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Examining Black Cultural Identity In 'G. O. M. D.'?

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Recommended: Institutional racism and its effects

Resistance & Resilience:
Examining black cultural identity in J.Cole’s “G.O.M.D.”

Renee Marshall: A00464276
RELS1251
Dr. Lindsay Macumber
April 6 2023

The "G.O.M.D." music video by J. Cole is a potent and provocative commentary on prejudice in America. J. Cole plays the part of a house slave who has been tasked with assisting in the preparation for a dinner party in the video, which is set on a plantation in the South. A diverse group of people—including slaves, overseers, and white visitors—are depicted in the film as they struggle with issues of power, race, and identity. In this essay, I will examine racism through the lens of J. Cole's "G.O.M.D." music video in order to draw comparisons between mondern day anti-black …show more content…

Cole delivers a potent critique of how institutional structures and cultural norms support racism throughout the entire video. For instance, the sequences showing the dinner party show how white guests contribute to the upkeep of the slave trade and other forms of oppression. The white guests are seen laughing and having a good time, apparently unaware of the oppression and exploitation going on all around them. J. Cole also shows the slaves in the video as people who can keep their humanity and dignity despite being subjected to inhumane circumstances. The exchanges between the slaves and their fellows as well as those between them and the white overseers make this clear. The slaves resist being entirely ruined by the oppressive system that surrounds them despite the fact that they are made to labour in appalling conditions and are forced to do so. They still have pride and respect for …show more content…

Cole periodically makes homage to guns and gun violence, primarily in the first verse of the song. “Cole outside and he say he got a gun/N*ggas like, "Man, that's what everybody said '' (Uh-huh)”(G.O.M.D, 2015), which is particularly interesting given the subject matter of the song and music video. At its heart, "G.O.M.D." is a potent commentary on racism and oppression in America, as well as how these problems have been supported by societal norms and institutional structures. Violence, including the use of firearms, has traditionally been a significant means of enforcing this oppression inside and outside of the black community. Communities of colour continue to be severely impacted by gun violence in America, which is intricately tied to issues of power and race. It can be interpreted as a call to action to resolve the underlying factors contributing to violence in our society, such as institutionalised racism, inequity, and poverty. J. Cole's music offers an insightful critique of the institutional forces that sustain oppression and violence in our society by bringing these problems to light. Additionally, the "G.O.M.D." music video takes place on a plantation, which has an evident reputation for cruelty and violence. The slave system is portrayed in the video as a cruel and dehumanising institution where the lives of those who are made to labour there under duress are constantly in danger. Although the video refrains from mentioning gun violence, it does highlight

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