Educational music videos are nothing new, even in the landscape of animation. From Sesame Street, to Between the Lions, to Schoohouse Rock, and even Animaniacs, generations of kids have become informed of various topics on the world around them. There's a certain art to doing this though, as many more certainly try in the age of YouTube but very few seem to stick outside of teachers. You gotta not just have the lyrics that inform and stick in their young minds, but are catchy and memorable enough where you'd want to go out of your way to revisit them. The beat needs to reach the audience in a way that connects to them, and also have a timeless enough feel to them instead of coming across as tryhard and instantly dated. But most importantly, the visuals need to compliment the song itself in a way that ideally encapsulates the intended message, tone, and rhythm, enhancing the experience to a higher level.
However, few boast the backing and talent that was attached to Netflix's recent mini-series "We the People", released on the 4th of July, 2021. Co-produced by Barack and Michelle Obama, and created by preschool animation veteran Chris Nee, it takes the same structure as Schoolhouse Rock (cited as a direct inspiration) and creates R&B music videos about various American civic and political topics. The main difference is, the songs themselves are all from prolific artists and each video is given a different artistic voice to accompany the track. Also of note is that, with these videos aiming for a more general audience, the topics themselves are covered with noticeably more nuance than those of the above examples - albeit still leaning toward the optimistic (which, depending on your point of view, can admittedly be to their detriment; a few examples will be given as we go along).
To show you what I mean, let's look at the first entry listed, titled "Active Citizenship", from singer Gabriella Wilson (better known as H.E.R.) and Spider-Verse director Peter Ramsay.
It starts off monochrome, with the focal point being a very vibrant drifting leaf that kickstarts the later actions of the lead character. Note the advertisement is specifically referring to "luxury apartments", with these smug rich people being used to advertise them. Obviously, only a select few people can afford to live in these, which is reflected by what we see immediately after.
Black-owned businesses going bankrupt, black people being in police custody... pretty on-the-nose stuff where I wouldn't be surprised if it hit too close to home. But sometimes, a taste of brutal reality needs to be seen to make a point...
As things start to become hopeful among raising government intervention, more saturation shows itself onscreen, specifically to the people genuinely interested in her proposal. This quickly results in...
...This psychedelic style where a huge waves of colors continually transitions from one image to another. It's a pretty jarring change of pace from the monotone slowness of before, but it's obviously an intentional choice to show the importance of just one person stepping up to the plate and kick-starting a movement for the better. The fact this is played over H.E.R. questioning her value and power in sparking change makes this all the more powerful.
Really unique touch, showing the sound vibrations of the microphone by alternating between oversaturated and black-and-white circles. Can't get any more contrasting than this, fitting for a part emphasizing making your voice heard.
Interesting to see graffiti being portrayed as a positive example of communication. Not what you usually see, but considering what we've been told is at stake, it feels very warranted.
Now that's a massive wave of people, clearly an exaggerated but still somewhat grounded representation of just what one proactive mind can spark with the right steps. Sure, you probably can't expect to get this much support, even in the long run, but one can dream and you never know until you try.
And I also love that this comes full circle with the lead woman giving up the plant that inspired her action to these two kids, aiming to spark similar contributions of their own. Which could also be interpreted as a parallel to how this music video aims to pass its message onto we viewers.
Yeah, how this entire music video plays out can be considered a bit too happy of a way to look at this subject, since there have been countless times people seemed to just shout at an immovable wall, but any successful change in society really does start with action and persuasion, so its heart is very much in the right place in my book.
Now I don't have the time to cover all of them, but there are a couple more I want to break down and analyze in particular. For instance, the one that stood out to me the most, from both a musical and visual standpoint, is "Taxes", from rapper Cordae and an independent animator named Victoria Vincent.
Yeah, already you can see a stark difference in style compared to the other segment, and anyone who is familiar with the content on Victoria's style can immediately detect it as hers.
Look at the angular and sometimes sketchy linework. Look at the exaggerated perspectives that surpass reality but make the image leave all the more of an impact. Look at how committed she is to each of the color palettes used in regards to both the lighting and hues, enough to make even the sickly green color look its own level of appealing.
