For context: The unsolved murder of Jam Master Jay in 2002 abruptly ended Run DMCs legacy as a band.

I heard their resurfaced “It's like that“ remix was some sort of official mourning on the loss, but it looks like that happened 5 years before his death already.

RUN-DMC, Jason Nevins - It's Like That (Video)

I love this video. I disagree with some of his points, but I get where he's coming from and I'm glad he still cares enough to be so passionate about Hip-Hop.

Soundcloud rappers are a joke, but I also think the culture is so big now that there is space for the diversity of voices.

He fails to note that "This is America" is one of 2018's most viewed videos on youtube, and it had a powerful relevant message which may mean that there is a need for consciousness in the mainstream. Although to be fair, for every one of those there may be 20 "Hotline Bling"s.

I'm not in tune with what is popular anymore because of how I consume music so I have never even heard of Lil Pump or some of the other popular people he mentioned and I'm sure if that's all you hear then your view of hip-hop would be pretty bleak.

Remember when we taught you how to Google "democratic socialism"? It turns out you can type other words into the Google too and see what people have to say about them.

https://www.google.com/search?q=this+is+america+song+meaning

I think people reacting negatively to clumsy trolling by an anonymous sockpuppet are pretty normal circumstances. Isn't that why you've been coming here all this time?

I find it funny because my take, is that it was a critique on modern (distributed) hip-hop & rap which is exactly what you, and the lyric, seem to be taking a dig at.

You should watch the video and figure out what it means to you.
He has deliberately not explained any of its meaning, but it's a very obvious commentary on gun violence. I see it as showing the cycle of mass shootings in America from the immediate shock to Americans then moving on to the next thing. The trivial, mindless entertainment American culture uses to forget and push aside the serious problems that the country faces.
There are also references to Jim Crow, drugs, and other things that still affect black American communities.
It's a song and video heavy on subtext, I think even after several viewings there are things I notice which I didn't before, so really, if you want to understand why it's such an important video go watch it for yourself.

Never heard the song. I am not big on hiphop.

Watch it once to see what it is about.

Soft TV lighting. Everyone has makeup. No sweat. A nice looking guy walks into the frame to pick up a guitar and start playing. We can just precisely see the singer behind a column. It starts out kumbaya-like, interjected with our singer suddently murdering the guitar player, that now has a hood over his head. "This is america". His coreography is way stiffer now. He sings about money and carrying guns.

Then there is a gospel choir. Kblammo, he murders them as well. Also interrupting his own dance. Now the background music sounds like distant screams, actually going into one as the music cuts out.

Everyone is alive again, the executed man plays a guitar. Singer is dancing happily on a car. Camera backs away, through a narrow passage, giving the scene a black frame. Then it goes up, and into a completely different shot scene. Dark lighting. Alright, we're in the real word now. Singer looks frantic as he runs, sweaty. We can see the whites of his eyes. A group of people are chasing him through a parking garage. Cold dark lighting. Songs ends on a scrill note.

I've watched it once. I know hardly anything of the genre. I've not listened to the lyrics. I don't know much about film. What I get from it is "The idea that we have to be violent to one another is the reason why we can't have nice things".

I am sure you can find better interpretations than mine.

Side note. There is a LOT going on in the frame. And the cuts are long. Whoever put this together knew what the hell they were doing. Damn...

A fantastic video, thank you for sharing.

The kids these days! Get off my lawn!

"Whether you're trolling or controlling, just a reminder
You think you get it, you don't, it's the
Andrew Auernheimer
Pulling on her weave"
- Gambino


Y'all handing these out like it's Hallowe'en.