I had tears when the choir was hit (thought of Charlottesville church shooting instantly)......full tears. Glover is a genius. He made so many statements about what is wrong with society without saying a word. He is brilliant.
Also while horrible things are happening the media is so preoccupied with a trend. Also notice the kids recording on their phones. The man with the guitar represents real music beings killed with these catchy tunes with dances. Rappers talking about guns, weed, cars while violence is happening behind them (they ignore the real violence but love to sing about it via lame, mumble rappers)
He’s showing what’s going on in America like the others said. Also he’s showing how these so called rappers are today. Look again when he shoots the first guy how he changes is body language. When he’s on the car dancing the music says “get your money black man” like they’re using their fame for just the money and not really standing up for the injustices.
The shock we had with him shooting the chior then going back to dancing is how America was after Dylan roof killed those church members and got to stop by Burger King before going to jail.
I think he was showing how we put too much faith in religion and not on taking actual action on the problems that are killing the black community. We rely on religion to keep us safe, that's why they were in a place of worship while everything on the other side of the door was chaos. But they still ended up getting killed like everyone else who on the outside of the place of worship. Religion is another thing that destroys the black community. We were taught religion during slavery to keep us in control, and be easily manipulated by the massas
Sarah Chanel Wrong, Wrong he grew up a JW. Please without religion things would be even worse, u will see when its ban Problems will continue to get worse and ppl will still choose to ignore them, due to simple distractions. And this is not by chance, but by the way of design
He's so honest I love it.. Black people making reaction videos to this are like people wondering into a minefield.. But it's been too long that black Americans have been hiding from these truths.. Or I should write, obscuring them.
No, you know what I mean, when you watch something and you know exactly what it means, but you don't yet have the words to articulate what you're feeling...
You have to watch it AT LEAST twice. The dancing is to distract you. So much is going on, did you catch the kids on the balcony recording the chaos? This is definitely America.
Mass shootings get the headlines but the chaos in the background is the real story as it impacts so many people. The First Horseman of the Apocalypse at 4:19 is a good example of the important parts that get missed because everyone is just looking at the dancing and listening to the music. The video is like a painting as you need to stare at it for an hour before you get even half of everything it is saying.
In the beginning, we see a man peacefully strumming his guitar. Then America (which I assume is portrayed by Childish Gambino) begins dancing while the guitar strums a beat. Throughout the video, we see chaotic things such as gun violence, robbery, discrimination, etc going on. Gambino shoots up a gospel group, which I assume is a reference to the Charleston church shooting in 2015. Every time he shoots someone, the gun is cradled and taken away carefully while the bodies are left or carelessly dragged away, showing American respect for the second amendment but not for the people disadvantaged by it. While he's committing these awful crimes like gun violence, him and the group of teenagers behind him continue dancing and smiling. I think the overall moral of the video is that America has flaws but chooses to disregard them and focus on being cool, while the reality is that they're tearing us apart. This is why he repeatedly says "I'm so cold", and why theres a guy in the background throwing his money around, because we care more about being cool than we do about being compassionate.
its saying that America is using new dances and entertainment to make black people forget the real shit going on. Notice all the chaos going on in the background while we focused on the dancing and hot beat
I think that if you look a little deeper the dancing, the need to make jokes about everything, smoking weed to escape harsh reality is all a response to the pain inflicted on black people in America for generations...we cant fault people for trying to survive a system that has always been against us. Slaves got by singing and dancing in the fields. We are not that far removed.
Nacht97 I understand what you're saying but I think that it is all relevant to the effects of oppression. They may not channel sorrow in the same manner but it's still a response to something. Slaves knew they were in bondage but today many can't even see that they are too because a lot of it is psychological. The majority of black Americans still identify with the surnames of the people who enslaved their ancestors. That says a lot in itself.
This video is mostly about catching you slipping the song starts with a beat that kind of calms you down makes you feel good and then he gets that first killed that and his response to you is I caught You Slippin this is America as a black person you can never really lower your guard
I think he meant "slippin" for the reasons why there is a war going on towards and in the black community and it's killing us, but the black man is "slippin" because he's easily distracted by what poppin and all the other toxic stuff that many black men focus on instead of focusing on the big problem, which is his own genocide.
My thoughts on the video. This video was a perfect representation of America. The first showing was America/Gambino killing our culture which is the guy with the guitar. That's y the beat changed as soon as he died. The beat went from a kinda African dance style beat to a modern rap beat that exist in America. The choir getting shot up represents the church massacare.That I believe that happened last year. Lastly, Gambino dancing was a perfect mask to what was going on In the background. While u was watching him dance u don't notice all the chaos in the background. That's kinda showing how we don't pay attention to all the fucked up shit that's happening in America because it's always something that distracts up from the real problems in America. It can be a new trend or even something deeper as a meaningless sport. THIS IS AMERICA !!!!!!!!!
