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Childish Gambino leaves our heads in a spin with new video
RnB/Hip Hop | Tuesday 8th May 2018 | Jake
Anybody familiar with Donald Glover’s impressive CV will know he rarely shies away from touchy subject matters, his show Atlanta is an often hilarious satire of the hip hop world, and his music commonly touches on political and social issues
But arguably none are so heavily layered and approach their subject so directly. ‘This is America’ is many things, and many people have interpreted the video differently, but the overwhelming majority agree it is a commentary on American life for the black community.
Theories abound over all the little intricacies that can be all too easily ignored on first viewing. Gambino is demanding our attention, dancing a combination of popular moves such as the ‘shoot’ dance, and distracts us from the chaotic scenes playing out behind him.
A joyous intro is put to an end when Gambino shoots dead a guitarist in a Jim Crow pose, the racial caricature with infamously exaggerated affectations. The whole video is shot in a spacious warehouse, with Gambino dancing his way through rooms.
In just over four minutes we watch scenes depicting violence, police brutality, the pressure on artists to conform, the exploitation of black artists, our obsession with social media and how it is inflicting today’s society. 'This is America' is a genius portrayal of modern America.
