Yes, it's a music video. But there are fantastic lessons for creatives everywhere on how to produce creative that's relevant, innovative and culture changing.
The Black Lives Matter movement got a lot of traction since the murder of Trayvon Martin sparked riots, social media campaigns and videos that showed police brutality.
This is on top of the known gun control problem that has plagued America for decades. The NRA's stranglehold on the countries lawmakers mean it's pretty easy for anyone to get their hands on military grade guns.
The heartbreaking stories from Columbine, Sandy Hook and Parkland have made these place names bywords for mass shootings.
These social issues aren't new, but social media means they're in our consciousness, even only for a moment before we get distracted by memes of kids and cats.
Queue Childish Gambino, aka Donald Glover, rapper and actor of the moment with shows like award-winning Atlanta and Star Wars under his belt.
As a teaser for his fourth studio album, he released single, "This Is America" with a blistering video that instantly went viral.
When you watch it, you realise it's not just a music video to ensure endless plays on MTV, VH1 and Kiss. It's not a paint-by-numbers hip-hop videos with women twerking and men driving round in flash cars.
Thought went into this.
It holds a mirror up to the world.
It makes a statement about the artist.
It is art.
It's a modern day Rembrandt.
I'm not American. I'm not black. I like to think I'm "woke" (god, I hate that word) when it comes to these things.
I immediately understood what the video was telling me. I didn't get all the references due to the aforementioned, but as Childish Gambino contorted into a pose to mimic Jim Crow (who, until now, I only associated with the segregation laws), I knew what he was telling me.
The joyous dancing of school children distracted from the chaos around them. The gun being wrapped in regal red cloth and carried away. The room of cars with a door open. The shooting of a gospel choir. The use of a warehouse. The Fela Kuti homage.
All of this delighted in its honesty and artistry.
On the second watch and after it being pointed out, I noticed the kids with phones, SZA, A Sunken Place, the white horse and the song being sung to Trayvon.
This video (and the song) is a thought-provoking piece of genius creative worthy of the Louvre.
You don't need to know all the symbols and references to get it. But when you do, you see it with fresh eyes. And it forces you to watch harder and think.
All creative should follow this. All creative should be a bold, take-no-prisoners, reflection of society while representing the artist.
It should be as accessible as it is erudite and esoteric.
It should be easily identifiable.
It shouldn't be a meme that reduces its meaning, while proving its hypothesis.
