words: justin clarke
Enough think pieces have been written since “This is America” by Childish Gambino, came out on last Saturday, and I promise not to add to the speculation. Since hitting the internet there has been a slew of buzzwords that have been regurgitated and repackaged, such as provocative, artistic, genius, and symbolic. Untangling and mimicking these claims is not something find interesting.
Neatly wrapped into all this Donald Glover applause is also a fair amount of Kanye West public abasing. The overarching, and way too often parroted sentiment being, “Donald Glover is what Kanye West is trying to be!” This is an interesting zero some game that has appeared way too often in our current pop culture zeitgeist.
“This is America” is really all those adjectives that have been espoused about it. The symbolism is there, the provocative nature of some scenes is attention-grabbing, and the seamless blending of social issues and cinematography is what great art reaches to achieve.
I do ask why is DG championed and KW overlooked and demonized? The carefully manicured and curated 4:04 minutes is measured with the same standards as honest and open public dialogue? I don't know if that's fair, and or right.
KW has been one of, if not the most, outspoken voices in hip-hop in regards to the plight of black people in America: currently and historically. We all remember the infamous “George Bush doesn't care about black people.,” situation during Hurricane Katrina. The Taylor Swift moment was not about wrestling away her spotlight, as much as it was about a black woman’s art (Beyonce) being pushed aside for white woman’s lesser work. (at an institution that has been historically slow to be progressive.) As well as Kanye boycotting the Grammy’s because he wanted them to be more inclusive of the black voice in music.
“This is America” struck a chord with Americans because of how real and raw it is. I ask, back in 2013 why didn't “Blood on The Leaves” by KW do the same?
A little back story on BotL, it is about African Americans being hung in the south. The song samples a poem from Abel Meeropol in 1965 of “Strange Fruit.”
"Southern trees bear a strange fruit, Blood on the leaves and blood at the root, Black body swinging in the Southern breeze, Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees. Pastoral scene of the gallant South, The bulging eyes, and the twisted mouth, Scent of magnolia sweet and fresh, And the sudden smell of burning flesh! Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck, For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck, For the sun to rot, for a tree to drop, Here is a strange and bitter crop."
For Kanye’s push of BotL into the American ethos at that time, he performed it at arguably one of musics biggest stages, the VMA’s that year. Yet no championing of ‘Ye.
Kanye’s most current posture in our social dialogue most likely plays a part. KW has taken to social media and other outlets to express his love for what he thinks President Donald Trump stands for. It has been especially interesting the public reaction to his thoughts.
For the prelude to these next few paragraphs, allow me to state clearly, I do not self identify with either side of the aisle. But what I do find interesting and a worthy talking point is, that it does seem to be exclusive to one side where a disagreement in ideas leads to deplatforming, muzzling, and harsh criticism.
Kanye West is just the most recent public figure to merely speak his mind and be unabashedly criticized by people who self-identify with being liberal. Actual free speech does seem to have a price with (young) liberals.
KW recent social posture has seen him flung into a camp, for which for anyone who has followed Kanye throughout the years knows, is as mischaracterized as can be. West has said in a recent interview with Charlamagne he would run a Trump-style campaign with Bernie Sanders policy.
Donald Glover’s, “This is America” is the hip-hop music video version of what Colin Kaepernick did. Yet the dichotomy between praise for DG and Kanye West public bashing still bewilders me.
Could it be that DG is more palatable to the American mainstream? West who is married to the most polarized non-political woman of the century, who wears a diamond grill in his mouth, who still sports baggy clothing, who is still very…..hip-hop. Opposed to DG who ostensibly clean cut, well spoken and has a digestible smile for the average consumer. The case can be made that Glover’s on-stage personality is the contemporary version of blackface in the early nineteenth century. A black man who is easily understood and a none threatening figure to white America to have fun and laugh with.
Whilst I refuse to take part in the modern zero some game of one black man is great and the other is bad, i’d implore we practice what we espouse to be; a society of understanding and acceptance. A different idea and viewpoint of yours should be met with curiosity, not haste to judge.
Donald Glover and Kanye West, two black men in the American pop culture zeitgeist with virtually the same message. One lampooned while the other is held up on our proverbial shoulders and championed. In contemporary times, social media seems to be the judge and juror of winners and losers. And the measurement is a short sided one. One that lacks timeline, substance and clearly body of work.
I think there’s enough space for both these men in how we engage in the dialogue around race relations in America. A palatable, clean cut, well-spoken version; and the out of the box, loud, unapologetic brother who doesn't mind ruffling feathers. How about we let them both, in their own unique way be a great black voice?