This is a good example of how Vewn draws her characters. Very flat and geometric, sometimes with perplexing slants, but it's done in a way where even the most mundane of poses carry a ton of character as they still remain just true enough to reality. This especially stands out with the cat throughout the entire video, as the way he's animated conveys the kind of attitude that perfectly compliments the rap coming out of him.
My lord, those glowing oranges across the dark purple sky are gorgeous. I'm a sucker for lighting like this, what can I say.
This is one bit of the song I want to especially highlight, mentioning how 9% of taxes benefit the poor and 15% to military:
"Now, if you asked me, I'd say the numbers are shrewd,
but we agree that with no military we're screwed."
This is a far cry from Schoolhouse Rock's take on the same subject, which tries to make light of the fact taxes pay for things that benefit society and shrug off genuine concerns like the imbalance mentioned above. But this one decides both the kids and adults watching deserve more nuance, and makes it clear that the point isn't that it agrees with how the taxes are distributed, but that it's important to focus on the principle.
But yeah, it's pretty damn funny that a cat is dropping such beats, even more so when you have two more accompanying him with caps, a boom box, and everything.
Definitely the... strangest part of the music video, where this kid is shown his future self to prove the worth of social security. And their reaction is nothing more than a shocked stare. That's not scarring to them at all, nope...
What kind of world is this where cats run an entire court? The pie being stuffed with money is a cute analogy though.
Another admirable moment lyrically, where Cordae tells those listening to do their own research on the subject in order to gain their own perspective and provide their own voice on these debates. Really keeping things realistic, and trying to avoid leaning towards a certain perspective. It's still optimistic, but not in a problematic sense.
Now let's look at my personal favorite of the batch, "The Courts", featuring the song "All Rise" from Andra Day (not to be confused with her smash hit, "Rise Up"), and visually brought to life by none other than the creator of Star vs. the Forces of Evil, Daron Nefcy. But this analysis will be less about the song itself, and more how it chooses to present itself.
The video's main gimmick, for lack of a better term, is showing a court decision applicable to this girl's daily life. Starting, of course, with brushing her teeth. While it can feel a little repetitive as the music video goes on, I'll admit that these make for very interesting bits of trivia to chew on.
Doesn't take long for more surprising and progressive reveals to enter, like the parents being an interracial couple. Great, not just because of how nice it is to see stuff like this is protected by the Constitution, but reminding everyone that something as seemingly simple as this got under serious dispute.
These designs are much more simple than the other two I've showed, using mostly pastel colors across the environment and leaving out enough details to not overstimulate but still leave everything completely identifiable. It's the best of both worlds.
Yeah, I'm sure you all remember this controversy, where people choose to not rise for the Pledge of Allegiance or the National Anthem or what have ya. And as someone who didn't fit the general norm in manners like this, I definitely wish I could've had this fact and modest support when I was in grade school. The fact they share a small smile between each other is what makes this moment for me.
See, this is a good example of them still possibly sugarcoating the facts to their detriment. When you hear minimum wage laws, you are no doubt going to think about the ongoing fight to raise it to $15/hour, which can easily rub people the wrong way; especially those who, despite their greatest efforts, can barely afford the necessities. I don't know, your mileage may vary I guess.
As someone who lives around the DC Metro Area, I appreciate they went the extra mile to replicate the actual Metrobus design as accurately as possible. It's just one of those little touches I always take notice of. Plus it serves as a solid segue into the ending...
Where the lead enters an LGBTQ+ pride parade, and guess who she finds there...
Yep, her girlfriend who she shares a lesbian kiss with. Keep in mind, this is a creator who had to really fight to get this kind of representation on-screen in her show. Aww.
And yeah, this is the kind of image that warms the heart beyond belief. That tear in her eye brings it completely home for me.
And I think it goes without saying that all of the other seven shorts each have their own things to admire as well. From a list of immigrants-turned-citizen from various nations by Jorge Guiterrez, to Amanda Gorman's "The Hill We Climb" reading being beautifully brought to life by Kendra Ryan, there really is so much to admire in this miniseries, more than enough for me to greatly recommend you check this out on Netflix, even if you are (understandably) against being patriotic in this day and age. It really is a true labor of love by everyone involved, and combining some genuine R&B talent with passionate, overlooked animated talent in the best way possible. These are the kinds of projects I can never help but appreciate.