Home Mashable You can't shut down 'This Is America' memes. That's what 'This Is America' is about.

You can't shut down 'This Is America' memes. That's what 'This Is America' is about.

Something strange has been happening since Childish Gambino's "This Is America" video dropped. Memes are surfacing, as they inevitably do, and some people are pushing back.

"It's disrespectful" is a common criticism directed at the meme-makers and sharers. Some feel the video's powerful messages, which together amount to a statement on the black experience in the United States, qualify it as a sacred work.

That's a completely valid read. The video is an exceptional framing device for Gambino's song, which contrasts joyful, cheery melodies against a harsh, thumping trap beat. But it's also a standalone work with its own artistic merits. Read more...

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