I read an awesome article from Billboard highlighting the reactions to Donald Glover's newest music video "This Is America" and got inspired to write about it. The video has tons of layers and ideas, some more obvious than others, and as an American Studies major, I got really excited to unpack it. Glover has been a musical favorite of mine for years, but this video and track propels him to a new level for me, as he's able to send more messages in one 3-minute video and song than many artists can do in a whole record. Especially Kanye.
The video is trending at #1 on YouTube, and it encompasses ideas about America that many people don't want to talk about or say out loud. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see so much support of the video and its message, and positive conversation relating to what the message of the video could be and how video's content could be perceived. There are obviously many different visual and auditory messages that come from the video and the track, and when put together, there are lots of details that can be unpacked and discovered. When it comes down to it, Glover is talking to us about distraction. He's focusing on the comical and often pointless moments in America that take our attention off of real, hurtful, and important things that are actually affecting the country and its people. Whether that's with incarceration, gun violence, or the demise of black communities, they're all there in the background. In the foreground, Glover forces us to confront those distractions: "Black Twitter," mumble rappers, and the commodification of black culture, among others. He forces us to take a look at the broken-ness of our own country that we could potentially see if we weren't so influenced and engaged with rappers and entertainers -- some of which he includes in the video. I'm not 100% sure, but I've seen theories about SZA, Quevo, 21 Savage, and even Trayvon Martin's dad all being part of it (which was a rumor that was later dispelled.)
So how does Kanye come in?
I'm not really sure what Kanye's deal is, but I'm over it. I'm seriously done with it. I don't care how great his music was in the past, or how he may still be talented and a "genius." It's come to a point where Kanye doesn't really believe that his words and thoughts and beliefs have consequences towards his fans. One of his beliefs? Slavery was a choice. As a TMZ reporter bravely put it during a confrontation with Kanye, "There are real-world, real-life consequences to everything you just said. And while you are making music and being an artist and living the life that you've earned through being a genius, the rest of us in society have to deal with these threats to our lives. We have to deal with the marginalization that has come from the 400 years of slavery that you said, for our people, was a choice."
One of the major differences between Donald Glover and Kanye is the different ways that they handle their fame and powerful voice. Donald Glover is a musician, director, writer, and actor, among other things. He created the hit show "Atlanta," while also putting out three albums as Childish Gambino and working on other music and media projects. He is a very prominent black voice in America and uses his platform and talents to create content that educates as well as entertains. I'm a huge fan of his and really respect him as an artist and creator.
On the other hand, Kanye has been struggling with this image and fame, suffering through a breakdown in 2016 due to opioid addiction and not really being the same since then. Kanye is an incredible musician and creator, and no one is disputing that. He has earned his place and his fame on the world stage. But Kanye is super arrogant. He doesn't know how to influence people in a useful and educational way. Instead, he goes off on weird Twitter rants (similar to another public figure we all know) and pulls stupid PR stunts and says controversial to promote his music and his "genius" image. He's not the celebrity the world needs right now. His complete arrogance and lack of empathy he has shown through his comments has completely driven me away from his music. I'm normally good at separating the artists as musicians and the artists as actual people, but that line is getting blurred for me now. It's really hard to support Kanye's music with his recent comments, and I definitely don't care about his stupid "poop" song called "Lift Yourself" that some deemed "a political statement" in a way.
Long story short? Donald Glover is the rapper this country needs. He doesn't ramble on about his opinions and doesn't gloat his arrogant God complex. Instead, he listens, observes, and creates based on the events that unfold around him.
This is a really tricky topic and contains a lot of layers, so I hope I articulated myself well enough to get my point across. I'm definitely open to continuing this conversation and I hope that people share their opinions on the matter as well.
Love, Virg
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