Childish Gambino - This is America

Landy828 said:

99% of mainstream white people won't get it...at all...not even a little bit....sadly. Can't speak for any other race, but most of the people around here won't watch it...they'll get 20 seconds in and quit..or they're just stare confused the whole time (if they don't just skip it when they see a "rapper/black guy")

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Paquete_PT said:

Are there any kind of facts to support this nonsense?

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Dreams-Visions said:

To be fair, I think on the first play, most people will focus on his naked chest and Dunn dance moves and miss a lot of the rest. This is a video that requires repeat viewing. In fact that is something being widely discussed: that you need to watch it several times. Once you stop focusing on the quality of the dancing in the foreground, you really start to see what all is going on in the very busy background.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Landy828 said:

Incredible video. Watched it about 5 times now...incredible.

99% of mainstream white people won't get it...at all...not even a little bit....sadly. Can't speak for any other race, but most of the people around here won't watch it...they'll get 20 seconds in and quit..or they're just stare confused the whole time (if they don't just skip it when they see a "rapper/black guy")

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

shem said:

Is there like a breakdown of the video anywhere? Would be curious to read and learn about the context behind it and some interpretations of it but I feel I'm missing the education to do it on my own.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Video
1. America's relationship with black art as opposed to black people. America will consume it and give no fukks about the minds that create it.
2. Black people as a coping mechanism, some times to a fault, create these new trends and dances oblivious to the chaos around them.
3. Guns are more lauded that human bodies. In the video anytime a gun is used its carried away with cloth and wrapped up, sometimes the bodies are dragged or left to rot.
4. A ton of references to BLM and the Riots associated with police shootings.
5. He pauses the video to hit a spliff as a fukking break from all of it, the dancing, the violence the music...just a break.
5. He subverts rap videos by have only a bunch of old ass cars instead of late-model sports or luxury whips.
6. The final scene is representative of how America will and is hunting him down to consume him as a creator of black art. Knowing this he's terrified because he knows there will be no regard for his life.
7. The choir that gets gunned down is a deference to Charleston.

Song
1. Its written in a way that makes it sound poppy and familiar.
2. The opening is supposed to represent the roots and traditions of black music (besides drums) in melody and runs.
3. The beat change brings in the dissonance, the darkness of America and its treatment of black people.
4. The first verse can be summed up in one line "Look how i'm living though, police be trippin though". Your success means nothing when your life is in constant danger as a black person.
5. The second verse starts with basically the "look at me" nature of rap. But then makes a reference to police shootings where cellphones are "mistaken" for "tools/guns".
6. By having a bunch of adlibs from contemporary artists he's showing love out to Atlanta.
7. "Grandma, told me get your money, black man" a refrain that somehow money can make you transcend your blackness...we know that to be untrue.


that's just what I can type up right now...its alot to unpack...and I like that.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

shem said:

Is there like a breakdown of the video anywhere? Would be curious to read and learn about the context behind it and some interpretations of it but I feel I'm missing the education to do it on my own.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Jordan Peele, the writer and director of the racial-horror film "Get Out," said, "For black people, 'Atlanta' provides the catharsis of 'Finally, some elevated black shit.' " For white people, Glover wants the catharsis to be an old-fashioned plunge into pity and fear. "I don't even want them laughing if they're laughing at the caged animal in the zoo," he said. "I want them to really experience racism, to really feel what it's like to be black in America. People come to 'Atlanta' for the strip clubs and the music and the cool talking, but the eat-your-vegetables part is that the characters aren't smoking weed all the time because it's cool but because they have P.T.S.D.—every black person does. It's scary to be at the bottom, yelling up out of the hole, and all they shout down is 'Keep digging! We'll reach God soon!' "

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Paquete_PT said:

I totally understand that and I think it's a fair assumption. I did in fact payed more attention to the background in further viewings. But isn't that always the case to above-average pieces of art and artistic expression? You could say that about almost any good tv show, book, movie or album. I just didn't understand the need for those heavy racial implications and prejudice out of nowhere. Is one's ability to read the videoclip as fast as possible related to his/her skin color?

