Hidden Meanings Behind Childish Gambino's "Little Foot Big Foot" Music Video Explained 

His shout out to Andre at the end was well put. Considering hey ya is a song centered around a very toxic relationship but no one sees it as a sad song.

Bro is making history. Your impact on these breakdowns shall never be forgotten.

There is one thing that I've noticed in the contract scene in the video. As someone who worked in the music industry, I know firsthand when you were given a contract as an artist there is a clause in the contract that states specifically that the artist should seek out legal representation. Meaning, that the artist should find an entertainment lawyer to review the contract, and it is the responsibility of the record company to let them know they need to seek legal representation before they sign the contract. However, when you start talking about signing bonuses, big shows, and the opportunity to be an entertainer. And the opportunity to make money as an entertainer, you easily forgo, finding a lawyer, for the sake of signing the contract and getting back to talking about music. When he says "I Have A Lawyer in the city, do you mind if I have him look at this" he is exercising that right and is declined only to have him, reset and get ready for the show. This happens often in the music industry and "The House Always Wins"

Finally a reactor who understands they Nudy feature. Everyone comments that "his feature doesn't fit, but goes hard" without realizing they're proving Donald's point. Subject matter is exactly the same, Gambino just dressed it up with a song, dance and crazy bass.

Idk why everyone focuses on just the Single Ladies dance. He's doing a lot of famous black artists' dances through the dances.

Nudy’s part shows the trend towards complete nihilism in modern rap. He raps from a cold detached space about the modern themes of: steal your woman, commit crimes, do drugs, don’t care about others, not giving anything back to the community itself. At the beginning you have art imitating life and at the end you have life imitating art. Rather than healing, music has become a template for many to mindlessly emulate.

You have BY FAR the most intelligent breakdown of the meanings in the music you cover. This fact, coupled with a concise and level headed delivery really makes you stand out in my mind. To but it bluntly, you rock dude.

When you watch the video, check out the credits in the description, the list is LONG, and I feel like all that work was more than worth it, truly another amazing commentary and ART exibit from Gambino, dude is BEYOND talented!!!...

I don't think you're necessarily incorrect in your assessment of Glover's message about the industry, but what I think you may have missed is that on the surface, the club's reputation is a rough and dangerous one, similar to how the hip hop culture is considered rough and dangerous, and that Johnny and the Pipes are "too soft" to be regarded as popular in a club like this. It's only when confronted by a rough and tumble patron attempting to kill Johnny for "disrespecting him" (aka stealing his smoke, which in MOST circumstances would lead to a fight), and Johnny killing the patron (looking closely at the scuffle, Johnny does seem to have resisted, leading to the man's death) and the look of delirious focus and intensity on Johnny's face, does the audience's mood sway in Johnny's favor. In particular, the crowd seems unsure what to make of what happened, until an older (likely more respected figure) in the club (aka Hip hop culture) approves, laughing hysterically, does the crowd accept Johnny as "one of them," something Johnny immediately uses to the band's advantage, thus gaining popularity within the culture.

I think Nudys part shows the aftermath of Gambino's part. Like folks were not feeling Gambino until somebody died, and that tragedy and trauma birthed the current artists today, which Nudy is that current artist. Its like he is a big figure in the video looking over a place where it could have been his father that passed, and saying I came from this.

Donald and Hiro are a duo that never miss 🔥

"You don't wanna listen you just want to dance"

This man not missing on a video

ngl... I need these breakdowns w/ these type of artists. Ur work is appreciated.

i'm so glad that a person with such a big platform is able to spread awareness about these kind of things

It’s not the “single ladies dance” moves. It’s Bob Fosse.

thank u very much for the effort and detail u put in your videos

This was an incredible commentary. Thank you. ❤

This is the video i was looking for. I knew there were layers to this video. thx

Reminds me of how Da baby didn't blow up until after the Walmart/ not checking in videos

I was waiting for someone to go into the hidden connections and meanings in this! Your insight is ❤‍🔥❤‍🔥. Thank You!

Great video. My only disagreement is a partial one in regards to artists needing to die to gain extra attention. This isn't a music industry thing. It is a humanity thing that has existed forever. It is why martyrs are so powerful. I experienced this sense of gained importance with both XXXTentacion and Mac Miller. It was as though their songs gained weight when I learned that they had passed. In both cases I found their music and liked it, then learned of their passing afterwards. It is truly a fascinating psychological phenomenon. Much like how we dial in on bad news so much more than good. Bad news can have the side effect of warning us about potential danger. Good news just "feels" nice, mostly.

Great video. Really like this song and tone it gives

Props. This is on point and cleared up why I couldn't get the video outta my head.

This was really good dude, subscribed

great explanation man, I picked up some of those things through my listens and play through👌

Excellent review.

