Music Video theory - blog tasks







1) How does the This Is America video meet the key conventions of a music video?

 This is America contains intertextuality, performance, genre characteristics (urban setting) close-ups of the artist (most likely a requirement of the record label.)

2) What comment is the video making on American culture, racism and gun violence?

The music video is portraying America (particularly black america) as a state where the truth is being covered by pop culture, the music video also addresses the treatment of guns in America, showing that they are treated better than people (guns being carefully carried away while people are being dragged off).

3) Write an analysis of the video applying the theories we have learned: Gilroy, Hall, Rose and Dyson. 

 When talking about the representations present in the music video, the most prominent representation is that of black people, the music video provides a very stereotypical view of a black person role in society where they are seen as the savages in that enlist violence. Rose once stated that hip-hop of this generation has been overly commercialised and thus lost its value and meaning, This is America does the exact opposite, the song and music video, while heavily commercialized, does contain underlying meanings and values that questions society and representations. Dyson states that hip-hop often criticises itself and society, This is America clearly does it through not only their lyrics but also its music video.    

Read this Guardian feature on This Is America - including the comments below.

4) What are the three interpretations suggested in the article?

  • Donald Glover impersonating Jim crow 
  • Covering his actions with his dance 
  • Multiple instances of mass black killings

5) What alternative interpretations of the video are offered in the comments 'below the line'? 

  • That there is no underlying meanings 
  • A more grim representation of how black Americans are treated 
  • an appreciation of how music is the perfect medium for the sharing of messages

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