In Childish Gambino’s “This is America,” directed by Hiro Murai and choreographed by Sherrie Silver, there is an infinity-mirror of symbolism, Jim Crow imagery, and references to current events such as the Charleston church shooting. In all of it, one moment stands out to encapsulate the meaning driving Glover's narrative.
As fleeting as it may be, the way in which the words “Get down!” are screamed 2:55 minutes into the song captures the juxtaposition of black art & entertainment and the disproportionate violence targeting black people.
Starting in the 1970s disco era, the phrase “get down” in the U.S. referred to partying, dancing, or having sex. Or all three really, but it started with disco, which gave way to hip hop. Since 1971, more than twenty songs have been produced with the title “Get Down,” but that’s not the point.
It’s barely takes a second when “1, 2, 3 – get down!” is sung, but the moment bears significance. It echoes the old slang and parallels it with something darker and closer to the present. The way it’s screamed evokes the urgency that you'd expect to hear if it were called out during a shooting. It would be hard to miss in the visual context of gun violence in the music video.
Donald Glover’s artistry is confronting the strange discrepancy between the enjoyment of black entertainment with the delibitating reality of violence against black people and an overall complacency with systemic injustices that perpetuates a toxic culture in which guns are cherished more than black lives.
Black people make up fifty-one percent of America’s homicide victims despite being only 13 percent of the population. Black men are thirteen times more likely that to be killed by gun violence than white men and are 31 percent of victims in police shootings. In 2017, police killed 1,128 people yet only one officer was charged with a crime.
As fleeting as it may be, the way in which the words “Get down!” are screamed 2:55 minutes into the song captures the juxtaposition of black art & entertainment and the disproportionate violence targeting black people.
Starting in the 1970s disco era, the phrase “get down” in the U.S. referred to partying, dancing, or having sex. Or all three really, but it started with disco, which gave way to hip hop. Since 1971, more than twenty songs have been produced with the title “Get Down,” but that’s not the point.
It’s barely takes a second when “1, 2, 3 – get down!” is sung, but the moment bears significance. It echoes the old slang and parallels it with something darker and closer to the present. The way it’s screamed evokes the urgency that you'd expect to hear if it were called out during a shooting. It would be hard to miss in the visual context of gun violence in the music video.
Donald Glover’s artistry is confronting the strange discrepancy between the enjoyment of black entertainment with the delibitating reality of violence against black people and an overall complacency with systemic injustices that perpetuates a toxic culture in which guns are cherished more than black lives.
Black people make up fifty-one percent of America’s homicide victims despite being only 13 percent of the population. Black men are thirteen times more likely that to be killed by gun violence than white men and are 31 percent of victims in police shootings. In 2017, police killed 1,128 people yet only one officer was charged with a crime.
The Violence Policy Center states in their analysis of homicides in 2015 that “the devastation homicide inflicts on black teens and adults is a national crisis that should be a top priority for policymakers to address. An important part of ending our nation’s gun violence epidemic will involve reducing homicides impacting black men, women, boys, and girls.”
As NPR’s Ridney Camichal puts it: "I think in a lot of ways what Glover is trying to do is really bring our focus and our attention to black violence, black entertainment [and] the way they're juxtaposed in society. They seem to cancel each other out in the greater public consciousness."
With a viral, provocative hit, Glover captivates his audience while confronting them with their own contradictions.
As NPR’s Ridney Camichal puts it: "I think in a lot of ways what Glover is trying to do is really bring our focus and our attention to black violence, black entertainment [and] the way they're juxtaposed in society. They seem to cancel each other out in the greater public consciousness."
With a viral, provocative hit, Glover captivates his audience while confronting them with their own contradictions.
Sources:
The Violence Policy Center, 2018. Black Homicide Victimization in the United States, An Analysis of 2015 Homicide Data. April. Available at: http://www.vpc.org/studies/blackhomicide18.pdf
Audie Cornish and Monika Evstatieva. 2018. Donald Glover's 'This Is America' Holds Ugly Truths To Be Self-Evident. 7 May. Available at: https://www.npr.org/2018/05/07/609150167/donald-glovers-this-is-america-holds-ugly-truths-to-be-self-evident?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social
Gun Violence by the Numbers. 2018. Available at: https://everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-by-the-numbers/#BlackAmericans
Ural Garrett. 2016. Nelson George On Netflix's “The Get Down” & Early Days Of Hip Hop Journalism. 11 August. Available At: hiphopdx.com/news/id.39969/title.nelson-george-on-the-get-down-early-days-of-hip-hop-journalism#
Kaitlyn D'Onofrio. 2018. The Data Is In: Police Disproportionately Killed Black People in 2017. DiversityInc. 3 January. Available at: www.diversityinc.com/news/data-police-disproportionately-killed-black-people-2017
German Lopez. 2017. There are huge racial disparities in how US police use force. Vox. 6 May. www.vox.com/cards/police-brutality-shootings-us/us-police-racism
The Violence Policy Center, 2018. Black Homicide Victimization in the United States, An Analysis of 2015 Homicide Data. April. Available at: http://www.vpc.org/studies/blackhomicide18.pdf
Audie Cornish and Monika Evstatieva. 2018. Donald Glover's 'This Is America' Holds Ugly Truths To Be Self-Evident. 7 May. Available at: https://www.npr.org/2018/05/07/609150167/donald-glovers-this-is-america-holds-ugly-truths-to-be-self-evident?utm_campaign=storyshare&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social
Gun Violence by the Numbers. 2018. Available at: https://everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-by-the-numbers/#BlackAmericans
Ural Garrett. 2016. Nelson George On Netflix's “The Get Down” & Early Days Of Hip Hop Journalism. 11 August. Available At: hiphopdx.com/news/id.39969/title.nelson-george-on-the-get-down-early-days-of-hip-hop-journalism#
Kaitlyn D'Onofrio. 2018. The Data Is In: Police Disproportionately Killed Black People in 2017. DiversityInc. 3 January. Available at: www.diversityinc.com/news/data-police-disproportionately-killed-black-people-2017
German Lopez. 2017. There are huge racial disparities in how US police use force. Vox. 6 May. www.vox.com/cards/police-brutality-shootings-us/us-police-racism