This is America by Childish Gambino music video analysis
This is America
By Childish Gambino
Music video analysis
This music video is protesting against gun violence. In the music video people are just watching whilst he kills people and no one does anything, they don't even react. This is criticizing the gun law as it is suggesting that people keep dying at the hand of guns and nothing is being changed to stop the deaths.
The juxtaposition between the commercial dancing and the gritty visuals of senseless gun violence makes profound statements about the perception of being black in America vs the reality. Black people are usually associated with crime.
There are different intertextual references within the music video such as the reference to a church shooting that happened in 2015 Charleston Church Massacre that claimed the lives of nine African Americans. These references are being used to add real life examples which adds more depth and meaning to this protest.
The song shifts drastically from a cheerful tone to an aggressive tone.
Mise-en-scene
The music video is set in a warehouse.
The mise-en-scene is established in the first frame with the little details such as the red chair and the yellow in the background which is also shown in his shoes.
He isn't wearing a shirt to represent slaves.
He is wearing a gold chain to represent a luxury life style.
Everybody else in the video are wearing suits or school uniform which is protesting against racism as it represents that they are the same as everyone else.
After there is a shooting someone takes the gun off him with a red cloth, this prop is used as the colour red connotes with blood and death which is suggesting that when guns are involved it results in deaths of innocent people. The artist is trying to create negative associations with guns and express to the viewer the dangers involved with them.
By Childish Gambino
Music video analysis
This music video is protesting against gun violence. In the music video people are just watching whilst he kills people and no one does anything, they don't even react. This is criticizing the gun law as it is suggesting that people keep dying at the hand of guns and nothing is being changed to stop the deaths.
The juxtaposition between the commercial dancing and the gritty visuals of senseless gun violence makes profound statements about the perception of being black in America vs the reality. Black people are usually associated with crime.
There are different intertextual references within the music video such as the reference to a church shooting that happened in 2015 Charleston Church Massacre that claimed the lives of nine African Americans. These references are being used to add real life examples which adds more depth and meaning to this protest.
The music video opens with African tribal music, Childish Gambino is using his own culture to explore views through white people, he is mocking white views of black Americans.
The song shifts drastically from a cheerful tone to an aggressive tone.
Mise-en-scene
The music video is set in a warehouse.
The mise-en-scene is established in the first frame with the little details such as the red chair and the yellow in the background which is also shown in his shoes.
He isn't wearing a shirt to represent slaves.
He is wearing a gold chain to represent a luxury life style.
Everybody else in the video are wearing suits or school uniform which is protesting against racism as it represents that they are the same as everyone else.
After there is a shooting someone takes the gun off him with a red cloth, this prop is used as the colour red connotes with blood and death which is suggesting that when guns are involved it results in deaths of innocent people. The artist is trying to create negative associations with guns and express to the viewer the dangers involved with them.
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