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

zer0blivion said:

The annotations on Genuis seem pretty good.

https://genius.com/Childish-gambino-this-is-america-lyrics

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

The Woods said:

Double Toasted discussing it.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Dreams-Visions said:

Thoughts?

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

The Woods said:

Double Toasted discussing it.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

BeatnikGunso said:

some dude on the coli posted a pretty great summary

Video
1. America's relationship with black art as opposed to black people. America will consume it and give no fukks about the minds that create it.
2. Black people as a coping mechanism, some times to a fault, create these new trends and dances oblivious to the chaos around them.
3. Guns are more lauded that human bodies. In the video anytime a gun is used its carried away with cloth and wrapped up, sometimes the bodies are dragged or left to rot.
4. A ton of references to BLM and the Riots associated with police shootings.
5. He pauses the video to hit a spliff as a fukking break from all of it, the dancing, the violence the music...just a break.
5. He subverts rap videos by have only a bunch of old ass cars instead of late-model sports or luxury whips.
6. The final scene is representative of how America will and is hunting him down to consume him as a creator of black art. Knowing this he's terrified because he knows there will be no regard for his life.
7. The choir that gets gunned down is a deference to Charleston.

Song
1. Its written in a way that makes it sound poppy and familiar.
2. The opening is supposed to represent the roots and traditions of black music (besides drums) in melody and runs.
3. The beat change brings in the dissonance, the darkness of America and its treatment of black people.
4. The first verse can be summed up in one line "Look how i'm living though, police be trippin though". Your success means nothing when your life is in constant danger as a black person.
5. The second verse starts with basically the "look at me" nature of rap. But then makes a reference to police shootings where cellphones are "mistaken" for "tools/guns".
6. By having a bunch of adlibs from contemporary artists he's showing love out to Atlanta.
7. "Grandma, told me get your money, black man" a refrain that somehow money can make you transcend your blackness...we know that to be untrue.


that's just what I can type up right now...its alot to unpack...and I like that.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Marvelous said:

The original person you quoted wasn't saying anything about just paying attention, but rather having the patience and openness to attempt understanding an issue that is outside of their realm. This particular piece is speaking volumes about a black issue, and as a result is immediately accessible to those who are familiar and conscious of black involvement in topics such racism, violence, culture, history, etc. However, white people as a race don't have this predefined context and as a result simply aren't equipped to begin to understand the conversation at hand. Unfortunately, this causes them to dismiss the message, as well as the conversation, altogether, because it's something that isn't about them.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

The Woods said:

Double Toasted discussing it.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Nabs said:

20,000,000 views on Youtube.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Ajax125 said:

Yet nowhere near the trending page.......which is not a surprise at all

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Ajax125 said:

Yet nowhere near the trending page.......which is not a surprise at all

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Dreams-Visions said:

It's trending #1 in the Music section.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

The Albatross said:

About ~500 years ago, white Europeans started colonizing America, while simultaneously purchasing and kidnapping black people from Africa and making them slaves. Europeans established communities in the Americas, mass-murdering the native populations. They then brought black people to America to those new European-settled communities (known as Colonies) and traded them as slaves for commodities that white Europeans wanted, like sugar, wools, coffee, metals, etc. This was called "The Slave Trade" or more appropriately, "The Triangle Slave Trade" (where black slaves made up one point, American colonies & commodities made another point, and those refined American commodities were then traded for slaves again at the third point, with profit being made on the margins at each turn. This was the corner stone of British, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, and a handful of other European countries/nations' revenue for approximately 200 years). While black slavery on the European continent existed, for the most part, Europeans preferred to trade black slaves to European colonies in the Americas (and elsewhere, but chiefly, Americas) instead of bringing them to Europe -- it generated greater revenue and at a fraction of the cost, as communities of black slaves would not need to be supported throughout White Europe.

