
Faith in gloomy situations is a beacon of light. In the music video, “Ghetto Gospel” by Tupac, faith within ghettos is shown through the director’s use of focus, color and characterization throughout the music video (0:00-4:25). In many frames during the music video, the viewer can see the strong references to faith and innocence. 

At a young age, many children are told they are able to do anything they want showing that they are blank sheets with a bright future ahead of them. Thus, children themselves are a symbol of innocence and hope. In the first frame, the viewer is able to observe the main character’s child dressed all in blue clearly destined to grow up in the ghetto (2:01). The child symbolizes innocence and hope in this dismal setting. This shot is an extreme close up which allows the viewer to recognize the child’s blissful innocence, completely unaware of the father’s situation (2:01). The use of blue is a symbol for tranquility and an underlying sadness within the son. The son appears calm even though it is clear his future will be as dim as his own father’s. The color blue that the child is dressed in exemplifies both this conflict of calmness and anguish. Behind the child, the background is a ray of sunshine on the gloomy situation (2:01). The brightness behind the child contributes to the idea of innocence and hope again shadowing the situation the son was born into. This frame also shows the father’s first revelation that he must change his ways in order for him and his family to escape the ghetto and attain a brighter future, though this is easier said than done.

In the second frame, the viewer is able to observe the main character standing on a roof overlooking the city’s sunrise (2:28). This shot is a full body shot in which the main character resembles a cross (2:28). This in itself signifies the main character’s faith not only in himself, but also a higher power. This reference to religion and faith furthers the idea of hope and the main character’s aspirations to relocate to a safer area. The sunrise is also a symbol of change and hope for a better tomorrow. This orange sunrise shows the happiness the main character feels as he looks over the city he has known as home. Sunrises are most often symbol for a new day, a new beginning and in this music video, it is no different. The director was able to clearly show how faith, religion and hope are able to help the main character believe he is able to escape his imprisonment in the ghetto. This shot shows the urban setting of the ghetto that is his life; it is all the main character has known his entire life and allows the viewer to understand how hard it was for the main character to come to this conclusion to relocate (2:28). However, this specific shot is hopeful, and allows the view to understand the epiphany that the main character is experiencing and also allows the viewer to understand the main character’s thoughts. 

In the last frame, the story comes full circle as the main character meets his end as shots are fired from a black SUV (3:09). This last frame is an over the shoulder shot which shows the viewer the main character’s point of view as he lives his final moments (3:09). In the frame, it is clear a black SUV is pulling up in front of the main character (3:09). Black is a dark and dismal color that often symbolizes a sort of horror. The black color of the SUV shows the hardship that the main character has faced his whole life. This black color also represents death and since black is often associated with the black cloak of death or the Grim Reaper. The situation feels as though the main character is meeting his maker and so it is like the black SUV represents the Grim Reaper. It is at this point the viewer understands that the entire video actually shows the inability of the main character to leave the home he loves and the situation he hates. Even though the main character knows that it is safer to relocate it is also dangerous to leave a gang. This allows the viewer to make a larger connection and understand that the main character is killed for his hopes of leaving this dangerous gang. This idea relates back to the title of the video “Ghetto Gospel” which explains how someone in this situation must put faith in the life they are dealt (0:00-4:25). 

Often times, music artists like Tupac, are not perceived as intelligent people. It may be because their genre of music, rap, is much different than any sort of traditional music genre. However, Tupac created a deeper meaning in his song, “Ghetto Gospel,” (0:00-4:25). Through the use of color, focus, and characterization the director was able to effectively tell a story without even the use of words. This then allowed the viewer to clearly understand the situation and story of the main character in the music video. Without many of these attributes, the viewer may only understand that the main character is in a tough situation, but not understand the main character’s faith and internal struggle which he has always known and wishes to escape. 