I get what he saying the original music is dying comes from the Blues it just respect of each other and the love that we can kill each other wake up black man get your money another way of putting it it is not the only way to be happy to be pretty the way is the talent is real and The Talented is in you from God you're being used and disregard it don't sell your soul survive survive rise up put your trust in God
Just noticed someone gets thrown off the balcony at around 4.00m I keep rewatching it finding more and more symbolism or things that kinda give me that unsettling feeling. At the very end people ran away when he didn't even have a gun that also sort of unsettled me.
It was an amazing, groundbreaking video. Its satire of america. He's Gator, the dancing crackhead. He's the madman dancing barechested under the overpass. He's me and you when our dreams were humble now we stay strapped and aspire to bands and contraband. But this IS America and thats how america gets down. But never get comfortable black, they still trying to run you down.
They way they treated the guys body after he was shot vs. the way they treated the gun he was shot with. Like the gun is more precious that the life that was taken.
PACIFIC BLUE What do you think of Aprixity s theory comment about the weed? its another good take. The way I saw it was he was the one killing but in the end he was the one running away.
This is so chaotic and multi layered. I had to see your reaction to this video. From Trayvon Martins Dad in the beginning to what I believe are the makes of all the different cars black men were driving before being killed at the end. Masterpiece
N Sanders I agree. The hooded guy shot first was Trayvon. The choir is Dylan Roof victims. The guitarist is hooded with a rope around neck is lynched black men and even though black men are victims they influence trends and entertain AMERIKKKA.
The children in the uniform remind me of that photo of the children from Flint, Michigan. The children picking up their monthly water from the army. The choir may represent the church shot up in South, Carolina. And the running at the end may be the Charlottesville, Virginia
He's definitely playing some character. The way he peeps his head out of the door before the choir shooting kind of reminds of a cartoon character lmao his behavior is erratic and facial expressions are exaggerated too. Idrk, but that's what it looked like
Notice at the very beginning when he first pulls out the little moves, it's not fluid. It's stilted and looks almost painful. The focused, tense facial expressions too. Like he's not comfortable dancing, but it's what he's been told to do. It's Jim Crow and modern dancing all in one
i agree also, Jim crow was always a white person in black face, so the moves wouldn't be fluid as they were a caricature of black men not the real thing. They attempted to make the moves and facial expressions as buffoonish as possible.
I've been watching his video over and over, processing all the way. Watch and process: repeat. Tears and laughter, the dichotomy of America.......all the feels. Thank you for an honest reaction!
I watched it like 7 times last night...stayed up so late...understanding how amazing this vid is, but blown away by it. I appreciated seeing your reaction for the first time, tears in my eyes.
Great reaction. I know I am late, but my favorite thing about the video is that he shot people and no one batted an eyelash, but light up some weed and dance on a car, and the mob chases him down. This is America , indeed.
hands down, this is the best reaction video. your expression was exactly what a lot of people had when first watching. I cant stop watching this video, i find something different every time. Good video
I've watched a LOT of reaction videos to this, and you are the only dude who stayed appropriately shocked after the first shooting and didn't go back to head bobbing a few beats later. I think that probably says a lot about your character.
Hye bro', I'm from France and I didn't know you since yesterday when I watched this video reaction and I looked up to your channel, man you rock! I like your radio, the music you listen and you look like a very nice dude, so I'm gonna talk about you here in France and tell my bros to follow you! Keep goin you're doing an awesome work! Donald Glover is the best 😉
Wow, of all the reactions I've watched, this is by far the closest to the one I had the first time I watched. At this point, may have seen the video 250+ times....I think I've teared up at least 200. Donald Glover is a legend. He's permanently etched his name into the history books at this point. Also, far less important from a simply entertaining aspect (it's an integral part of the much larger message of the video), but Glover's dancing is absolutely incredible. INCREDIBLE. The choreographer deserves almost equal credit too (she's one of the 4 background dancers btw).
Freakin Work of Art !! Amazing music, lyrics, Singing (he has an amazing voice and doesn't use it in a overpowering way, yet in its most powerful way) , amazing dancing amazing directing!
One of the best videos I’ve seen in some time! I keep going back to it to see what else I’ve missed. Your reaction is EVERYTHING and I thought your screen was frozen! Happy Birthday!!!!!🎈🎊
The best part of all this is that you were in exactly the right head-space for this. And then your face. YOUR FACE. We were all with you in your moment and it was so real
Yea I just finished watching your other video about this music video. I watch it like more than 5 times or more. I was hot! because it was true. We are distracted by things that trending or what is popular. I always wonder do we let this situation that happens in the black community consume us and at the time we just want have fun. I believe this video is a shock us to act what we need to do for our people as a community. We need to do better. The video is fire!!!!!! Tho
Easily the best reaction video I've watched so far. I felt the exact same way as your reactions throughout the whole thing. Then I sat in silence for thirty minutes trying to piece together what I just watched. After reading some comments and thinking about it it all started to get even more powerful and I am now just left thinking, "Well, damn!" There are so many facets of it that can be interpreted and understood. Amazing freaking video though! Such an awesome artist.
