As the Childish Gambino/Donald Glover episode of Saturday Night Live was airing on May 5, Glover’s musical alter-ego was also debuting an enthralling video for “This Is America.”
Over the last nine days, the visual is sitting at 112 million YouTube views, while the song itself has been streamed over 160 million times across various platforms. Subsequently, the track has made its Billboard Hot 100 debut at #1.
Directed by Hiro Murai, who frequently works with Glover on his hit FX show Atlanta, the video earned 85.3 million views in its first week on YouTube. According to a press release, that marks the biggest first week debut of any video this year, which helped land the song at #1 on the YouTube Songs chart in 11 countries, including the U.S., U.K. and Australia.
It’s also tied for the fifth fastest music video to reach 100 million views in YouTube history.
“This Is America” isn’t tied to any particular Gambino project but he’s currently working on his follow-up to 2016’s Awaken! My Love, which is expected to be his final album.
Revisit the “This Is America” video above.[apple_news_ad type=”any”]
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I love the message and the video, but the song itself is garbage. Lazy, repetitive trap style beat and simplistic flow, not surprising the country of dumbasses would enjoy it so much.
You do realize the song was made like that on purpose? Like all you need is a beat, Adlibs, and a bunch lazy lyrics about nothin and drugs and bs. Dummies get their 15 mins of fame off it but set back our communities back 15 years. Next man up c00n ish smh
You can take them to the waterhole but you cant make ignorqnce drink it…smh good observation
The song was made purposeful mainstream crass on top of the video serving its purpose. Cant front on Gambino for being smart on this one. Get that paper Donny.
You’re an idiot. That was intentional dumb dumb