Fact file
- Actor, Comedian, writer, director, producer, DJ, singer songwriter, rapper.
- Alter ego - Childish Gambino - Released 4 rap albums with 'Awaken, My Love' including the single 'Redbone' and a grammy winning live performance.
- TV programmes include 'Community'
- He was the voice of 'Simba' in the remake of 'The Lion King'
- He is in 'Solo'
- 'This is America' premiered on an edition of 'Saturday night live' where Donald interviewed his alter ego, Childish Gambino and then performed as him
Analysis
The warehouse could be interpreted as a blank slate for people to see what is going on inside, chaos.
The heavy use of guns and violence present America as a violent place with unsafe gun laws, for example at the beginning of the song when he shoots the man and the song starts.
'We want to party, party just for you' - Could be suggesting that throughout history black people are only seen as valuable when they're entertaining, highlighting Americas racist past. This could also be shown by the confederate trousers he wears, which could link to the south fighting to keep slavery in the American civil war.
We are distracted by the dancing in the foreground, so you may not notice the chaos in the background. This could be presenting America as a place where people don't notice things around them, instead watching media and ignoring the real issues surrounding them.
The gun at the start is taken away carefully by someone while the body is dragged off with little care, which could be showing that guns have more value than life in America, and that people there believe in protecting their gun laws more than they believe in protecting their population.
He lights a joint which is commenting on drugs and their effects, saying that drugs are out of control in America.
The killing of the Choir could be showing that it's so easy to take life in America, that it takes so little time and is so shocking but only takes up a very short amount of the music video, soon moving onto the next thing. This could be showing how easily people move on from the killings and how insignificant they feel it to be in America, doesn't really feel as disgraceful as it should.
This video could be linked to Henery Jenckins fan fiction theory, as it intrigues and interests us to get us talking about it and coming up with our own interpretations.
Why did it go viral?
It went viral because he released it on the 4th of July, American independence day, and released it at a similar time to Solo which he starred in when he knew he would be in the public eye, so he took advantage of this to get his opinions to a wider audience.
Hall's Reception Theory
Preffered, rejected or dominant meaning, can be applied to 'This is America' as it is purposefully vague in its meaning in order to create discussion and peoples own opinions.
Shot Analysis
1. In this 2 shot, Donald Glover is seen on the left pointing a handgun at a hooded and restrained man on the right. This is the first of many shocking shots from the music video that is intended to break up the otherwise upbeat tune. This presentation of gun violence could be protesting the gun laws in America, and fits into the entire theme of the video and song of protest against American culture.
2. This shot, taking place after Donald Glover shoots the man, shows the gun being placed carefully in a cloth and carried away to the left, while the man is dragged away. This shows that in America, weaponry is worth more to people than human life.
3. This shot is a wide shot which shows Childish Gambino dancing with school children. The school children were probably chosen as backing dancers as a direct reference to the Parkland, Florida school shooting that occurred a month earlier, or as a reference to school shootings in the US in general which are higher in frequency than anywhere else worldwide.
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