Media Video Theory

Music Video: Theory

There are a range of important theories we need to learn as part of our Music Video unit.

Both our Music Video Close-Study Products contain representations of black Americans. We therefore need to study a range of theories that address the representation of black or minority ethnic people in the media.

Notes from the lesson

Paul Gilroy: The Black Atlantic

Paul Gilroy is a key theorist in A Level Media and has written about race in both the UK and USA.

In The Black Atlantic (1993), Gilroy explores influences on black culture. One review states: “Gilroy’s ‘black Atlantic’ delineates a distinctively modern, cultural-political space that is not specifically African, American, Caribbean, or British, but is, rather, a hybrid mix of all of these at once.”

Gilroy is particularly interested in the idea of black diasporic identity – the feeling of never quite belonging or being accepted in western societies even to this day.

For example, Gilroy points to the slave trade as having a huge cultural influence on modern America – as highlighted by Common’s Letter to the Free.

Diaspora: A term that originates from the Greek word meaning “dispersion,” diaspora refers to the community of people that migrated from their homeland. [Source: facinghistory.org]

Gilroy on black music

Gilroy suggests that black music articulates diasporic experiences of resistance to white capitalist culture. 

When writing about British diasporic identities, Gilroy discusses how many black Britons do not feel like they totally belong in Britain but are regarded as ‘English’ when they return to the country of their parents’ birth e.g. the Caribbean or Africa. This can create a sense of never truly belonging anywhere.

Additional theories on race representations and music

Stuart Hall: race representations in media

Stuart Hall suggests that audiences often blur race and class which leads to people associating particular races with certain social classes.

He suggests that western cultures are still white dominated and that ethnic minorities in the media are misinterpreted due to underlying racist tendencies. BAME people are often represented as ‘the other’.

Hall outlined three black characterisations in American media:

• The Slave figure: “the faithful fieldhand… attached and devoted to ‘his’ master.” (Hall 1995)
• The Native: primitive, cheating, savage, barbarian, criminal.
• The Clown/Entertainer: a performer – “implying an ‘innate’ humour in the black man.” (Hall 1995)

Tricia Rose: Black Noise (1994)

 

Tricia Rose was one of the first academics to study the cultural impact of the hip hop genre in her influential book Black Noise: Rap Music and Black Culture in Contemporary America (1994).

Rose suggested that hip hop initially gave audiences an insight into the lives of young, black, urban Americans and also gave them a voice (including empowering female artists). However, Rose has since criticised commercial hip hop and suggests black culture has been appropriated and exploited by capitalism.

Michael Eric Dyson: Know What I Mean (2007)

Georgetown University Professor of Sociology Michael Eric Dyson has passionately defended both hip hop and black culture – Jay-Z describes him as “the hip hop intellectual”.

 

Dyson suggests that political hip hop in the 1990s didn’t get the credit (or commercial success) it deserved and this led to the rap music of today – which can be flashy, sexualised and glamorising criminal behaviour.

Dyson states: “Hip hop music is important precisely because it sheds light on contemporary politics, history and race. At its best, hip hop gives voice to marginal black youth we are not used to hearing from on such critics. Sadly, the enlightened aspects of hip hop are overlooked by critics who are out to satisfy a grudge against black youth culture…” Michael Eric Dyson, Know What I Mean (2007)


Hip hop debate - full video
As requested in class, this appears to be the full Google debate on hip hop if you want to watch more from where those extracts came from.



Music Video theory - blog tasks

Childish Gambino, the musical stage name of writer and performer Donald Glover, released an incredible critique of American culture and Donald Trump with This Is America last year.

The music video is a satirical comment on American culture, racism and gun violence. Racking up 10m views in the first 24 hours, it now stands at over half a billion views and has been dubbed ‘genius’ and ‘a masterpiece’. 

Create a blogpost called 'Music video: theory', watch the video again then answer the questions below:

 


1) How does the This Is America video meet the key conventions of a music video?

In this music video there are a great deal of key shows, for example, a presentation. All through the entire video there was an exhibition proceeding to indicate what occurs in America and I estimate to instruct individuals and make others mindful this is going on which is done in an account. The diverse camera edges, for example, long-shots and close-shots to following shots and medium shots, as used to keep the gathering of people intrigued and need to continue viewing. 
2) What comment is the video making on American culture, racism and gun violence?

The portrayal of firearms in this video has an a ton of importance to it as it demonstrates that blameless individuals are biting the dust as a result of it and possibly alluding to police ruthlessness where they murder guiltless dark individuals. this is likewise identified with prejudice since dark individuals in AMERICA are as yet treated diversely to white individuals and experience the ill effects of the police. 
3) Write an analysis of the video applying the theories we have learned: Gilroy, Hall, Rose and Dyson. 

Gilroy has an enthusiasm for dark diasporic character which is the sentiment of never fully having a place or being acknowledged in western social orders even right up 'til today. Gilroy recommends that dark music explains diasporic encounters of protection from white entrepreneur culture. In this music video there are a ton of references to weapon viciousness and prejudice and how these thing are so significant yet nothing is being done to stop it. so consequently this makes mindfulness. 

Stuart Hall recommends that groups of onlookers frequently obscure race and class which prompts individuals partner specific races with certain social classes. He recommends that western societies are as yet white ruled and that ethnic minorities in the media are confounded because of fundamental supremacist issues. This video instructs individuals what others experience and not accept in light of the fact that they originate from a specific social class. 'the comedian/performer' could be the lead vocalist as the group of onlookers may discover his presentation clever in the event that they don't comprehend the account. 

Rose proposed that hip bounce at first gave groups of onlookers an understanding into the lives of youthful, dark, urban Americans and furthermore gave them a voice. The lead vocalist is attempting to give the gathering of people an understanding of how it resembles living in America if your dark, and through this he is endeavoring to bring issues to light. 

Dyson recommends that political hip jump during the 1990s didn't get the credit (or business achievement) it merited and this prompted the rap music of today – which can be conspicuous, sexualised and glamorizing criminal conduct. The lead artist and how a dark rapper, is making a melody with such a ground-breaking message and video to bring issues to light, indicates how compelling hip bounce music can be 

Read this Guardian feature on This Is America - including the comments below.

4) What are the three interpretations suggested in the article?

He’s playing Jim Crow
He’s duping us with dance 
He’s taking on the police

5) What alternative interpretations of the video are offered in the comments 'below the line'? 

It's simply music.

amazed that this motion picture isn't 30 seconds in length, with him strolling on set and after that some police shooting him. That would be a progressively precise portrayal of the US.

It gives me the image of the US acknowledgment of savagery and murder that I get from the news in the British media. An incredibly all around made video. Horrendous scenes and detestable frames of mind.