Childish Gambino Depicts the Dark Face of America in his New Video "This is America"
The United States of America is going through a time of crisis, particularly related to racism, police brutality, gun violence and President Donald Trump (according to many internet users) . However, this country remains one of the greatest economic power and manages to fool the audience with beautiful television images camouflaging the dark history in the background. It is in this perspective that Childish Gambino establishes a small glimpse of the hyprocritic image that often conveys the American atmosphere.
Childish Gambino is back with his first song since 2016. The rapper and producer has just unveiled his new track "This is America", accompanied by a surreal and committed video directed by the artistic director Hiro Murai. The video's striking and chaotic visual highlights the schizophrenic character of the title, and of American society today. We find Childish Gambino (Donald Glover) shirtless dancing and sowing terror in a shed.
Story behind this visual capture:
"This Is America". A single dressed in pictures and chilling remarks that, for sure, could not have better to stick to the news. He draws a blackboard of contemporary America and highlights his most obscure facet, namely the current condition of African-Americans
It's no secret that Donald Glover is an outstanding actor. No wonder then that he pays as much attention to his music as to his visuals that illustrate it.
In front of the cameras of Hiro Murai (known to have been busy with clips for Earl Sweatshirt, Flying Lotus, Queens of the Stone Age and Childish) Gambino stages shootings of a rare violence, as they surprise and come to devote the changes of tone and rhythm of the piece.
The victims ? Blacks, of course. A singer with an acoustic guitar, a youth choir, and the composer who runs away, at the end of the visual.
By the way, Childish Gambino is not alone on the piece. The finest ears will have detected the presence of several of his well-known collaborators, such as Chance The Rapper, Blocboy JB, Offset, 21 Savage or Big Sean. They do not deliver any verse, but deal with the ad-libs of the song. The only one that has a more pronounced presence is Young Thug, who sings in opening and closing of the piece.
The rumors were therefore accurate: "This Is America" s the first official single from the next Childish Gambino album - which we know will be his last. After the worldwide success of his opus Awaken My Love !, the rapper-author of the Atlanta series was expected to turn. With "This Is America", you're pretty sure he'll come out the front door.