Explicit topics warning
TW: physical violence
Intro:
I have listened to Childish Gambino's music a lot and this particular song has always interested me, and more specifically, the music video. I find Gambino's music to be incredibly talented; His singing voice is amazing and beautiful, but personally, I find his rap much more intriguing. His rap includes funny lyrics and references, as well as amazing beats and rhythm. I've also always loved the amount of flow in his music.
I also have always enjoyed how everyone knows about him because everything that Childish Gambino is in. He's a great person to talk about since he's been in so many movies and his music and comedy are amazing.
Artist Background:
Childish Gambino, also known as Donald Glover, was born on September 25th, 1983 in California. He then moved to Atlanta at a young age where he was raised in a white suburban neighborhood where he was part of the only African American family in the area. He was raised as a Jehovah's witness along with four siblings. In high school, Glover became involved in musicals and plays. He then graduated college with a degree in dramatic writing. After this, he created comedy videos with former classmates and started his comedy career.
Glover was then hired at 23 years old to be a writer for the sitcom, 30 rock. He then rose to fame playing Troy Barnes on a television show, Community. After, he starred in many famous films such as The Martian(2015), Spider-Man: Homecoming(2017), Solo: A Star-Wars Story(2018), and he even voiced Simba in the remake of The Lion King(2019). However, Glover's music career started much earlier.
In 2011 Glover(also going by the stage name, Childish Gambino) released his first album, Camp. He then released Because the Internet(2013) and Awaken, My Love!(2016). Awaken, My Love! included "Redbone" which earned Glover his first Grammy Award. In 2018 the music video and song "This is America" was released, which was ranked number one on the Hot 100. The song also won Glover four Grammy Awards. 3.15.20 was then released in 2020 and Donald Glover was included on the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world in 2017.
Song Introduction:
On May 5th, 2018 the song and music video for "This is America" was released. It was written by Glover, Ludwig Göransson, and Jeffery Lamar Williams, and produced by Glover and Göransson. It includes background vocals by American rappers Young Thug, Slim Jxmmi of Rae Sremmurd, BlocBoy JB, Quavo of Migos, and 21 Savage. The hip-hop and afrobeat song addresses gun violence in America, along with racism. The music video was produced by Hiro Murai with the help of Glover himself.
Full lyrics:
Yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away
We just wanna party Party just for you We just want the money Money just for you I know you wanna party (yeah) Party just for free Girl, you got me dancin' (girl, you got me dancin') Dance and shake the frame We just wanna party (yeah) Party just for you (yeah)
We just want the money (yeah) Money just for you (ooh) I know you wanna party (yeah) Party just for free (yeah) Girl, you got me dancin' (girl, you got me dancin') Dance and shake the frame (ooh)
This is America Don't catch you slippin' now
Don't catch you slippin' now Look what I'm whippin' now This is America (woo) Don't catch you slippin' now Don't catch you slippin' now Look what I'm whippin' now
This is America (skrrt, skrrt, woo) Don't catch you slippin' now (ayy) Look at how I'm livin' now Police be trippin' now (woo) Yeah, this is America (woo, ayy) Guns in my area (word, my area) I got the strap (ayy, ayy) I gotta carry 'em Yeah, yeah, I'ma go into this (ugh) Yeah, yeah, this is guerilla, woo Yeah, yeah, I'ma go get the bag Yeah, yeah, or I'ma get the pad Yeah, yeah, I'm so cold like yeah (yeah) I'm so dope like yeah (woo) We gon' blow like yeah (straight up, uh)
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody You go tell somebody Grandma told me Get your money, black man (get your money) Get your money, black man (get your money) Get your money, black man (get your, black man) Get your money, black man (get your, black man) Black man
This is America (woo, ayy) Don't catch you slippin' now (woo, woo, don't catch you slippin', now) Don't catch you slippin' now (ayy, woah) Look what I'm whippin' now (Slime!) This is America (yeah, yeah) Don't catch you slippin' now (woah, ayy) Don't catch you slippin' now (ayy, woo) Look what I'm whippin' now (ayy)
Look how I'm geekin' out (hey) I'm so fitted (I'm so fitted, woo) I'm on Gucci (I'm on Gucci) I'm so pretty (yeah, yeah) I'm gon' get it (ayy, I'm gon' get it) Watch me move (blaow) This a celly (ha) That's a tool (yeah) On my Kodak (woo, Black) Ooh, know that (yeah, know that, hold on) Get it (get it, get it) Ooh, work it (21) Hunnid bands, hunnid bands, hunnid bands (hunnid bands) Contraband, contraband, contraband (contraband) I got the plug on Oaxaca (woah) They gonna find you like blocka (blaow)
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody (America, I just checked my following list and) You go tell somebody (You mothafuckas owe me) Grandma told me Get your money, black man (black man) Get your money, black man (black man) Get your money, black man (black man) Get your money, black man (black man) Black man (one, two, three, get down)
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody You go tell somebody Grandma told me, "Get your money," black man Get your money, black man (black man) Get your money, black man (black man) Get your money, black man (black man) Black man
You just a black man in this world You just a barcode, ayy You just a black man in this world Drivin' expensive foreigns, ayy You just a big dawg, yeah I kenneled him in the backyard No proper life to a dog For a big dog
Song Analysis:
In an interview(Van Vliet, 2:15), Donald Glover says that he doesn't want to give a pinpoint answer on why this song was created, so there's a lot of room left for interpretation. Donald also says that he "creates the music for the people". I think Donald may be conveying that he wants the viewing to interpret the music videos differently and connect separately to what they think this video means. However, there is a lot of reference to particular symbols and metaphors that seem to compare to what Donald Glover has gone through and most likely would feel.