By the late 1700s, progressive abolitionists in Europe had determined that slavery was morally wrong and had started to move against it as Northern Europe had begun industrializing and the triangle trade became less lucrative. Simultaneously, European Colonialists began to demand independent rule throughout the Americas, and in the 1770s, colonies in North America (regions now known as the United States) revolted against British rule, and about 15 years later, slave colonies in the West Indies (now known as Haiti) revolted against the French. A slew of further revolutions bubbled throughout the American continents, though neither as successful as the initial American and Haitian slave revolt.

Despite winning independence from Britain, the American states remained close trading partners with Great Britain, and Great Britain, the Dutch, and other European colonialists continued to maintain a thriving slave trade with the Americas, with the lynchpins being black slaves kidnapped or bought from slavers in Africa and sugar & cotton in the Americas. The British industrial revolution was built on the back of black slave labor in the Americas. Having not sold nearly as many slaves in European countries as they had to European colonists, many European countries came out against black slavery and supported abolition, though continued to be strong economic partners with regions in the United States -- chiefly the American south -- where black slavery was still legal (And thriving), many European economies were dependent on (now) American black slave labor (and many would only abolish slavery in their home countries, but not their colonies around the world for some decades later).

While Britain abolished slavery in 1833, across the Atlantic in that same decade it was clear that the United States was approaching a cataclysm over the issue. About half of the states supported abolition of slavery and half of the states supported the institution of slavery. New states were created and welcomed into the Union primarily to keep this balance in tact, and compromises were made in the 1850s to try to maintain the delicate balance between slave states and free states. Eventually, a major national political party would emerge from the division over slavery -- The Republican Party -- running primarily on the issue of abolition. The party elected Abraham Lincoln, and he won the 1860 presidential election with a strong majority of electoral votes, and in the ensuing days, with the support of many European allies the first of 11 states in the Southern United States seceded from the Union based on the issue of slavery. One month after Lincoln was inaugurated and sat in the White House, the Confederate States (as they were calling themselves), with the support of their European allies, would declare war on the United States by attacking Ft. Sumter in South Carolina This was the start of the American civil war.

The issue of slavery dominated the ensuing years of the war, and by 1863, President Lincoln declared by fiat that slavery would be abolished, proclaiming that all slaves -- north or south -- were now emancipated. The war carried on for two more full years, with the Confederacy finally suing for peace at Appomattox Courthouse. As conditions for peace, Lincoln granted clemency to most surviving Confederate leaders and military men as long as they swore off the Confederacy and declared allegiance to the United federal government. Lincoln was assassinated shortly there after by a confederate sympathizer, John Wilkes Booth, who believed Lincoln a tyrant. The following decades were marked by the era of "Reconstruction," where the newly reformed federal government tried to rebuild the ravaged south, reintegrated southern states back into the Union, and enforce abolitionist legislation. This effort was, in many respects, a failure, as Southern states still held a sort of de facto slavery, enacting laws that kept black Americans as 2nd class citizens, or even when laws weren't in place, enforcing a sort of second class citizenship by mob rule.

I am not going to go into the modern or contemporary era. But America's horrendous race relations, whether it's police brutality and white nationalist rallies in 2018, busing riots in 1974, the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968, Plessy v. Fergeson in 1896, the attack on Fort Sumter in 1861, and nearly every other issue related to race in between these dates, before, and after can be tracked back to the settling of the Americas as an economic slave colony for Europe. The US fought its most deadly war on the issue of slavery and emancipation, but the racist undercurrent that led to that war -- and every conflict ever since -- has never been settled. Black Americans had been treated as non-humans for hundreds of years on the continent, and even once they were recognized as humans and citizens under law, they were treated as second-class citizens by law, and then when those laws were abolished, by fiat, and then by institution. The conflict between classes of citizens in America based on race is part of the genetic makeup of the country. It won't likely be resolved in my lifetime. That's the short historical answer to "why is race such an issue in America," it can probably be distilled to "America, on the whole, is still a racist country."

