Music Video theory


Music Video theory - Childish Gambino blog task

Childish Gambino, the musical stage name of writer and performer Donald Glover, released an incredible critique of American culture and Donald Trump with This Is America in 2018.

The music video is a satirical comment on American culture, racism and gun violence. Racking up 10m views in the first 24 hours, it now stands at over half a billion views and has been dubbed ‘genius’ and ‘a masterpiece’. 

Create a blogpost called 'Music video: theory', 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? Look back at last week's introduction to music video if you're not sure.

 This music video This is America meets the key conventions of a music video because it includes movement from the protagonist which is the the artist and narrative which is about gun violence and American culture towards racism. 
2) What comment is the video making on American culture, racism and gun violence?

 The comment this music video is making towards American culture, gun violence and racism is that is prevalent in today's society and that the first gun shot in the music video symbolizes its apart of them. The link towards American culture would be that 
"Glover seems to be saying that America uses entertainment provided by its black celebrities as a distraction from the death and violence it forces on its black citizens" - Insider 

3) Write an analysis of the video applying the theories we have learned: Gilroy, Hall, Rose and Dyson. Write a short paragraph for each theory.

 Gilroy theory of analysis - Gilroy stated that black music articulates diasporic experiences of resistance to white capitalist culture. This is linked to Childish Gambino 'This is America' as his music video features the resistance towards gun violence towards African-American men & women and this means that he explores the role in which the government and police brutality places on American culture.

 Stuart Hall's theory of analysis - Hall stated that the media blurs race and class which leads to people associating particular races with certain social classes. He said that there are three common representation in American media towards black people. These are slave figure, the native and the clown/entertainer. This links to Childish Gambino's music video as he explains that the protagonist is entertaining his audience through a tough issue of gun violence and police brutality towards black men and women.

 Tricia Rose's theory of analysis - Rose stated that hip-hop initially gave audiences an insight into the lives if young, black, urban Americans and also gave them a voice. This links to Childish Gambino's 'This is America' music video as he shown expressing himself and giving light towards tough issues many POC in America face through the form of music.

 Michael Eric Dyson theory of analysis - Dyson stated that political hip-hop didn't give credit to those artists which caused the rap game today to change. This links to Childish Gambino's music video as each of the different scenes sends out a political message and through the form of intertextuality an example of this would be a minute into the music video the protagonist kills the guitarist from the first scene which then Gambino strikes a pose which resembles the pose that of 'Jim crow' this is a racist fictional character which is characterized to be the "average African-American" to be lazy, stupid and less than". Gambino was trying to communicate 
"Glover dances around while a black man played guitar, entertaining the viewer, but the threat of violence against African-Americans is inextricable from that entertainment." - (Insider).
Now read this Guardian feature on This Is America - including the comments below.

4) What are the three interpretations suggested in the article?

 The three interpretations suggested in this article would be "He is playing 'Jim crow's.
The second would be "His taking in the police".
The third would be "His dance is a way to bring a lighter but contrasted message".
5) What alternative interpretations of the video are offered in the comments 'below the line'? Choose two and explain what the comments are suggesting.

 One commented that 
"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.
Was it Pat Matheney who wrote This is not America?
Well Childish Gambino has shown us what America seems to be allowed to be" 

- This means that America somehow accepts their faults and what's happening to African-Americans but doesn't do anything about it.

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