CHILDISH GAMBINO – This Is America (live) | Saturday Night Live (2018)

Childish Gambino (Donald Glover) delivered a powerful live performance of “This Is America” on Saturday Night Live (SNL) on May 5, 2018. This was the same night he hosted the show, combining his talents as both a musician and an actor. The performance is remembered for its intense and evocative energy, closely mirroring the striking themes and choreography of the music video.

The stage was kept minimalistic, focusing attention on Gambino and his dancers. Their movements were sharp and intentional, evoking the raw, chaotic energy of the music video while adapting it for the live setting. Much like the music video, the live performance highlighted themes of gun violence, racial inequality, and cultural commentary, using dynamic shifts in tone and lighting to underline these messages. He performed shirtless, replicating his look from the music video, which added to the raw, visceral impact of his delivery. His facial expressions and body language carried the same mix of tension and irony.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away

We just wanna party Party just for you We just want the money Money just for you I know you wanna party (yeah) Party just for free Girl, you got me dancin’ (girl, you got me dancin’) Dance and shake the frame We just wanna party (yeah) Party just for you (yeah) We just want the money (yeah) Money just for you (ooh) I know you wanna party (yeah) Party just for free (yeah) Girl, you got me dancin’ (girl, you got me dancin’) Dance and shake the frame (ooh)

This is America Don’t catch you slippin’ now Don’t catch you slippin’ now Look what I’m whippin’ now This is America (woo) Don’t catch you slippin’ now Don’t catch you slippin’ now Look what I’m whippin’ now

This is America (skrrt, skrrt, woo) Don’t catch you slippin’ now (ayy) Look at how I’m livin’ now Police be trippin’ now (woo) Yeah, this is America (woo, ayy) Guns in my area (word, my area) I got the strap (ayy, ayy) I gotta carry ‘em Yeah, yeah, I’ma go into this (ugh) Yeah, yeah, this is guerilla, woo Yeah, yeah, I’ma go get the bag Yeah, yeah, or I’ma get the pad Yeah, yeah, I’m so cold like yeah (yeah) I’m so dope like yeah (woo) We gon’ blow like yeah (straight up, uh)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody You go tell somebody Grandma told me Get your money, black man (get your money) Get your money, black man (get your money) Get your money, black man (get your, black man) Get your money, black man (get your, black man) Black man

This is America (woo, ayy) Don’t catch you slippin’ now (woo, woo, don’t catch you slippin’, now) Don’t catch you slippin’ now (ayy, woah) Look what I’m whippin’ now (Slime) This is America (yeah, yeah) Don’t catch you slippin’ now (woah, ayy) Don’t catch you slippin’ now (ayy, woo) Look what I’m whippin’ now (ayy)

Look how I’m geekin’ out (hey) I’m so fitted (I’m so fitted, woo) I’m on Gucci (I’m on Gucci) I’m so pretty (yeah, yeah) I’m gon’ get it (ayy, I’m gon’ get it) Watch me move (blaow) This a celly (ha) That’s a tool (yeah) On my Kodak (woo, Black) Ooh, know that (yeah, know that, hold on) Get it (get it, get it) Ooh, work it (21) Hunnid bands, hunnid bands, hunnid bands (hunnid bands) Contraband, contraband, contraband (contraband) I got the plug on Oaxaca (woah) They gonna find you like blocka (blaow)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody (America, I just checked my following list and) You go tell somebody (You mothafuckas owe me) Grandma told me Get your money, black man (black man) Get your money, black man (black man) Get your money, black man (black man) Get your money, black man (black man) Black man (one, two, three, get down)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, tell somebody You go tell somebody Grandma told me, “Get your money, ” black man Get your money, black man (black man) Get your money, black man (black man) Get your money, black man (black man) Black man

You just a black man in this world You just a barcode, ayy You just a black man in this world Drivin’ expensive foreigns, ayy You just a big dawg, yeah I kenneled him in the backyard No, probably ain’t life to a dog For a big dog