So Im watching reaction videos for The Happytime Murders and somewhere in my feed u popped up. I'm like "yo that's Melvin!" Yo waddup boooooooy! Your reaction to TIA was priceless, one of the most amusing and emotional I've seen. One of the best! And it helped that it was in the wee hours and u were half lit at least. And u had to temper urself. Very funny reaction. Had to watch u twice just as I had to watch TIA twice to make sure I saw what I saw, but knowing the outcome. And that haunting ending, yikes. Good catch with Sza. Most thought she was a random prop til they read about her participation. Anyhow, stay smooth brother. Be well in NYC
I've been obsessed with this video since first watching it. Shortly after, I started watching reactions like crazy. What is amazing to me is that you were the only viewer I watched that remained shook and didn't bounce back after the first shooting(and you was TURNT😂). I've watched a lot of reactions now. 😏 I know it's supposed to be "just a video" but for me it was one bullet, one life, that was enough to lock into Donald's message and what he is wanting to say. Even though he is clearly gettin it with those moves in this video. That was comforting to see that about you. I'm excited for the dialogue that follows and people's resolve to be a part of the solution now.
I saw a few others say that too like the law brothers and some other comments, and youtubers, but someone brought up a good point about that just being a distraction.
Yo... imma need you to redo a reaction when you are not coming down from being LIT at 2am on ya Cake Day weekend (Happy Born Naked Day to ya--Ayyyeee!!)🤗. This video reflects some of the news stories from the past 2 yrs or so and how America seemed to move on without any true resolve. From the church shootings, to the unarmed police stops and shootings (i think those cars at the end were identical to ones in stops that made national news... the red one he dances on i think is either Sandra Bland or Philando Castile...), to the Flint kids, to the numerous suicides, etc. I'm sure ppl probably will be stuck on how graphic the mock-shootings are in this vid. Good. That means we are not totally numb yet. Gambino went for the shock factor. Point made and received. I'm here for it.
I've been a fan of Bino since his track "Freaks and Geeks", so a very, very, VERY long time and I am very sad that this may be the last album. We need his musical genius more than ever. The video is a masterpiece and I'm speechless with it. All the references that are in it are just, poignant and precise and we really need more of this from him. He surprised me with the gunshots, but it was necessary to the point he was making. What really got me was at the end when he's on top of the car and he throws the weed to dance while an angry man yells, "GET DOWN!", which could either mean "Dance!" or "GET DOWN, IT'S THE POLICE!", now that made me tear up.
I was afraid he will shoot the kids too :| but honestly he really pushed the envelope with these visuals ..Happy belated birthday though :D your face's expressions LOL
I think he didn't because the kids are mainly ones apart of the destruction sadly and notice they were helping him and recording everything with their phones.
In 2018 it's pretty hard to "push the envelope" shooting people isn't even a big deal. It's the WAY he did it that was so genius. He had to completely throw you off your mood for you to recognize the madness.
he didnt shoot them, but he pretended to pull a gun and they ran, i think it means that the youth is even scared of what will happen next in the chapters of history
I don't think he pushed it. I think he was keeping it real with what is happening in the real world. It's being blatant and facing reality. There are people (mostly black) being killed and it isn't fair. I believe that's what has trying to say.
I've watched ALOT of these reaction videos to this now and your is the closest to my own for sure. I like that you absorbed it and didn't talk thru the whole thing.
I'm feeling the emotion! Lol. Your reaction was Epic!! 😅😂I was the same way, processed it and then I understood after watching it 2 more times and a waste of hot wings because after seeing the video I wasn't hungry anymore. Lol
This video is too deep to analyze in one viewing. I love this dude brings his thought to film. I believe he is just using his time in the celebrity as a means of bringing light to issues that affect black folk daily.
Games are Fun that's the great thing about art we can get from it what we want based on our own analogy. I mention black issues because I connect more with the scenes that were a direct reflections of the realities that black folk deal with daily... the church scene stood out as one.
I'm not from USA I just thought it's stupid how people forget Tragedies so fast it's literally a subject for the media to bank on and that is disgusting, African American people are dealing with racism while in some parts of middle East people's kids get blow up once in a while and meanwhile there are some people that they're biggest issue is what they should wear for the weekend, it's sad how there are allot of true artists like Donald Glover sending strong messages out there with minimal impact on the society it's almost like they're digging a mountain
I've watched the video and the snl version too many times, you're like my 10th reaction video in so far. I'm loving the conversation that this started and I hope it catches wildfire.
He never recovered from the 1st shot lmao
Straight up I did not hahahaha
He didn’t
💯
Same honestly
I thought the camera glitched)lol
I had tears when the choir was hit (thought of Charlottesville church shooting instantly)......full tears. Glover is a genius. He made so many statements about what is wrong with society without saying a word. He is brilliant.