The song starts in a warehouse, where the beams are white. This could be a metaphor for America. The white beams show how America runs on white supremacy and oppression(Miller). There seems to possibly be a reference to African music playing in the background, along with the lyric "yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah go, go away. This could possibly symbolize the idea of America wanted African music and culture to "go away".
At 0:51 we then hear the lyrics, "Girl, you got me dancin' (girl, you got me dancin'), Dance and shake the frame", while Glover poses and holds a gun. What I think this could symbolize is how "shaking the frame" distorts and blurs everything. Perhaps Glover is showing how America covers and tries to blur out instances of gun violence. The pose that Glover is showing also could represent the pose Jim Crow is often seen in(Yzola). The Jim Crow Laws were laws that provided segregation between the blacks and whites in the late 19th century and up until the middle of the 20th century. Around 0:56, after than man is shot we see the gun being taken away by a man using a red cloth. In comparison, we see the man's dead body being dragged away. This could possibly show what America thinks is most important, and how America continues to value guns over people.
At 1:40 we hear the lines, "You go tell somebody, Grandma told me". This could possibly represent the need for the black community to speak out against oppression.
We also hear, "Get your money, black man". Perhaps this could show the struggle colored communities have in terms of earning money.
At 1:57 we see Glover shooting the choir. This is most likely a reference to the 2015 mass shooting at a church in Charleston, South Carolina(Yzola). After the shooting, the gun gets wrapped in a red cloth, also showing how guns are worshipped and protected. Glover then goes back to dancing, which could show the carelessness about death in America.
At 2:14 we can see in the background a man jumping to his death, representing suicide. As this goes on it seems like everyone around him is too busy with running and worrying about themselves to even notice. I think this is a representation of how America treats suicide; Everyone is too busy to even notice. At 2:18, we can also see how Glover is dancing along with possibly school kids(since it looks like they're in uniforms) while there is chaos in the background. This could show how unaware the general public is to all the chaos, or that they almost find it normal.
During 2:28 we see kids using their phones and pointing them down in the direction of chaos(showing a car on fire, a police car, along with running civilians). I think this represents how police brutality is being filmed and the real truth is being put out on social media. Glover also says the lines, "this is a celly, that's a tool". This shows how "cellys"(cellphones) are being used as a tool to spread awareness.
There are then 17 seconds of silence during 2:44-3:01. This could possibly represent recognition to the Parkland victims.
At 3:15 we see Glover climb on top of a car and yell, "1-2-3 get down!" as the camera reveals many cars, some of which have the driver's door open and hazard lights on(Miller). I think this shows police brutality. The lyric "get down!" is a commonly known phrase police use when arrested people. Along with this, the cars having the driver's door open and hazard lights on may show how a car looks after someone will get pulled over. Glover could be showing the amount of people who get pulled over by the police and then killed.
The final lyrics of the song are "You just a black man in this world, you just a barcode, ayy
you just a black man in this world, drivin' expensive foreigns, ayy, you just a big dawg, yeah, I kenneled him in the backyard, no proper life to a dog, for a big dog" which are played as Glover runs in the dark warehouse. The comparison of a black man and a barcode to show how black people were once seen as objects during slavery, and something to be bought. Glover running in the dark warehouse could be how America represents the warehouse and Glover is trying to run away from the misery.
Conclusion:
Donald Glover's song, "This is America" has really made me realize how much there still is to fix in America. When first watching this music video back in 2018 as a 7th grader, I think I was much more unaware of what this video was conveying. As a sophomore revisiting this, the music video has really made me think. I have become a lot more politically aware and with the recent BLM marches going on, I think I have a better view of the situation. One of the most impactful symbols in the music video for me is when Glover shoots the first man, his gun gets wrapped in a red cloth and the man's body gets dragged away. When seeing this a few years ago, I think I was more focused on the music and shocked by the actual death, and not so much what happens after. Now, I understand how accurate this is too many American's views. The weapon was worshipped and wrapped and protected in cloth, while the body was simply just another body being dragged away.
Sources:
Yzola, Alana. "Hidden Meanings Behind Childish Gambino's 'This is America' Video Explained" YouTube, uploaded by Insider, 9 May 2018, https://youtu.be/9_LIP7qguYw
Brittany Martin, et al. “The L.A. Director Behind Childish Gambino's ‘This Is America’ Video Is Making His Mark.” Los Angeles Magazine, 14 May 2018, www.lamag.com/culturefiles/childish-gambino-video-director/.
Childish Gambino. Because the Internet, Donald Glover, 2013
“Childish Gambino – This Is America.” Genius, 6 May 2018, genius.com/Childish-gambino-this-is-america-lyrics
Gambino, Childish. ""This is America" YouTube, uploaded by Donald Glover, 5 May 2018, https://youtu.be/VYOjWnS4cMY
Hiro Murai, hiromurai.com/.
Miller, Hayley. “Childish Gambino's 'This Is America' Video, Explained.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 15 May 2018, www.huffpost.com/entry/childish-gambino-this-is-america_n_5af05c12e4b041fd2d28d8e9.
Van Vliet, Chris. "Donald Glover Doesn't Want to Explain 'This is America' Music Video" YouTube, uploaded by Chris Van Vliet, 11 May 2018, https://youtu.be/SLL6gpy00WE
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