Surely we have all heard Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino’s 2018 hit This is America (927M), the song that spurred up a multitude of praises and appreciation for its commentary on the policing and representation of black lives and violence in the US. The explorations of W.E.B Dubois’ idea of double consciousness through his facial expressions, and hints of Jim Crow through the evocative shuffling and gliding in dance brings to mind the histories of racial segregation and struggles, and how it is still relevant to our present times. Other works by Childish Gambino that may not have received as much attention for their social commentaries includes his 2016 release 'Redbone' (2016) — intertwining social awareness with his artistry through a veiled narrative of relationship paranoia, but synthesises the themes of modern love and lust with legacies of 70’s black music trying to start a revolution, and a call to “Stay Woke” amidst political activism. Similarly, 'Feels Like Summer' (2018), a critique of popular culture, is juxtaposed against the environmentally-centric lyrics, detailing the challenges we face amid the climate crisis.

In Childish Gambino more recent release Little Foot Big Foot (35.31), from his album ‘Atavista’ (2024), a revamped version of his 3.15.20 album, the song is accompanied by a music video directed by Hiro Murai, set in around 1940s America. It follows a musical trio, ‘Johnny and the Pipes’, who are seemingly performing on the Chitlin Circuit, a network of underground performance venues found in the South and Midwest of the United States during the years before the Civil Rights movement, where segregated black musicians and entertainers could be employed to perform there. It also references past performers who were a part of the circuit, including Cab Colloway and also dance moves from the Nicholas Brothers. Glover’s character starts off by asking how many of the audience have lost their father, in a variation of what is called AAVE (African-American Vernacular Language), “How many of ya’ll done lost yo papi?”. He was met with utter silence, and only then did the upbeat, jump-blues inspired verse of 'Little Foot Big Foot' begin to play. The sombre mood was soon interrupted, as a gunshot gave way to a cheerful response from the crowd and the show continued with a fully enthusiastically engaged audience.

The song's lyrics depict the story of a young person who has followed in their father's footsteps, losing him to incarceration and then becoming embroiled in a life of crime and drug abuse. The theme of generational incarceration in the lyrics is complemented by the commentary on the complex relationship between commercialised violence, the politics of hip hop, and blackness in the entertainment industry.

The vibrant hip-hop scene in 1970s Bronx saw Black cultures utilising the genre as a powerful tool for racial resistance and resilience. This is exemplified in seminal works like Public Enemy's albums "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" and "Fear of a Black Planet," which told potent stories of Black mistreatment. For instance, the hit track "911 is a Joke" offered scathing commentary on the woefully inadequate emergency response times experienced by Black communities. Similarly, "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" explored the indignation of a Black man being drafted into the army, refusing to serve due to the systemic injustices facing African Americans in their own country. As Black music became increasingly intertwined with narratives struggle and policing, it reflected the lived realities and oppression endured by these communities, and at the same time, the violence and struggle depicted in the lyrics became embedded within broader societal perceptions and representations of the music itself.

“Little Foot Big Foot” features two verses from rapper Young Nudy, where he also repeats the same verse of ‘little foot big foot, get out the way…’ at the very end of the song. It contrasts the style of “Johnny and the pipes” performing as a part of the chitlin circuit - a “Jim Crow-Era Safe Space for Black Performers”, versus modern hip hop/rap. The audience's response of laughter following the death of a fellow attendee serves as a stark mirror, such as reflecting how higher power structures like record labels benefit off music that perpetuate stereotypes for a larger audience’s liking, drawing on an analogy of ‘soul thieves’, where white America appropriates Hip Hop, and Black culture. Racial struggles are now endured with further complexing factors such as the media, digital technologies, and another divisive society, and Little Foot Big Foot appears to be showing the expectation that Black individuals "laugh it off" in the face of tragedies and injustices, speaking to the futility that many feel when confronting systemic racism, even when it manifests viscerally before their eyes. At the same time, the work of this song illustrates how the entertainment industry and environment has evolved, even as underlying racial struggles with policing, representation and sometimes indignation still persist.

This song touches on the deeply entrenched racial struggles that persist, despite the veneer of change. Childish Gambino has once again proven himself to be an artist unafraid of tackling complex social matters of race, violence and politics.