Analyze two music videos explicitly about America. The two music videos are below
Music Video 1: Toby Keith (2011) Made in America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaAF_3WMJGM
Music Video 2: Childish Gambino (2018) This is America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYOjWnS4cMY
- What is the overarching message of the song and its accompanying video? How does the music video define America? What social groups (pay attention to class, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and religion) are represented in the music video? Why? Are these music videos portraying these categories in similar or dissimilar ways?
- Does the music video reinforce or critique/oppose dominant/hegemonic symbols? Would you argue that the dominant, negotiated, or counter code is present? How? Why? Use detailed, thick descriptive, examples to argue your position.
- In addition to “America” what else is the music video signifying? And, in what ways?
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