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REVIEW: Gambino explains America in a song

By Izzy Mach

“This is America” is Donald Glover’s, also known as Childish Gambino, newest song that was released on May 5. The song features other rappers such as Young Thug, Slim Jxmmi, 21 Savage, Blocboy JB, Quavo, and smokepurpp. The music video was released the same time as the song was.

To start off, the song was unexpected by everyone. The song starts with choir-like vocals and a guitar riff comes in with the vocals of Gambino and Young Thug. The chorus goes from light guitar playing to hard beats that lead into the first verse.

Gambino’s song follows the same structure other songs do: chorus, verse, refrain and so on, but the lyrics and music video is what really had people talking. His lyrics are very easy to understand and entertaining because it goes from a happy choir singing to Gambino rapping in a more hard-hitting way.

The video contains so many hidden symbols and meanings. Media outlets have been going crazy over it posting videos and tweets trying to decode what it means! It’s a video that the audience really needs to watch over and over to get everything because so much is happening at once, it’s really something someone can’t explain you have to see it to believe it!

But in a nutshell, I think his music video shows how people in America can be blinded by entertainment and not be able to see the true background of culture. During the week of May 19, “This Is America” climbed to No. 1 in the Billboard Top 100. After Gambino’s last album where it was a lot more mellow, this single was a good snippet of Gambino all in one. From the meanings behind the song to the beats, I really enjoyed this song and can’t wait for more content from him.

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