This is not America
May 27, 2018 8:20 AM Subscribe
This is Nigeria.
Yes, obviously this is a remake of Childish Gambino's "This is America", performed by Nigerian rapper Falz (Folarin Falana), the son of human rights activist Femi Falana -- whose voice over opens the song -- and womens rights activist Funmi Falana.
Yes, obviously this is a remake of Childish Gambino's "This is America", performed by Nigerian rapper Falz (Folarin Falana), the son of human rights activist Femi Falana -- whose voice over opens the song -- and womens rights activist Funmi Falana.
This is America, previously (on account of me missing it last time).
posted by ambrosen at 8:54 AM on May 27, 2018
posted by ambrosen at 8:54 AM on May 27, 2018
Hidden meanings behind Falz "This is Nigeria" (NairaBeta Tv)
Genius.com entry for the song, but there aren't any annotations yet, though it may be helpful to read the lyrics.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:56 AM on May 27, 2018
Genius.com entry for the song, but there aren't any annotations yet, though it may be helpful to read the lyrics.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:56 AM on May 27, 2018
We also got one of those too (genius entry).
posted by sukeban at 9:27 AM on May 27, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by sukeban at 9:27 AM on May 27, 2018 [2 favorites]
This was my first chance to view the Childish Gambino video as well as this one. The original is amazing, but I really appreciate the staging of the Nigeria response - it's creative and approaches the storytelling in a compelling way.
posted by Miko at 10:35 AM on May 27, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by Miko at 10:35 AM on May 27, 2018 [3 favorites]
Oh man, that choreography
posted by schadenfrau at 2:11 PM on May 27, 2018
posted by schadenfrau at 2:11 PM on May 27, 2018
This is so far the first (and only) response/remake/reappropriation of the Gambino original that hasn't been a completely embarrassing misinterpretation.
posted by Saxon Kane at 2:11 PM on May 27, 2018 [26 favorites]
posted by Saxon Kane at 2:11 PM on May 27, 2018 [26 favorites]
Saxon Kane, I don't know Spain very well, not even well enough to know what demographic the rappers are coming from, but the version sukeban links above tells me pretty strongly about how Spain's not all it appears to be on the surface.
posted by ambrosen at 4:31 AM on May 28, 2018
posted by ambrosen at 4:31 AM on May 28, 2018
Nigeria works because the original was so deeply based in African music. Not sure how "This is Sweden" is going to work out in the end...
posted by fungible at 6:56 AM on May 28, 2018
posted by fungible at 6:56 AM on May 28, 2018
Personally, I don't think the Spain version works all that well, but maybe I should mention that David Sainz/ Lomogoldo (the guy in the "13" t-shirt) is afrolatino.
The song is difficult to explain because it alludes to prime minister Mariano Rajoy's rather incoherent sayings ("Es el vecino el que elige al alcalde" in the chorus and so on) and things like when queen Letizia stood in front of the former queen Sofía so the photographers couldn't take a picture of her with Letizia's daughters ("Letizia tapando a emérita") that are mostly unknown outside of the country. Apart from that it mentions shallow patriotism and sports being the opium of the people, people being generally cruel (abandoning pets in summer, filming fights on the phone, sending grandpa to the retirement home) and the general poverty that we seemingly can't get out of, particularly since the 2008 financial crisis and housing bubble burst (but these guys are from Andalucía where poverty has been endemic for centuries because of historical reasons). And, at the end, a guardia civil chasing the artists because of course.
posted by sukeban at 7:52 AM on May 28, 2018 [2 favorites]
The song is difficult to explain because it alludes to prime minister Mariano Rajoy's rather incoherent sayings ("Es el vecino el que elige al alcalde" in the chorus and so on) and things like when queen Letizia stood in front of the former queen Sofía so the photographers couldn't take a picture of her with Letizia's daughters ("Letizia tapando a emérita") that are mostly unknown outside of the country. Apart from that it mentions shallow patriotism and sports being the opium of the people, people being generally cruel (abandoning pets in summer, filming fights on the phone, sending grandpa to the retirement home) and the general poverty that we seemingly can't get out of, particularly since the 2008 financial crisis and housing bubble burst (but these guys are from Andalucía where poverty has been endemic for centuries because of historical reasons). And, at the end, a guardia civil chasing the artists because of course.
posted by sukeban at 7:52 AM on May 28, 2018 [2 favorites]
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posted by infini at 8:46 AM on May 27, 2018 [1 favorite]