Music video: theory

Create a blogpost called 'Music video: the
ory', watch the video again then answer the questions below:

 
1) How does the This Is America video meet the key conventions of a music video?
There are many key conventions throughout this music video. Firstly there is use of a performance element through the video as we see Childish Gambino dance in the video along with his other performers as he also lip-syncs his lyrics. The dancing could have many meanings, e.g. to show how black people are commonly seen as entertainers. Regarding mise-en-scene there is use of different props in this video, one of which being an assault rifle which Glover uses to shoot the choir as they sing which is done to show how black people are always at the centre of gun crime whether it's them directly shooting or getting shot. These different narratives shown throughout the video engages the audience very quickly if they are able to catch the meanings and will keep them gripped. 

2) What comment is the video making on American culture, racism and gun violence?
The video shows how corrupt America is from their racism and wide spread violence. The use of guns in this video shows how your life is always at risk when living in America as you can be as innocent as possible but still be a target of gun crime and most of the time especially with black people it is overlooked as just a usual thing because of how normalised it has become. The lyric 'This is America' shows clearly how violence and racism is what America pretty much is this day and age and there is no better way to describe it and how it's just how people in America have to live as long as they stay in the USA. 

3) Write an analysis of the video applying the theories we have learned: Gilroy, Hall, Rose and Dyson. 
Gilroy
Black diasporic identity is the feeling of never feeling accepted in western societies. Gilroy suggests that black music creates diasporic experiences of resistance to white capitalist culture. In Gambinos music video he raises the racism problem in America as black people have to constantly betlitting themselves when amongst white people because of how they are a constantly pressured minority. Gilroys idea of double consciousness can also be linked to this video as because the media is so white dominated a lot of time issues regarding racism are continuously disregarded.

Stuart Hall
Stuart Hall suggests audiences blur race and class. He also suggests that western cultures are white dominated and ethnic minorities in the media are wrongly represented because of racism continuously growing. This links to the video as Glover is said to be presented as an entertainer/clown type so that people can be entertained. 

Rose
Rose suggests hip hop gave audiences a better insight into the lives of young, black, urban Americans and gave them a voice especially in order to empower female artists. Throughout this video Childish Gambino gives the audience an insight as to how it is living in America being a black person, which at the same time raises awareness which links back to Rose, as she states, 'give them a voice'. 

Dyson
Dyson suggests how political hip hop back in the 90s didn't gain enough commercial success as it deserved to get which eventually led to today's music which is very stereotypical as things are mainly sexualised and violent. This is very different to Dysons view as he believes "Hip hop music is important precisely because it sheds light on contemporary politics, history and race...Sadly the enlightened aspects of hip hop are overlooked by critics who are out to satisfy a grudge against black youth culture".  This links to Glover as he is conveying a powerful message through his music to raise awareness about racism and the social constraints placed on black people.


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 
In the opening scenes, Glover uses grotesque smiles and exaggerated poses, with some on Twitter suggesting this is an invocation of the racial caricature Jim Crow. It was also suggested that Glover was accusing black performers of coonery. One of the lyrics is "Grandma told me get your money black man". From this it has been asked whether Glover feels he has to take on stereotypically black performance roles (rapper,soul singer, comedian) in order to gain money

He's duping us with dance
Glover and his fellow dancers do extremely popular dances like the 'shoot' in order to mask the  riots happening behind them. The videos choreographer, Sherrie Silver retweeted a comment from someone who argued: "Childish Gambino's dance moves distracted all of us from the craziness that was happening in the background of the video and that's exactly the point he's trying to make.

He's taking on the police
The line "this a celly /that's a tool" has a powerful double meaning. Fans have pointed out that on the one hand it refers to the case of Stephon Clark, shot dead just weeks ago by Sacramento police. who assumed he was armed but actually only had his IPhone on him. Glover distils the distorting way black men are seen by police with "tool", meaning gun. In the video, the camera pans up to black men filming the chaos on their phones. Commenters on Genius have pointed out, Glover could also be saying that phones can be actual tools for documentation.

5) What alternative interpretations of the video are offered in the comments 'below the line'? 
One user states, "could his message be that America is evil, racist and violent? Nah, that would be too obvious. Everyone already knows that. As with all satirical masterpieces, there must be a hidden meaning that requires ponderous artistic explanation".

Another commenter says how, "visually the video is just stunning, trying to keep track of so many layers and movements is nigh on impossible as the brain gets pummelled with message after message, sp many parts where the brain makes you see what is not there, and the track itself just pushes the boundaries of rap - and what can be considered popular music. Mindblowing stuff".

"Childish Gambino shows his sanity and humanism by showing and condemning random violence and madness".