He really is. I'm glad I live in a time like this to witness it. I immediately thought of the Dylan Roof situation.
Leia Roeges that was definitely Charleston not Charlottesville. Two separate racist instances
The way he looks at the camera right after he did that and said with a stone cold face of disappointment “this is America” gave me chills.
I keep my tin hat on with this flat EARTH and Aleins be poppin all around.. AI's take over!
You notice how after the shootings he started dancing and smiling? Kinda like America, people are killed and we just move on like it's normal
Michelle Clark Preach. Glover is dancing and smiling after the shootings and moves on like it’s nothing. America is asleep.
Michelle Clark noticed that the some of the dance moves also got really viral. Dance trends get more publicity than people dying.
Also while horrible things are happening the media is so preoccupied with a trend. Also notice the kids recording on their phones.
The man with the guitar represents real music beings killed with these catchy tunes with dances. Rappers talking about guns, weed, cars while violence is happening behind them (they ignore the real violence but love to sing about it via lame, mumble rappers)
@moonProo woke
He’s showing what’s going on in America like the others said. Also he’s showing how these so called rappers are today. Look again when he shoots the first guy how he changes is body language. When he’s on the car dancing the music says “get your money black man” like they’re using their fame for just the money and not really standing up for the injustices.
*Your face after the first shooting.... LOL pure gold.*
I was STUCK hahahaha
Thank you for not pausing the video!!!
No problem!
Same here hahaha
Same here
The shock we had with him shooting the chior then going back to dancing is how America was after Dylan roof killed those church members and got to stop by Burger King before going to jail.
& the patrol car was right there, signifying how Roof got away
Preach!
Partially, I do believe a great deal of it was with the Dylan Roof situation but the message overall definitely has that kind of tone.
I think he was showing how we put too much faith in religion and not on taking actual action on the problems that are killing the black community. We rely on religion to keep us safe, that's why they were in a place of worship while everything on the other side of the door was chaos. But they still ended up getting killed like everyone else who on the outside of the place of worship. Religion is another thing that destroys the black community. We were taught religion during slavery to keep us in control, and be easily manipulated by the massas
Sarah Chanel Wrong, Wrong he grew up a JW. Please without religion things would be even worse, u will see when its ban Problems will continue to get worse and ppl will still choose to ignore them, due to simple distractions. And this is not by chance, but by the way of design
Your reaction was priceless LMAO 😂💀
Thank you!!
He's so honest I love it.. Black people making reaction videos to this are like people wondering into a minefield..
But it's been too long that black Americans have been hiding from these truths.. Or I should write, obscuring them.
i need a meme on that lmao
Nasia Love he hit the mannequin challenge lmao #shook
howlin
After every shooting, he passes the gun to a child. They take it and run.
he's teaching children that silly dances. thats around next generation. don't think, don't act, just dance, smoke and enjoy while things screwing up.
I was wondering, could it be that those guns are handled with more care than the lives taken with them?
Hmmm interesting.
yeah, layed on a velvet scarf with gentle.
You got it. Guns are handled with more care than people in the US.
You know what you just watching. This is America.
Lol that is what I watched
LOL SAME
No, you know what I mean, when you watch something and you know exactly what it means, but you don't yet have the words to articulate what you're feeling...
This is America. Three words. The truth. While we dance and sing and fall back in love with ourselves, America is still America.
On pont.
You have to watch it AT LEAST twice. The dancing is to distract you. So much is going on, did you catch the kids on the balcony recording the chaos? This is definitely America.
Jamila Wash recording the chaos ANONYMOUSLY. That got me.
You're spot on. I love that some folks got it right away and others got it once they saw it more and more. That balcony part GOT me later on tho!
Here with you.
We all would.
Jamila Wash I watched it 6 times cuz I felt like I missed something every time😭
Mass shootings get the headlines but the chaos in the background is the real story as it impacts so many people. The First Horseman of the Apocalypse at 4:19 is a good example of the important parts that get missed because everyone is just looking at the dancing and listening to the music. The video is like a painting as you need to stare at it for an hour before you get even half of everything it is saying.
Tom Villars 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿
The horseman part caught me maybe my third time watching? But you're right. You've got to take some time to understand ALL of it.