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Paquete_PT said:

That seems too small-minded in my opinion, and not at all the way I would like to perceive a group of people. Seems incredibly prejudiced and retrograde. To say that white people wouldn't feel the issues at hand in the same way and to the same depth, or wouldn't be moved by them at a personal level the same way as a black person is obvious and irrefutable. But having the "patience and openness to attempt understanding an issue that is outside of their realm" is way beyond race and, in my opinion, one of the things that makes us humans. You don't have to experience an event to be compassionate and empathic towards those who did go through it, because underneath it are basic emotions and feelings transversal to us all. Can't a man want to understand and fight for a woman's issues? Can't we in the 1st world problems feel for those who die of hunger in Africa? Or those who die in genocide in Myanmar? I'd go as far as to say that if this videoclip doesn't capture the attention of white people then it completely fails it purpose (and I do think that it can capture it). Convincing people that a group's problems are our problems is, as far as I see it, the way to change things and thrive for a better future for us all.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Ajax125 said:

Is it just me or is that difficult for anyone else to find?

Not that it has any relation to the video, but when i click on the homepage of youtube, then click on trending, why can't i see an option to see "the music section"?

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Ajax125 said:

Is it just me or is that difficult for anyone else to find?

Not that it has any relation to the video, but when i click on the homepage of youtube, then click on trending, why can't i see an option to see "the music section"?

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Glenn said:

Decided to go back on Gambino's discography. I've only ever listened to Awaken My Love. Can't say I'm a fan ha.

It's so weird going from this.. to punchline rap, constant lines about Asian girls and being hated on for not being 'black'.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Marvelous said:

Therein lies the difference between a person vs. people. What you are describing as a person, an individual, who is able to step outside of their safe zone to share sympathy and empathy. I would never claim to know everything about your life the way you do, and you, I hope, wouldn't claim to know everything about mine either. That means I could let you speak about there is an issue that pertains to you but not to me, and I could listen. But that doesn't guarantee I will understand the topic the way you do. Yes, a man can try to understand and fight women's issues, but he will never truly understand what it is to be a woman. The first world can fight to end world hunger, but you and I don't know what it is truly like to be a starving child in Africa. We can abhor genocide, but we aren't victims of it. As persons, we can try to understand, but as people, we never will.

But by having this conversation, you and I are already leagues ahead of a majority of society who are unwilling to talk about these issues, people who often outright dismissing things like the entire existence of racism, sexism, etc. That is the difference between the persons you speak of, instead of the people we were talking about. The thing is not that anyone is arguing that white people shouldn't understand black issues, but that they don't want to. I understand your optimism for hoping people are open to understanding, but it's not retrograde thinking, and it's not even pessimistic - it's reality. A reality where, when black people say "Black Lives Matter," as a way of saying, "In current society, black lives don't matter," white people feel threatened and retaliate with "All Lives Matter" as if black people were saying "Only Black Lives Matter." The problem is that white people as a whole simply, as it stands, don't think black problems are their problems. A video like this is another step up a steep mountain in attempt to change that towards the better future for us all, but it doesn't change the fact that, in reality, we're just still at the bottom of that mountain. And honestly, understanding our limitations and where we fall short is incredibly important in showing where we as a society need to improve for that better future.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Soundscream said:

On mobile it's there. Youtube on my desktop browser is horrible.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Ajax125 said:

Yet nowhere near the trending page.......which is not a surprise at all

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Marvelous said:

Therein lies the difference between a person vs. people. What you are describing as a person, an individual, who is able to step outside of their safe zone to share sympathy and empathy. I would never claim to know everything about your life the way you do, and you, I hope, wouldn't claim to know everything about mine either. That means I could let you speak about there is an issue that pertains to you but not to me, and I could listen. But that doesn't guarantee I will understand the topic the way you do. Yes, a man can try to understand and fight women's issues, but he will never truly understand what it is to be a woman. The first world can fight to end world hunger, but you and I don't know what it is truly like to be a starving child in Africa. We can abhor genocide, but we aren't victims of it. As persons, we can try to understand, but as people, we never will.

