Childish Gambino Wins Best Music Video for “This Is America” at 2019 Grammy Awards
Childish Gambino wins the Best Music Video honor at the 2019 Grammy Awards for his controversial visual for "This Is America." The award was handed out during the Pre-Grammy Award telecast on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 10).
Gambino wasn't there to accept the award but his longtime collaborator and co-director Hiro Murai accepted it along with his two collaborators. Upon receiving the award, the filmmaker thanked everyone involved in making the video. "This is amazing," he said. "I accept this award on behalf of Donald Glover and everyone who worked on the production."
He also gave a special shout-out to his mom and dad. "[I want to thank] my parents. They didn't work on the video but they worked on me a lot," he joked.
Murai, who has helmed several episodes of the comedy-drama Atlanta, directed the dark, surreal video, which highlights some of the problematic issues in America with an ensemble cast of teenagers who are dancing behind the Grammy-nominated rhymer. Throughout the clip, the camera follows Gambino (aka Donald Glover) as he moves between sections and the mood shifts from joy to violence to mayhem.
The opening scene is especially jarring as Gambino shoots a man with a bag over his head. From there we watch plenty of topical references to the Charleston church shooting, the Charlottesville protests, police brutality and Black Lives Matter.
Since its release in May of 2018, "This Is America" has gone platinum and won Best Hip-Hop Video at the 2018 BET Hip-Hop Awards.
Congrats to Childish Gambino and Hiro Murai.
Also, be sure to check out our winners list for the 2019 Grammy Awards to learn who took home awards at the star-studded event.
See Photos of Your Favorite Rappers and Producers on the 2019 Grammy Awards Red Carpet