Not really. There's a subtle way to imply things. Unless i missed it there's no implication of that anywhere in the video.
Childish Gambino - This is America (Official Video)
- Thread starter 666 ReVeNGe 666
- Start date
See, thats my issue with the video. I think you are right @CharlieManson but people are very simple minded these days. Combine that with long standing biases and most folks are going to assume at a glace its about Black on Black violence and right it off.
I'm sure Donald knows this and I'm sure there will be people who read through the lines. This video is for them, but we know how this looks.
It does bang though.
We know the school and church shooting was done by white folk but I dunno where people's heads are these days.
I still have people telling me to believe in the government still so I dunno
But the video is definitely getting folks to talk so who knows.
Somewhere Kanye is pissed it wasn't him
My nikka just type in childish gambino and kanye in the search bar and peep lmao smh
Mr Hate Coffee
Veteran
That’s just where CG is in his career now. The same thing is happening with the show Atlanta. Some of the episodes that aren’t that great have people writing essays talking about hidden meanings.
I’m a fan but at least I keep it a buck and say “I’m not sure I get this one”
People are talking about Donald is who Kanye wishes he was but aren’t realizing that by propping up Donald they’re doing the same thing that led to them being disappointed with Kanye in the first place. We gotta just enjoy the work. The genius talk is cool but it becomes a slippery slope when the person disappoints you.
Cacs and Millenials in here like - “I don’t get it”
thats where we at in general with music.That’s just where CG is in his career now. The same thing is happening with the show Atlanta. Some of the episodes that aren’t that great have people writing essays talking about hidden meanings.
I’m a fan but at least I keep it a buck and say “I’m not sure I get this one”
People are talking about Donald is who Kanye wishes he was but aren’t realizing that by propping up Donald they’re doing the same thing that led to them being disappointed with Kanye in the first place. We gotta just enjoy the work. The genius talk is cool but it becomes a slippery slope when the person disappoints you.
this whole genius talk and hidden meanings, etc is shyt thats happening with artist with some "substance" now, just recently it happened with Cole and that trash album he put out
video is dope tho
Mr Hate Coffee
Veteran
It’s been confirmed that’s NOT Trayvon’s father by @Matt504
See that’s what frustrates me about analysis of abstract works that doesn’t come from the creator. I have no idea if everything else you said was what Donald intended. You COULD be right but the leap people are making with the Trayvon’s dad shyt makes me believe everyone is just making shyt up.
Nikkas writing PhD dissertations on something that is super straight forward
America is an illusion. A pop culture dominated dystopian nightmare. A dangerous place for black people. The youth distract themselves by imitating their favorite rappers in song, dance and the worship of material things. Even though the content of their music is perpetuating the violence...the youth blindly worship.
It’s disturbing imagery and meant to make you feel uncomfortable. But it’s whats actually going on out there. Glover just juxtaposed it against each other in one place.
America is an illusion. A pop culture dominated dystopian nightmare. A dangerous place for black people. The youth distract themselves by imitating their favorite rappers in song, dance and the worship of material things. Even though the content of their music is perpetuating the violence...the youth blindly worship.
It’s disturbing imagery and meant to make you feel uncomfortable. But it’s whats actually going on out there. Glover just juxtaposed it against each other in one place.
True, the impulse to take something like this video and write instant think-pieces & essays on it 17 minutes after watching it is pretty damn dumb. Let things soak in and spin it a few times before you're ready to declare you've divined the meaning behind every frame.
That said, you have his last concept album which was framed as having "the talk" with his son about race and sex with the backdrop of funk music b/c that was Donald's father's music, but the majority of the people missed all that.
So, especially with Donald, the deeper dives are warranted.
I can't fault anyone wanting to explore everything this video is and the people saying "it ain't that deep" have a point too, because the minimalist nature of the video makes things pretty straightforward. But that's the thing with good art; it invites discussion & debate.
Also, I'm glad I saw the video version first. I don't think I'd be as accepting of the dichotomy in the song between the celebration and the trap sections without seeing it blatantly spelled out in the video. Possibly why they debuted the video before he performed it live last night.
That said, you have his last concept album which was framed as having "the talk" with his son about race and sex with the backdrop of funk music b/c that was Donald's father's music, but the majority of the people missed all that.
So, especially with Donald, the deeper dives are warranted.
I can't fault anyone wanting to explore everything this video is and the people saying "it ain't that deep" have a point too, because the minimalist nature of the video makes things pretty straightforward. But that's the thing with good art; it invites discussion & debate.
Also, I'm glad I saw the video version first. I don't think I'd be as accepting of the dichotomy in the song between the celebration and the trap sections without seeing it blatantly spelled out in the video. Possibly why they debuted the video before he performed it live last night.
LinusCaldwell
From The Eastside with Love
This is America? 
AlainLocke
Banned
It’s been confirmed that’s NOT Trayvon’s father by @Matt504
See that’s what frustrates me about analysis of abstract works that doesn’t come from the creator. I have no idea if everything else you said was what Donald intended. You COULD be right but the leap people are making with the Trayvon’s dad shyt makes me believe everyone is just making shyt up.
I am pretty sure that by next week...
Someone on YouTube like NerdWriter is gonna have it figured it out by going through 50 years of African American folklore and I'll probably be on the nose...
There's entire YouTube channels dedicated to this type of shyt...I should go make one...
The man could be playing guitar in the video because he looks like Trayvon's dad...
Or he could be in the video simply because he knows Donald or the director...
Never know...
the reaction vids to this video are priceless.....