In the beginning, we see a man peacefully strumming his guitar. Then America (which I assume is portrayed by Childish Gambino) begins dancing while the guitar strums a beat. Throughout the video, we see chaotic things such as gun violence, robbery, discrimination, etc going on. Gambino shoots up a gospel group, which I assume is a reference to the Charleston church shooting in 2015. Every time he shoots someone, the gun is cradled and taken away carefully while the bodies are left or carelessly dragged away, showing American respect for the second amendment but not for the people disadvantaged by it. While he's committing these awful crimes like gun violence, him and the group of teenagers behind him continue dancing and smiling. I think the overall moral of the video is that America has flaws but chooses to disregard them and focus on being cool, while the reality is that they're tearing us apart. This is why he repeatedly says "I'm so cold", and why theres a guy in the background throwing his money around, because we care more about being cool than we do about being compassionate.
its saying that America is using new dances and entertainment to make black people forget the real shit going on. Notice all the chaos going on in the background while we focused on the dancing and hot beat
I think that if you look a little deeper the dancing, the need to make jokes about everything, smoking weed to escape harsh reality is all a response to the pain inflicted on black people in America for generations...we cant fault people for trying to survive a system that has always been against us. Slaves got by singing and dancing in the fields. We are not that far removed.
Preach.
Good point.
We getting deep and I LOVE these conversations!
Nacht97 I understand what you're saying but I think that it is all relevant to the effects of oppression. They may not channel sorrow in the same manner but it's still a response to something. Slaves knew they were in bondage but today many can't even see that they are too because a lot of it is psychological. The majority of black Americans still identify with the surnames of the people who enslaved their ancestors. That says a lot in itself.
Thank you for not pausing the video every 10 seconds like other youtubers
Best mannequin challenge
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Lol
Lmao
😂
😂😂😂😂😂
This video is mostly about catching you slipping the song starts with a beat that kind of calms you down makes you feel good and then he gets that first killed that and his response to you is I caught You Slippin this is America as a black person you can never really lower your guard
Man in that case I lowered my damn guard and it caught me cause DAMN!
I think he meant "slippin" for the reasons why there is a war going on towards and in the black community and it's killing us, but the black man is "slippin" because he's easily distracted by what poppin and all the other toxic stuff that many black men focus on instead of focusing on the big problem, which is his own genocide.
I like that, a lot! Never play yourself 👊🏾
Exactly
Best reaction I've seen. Priceless, yes. Kind of does make one mentally speechless because it's so full of real life commentary. It's brilliant.
Legit thought your camera froze for about 30 seconds
Hahahaha thanks!
Same 😂😂😂
Drew Frizzell 😅
yup u not alone 😂😂😂
Yep
My thoughts on the video. This video was a perfect representation of America. The first showing was America/Gambino killing our culture which is the guy with the guitar. That's y the beat changed as soon as he died. The beat went from a kinda African dance style beat to a modern rap beat that exist in America. The choir getting shot up represents the church massacare.That I believe that happened last year.
Lastly, Gambino dancing was a perfect mask to what was going on In the background. While u was watching him dance u don't notice all the chaos in the background. That's kinda showing how we don't pay attention to all the fucked up shit that's happening in America because it's always something that distracts up from the real problems in America. It can be a new trend or even something deeper as a meaningless sport. THIS IS AMERICA !!!!!!!!!
That guitar bit was incredible. Wow! That was amazing to point out. The rest of your message is spot on!
I get what he saying the original music is dying comes from the Blues it just respect of each other and the love that we can kill each other wake up black man get your money another way of putting it it is not the only way to be happy to be pretty the way is the talent is real and The Talented is in you from God you're being used and disregard it don't sell your soul survive survive rise up put your trust in God
Just noticed someone gets thrown off the balcony at around 4.00m I keep rewatching it finding more and more symbolism or things that kinda give me that unsettling feeling. At the very end people ran away when he didn't even have a gun that also sort of unsettled me.
Ali V I saw that too. I was like damnnnn
He didn’t get thrown off. He committed suicide. If you look closely he was standing on the edge of the rail and then jumped
possibly seeing smoke where there's fire elsewhere?
remember the muslim kid that got thrown off the building?.. no?.. it was news for a week.
Yeah, I think that's what he wanted. Kind of a rat race or hampster wheel type of thing.
Your stunned and horrified silence is exactly the response I had. This music video is fucking amazing.
It was an amazing, groundbreaking video. Its satire of america. He's Gator, the dancing crackhead. He's the madman dancing barechested under the overpass. He's me and you when our dreams were humble now we stay strapped and aspire to bands and contraband. But this IS America and thats how america gets down.
But never get comfortable black, they still trying to run you down.
So deep. Loving this convo. I promise to never get too comfortable and let my guard down again haha.
el scientifico keep being a victim. Dumbass. No one wants to bring you down.
They way they treated the guys body after he was shot vs. the way they treated the gun he was shot with. Like the gun is more precious that the life that was taken.
My man...This is the best reaction for this track I’ve seen! You were in total open mouthed awe at this. Fantastic!
Finally someone noticed SZA right there
gustavo santos she def gonna be on a gambino track
i hope and surely will be my jam
Who cares about her. Most people who paid attention to that missed the message.
i only see stupid people who don't understand the message and also did'nt see SZA
Ayyyyyyy!!!!!!
He is running away from america at the end. He is petrified
Oooooo that's good!
PACIFIC BLUE or.... Terrified.
Lol see what I did there?