Well put together 👌🏿

Wow, this is great analysis

Pearl is my Hip Hop professor. Today's lesson was on point as always. I caught the release live on an elevator and knew I was witnessing a historic moment. I just didnt know what it all meant until now.

I was looking for this breakdown and wondered if you matched what a thought. Now , allow me to go watch it again .

Absolutely...great breakdown..

Great video my boy !

Beautifully broken down

GREAT breakdown

whole time I was disturbed after the gunshot... why wasn't anybody looking at the dead man... and this breakdown makes it make it make sense

Beautifully said.

Good job man 👏🏼

Thank you for explaining

to many people miss that they are rapping about the same thing just stylized differently to make it more appealing and nudys part is a much more up front n current side of what gambino is talking about.

100K is so close! Let’s goooooo 🤘🏼🍿🍿🤘🏼

Very succinct with excellent timing

Wow great insight. I’ll need to read the lyrics next time.

i liked, commented, and subscribed without you asking me to. grateful for your work.

I do wanna also add with Nudy, Gambino is who I think is more rather rap for people who hate rap which I can see in several circles, and I think everyone's reaction to that last part def adds to my point of it. If not, def points out the hypocrisy or double standards of whoever is perceived despite tackling the same subject matter, so this choice I think was a nice bold thing to go at it with. Also worked better than the older version we heard years ago.

Well said.

Omg it's just like i can't feel my face with the weekend all over again!!

This song has thr same melody as paper planes which sampled the Clash. Reality is culture is beautiful and best shared. And story telling can make all the difference

Not many have seen Bamboozled. Really feel like it helped me peep the references early in my first viewing.

As soon as I saw his smile, back up guys harmonizing and the suits, I knew it was highly astute parody of the industry right now - the dance choreography sealed the clarity. Thanks for the Bamboozled acknowledgement - a cinematic gem.

bro is preaching message through art breakdown to the sleeping masses!

Deep👏🏻

One small thing I notice in regards to the “move like this” portion they may have deeper roots as well was a move he did in the video dancing that recreated the high low five from fresh prince

Love his music he is such a powerful artist.

Did anyone catch the layers of the chorus based on the story of the lyrics? Note: The album track shows this sonicly a bit more clearly the the video track. With the start its just catchy, maybe referring to dance. All you have is sound and the chorus and it trains you to view it that way. Desentize you almost. Then it moves into the story of a youth/new recruit who is being exposed/trained/teaching reality by a "Daddy"/father/father figure/mentor. Which now changes that opening chorus from a chippy tune to the repeating Daddy's philosophy on how to survive/run drugs/live/etc..? It could be taken a few ways. Now the second Chorus comes after Child/mente/underling lives by the same "chorus'/philosophy of the Daddy. Dark details of Daddy's "chorus'/philosophy as the Child becomes the new Daddy and pass his Daddy's "chorus'/philosophy on. The third Chorus is the transition to the new legacy/next generation of Daddy's "chorus'/philosophy. It begins the same but then there is tonal change for the time. The video breaks this up by the death. The album track distorts the chorus. The verse shows the modern ways Daddy's "chorus'/philosophy is applied to this/next generation. It might sound different but it always coming back to the same chorus. And so on. The terms of the chorus change after each verse/generation. "I'm a show y'all how to move this yay" is a great example. Could be mentoring someone with excitement or teaching them to be cool or how to move cocaine/drugs. The opening you don't really know but assume it just a joyous call based on the tone of music, voices, and with the video the dancing. Then the next verus/generation change the meaning once you know what happens. Then it changes again etc. Same words over and over but different meaning and feel. The chorus is quite layered.

Well said Sir 👍

merci pour cet éclairage. Il me manquait des clés pour comprendre bien qu'ayant saisi que la chanson était bien plus que ce qu'elle semblait être (aurait-ce pu être autrement avec Danny ? Je ne crois pas).

Great timing too with all the motown ai going around

Nice analysis! The element of time, distant and the contrast between micro and macro is also obvious. The way that time goes back, overlaps and goes forward is fun. The black and white, sound, clothes and venue is time going back. Then we’re met with that weird audience that doesn’t fit. Back then a good performance and song had the crowds on their feet. This audience is of today, people with dulled senses who don’t know what to think. Note the man got shot and the audience remained silent, it was when the man in the back began to laugh that everyone else did like a social media echo chamber. Time moves forward when we see the rapper bigger than life and stationary. Along side him a dancing biracial woman. The audience is distant now, so small and light is even sparser………in the beginning the artist says “this is for you” and now the rapper says “top of the world and I ain’t giving y’all ish” it’s powerful indeed.

the quinta Brunson scene also mirrors a scene from Spider-Man 1, it was such a close representation that i feel like it was defintely on purpose. Which ties into your idea of the hero/villain narrative; not only posing him as an underdog to be rooted for but also subconcisously linking him to a superhero we're all familiar with, particulalry as donald glover fans

Hi! Please send the link, and thanks for continuing to elevate our game! You are appreciated!

