Music Video theory



1) How does the This Is America video meet the key conventions of a music video?

It meets the key conventions of a music video as it contains dancing which can be seen as a performance based video, props including guns, cars, musical instruments, lip-syncing and music, it contains a narrative. 

2) What comment is the video making on American culture, racism and gun violence?

This video is trying to show the audience that this is what America is like, people are getting shot and no one is doing anything about it. Racism and gun violence is "normal" because it happens so frequently in America. The people who are getting shot in this video are all black people which suggests that in America black people are "targeted" as being the criminal but also the victim. Glover was trying to convey the message that the issue with gun violence and racism is getting worse and something must be done.

3) Write an analysis of the video applying the theories we have learned: Gilroy, Hall, Rose and Dyson.

Glover dances just like 'Jim Crow' which can be seen as an inter-textual reference because black people still feel as though they do not fit in. They are not treated the same and feel suppressed in society. 

 Hall suggested that ethnic minorities in the media are misinterpreted due to underlying racist tendencies and he outlined three black characterisations in American media. 

 1) The Clown/ entertainer - all the dancers can be included/ also refers to "Jim Crow"
2) The Slave- at the beginning when Glover shot the man sitting on the chair with his head covered. 
3) The Native- Glover is seen as the criminal 

 Tricia Rose suggested that hip hop initially gave audiences an insight into the music lives of young, black, urban Americans and also gave them a voice (including empowering female artists). This whole music video is an example of this because Glover is using this platform to voice the issues related to gun violence and racism against black people.

 Dyson states: “Hip hop music is important precisely because it sheds light on contemporary politics, history and race. At its best, hip hop gives voice to marginal black youth we are not used to hearing from on such critics. Sadly, the enlightened aspects of hip hop are overlooked by critics who are out to satisfy a grudge against black youth culture…” Michael Eric Dyson, Know What I Mean (2007) This is similar to Tricia Rose as Glover has used this video to voice the issues instead of creating a video that sexualises people and glamorise criminal behaviour.

Read this Guardian feature on This Is America - including the comments below.

4) What are the three interpretations suggested in the article?

 He's playing Jim Crow:  The exaggerated poses and grotesque smiles suggested that Glover was referring to the racial caricature Jim Crow. Whereas, another suggested that Donald Glover was accusing black performers including himself of 'coonery'. 

 He's duping us with dance:  Childish Gambino's dance moves distracted all of us from the violence and craziness that was happening in the background of the video. Glover was performing dance crazes from YouTube such as hopping, kicking "shoot" which masked the riots behind them.

 He's taking on police:  The line "this is a celly/ that's a tool" has a powerful double meaning. It refers to the case of Stephon Clark who was shot dead by Sacramento police who assumed he was armed but only had an iPhone with him. It is suggested that Glover is also conveying the fact that phones can be tools for documentation.

5) What alternative interpretations of the video are offered in the comments 'below the line'? 

"The US is reviled all over the world - not just in the UK and Europe.

The last time the US was anywhere remotely approaching 'great' was around 1945 - 50.
Since then it's been all downhill with just a few upward blips here and there.
Face it. The US isn't even the richest country anymore and lately it's become a total shithole.
This isn't an attack on the US - it's just simple observable reality."


"Gosh, could his "message" be that America is evil, racist and violent? Nah, that would be too obvious. Everybody already knows that. As with all satirical masterpieces, there must be a hidden meaning that requires ponderous artistic explanation."



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