I was about in tears at the end. seriously terrifying
PACIFIC BLUE What do you think of Aprixity s theory comment about the weed? its another good take. The way I saw it was he was the one killing but in the end he was the one running away.
Loud_ Hailer sounds good as well
This is so chaotic and multi layered. I had to see your reaction to this video. From Trayvon Martins Dad in the beginning to what I believe are the makes of all the different cars black men were driving before being killed at the end. Masterpiece
I'm so blown away by all of it!
N Sanders oh shit the cars at the end. Omg i never nade the connection. Yooo, thats deep. Donald is genius
N Sanders
I agree.
The hooded guy shot first was Trayvon. The choir is Dylan Roof victims.
The guitarist is hooded with a rope around neck is lynched black men and even though black men are victims they influence trends and entertain AMERIKKKA.
N Sanders Trayvon Martin was a criminal who attacked someone for looking at him
That’s not Trayvon Martin’s dad. It would of been cool if it was.
The children in the uniform remind me of that photo of the children from Flint, Michigan. The children picking up their monthly water from the army.
The choir may represent the church shot up in South, Carolina.
And the running at the end may be the Charlottesville, Virginia
Jessica Boyd ahhh, oh yeah, didn’t pick up the running as a thing on its own but it could be! Good spotting!
Got damn Jessica you are GOOD!
Yeah, that was great.
My man was not ready...
I wasn't! Hahaha
dd pp 😂😂😂
Melvin Taylor II the purge
Your reaction said it all and it was my thoughts as well but I understand the message.
Agreed!
oh my god his face is on pause xD
I was so speechless! Haha, man I was caught off guard and didn't know what to do!
He's definitely playing some character. The way he peeps his head out of the door before the choir shooting kind of reminds of a cartoon character lmao his behavior is erratic and facial expressions are exaggerated too. Idrk, but that's what it looked like
You know it could be that too. I hadn't thought of him being a character in any way. Good observations.
Notice at the very beginning when he first pulls out the little moves, it's not fluid. It's stilted and looks almost painful. The focused, tense facial expressions too. Like he's not comfortable dancing, but it's what he's been told to do. It's Jim Crow and modern dancing all in one
Melvin Taylor II He’s being basically the Jim Crow character, all his poses and moves are from that style of theater
He is basically the shucking and jiving happy slave caricature that was prevelant in old cartoons and movie s
i agree also, Jim crow was always a white person in black face, so the moves wouldn't be fluid as they were a caricature of black men not the real thing. They attempted to make the moves and facial expressions as buffoonish as possible.
O my goodness, My favorite reaction thus far.
U were shooketh lol
I was STUCK hahaha. Caught me SO off guard.
Master piece from Mr. Glover ! ...great reaction and thoughts !
You are in the top 2 for best reaction to this video, you need an award for real!
Imani Strong hahaha thank you!
Best reaction lmao
Hahahahaha thank you!
Ben Akin yes it was
I've been watching his video over and over, processing all the way. Watch and process: repeat. Tears and laughter, the dichotomy of America.......all the feels. Thank you for an honest reaction!
HE IS A GENIUS
I watched it like 7 times last night...stayed up so late...understanding how amazing this vid is, but blown away by it. I appreciated seeing your reaction for the first time, tears in my eyes.
Great reaction. I know I am late, but my favorite thing about the video is that he shot people and no one batted an eyelash, but light up some weed and dance on a car, and the mob chases him down. This is America , indeed.
hands down, this is the best reaction video. your expression was exactly what a lot of people had when first watching. I cant stop watching this video, i find something different every time. Good video
Melvin.exe has crashed
Hahahahahaha
I've watched a LOT of reaction videos to this, and you are the only dude who stayed appropriately shocked after the first shooting and didn't go back to head bobbing a few beats later.
I think that probably says a lot about your character.
Thank you so much. Once that happened I knew this was different and wanted to make sure I took in as much as possible.
Hye bro', I'm from France and I didn't know you since yesterday when I watched this video reaction and I looked up to your channel, man you rock! I like your radio, the music you listen and you look like a very nice dude, so I'm gonna talk about you here in France and tell my bros to follow you! Keep goin you're doing an awesome work! Donald Glover is the best 😉
GREATEST REACTION EVER MAN
Thank you!!!
For sure this is the best reaction that i watch of this song, i was the same as you the first time i see it 😆😂
Best reaction ever! An amazing, amazing video by CG
That wasn't SZA. That was a distraction! Just like all the dancing.
jinxie712 so many people in reactions and in comments have asked if that’s SZA and I never once thought of that. Good looking.
It is Sza.
AND WE LIVE FOREVER Only in the physical sense. But she's another thing for people to say "squirrel!" at.
Yeah it was sza. Check her ig
jinxie712 She was there because he wanted her there. She is apart of the piece.
