music video Theory
1) How does the This Is America video meet the key conventions of a music video?
This is America has all the typical elements of a music video
2) What comment is the video making on American culture, racism and gun violence?
This is america makes a lot of comments culture racism and gun violence.
In the very beginning the music video makes a comment on the value of guns over human life by having a man killed with a bullet to the head; while the body was dragged off the gun that was used was put in cloth and taken care of, this could be referencing the NRA and their love for firearms.
Racism is tackled by the lyricism and reference to it's history with american culture e.g. constant references to the different stereotypes often associated with young black African Americans
3) Write an analysis of the video applying the theories we have learned: Gilroy, Hall, Rose and Dyson.
Gilroy's theory in Black diasporic identity in America is touched up upon in This is America, this is done by Childish Gambinos mentioning the fact that African Americans often have to conform to white people.
Stuart hall believes that people often blur race and class, associating certain social classes with that race; due to this he states that western cultures is often dominated by white individuals, resulting in ethnic minorities often being represented wrongly. Childish Gambino may be referencing this in This is America by his comedic actions, a trait given to Black people by the media, showing that people are often too distracted by his actions rather than the meaning behind them.
Tricia Rose believes that commercial hip hop and rap is damaging to society and to the image of African Americans everywhere, this can shown in This is American through Childish Gambinos portrayal of an aggressive and violent black man in america
Eric Dyson shares a very different view to all of this compared to Tricia Rose; He believes that modern day Hip Hop offers an insight to lives of contemporary young black Americans, this shown by the political, cultural, historic implications with This is America.
Read this Guardian feature on This Is America - including the comments below.
4) What are the three interpretations suggested in the article?
5) What alternative interpretations of the video are offered in the comments 'below the line'?
"It's just music."
"I'm surprised that this movie isn't 30 seconds long, with him walking on set and then some police shooting him. That would be a more accurate description of the US."
"Great video and music. I think it's quite obvious what the song means. Not much 'satirical' about it. Pretty literal to me. Being black in America is deadly."
"It gives me the picture of the US acceptance of violence and murder that I get from the news in the British media. An amazingly well made video. Horrific scenes and vile attitudes."
"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."
This is America has all the typical elements of a music video
- Narrative
- Performance
- acts as a form of marketing
2) What comment is the video making on American culture, racism and gun violence?
This is america makes a lot of comments culture racism and gun violence.
In the very beginning the music video makes a comment on the value of guns over human life by having a man killed with a bullet to the head; while the body was dragged off the gun that was used was put in cloth and taken care of, this could be referencing the NRA and their love for firearms.
Racism is tackled by the lyricism and reference to it's history with american culture e.g. constant references to the different stereotypes often associated with young black African Americans
3) Write an analysis of the video applying the theories we have learned: Gilroy, Hall, Rose and Dyson.
Gilroy's theory in Black diasporic identity in America is touched up upon in This is America, this is done by Childish Gambinos mentioning the fact that African Americans often have to conform to white people.
Stuart hall believes that people often blur race and class, associating certain social classes with that race; due to this he states that western cultures is often dominated by white individuals, resulting in ethnic minorities often being represented wrongly. Childish Gambino may be referencing this in This is America by his comedic actions, a trait given to Black people by the media, showing that people are often too distracted by his actions rather than the meaning behind them.
Tricia Rose believes that commercial hip hop and rap is damaging to society and to the image of African Americans everywhere, this can shown in This is American through Childish Gambinos portrayal of an aggressive and violent black man in america
Eric Dyson shares a very different view to all of this compared to Tricia Rose; He believes that modern day Hip Hop offers an insight to lives of contemporary young black Americans, this shown by the political, cultural, historic implications with This is America.
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
- He’s duping us with dance
- He’s taking on the police
5) What alternative interpretations of the video are offered in the comments 'below the line'?
"It's just music."
"I'm surprised that this movie isn't 30 seconds long, with him walking on set and then some police shooting him. That would be a more accurate description of the US."
"Great video and music. I think it's quite obvious what the song means. Not much 'satirical' about it. Pretty literal to me. Being black in America is deadly."
"It gives me the picture of the US acceptance of violence and murder that I get from the news in the British media. An amazingly well made video. Horrific scenes and vile attitudes."
"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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