That was some deep shit for real . Because of how nudy was dressed and presented to the audience this generation would listen more even though him and Gambino was talking about the same thing. Basically gambino character didnt fit the role that rap artist today must act out.

Childish gambino is top 3 this gen but y'all not ready for the conversation

Little foot big foot could also be referencing “the younger generation following in the footsteps of the older”

Holy shit. Just blew my mind.......

He something about to go down. He dropped a new song

Incredible

2:07 When you say without doing anything, do you mean besides accidentally smacking the gun upward into his face?

Damn dude...good job...

Keep bringing these deep shit .

Would love to hear a version with nudy’s verse over the original beat and vice versa. Has a very similar rhythm and cadence to it I feel like both would work flip flopped, or all as one w/o the beat change- just w/nudys verse sped up slightly

saddest part about the reality of this music video is the commo folk will miss the point entirely and probably only took the song seriously when the dude got shot

Oh.

The planted figure represents respect. Everyone is fixated on being proud and respected. Gamino’s character smokes this character’s cigarette as part of the show. The character takes its as a sign of disrespect. Like Chris Rock said in the Champagne Room, “…someone smudged his Pumas”. Now the character feels compelled to let everyone know, he’s not to be disrespected. Yet the level the character took retaliation to was an extreme level and ultimately it backfire at an extreme level, much like beefing in the music world. “Now who else wanna mess with Hollywood Cole?… That’s just my interpretation, of the situation…” *sound the trumpets*

BGM?

Mane when the video kame on and the lady said yu don’t have to read the contract I was like Yeaaaa that’s how they do

Donald / Hiro duo is goated

2:06 Gambino's character turns around while swinging his hands and that kicks up the gun into the shooter so he was the reason the guy died, he didn't randomly just die while walking up to him.

Good analysis. Deep song that is also catchy as fuck.

anyone know why donald has no sweat through out the dancing, until the dude accidentally game ends himself, then hes covered in it, but then right after he goes back to being dry?

FOR THOSE WHO KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY TRANSLATE MUSIC.....I see you. ❤

"Many would rather be entertained than educated" - Anonymous I appreciate you for this breakdown, brother

👏👏👏

"Dear Will Smith..." This guy is something else... I wish I could step into his mind and have a good look around. The trouble is, like the other song I'm so mesmerised by his dancing I don't take in a word he sings about. I don't even know if I like the song. But I agree with the comments below this guy is a top shelf artist. Like an actual artist. I'm pained by jealousy and cured by soul. Don't know about anyone else. This here is a legend.

Ehhh damn some things are really pushing it but good review

ive been thinking about how we as the audience might be missing the point of these songs and videos for years now. i mean we sit here and watch these music videos like they are fictional mini television programs, and some of them lean into that for sure. But these arent just fiction to the artists behind them. they are putting themselves, their very souls, into their work for us to interpret and i feel like we often totally miss the point because we assume we know their "awesome" lives from what we are shown. But for all we know these celebs might all be put in gilded cages by monsters who use and exploit their art... their very souls to sell to us to help us feel something. The more and more i hear about the music industry the more it seems like this is the case and that the monsters are in charge and making us pay for the privilage of art while exploiting the very artists we love.

👑

Awesome video!!. But artists who influence are not looking for credit, it's not needed.

I immediately thought of "Hey ya!" watching the music video for this song

It may also be relevant that people from many other countries don't understand 60% of the slang words used in the USA, but we still dance along completely baffled and with no idea what it's about.

I appreciate how Sweatpants was playing in the background faintly

I like the way gambino says, ima show you how to move this__ ima show you how to move like this, ima show you how a move aint shit

💯

Truth

He did same with Feels LikeSummer, everyone was distracted with the music video while the lyrics were talking about how we are pretty much fucked as a planet because of climate change/global warming, he knows the reactions that people are gonna have to the music while he wants us to have the opposite

He spoke directly to a specific audience and used a metaphor and yet most still didn’t get it because they don’t know anything about history past 2010. Schools should be teaching the traumas of all races but we only focus on Hitler… This was a beautiful concept as usual and it’s still apparent him and Kendrick are way too advanced for our brains. The dancing was focused on what we’re doing to appease a crowd for likes and comments, but then once we realize we need added drama, we turn to violence to draw in more attention.

3:13 DREAM reference :O

Full Lyrics: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qgd2iK4CpIs.html

That Nudy feature felt odd🙂‍↕️ and I like Nudy. Doesn’t that feature kinda go against his narrative for the vid?

Bino a Goat