Wow, of all the reactions I've watched, this is by far the closest to the one I had the first time I watched. At this point, may have seen the video 250+ times....I think I've teared up at least 200. Donald Glover is a legend. He's permanently etched his name into the history books at this point. Also, far less important from a simply entertaining aspect (it's an integral part of the much larger message of the video), but Glover's dancing is absolutely incredible. INCREDIBLE. The choreographer deserves almost equal credit too (she's one of the 4 background dancers btw).
I love your reaction bro, feel it.
Thank you SO MUCH for not pausing every 3 seconds and talking over it. Best reaction I’ve seen.
Loved this reaction man! Happy belated birthday!
Manuel Orellana thank you Manny!!
Your reaction was priceless. 🤯🤯🤯🤯 You definitely have to watch this video a few times to get all the symbolism in it. It is amazing.
Freakin Work of Art !! Amazing music, lyrics, Singing (he has an amazing voice and doesn't use it in a overpowering way, yet in its most powerful way) , amazing dancing amazing directing!
This is the life we live in America. People are out of Control.
Best reaction ever. I fucking HATE when people continuously pause the video to give their commentary. Just watch the damn video!!
Hahaha thank you!
Your reaction for the first minute was epic.
One of the best videos I’ve seen in some time! I keep going back to it to see what else I’ve missed. Your reaction is EVERYTHING and I thought your screen was frozen! Happy Birthday!!!!!🎈🎊
This Is America
The best part of all this is that you were in exactly the right head-space for this. And then your face. YOUR FACE. We were all with you in your moment and it was so real
Exactly that was my exact reaction when I was watching the video....
Glad to know!
Yea I just finished watching your other video about this music video. I watch it like more than 5 times or more. I was hot! because it was true. We are distracted by things that trending or what is popular. I always wonder do we let this situation that happens in the black community consume us and at the time we just want have fun. I believe this video is a shock us to act what we need to do for our people as a community. We need to do better. The video is fire!!!!!! Tho
Easily the best reaction video I've watched so far. I felt the exact same way as your reactions throughout the whole thing. Then I sat in silence for thirty minutes trying to piece together what I just watched. After reading some comments and thinking about it it all started to get even more powerful and I am now just left thinking, "Well, damn!" There are so many facets of it that can be interpreted and understood. Amazing freaking video though! Such an awesome artist.
It was Sza
Ayyyyyyyy
Larry Peters Distraction
My2Loves it worked lol
So Im watching reaction videos for The Happytime Murders and somewhere in my feed u popped up. I'm like "yo that's Melvin!" Yo waddup boooooooy! Your reaction to TIA was priceless, one of the most amusing and emotional I've seen. One of the best! And it helped that it was in the wee hours and u were half lit at least. And u had to temper urself. Very funny reaction. Had to watch u twice just as I had to watch TIA twice to make sure I saw what I saw, but knowing the outcome. And that haunting ending, yikes. Good catch with Sza. Most thought she was a random prop til they read about her participation. Anyhow, stay smooth brother. Be well in NYC
Jay Billz JAY!!!!!! Thank you so much man how you been?
ART
I've been obsessed with this video since first watching it. Shortly after, I started watching reactions like crazy. What is amazing to me is that you were the only viewer I watched that remained shook and didn't bounce back after the first shooting(and you was TURNT😂). I've watched a lot of reactions now. 😏 I know it's supposed to be "just a video" but for me it was one bullet, one life, that was enough to lock into Donald's message and what he is wanting to say. Even though he is clearly gettin it with those moves in this video. That was comforting to see that about you. I'm excited for the dialogue that follows and people's resolve to be a part of the solution now.
Your the first person I seen who ask "is that sza"
Ayyyyyy!!!!!!
I saw a few others say that too like the law brothers and some other comments, and youtubers, but someone brought up a good point about that just being a distraction.
Best reaction everrrr!!!! After that first shooting my mouth was on the floor!
That was me 100% 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yo... imma need you to redo a reaction when you are not coming down from being LIT at 2am on ya Cake Day weekend (Happy Born Naked Day to ya--Ayyyeee!!)🤗. This video reflects some of the news stories from the past 2 yrs or so and how America seemed to move on without any true resolve. From the church shootings, to the unarmed police stops and shootings (i think those cars at the end were identical to ones in stops that made national news... the red one he dances on i think is either Sandra Bland or Philando Castile...), to the Flint kids, to the numerous suicides, etc. I'm sure ppl probably will be stuck on how graphic the mock-shootings are in this vid. Good. That means we are not totally numb yet. Gambino went for the shock factor. Point made and received. I'm here for it.
Hahaha thank you and I appreciate it! I have another video talking about it right here - ua-cam.com/video/RlY7T0XLVtw/v-deo.html
I've been a fan of Bino since his track "Freaks and Geeks", so a very, very, VERY long time and I am very sad that this may be the last album. We need his musical genius more than ever. The video is a masterpiece and I'm speechless with it. All the references that are in it are just, poignant and precise and we really need more of this from him. He surprised me with the gunshots, but it was necessary to the point he was making. What really got me was at the end when he's on top of the car and he throws the weed to dance while an angry man yells, "GET DOWN!", which could either mean "Dance!" or "GET DOWN, IT'S THE POLICE!", now that made me tear up.
