted in scenes behind the distraction that is Gambinos extravagant dancing. The director, Hiro Murai, keeps the issues that affect black communities out of focus. Only those who WANT to notice these issues will see past Gambinos dancing and understand what is really happening in the video.
Some infer that the use of Gambino dancing around in focus while mayhem erupts around him could be a reference to how the media distracts the public from what is really happening in the world. Gambino acts as America itself, committing shootings and afterwards wrapping the gun in red cloth, while the bodies of the dead are either dragged away or left carelessly, showing how America values guns over the life of its citizens. There are many political undertones to this piece of media, one in particular is that after the church choir massacre, an abandoned police car is depicted, representing the neglect of the police in America, particularily towards the black community. Another example of this is the appearance of a White horse ridden by a headless horseman reference to a bible story from Revelation 6:8 'I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named death, and Hades was following close behind him.' which is a reference to the apocalypse. This horse could represent death, and it is shown to be escorted by a police car, suggesting that the police bring death. Despite all of the crime and violence happening in the video, and the presence of the police, they do not intervene, showing how they would rather turn a blind eye than solve the issues.
Half way through the video, the music stops, and cuts to a side shot of Gambino, holding out his arms in a fake gun movement, causing everyone around him to run away. There is 17 seconds of silence, before Gambino lookup, lights what looks to be a hand rolled joint, and walks away, before bursting into dance again, this time alone, and standing on top of an old American car. In the background multiple other abandoned cars are pictured, one with a woman sitting on and the man with the guitar who was shot at the beginning of the video makes a reappearance, with his head covered by a white bag. The 17 seconds of silence represents the 17 young lives lost In the Parkland, Florida school shooting; the significance of Gambino lighting a joint could be a reference to intertextuality of black hip hop artists smoking weed, or could reference the use of drugs to cope with issues such as the death of the school children. Gambino continues his dance, showing how despite the temporary acknowledgement of issues in America such as school shootings, nothing is done and life continues. The significance of the old cars could show how America is stuck in the past, while other countries have made a change to prevent these problems, America is still faced with them or shows the reality of life for many American people, they can't afford expensive cars.
The stark and drastic change of tone and scene keeps readers captivated throughout the whole video. For example the choir singing happy choral tones cuts to trap tones when they are all massacred by Gambino himself. The gunshots are perfectly in time with the change from choral to trap tones; this contrast in music is a juxtaposition of black culture shown by the dancing and choir music, to the social issues the black community faces hidden in the background. There is also reference to the audience losing their attention span shown by long gradual shots at the start of the video to quick shots and cuts into different scenes towards the end, it has been scientifically proven the younger the generation, the shorter their attention span will be due to affecting factors such as technology. As a hip-hop artist, Childish Gambino's audience is majorly from the younger generations.
Overall, this music video was intended to send a message to the public about the issues that America have faced both in the past and are still facing today. While some may simply watch the video and not notice the hidden messages, others have read into the symbolism cleverly placed throughout the video and realised the messages Gambino is trying to convey.
The music video of 'This is America' is far from a conventional hip-hop video, while containing elements of these conventions, many of these are parodies, satire or ironic of other pieces of media, all elements of a post modern piece of media. It deals with many issues that affect the black community in America, issues that the media have tried to cover up, in particular the rise of gun crime.
The video depicts a representation of the black community as well as events that have happened in America, such as the Charelston church shooting of 2015 where a white supremisist shot and killed 9 black people. Interestingly, It is Donald Glover, better known as Childish Gambino, who commits these killings. Throughout the video the artist is the main focus of the video, he is always in focus as he performs traditional black dances such as the Shoki and Gwara Gwara, sometimes joined in dance by groups of schoolchildren, and pulls exaggerated faces (Common to Racist black Minstrel shows from the 19th century) and poses similar to that of Jim Crow, another racist black stereotype from the 19th century. Many intertextual references like these included in the video are not obvious, mostly depicted in scenes behind the distraction that is Gambinos extravagant dancing. The director, Hiro Murai, keeps the issues that affect black communities out of focus. Only those who WANT to notice these issues will see past Gambinos dancing and understand what is really happening in the video.
Some infer that the use of Gambino dancing around in focus while mayhem erupts around him could be a reference to how the media distracts the public from what is really happening in the world. Gambino acts as America itself, committing shootings and afterwards wrapping the gun in red cloth, while the bodies of the dead are either dragged away or left carelessly, showing how America values guns over the life of its citizens. There are many political undertones to this piece of media, one in particular is that after the church choir massacre, an abandoned police car is depicted, representing the neglect of the police in America, particularily towards the black community. Another example of this is the appearance of a White horse ridden by a headless horseman reference to a bible story from Revelation 6:8 'I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named death, and Hades was following close behind him.' which is a reference to the apocalypse. This horse could represent death, and it is shown to be escorted by a police car, suggesting that the police bring death. Despite all of the crime and violence happening in the video, and the presence of the police, they do not intervene, showing how they would rather turn a blind eye than solve the issues.
Half way through the video, the music stops, and cuts to a side shot of Gambino, holding out his arms in a fake gun movement, causing everyone around him to run away. There is 17 seconds of silence, before Gambino lookup, lights what looks to be a hand rolled joint, and walks away, before bursting into dance again, this time alone, and standing on top of an old American car. In the background multiple other abandoned cars are pictured, one with a woman sitting on and the man with the guitar who was shot at the beginning of the video makes a reappearance, with his head covered by a white bag. The 17 seconds of silence represents the 17 young lives lost In the Parkland, Florida school shooting; the significance of Gambino lighting a joint could be a reference to intertextuality of black hip hop artists smoking weed, or could reference the use of drugs to cope with issues such as the death of the school children. Gambino continues his dance, showing how despite the temporary acknowledgement of issues in America such as school shootings, nothing is done and life continues. The significance of the old cars could show how America is stuck in the past, while other countries have made a change to prevent these problems, America is still faced with them or shows the reality of life for many American people, they can't afford expensive cars.
The stark and drastic change of tone and scene keeps readers captivated throughout the whole video. For example the choir singing happy choral tones cuts to trap tones when they are all massacred by Gambino himself. The gunshots are perfectly in time with the change from choral to trap tones; this contrast in music is a juxtaposition of black culture shown by the dancing and choir music, to the social issues the black community faces hidden in the background. There is also reference to the audience losing their attention span shown by long gradual shots at the start of the video to quick shots and cuts into different scenes towards the end, it has been scientifically proven the younger the generation, the shorter their attention span will be due to affecting factors such as technology. As a hip-hop artist, Childish Gambino's audience is majorly from the younger generations.
Overall, this music video was intended to send a message to the public about the issues that America have faced both in the past and are still facing today. While some may simply watch the video and not notice the hidden messages, others have read into the symbolism cleverly placed throughout the video and realised the messages Gambino is trying to convey.
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