ENGL 1101 - Fall 2020 - Hip-Hop Reader - PEASE

The music video for Childish Gambino's “This is America” represents violence against blacks in the United States. I chose this video because of the recent events in America that caused people to recognize the unfair treatment of people of color. The video begins with a man strumming a guitar while Gambino dances behind him, then he shoots him in the head as the song starts. A man takes the gun away with a red cloth. This is a focal point because it draws the attention of the viewer to the gun that was used and highlights gun violence against blacks. According to the reading texts, musicians use focal points to convey a theme. The music also shows contrast. It begins with a happy singing and guitar, but as soon as there is a gunshot, it changes and Gambino says “This is America.”

Later in the video, Gambino joins a group of kids as they’re dancing. Behind them, there is chaos as people are running and throwing things, but they look happy which distracts the viewer from what is happening in the background. This shows opposition. People are distracted from the real problems that those in the black community face because they are only paying attention to what is happening in front of them. In the next scene, there is a group of gospel singers singing happily, but Gambino comes in with a gun and shoots them. This is supposed to represent the massacre in Charleston in 2015 where a white supremacist killed members of a colored church. This scene uses ethos to evoke an emotional response. It should make the viewers realize that there is a problem by giving a real example of discrimination. They should want change because they may recognize the unfair treatment of people of color in society. 

The video reflects the experiences that members of the black community face and it is trying to bring light to these issues. In Tricia Rose’s Rap Music, she explains that hip hop affirmed the experiences and identities of those involved and also critiqued a larger society of hip hop and society as a whole. (26) This video is showing the struggles as a person of color and trying to bring attention to it so others in society would understand. The violence, shooting, and chaos that take place throughout the video are familiar to some, but others that have privilege are blind to it. It brings focus to issues this group faces within itself and in society.

Haley Powell

Figurative language rough draft

Figurative language is an important part of all genres of music to convey the message of a song. It is especially significant in hip-hop. “Circles” by Post Malone is a melancholy song that tells the story of a struggling relationship. It is about the realization that someone is stuck in a loop of breaking up and getting back together because the couple can't sustain a healthy relationship. Post Malone uses different forms of figurative language, such as metaphor and repetition, to help convey the meaning of this song.

Without the use of figurative language, it would be hard to understand the meaning. The song begins with the lyrics “We couldn't turn around ‘til we were upside down.” This is a metaphor that represents the beginning of the realization of a struggling relationship. Once the relationship was turned “upside down,” meaning that it was falling apart, it was too late to fix it. He compares their conflicts as being turned upside down, although this is not literal. He also repeats “Run away, but we’re running in circles” throughout the song. They know the relationship is not going to work and is going to end in pain, but they keep going back and forth. This use of a metaphor helps the reader have an idea of how they run back to each other every time, but they are not literally running in circles. The metaphors used in this song help to make the story more interesting to listen to.

A pattern that is used throughout the song is the comparison of heat and cold and the changing of seasons to the changing of their love for each other. He says “Seasons change and our love went cold, feed the flame ‘cause we can’t let go.” The relationship is now cold, meaning their feelings have changed toward one another. They “fan the flames” trying to keep the relationship alive because they find themselves running back each time they separate. This phrase is also repeated multiple times in the song. This is important because just like the relationship going back and forth, the song repeats the pattern of saying they’re “running away” from the relationship and “fanning the flames” to make the relationship work.

The figurative language used in the song “Circles” paints a picture of a couple suffering as they decide if they should fight for their relationship or end it. It makes the story more interesting and easier to understand than just telling it literally. Metaphors and repetition are used to convey the meaning rather than telling it directly and they are crucial to the meaning of the song.

Haley Powell

Figurative language 

Figurative language is an important part of all genres of music to convey the message of a song, and it is especially significant in hip-hop. "Circles" by Post Malone is a melancholy song that tells the story of a struggling relationship. It is about the realization that a couple is stuck in a loop of breaking up and getting back together because the couple cannot sustain a healthy relationship. Post Malone uses different forms of figurative language to tell this story such as idiom, repetition, and symbolism which all help to convey the meaning of this song and make the song more interesting. 

The use of figurative language helps to develop the meaning of the song and makes it easier to understand. The song begins with the lyrics "We couldn't turn around 'til we were upside down." This idiom shows the beginning of the realization of a struggling relationship. Once the relationship was turned "upside down," meaning that it was falling apart, it was too late to fix it. He compares their conflicts to being turned upside down, which is not meant to be taken literally. He also repeats "Run away, but we're running in circles" throughout the song. This use of an idiom helps the reader to have a greater understanding of the repeating cycle of breaking up and getting back together the couple is stuck in, but they are not literally running in circles. The idioms used in this song help to make the story more interesting to listen to.

A pattern used throughout this song is the comparison of heat and cold and the changing of seasons to the changing of their love for each other. He says "Seasons change and our love went cold, feed the flame 'cause we can't let go." Their love is compared to a flame, but the relationship is now cold, meaning their feelings have changed toward one another. They "fan the flames" to try to keep the relationship alive because they find themselves running back each time they separate. This phrase is also repeated multiple times throughout the song. This is important because just like the relationship going back and forth the song repeats the pattern of saying they are "running away" from the relationship and "fanning the flames" to make the relationship work.  

The use of a circle as a symbol is important 

The figurative language used in the song "Circles" paints the picture of a couple suffering as they decide if they should fight for their relationship or end it. It makes the story more interesting and easier to understand rather than just telling it literally. The use of idioms, repetition, and symbolism are important to