I was afraid he will shoot the kids too :| but honestly he really pushed the envelope with these visuals ..Happy belated birthday though :D your face's expressions LOL
I didn't think he'd go that far but damn this was crazy. Thank you!!!
I think he didn't because the kids are mainly ones apart of the destruction sadly and notice they were helping him and recording everything with their phones.
In 2018 it's pretty hard to "push the envelope" shooting people isn't even a big deal. It's the WAY he did it that was so genius. He had to completely throw you off your mood for you to recognize the madness.
he didnt shoot them, but he pretended to pull a gun and they ran, i think it means that the youth is even scared of what will happen next in the chapters of history
I don't think he pushed it. I think he was keeping it real with what is happening in the real world. It's being blatant and facing reality. There are people (mostly black) being killed and it isn't fair. I believe that's what has trying to say.
I've watched ALOT of these reaction videos to this now and your is the closest to my own for sure. I like that you absorbed it and didn't talk thru the whole thing.
I love this! Great messages! Childish Gambino the best! Thank you Donald Glover!
Gambino is! I'm so glad I can witness all this!
Esta era la reacción que estaba buscando, vale millones tu cara!!! y así es, lastimosamente This is América...
Fela Lives!!!
Things Childish Gambino did: THAT!!
Yes!!! Fela.
The Fela vibes were indeed there
I'm going to listen to some right now haha
Ouroboros Right
basically my reaction the first time.but,this is america will go down in history.
my man was frozen
The BEST reaction video. You went straight from happy and vibing to holy shit wtf am I watching.
Melvin.exe has stopped working.
I'm feeling the emotion! Lol. Your reaction was Epic!! 😅😂I was the same way, processed it and then I understood after watching it 2 more times and a waste of hot wings because after seeing the video I wasn't hungry anymore. Lol
DUDE AINT KNOW HOW TO FEEL
I really didn't hahahaha
This video is too deep to analyze in one viewing. I love this dude brings his thought to film. I believe he is just using his time in the celebrity as a means of bringing light to issues that affect black folk daily.
PREACH!!! BTW What's up Melvin!!!!
Agree. I watched a dozen times, and still in the process of understanding.
This isn't only about issues black people are dealing with it's the issues USA is dealing with like ignorance
Games are Fun that's the great thing about art we can get from it what we want based on our own analogy. I mention black issues because I connect more with the scenes that were a direct reflections of the realities that black folk deal with daily... the church scene stood out as one.
I'm not from USA I just thought it's stupid how people forget Tragedies so fast it's literally a subject for the media to bank on and that is disgusting, African American people are dealing with racism while in some parts of middle East people's kids get blow up once in a while and meanwhile there are some people that they're biggest issue is what they should wear for the weekend, it's sad how there are allot of true artists like Donald Glover sending strong messages out there with minimal impact on the society it's almost like they're digging a mountain
The video was loaded with messages. Lots of symbolism. African for life. The lyrics coupled with it. Powerful
Don't know how true this is but, someone said that the guy playing the guitar is Travon Martin's father. Again, don't know how true that is...
Yeah, I looked it up and couldn't find it. If you can let me know!
Melvin Taylor II It has been confirmed that it wasn't his father. I can't send you a link because of my phone.
I've watched the video and the snl version too many times, you're like my 10th reaction video in so far. I'm loving the conversation that this started and I hope it catches wildfire.
Yo he froze! Haha!
jeremiah torrevillas dang bro he did i thought my phone was stuck hahaha
Lmfao!!! 😂 damn, he sure did. I'm FLOORED!
I never freeze
Raymond Torres I see what ya did there 😊
Hahahaha I was so speechless! Man I was caught off guard and didn't know what to do!
Literally his reaction was my reaction the first time I watched the video. Mouth opened the whole time.
Pretty sure most reaction videos are fake. But this one is genuine.
I've watched it so many times now and I'm still speechless...like WOW...WOW..wow
This dude got PTSD for life now. HAHA!
MixedReactions sent me here. Your reaction deserves a follow! It was hilarious! 😂😂😂
Thank you so much Brandi!!
One word...CHAOS!! 😂😂
Complete chaos!
All I could think of when I saw his awe reaction was to say "Happy Birthday!" 👐😂
Thank you!
It’s just the way the rest of the world perceives you lot!!
Man and that bothers me so much. I want to and will do more to change that because this is CRAZY!
your reaction was gold. i watched this three times and the shooting scenes still get to me.
What is this? This is America.
Preach.
Your facial expressions were exactly the same ones I had when I watched it. Such an intense and amazing piece of work.
Society has us distracted that we don't notice what is going on in the background