Released in early May by Donald Glover, more popularly known as Childish Gambino, “This is America” has been a controversial topic.  The video depicts gun violence, mass killings, and police brutality-a clear evaluation on the plight of African American citizens. Upon the release of the video, Glover established himself as a protest artist.

These topics are not new to Glover, who also made an appearance in the show “Atlanta,” which depicts life as a black Southerner.  He used Saturday Night Live as a platform to debut his single, and the video was released shortly after.

It has been revealed that the use of violence and guns in his video was a commentary on the statistics regarding African Americans as homicide victims.

His lyrics coupled with the video has brought about controversy because of their apparent message being that African Americans are at a disadvantage in every aspect of American life: social, political, and economic.

The political and social climate of the day creates controversy in almost every aspect of life, and it is safe to say that there will be conversations regarding the song and its impact on American life.