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Decoding The Message Of This Is America

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"Decoding the Message of 'This is America': A Communication Theory Analysis of Childish Gambino's Provocative Music Video"

Rishikarthik Velliangiri
Flame University
COMS101: Communication Theory
April 28, 2023
Word Count: 1902

Donald Glover's alter ego, Childish Gambino, debuted the music video for "This is America'' in 2018, and it rapidly became well-known for its potent social criticism and perceptive imagery. Throughout a series of chaotic and violent scenes that comment on gun violence, police brutality, and the state of racial relations in America, Glover is seen dancing and rapping providing the iconic contrast. Glover is known for his artistic professions, including acting, writing and producing (Bauer, 2021). …show more content…

The video received mixed reviews, with some praising it for its potent visuals and comments on social and political issues and others criticising it for being overly provocative or controversial (Gajanan, 2018).
One way "This is America" shows the agenda-setting concept is by setting the agenda for public dialogue on issues like racial injustice, gun violence, and police brutality. These topics were already being discussed in the media and in public conversation before the video's debut, but "This is America" brought them to the fore in a fresh and significant way. The video's arresting imagery and thought-provoking ideas assisted in bringing these concerns to light and inspired viewers to have more complex and insightful debates about them.
The public's view of what is significant and pertinent in the cultural landscape is another way that "This is America" illustrates the agenda-setting theory. Childish Gambino was already a significant voice in the cultural discussion surrounding race, politics, and music thanks to his previous work, and due to his stature in the area, the music video was discussed even more in relation to race (Swaak, 2018). Additionally, the video's incorporation of dance, fashion, and other facets of popular culture served to elevate these artistic mediums as significant and priceless platforms for social and …show more content…

(2020, March 10). Childish Gambino’s ‘This Is America’ Video Is Also an Indictment of. Sojourners. https://sojo.net/articles/childish-gambino-s-america-video-also-indictment-today-s-church
Kasambala, N. (2018). Unpacking all the references in Childish Gambino’s phenomenal new video. Dazed. https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/39966/1/childish-gambino-this-is-america-meaning-jim-crow-dancing-liberty
Miller, H. (2018, May 15). Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” Video, Explained. HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/childish-gambino-this-is-america_n_5af05c12e4b041fd2d28d8e9
Shamsian, J. (2018, October 24). 24 things you may have missed in Childish Gambino’s “This is America” music video. Insider. https://www.insider.com/this-is-america-music-video-meaning-references-childish-gambino-donald-glover-2018-5
St Félix, D. (2018, May 8). The Carnage and Chaos of Childish Gambino’s “This Is America.” The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-carnage-and-chaos-of-childish-gambinos-this-is-america
Supratman, L. P., & Wahyudin, A. (2019). The Representation of Racism on ‘This Is America’ Music Video. Mimbar.

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