This Is America

“This is America” was released on May 6th, 2018, and has been speculated to be the first single for Gambino’s upcoming album. It is his first single since the release of his 2016 studio album “Awaken, My Love!”. Released along with an accompanying music video, the song serves as a commentary on the condition of black Americans in 2018. The stark contrast between the happy, carefree chorus and the dark, aggressive verses highlights the way the black experience is perceived in popular culture versus reality. This contrast can also allude to the cyclical shifts in mood in America whenever there is a shooting – one second, the entire nation is in uproar, but the next, they are happy and unconcerned, placated by vapid pop culture trends, and the cycle persists. The song’s release coincided with Gambino’s appearance on Saturday Night Live, on which he also performed the song along with another new track, "Saturday".

[Intro: Choir] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away [Bridge: Childish Gambino & Young Thug] We just wanna party Party just for you We just want the money Money just for you (Yeah) I know you wanna party Party just for free Girl, you got me dancin' (Girl, you got me dancin') Dance and shake the frame (Yeah) We just wanna party (Yeah) Party just for you (Yeah) We just want the money (Yeah) Money just for you (You) I know you wanna party (Yeah) Party just for free (Yeah) Girl, you got me dancin' (Girl, you got me dancin', yeah) Dance and shake the frame (Ooh) [Chorus: Childish Gambino] This is America Don't catch you slippin' now Don't catch you slippin' now Look what I'm whippin' now This is America (Woo) Don't catch you slippin' now Don't catch you slippin' now Look what I'm whippin' now [Verse 1: Childish Gambino, Young Thug, Blocboy JB & 21 Savage] This is America (Skrrt, skrrt, woo) Don't catch you slippin' now (Ayy) Look how I'm livin' now Police be trippin' now (Woo) Yeah, this is America (Woo, ayy) Guns in my area (Word, my area) I got the strap (Ayy, ayy) I gotta carry 'em Yeah, yeah, I'ma go into this (Ugh) Yeah, yeah, this is guerilla (Woo) Yeah, yeah, I'ma go get the bag Yeah, yeah, or I'ma get the pad Yeah, yeah, I'm so cold like, yeah (Yeah) I'm so dope like, yeah (Woo) We gon' blow like, yeah (Straight up, uh) [Refrain: Choir & Childish Gambino] Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody You go tell somebody Grandma told me Get your money, Black man (Get your— Black man) Get your money, Black man (Get your—Black man) Get your money, Black man (Get your—Black man) Get your money, Black man (Get your—Black man) Black man [Chorus: Childish Gambino, Young Thug, Slim Jxmmi & Quavo] This is America (Woo, ayy) Don't catch you slippin' now (Woo, woo, don't catch you slippin' now) Don't catch you slippin' now (Ayy, woah) Look what I'm whippin' now (Slime!) This is America (Yeah, yeah) Don't catch you slippin' now (Woah, ayy) Don't catch you slippin' now (Ayy, woo) Look what I'm whippin' now (Ayy) [Verse 2: Childish Gambino, Quavo, Young Thug, 21 Savage & BlocBoy JB] Look how I'm geekin' out (Hey) I'm so fitted (I'm so fitted, woo) I'm on Gucci (I'm on Gucci) I'm so pretty (Yeah, yeah, woo) I'm gon' get it (Ayy, I'm gon' get it) Watch me move (Blaow) This a celly (Ha) That's a tool (Yeah) On my Kodak (Woo) Black Ooh, know that (Yeah, know that, hold on) Get it (Woo, get it, get it) Ooh, work it (21) Hunnid bands, hunnid bands, hunnid bands (Hunnid bands) Contraband, contraband, contraband (Contraband) I got the plug in Oaxaca (Woah) They gonna find you like "blocka" (Blaow) [Refrain: Choir, Childish Gambino, & Young Thug] Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody America, I just checked my following list, and You go tell somebody You mothafuckas owe me Grandma told me Get your money, Black man (Black man) Get your money, Black man (Black man) Get your money, Black man (Black man) Get your money, Black man (Black man) Black man (1, 2, 3—get down) Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody You go tell somebody Grandma told me, "Get your money" Get your money, Black man (Black man) Get your money, Black man (Black man) Get your money, Black man (Black man) Get your money, Black man (Black man) Black man [Outro: Young Thug] You just a black man in this world You just a barcode, ayy You just a black man in this world Drivin' expensive foreigns, ayy You just a big dawg, yeah I kenneled him in the backyard No, probably ain't life to a dog For a big dog SENSE if