But by having this conversation, you and I are already leagues ahead of a majority of society who are unwilling to talk about these issues, people who often outright dismissing things like the entire existence of racism, sexism, etc. That is the difference between the persons you speak of, instead of the people we were talking about. The thing is not that anyone is arguing that white people shouldn't understand black issues, but that they don't want to. I understand your optimism for hoping people are open to understanding, but it's not retrograde thinking, and it's not even pessimistic - it's reality. A reality where, when black people say "Black Lives Matter," as a way of saying, "In current society, black lives don't matter," white people feel threatened and retaliate with "All Lives Matter" as if black people were saying "Only Black Lives Matter." The problem is that white people as a whole simply, as it stands, don't think black problems are their problems. A video like this is another step up a steep mountain in attempt to change that towards the better future for us all, but it doesn't change the fact that, in reality, we're just still at the bottom of that mountain. And honestly, understanding our limitations and where we fall short is incredibly important in showing where we as a society need to improve for that better future.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Ajax125 said:

It's weird because even on the mobile app, i 'm able to see the music trending page, but his video is nowhere to be found on that list for me.

Hmm.....

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Conkerkid11 said:

Is this the racist version of the Rick and Morty copypasta?

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

BeatnikGunso said:

some dude on the coli posted a pretty great summary

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

1. America's relationship with black art, standing in contrast to its relationship with the black people who created it. America will consume it and offer no care about the minds that create it.
2. Black people as a coping mechanism often create these new trends and dances in attempts to remain oblivious to the chaos around them, sometimes to a fault. A way to smile through the pain.
3. Guns are more lauded that human bodies. In the video anytime a gun is used, it is draped with cloth, wrapped and carried away...while the bodies of its black victims are unceremoniously dragged away or left to rot.
4. Frequent references to BLM and the riot experiences of black and brown people in America for the last 100 years, with necessary associations with police shootings and violence (past and present).
5. He pauses the video to hit a blunt as a break from all of it, the dancing, the violence the music...just a break.
6. I think the old cars in part a shot at rap video car selections but also a commentary on how the things perceived as symbols of wealth don't really mean anything at all, and yet we all engage them as though they are high priorities, even focal points in the community in general. The age of the vehicles (depreciating assets) just drives home the point. At some point just about every cool looking current car will look that old and tired.
7. I don't think the choir shooting was explicitly about Charleston. While Charleston may be the most recent example, I think the intent was to reflect the continued assault on traditional black safe spaces and black hope in general...of which the church has always been the most iconic symbol of. That status symbol is why white racists have a history of burning down black churches and attacking the black bodies that occupy them. They are places people go to entertain hope and escape. If the house of God himself not safe, where is for a person of color? The answer is nowhere, and that is the point. That is the American experience for people of color.
8. The running scene at the end was the difficulty of attempting to tear away from the narrative that took place throughout the warehouse and all it encapsulated. Which is to say the attempt to break away from the expectation of America and its treatment (manhandling) black bodies and black talent over its lifetime. Oh you think you can escape? To stop entertaining us with your song and dance? Maybe under the cover of darkness? Good luck with that. Like a runaway slave, the sheriff and his dogs are on the way to bring you right back to the plantation, and probably maimed for the trouble. lol @ thinking you get to be truly free of this shit.

1. It's written and designed in a way that makes it sound pop-y and familiar.
2. The opening audio sequence represents the roots and traditions of black music (besides drums) in melody and runs.
3. The beat change brings in the dissonance, the darkness of America, and how it has changed the once happy melodies of black people into a very dark and rough experience. Its refrains are a reflection of its treatment of black people.
4. The first verse can be summed up in one line "Look how i'm living though, police be trippin though". Your success means nothing when your life is under constant threat of being mistaken as "matching the description" as a person of color. Your face could be next on a t-shirt that says, "I can't breathe" regardless of wealth or success.
5. The second verse starts with basically the "look at me" nature of rap. But then looking at me is betrayed as the song makes reference to police shootings where cellphones (often symbols of low level wealth and deserved attention) are "mistaken" for "tools/guns".
6. By having a bunch of ad libs from contemporary artists, he's showing some extra love to Atlanta.
7. "Grandma told me get your money, black man": A refrain that somehow with money you can transcend the black experience. Well, we all know that to be untrue in most cases.

