By Jacob Howard & Johan Figueroa-Juarez
Guns, Violence, Dancing, and a whole lot of symbolism. These are things people are experiencing as they watch the new music video to Childish Gambino, or Donald Glover’s, new song, This is America. In the first couple seconds, you are listening to the captivating sound of a Chorus followed by a guitar. Almost Immediately, Gambino pulls out a gun and shoots a man sitting in a chair with a bag over his face. This turns the once peaceful music into a hardcore trap sound with a deep bass. This definitely sets the mood for the rest of the video and begins the symbolism of guns and violence especially in black communities. Colton Timmons said, “It has a good message, and it is very powerful”. While all the chaos in the background ensures, Gambino and a group of school kids begin to dance with many of the popular dance moves of the past and present. This shows the black culture that most of the world sees, while they are blurred of the real struggles happening in the background. One of the most rememberable moments of the music video is when Childish Gambino shoots and kills a church choir singing, symbolizing the Charleston Shooting only a couple years ago. All of these moments symbolize what really happens to African Americans behind the scenes and why things need to change.