Hey Kanye, ‘This is America.’ Still Think Slavery Was a Choice?

Donald Glover’s music video is the latest internet phenomenon. If you haven’t seen it yet, you better ‘get with it’

Donald Glover Jr AKA ‘Childish Gambino’ has dropped his latest single ‘This is America’ and we can’t get enough of it. It has clocked more than 40 million views on YouTube since its release on 5 May and its live rendition on Saturday Night Live alone has garnered another 2 million views.

It isn’t just the ‘I-can-sing-along too’ acapella segment, or the dope rap verses, but the ingeniously crafted music video that’s got everyone talking, doing double-takes and analyzing.

If you haven't seen it yet, you better ‘get with it’.

Each frame of this 4 minute music video is loaded with real-life references -- both historic and current -- that speak of America’s constant struggle with racism, police brutality, gun culture, and the state of black culture in entertainment.

That someone being, as the net has deduced, is Jim Crow, who Gambino embodies with a combination of popular dance memes sporadically interrupted with bug eyes. Jim Crow returns to Travon's father with a gun. Our father's guitar is gone. His head shrouded in white. Spoiler alert. pic.twitter.com/qvEdUgVZyH

— Justin Simien (@JSim07) May 7, 2018

The video is so full of layered messages that fans of the artist have replayed it multiple times to fully comprehend it. Those who did, took to social media to explain it to the rest.

The Hidden References In ‘This Is America’

The Shooting of Trayvon Martin:

The symbolism behind 'This is America' - A thread. 1) The first symbol was the musician who phisically looks like Travyon Martin's dad. At this point, we can clearly see that Gambino will touch the gun violence subject. pic.twitter.com/rM1Hisdd79

— Vicky Hope (@vickyslyth_) May 8, 2018

The Jim Crow Reference:

3) Right here, Gambino poses as the ministrel Jim Crow, acharacter invented around 1900, when the blackface was invented by white comedians. The Jim Crows were a racist parody of black people. Notice how he shoots a 'slave' (black person with hands tied and bare feet). pic.twitter.com/zabWq8Ek8e

— Vicky Hope (@vickyslyth_) May 8, 2018

American Gun Culture:

4) After killing the 'cuffed man, Gambino handles the gun for a child, who takes the gun as if it was the most precious thing in the world (the gun has a huge importance for America, unlike a black man's life who's discarded as garbage). pic.twitter.com/bSneAj8yDV

— Vicky Hope (@vickyslyth_) May 8, 2018

The Confederate Army Pants:

5) These 'funny' pants Gambino is wearing are part of the official classic confederate soldiers' uniform. I don't think the confederate meaning needs a further explanation, but clearly he's representing the people who support the confederate ideas + flag. pic.twitter.com/qM4l8QDJYr

— Vicky Hope (@vickyslyth_) May 8, 2018

Dancing is a Distraction:

6) At this point, the beats are completetly changed and we start listening to a trap beat. Even after killing a black man, Gambino dances in a joyful way, being followed by innocent school kids. They are clearly copying everything he does because he's 'cool'. pic.twitter.com/o9S4CKKnyO

— Vicky Hope (@vickyslyth_) May 8, 2018

The Charleston Shooting:

10) Gambino arrives and shoots every single one of the choir members. Charleston shooting, 2015. USA. Yet another mass murder of black people in America. pic.twitter.com/5MprUgekSo

— Vicky Hope (@vickyslyth_) May 8, 2018

Biblical Reference of Death Riding a White Horse

“And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.” -Revelation 6:8 #ThisIsAmerica pic.twitter.com/E0IetLs56Z

— Karen Civil (@KarenCivil) May 7, 2018

Black Culture in Entertainment and its Implications:

But it will also include trap beats, gettin' money, fun dance memes and a chance to survive long enough to enjoy America's promise of freedom. pic.twitter.com/TjJSYrWRLJ

— Justin Simien (@JSim07) May 7, 2018

#ThisIsAmerica Ad-libs I heard

0:36/2:01/3:01/3:42 - Young Thug
1:08 - Kendrick
1:20/1:36/2:42 - BlocBoy
1:21 - Big Sean
1:26 - Rick Ross
1:39/2:20/2:32 - 21 Savage
1:40 - Lil pump
2:06 - Slim Jxmmi
2:14 - Offset
2:25/2:30/2:44 - Quavo
3:08 - Aminé

— mike (@_mikepearson) May 7, 2018

One shouldn’t miss the many ad-libs of famous African American artists that feature in the video. When you juxtapose this against the backdrop of a recent comment made by Kanye West in a TMZ interview on how slavery was actually a choice, the irony of it all isn’t lost on us.

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