Dreams-Visions said:

Thoughts?

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Truly Gargantuan said:

Seems a stretch to me. The poses don't look similar in any way. It looks more like something I'd see a Bond Girl do.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

SolidSnakex said:

It's because of the usage of guns. The crackdown on guns that occurred on Youtube meant that even videos that were discussing guns and gun violence critically would be hit. Like if you show a clip of a police shooting, that means that it's going to be harder to search for the video and it won't trend.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...

Dreams-Visions said:

So I decided to revisit this and use it as a base while taking my own interpretive liberties because I can. Others, feel free to make changes as you see fit:

Video

1. America's relationship with black art, standing in contrast to its relationship with the black people who created it. America will consume it and offer no care about the minds that create it.
2. Black people as a coping mechanism often create these new trends and dances in attempts to remain oblivious to the chaos around them, sometimes to a fault. A way to smile through the pain.
3. Guns are more lauded that human bodies. In the video anytime a gun is used, it is draped with cloth, wrapped and carried away...while the bodies of its black victims are unceremoniously dragged away or left to rot.
4. Frequent references to BLM and the riot experiences of black and brown people in America for the last 100 years, with necessary associations with police shootings and violence (past and present).
5. He pauses the video to hit a blunt as a break from all of it, the dancing, the violence the music...just a break.
6. I think the old cars in part a shot at rap video car selections but also a commentary on how the things perceived as symbols of wealth don't really mean anything at all, and yet we all engage them as though they are high priorities, even focal points in the community in general. The age of the vehicles (depreciating assets) just drives home the point. At some point just about every cool looking current car will look that old and tired.
7. I don't think the choir shooting was explicitly about Charleston. While Charleston may be the most recent example, I think the intent was to reflect the continued assault on traditional black safe spaces and black hope in general...of which the church has always been the most iconic symbol of. That status symbol is why white racists have a history of burning down black churches and attacking the black bodies that occupy them. They are places people go to entertain hope and escape. If the house of God himself not safe, where is for a person of color? The answer is nowhere, and that is the point. That is the American experience for people of color.
8. The running scene at the end was the difficulty of attempting to tear away from the narrative that took place throughout the warehouse and all it encapsulated. Which is to say the attempt to break away from the expectation of America and its treatment (manhandling) black bodies and black talent over its lifetime. Oh you think you can escape? To stop entertaining us with your song and dance? Maybe under the cover of darkness? Good luck with that. Like a runaway slave, the sheriff and his dogs are on the way to bring you right back to the plantation, and probably maimed for the trouble. lol @ thinking you get to be truly free of this shit.

Song

1. It's written and designed in a way that makes it sound pop-y and familiar.
2. The opening audio sequence represents the roots and traditions of black music (besides drums) in melody and runs.
3. The beat change brings in the dissonance, the darkness of America, and how it has changed the once happy melodies of black people into a very dark and rough experience. Its refrains are a reflection of its treatment of black people.
4. The first verse can be summed up in one line "Look how i'm living though, police be trippin though". Your success means nothing when your life is under constant threat of being mistaken as "matching the description" as a person of color. Your face could be next on a t-shirt that says, "I can't breathe" regardless of wealth or success.
5. The second verse starts with basically the "look at me" nature of rap. But then looking at me is betrayed as the song makes reference to police shootings where cellphones (often symbols of low level wealth and deserved attention) are "mistaken" for "tools/guns".
6. By having a bunch of ad libs from contemporary artists, he's showing some extra love to Atlanta.
7. "Grandma told me get your money, black man": A refrain that somehow with money you can transcend the black experience. Well, we all know that to be untrue in most cases.

Video of the year? Video of the year.

Click to expand...

Click to shrink...