“This Is America” MashUps: Is the Internet Taking it Too Far?

Words by Anastasia Daphnis

Atlanta creator, Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino has the internet going crazy with his new visually stimulating visual, “This is America”. Since last week, Glover and collaborator Hiro Murai, captivated the internet with their creativity. I’m sure you’ve seen the countless memes and threads on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram trying to decode the video like the Da vinci Code.

The four minute, politically charged video, displays Gambino and a group of teenage black students, parading and dancing out different scenes in a large warehouse reenacting important events to black culture in the United States. Although the video touches upon many sensitive topics, users across the internet have created a sense of dark humor around the video.

Internet users have taken a less technical approach and made some pretty cool video mashups with the visuals from Glover’s “This is America”. Choosing classic hits like Earth, Wind and Fire’s “September” and not so hot hits like Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe”. The song and choreography from Glover’s video fit almost perfectly in the mashups that it is hard to un see once discovered.

One user by the name of ayebendito took to twitter and created a mash up of the video with Britney Spear’s 2003 hit, “Toxic”.

Another user on twitter animated the “3005” rapper in a scene of the popular game Fortnite:

On the other hand, #thisisamerica has become a popular hash tag for users around the US, to stream racial and social injustices going on in their cities and to also share visuals and words of empowerment in these dark times.

Reactions from the public are mixed. Some saying that the memes and reenactments were done in poor taste. Others seem to enjoy the unimaginable mash ups.

What do you guys think? Comment below.