During Lil Wayne’s “God Bless Amerika” music video the scenes are dominated by African American people but, in a handful of them there are white, male, cops. The song itself is describes the different challenges that Wayne has experienced in his life along with some of the challenges that America has faced. One of the recent challenges that America has faced is police brutality against African American people, this has always been a problem but as of late it has spiraled out of control. Through the handful of scenes of the police during Wayne’s music video, he places heavy emphasis on the recent rise of police brutality and the increase in the police population getting involved in the African American community.

In the first scene that is of the police there is a long shot of two of them standing in front of an American flag. Their faces are obscured and they are dressed in black body armor, black riot helmets and are carrying riot shields and black batons. This is followed by a closer up pan shot of what they’re wearing and what they’re carrying. By paying special attention to the outfits that they are wearing and the weapons they are carrying it portrays the police as a violent entity. They are prepared for violence and anything else that might come along with it. But since there are only two of them the threat they pose is lessened but, they still radiate an aura of power and authority. This coupled with the fact that they are standing in front of an American flag accentuates that the police’s job is to protect all Americans and keep order in society. So, whatever they do is what they do to help the entire country and its people. Since this scene is dispersed within several scenes of African Americans it evokes the thought and issue of police brutality against African Americans, and how much they could really help America when they commit those acts of brutality. 

In another scene, there is a very powerful image of the police. In it he is still in their riot uniforms. It is a close up shot of a single, white, male, police officer with a scowl on his face which is slightly blurred due to the smudging on his helmet. Along with this his shield and baton are raised up. The raising up of his weapon and shield gives the impression that violence has recently occurred or that it would be occurring soon. This put together with the scenes surrounding it of African Americans creates the idea of that violence being towards African Americans. By focusing solely on this man, even for a moment, it gives the view the ability to register the disdain on his face. In this close up shot the displeasure on his face could be caused by something that is being done in front of him or by something that he is doing. There is no way to tell what the exact cause is so it leaves the reason up to the viewer. It is a but a brief shot but it helps reinforce the idea of the police’s presence in the African American community. 

A third scene is of a line of four male police officers, still in their riot attire as before but now there are two African Americans among them. They all have their shields raised. Out of the four, two of the officers’ faces are clearly visible; one is white and the other is African American, both of which look unhappy to be doing what they’re doing. This particular scene creates a small conflict. Before it was only white, male, cops that were being shown but now that there are African Americans involved it seems less like a racial prejudice situation. This thought is also furthered by the look of common displeasure on both the white officer’s face and the African American’s face. This difference in the presentation of the police leaves the viewer with conflicting ideas about how the police’s role in the African American community has changed. When it comes to America it doesn’t matter which community a person is a part of but the fact that they are an American. And through this combination of African American police officers and white police officers it begs to ask how much America has changed to allow this much violence to happen against its own people.

Throughout Lil Wayne’s “God Bless Amerika” music video the images of African Americans reigns but there are key moments in the video when a scene of the police will show up. These scenes correspond with the lyrics. In the chorus Lil Wayne says “God bless America, this so godless America, heard tomorrow ain’t promised today, the end of time is like an hour away, damn military minded, lot and can’t find it, the stars on the flag are never shining, I saw a butterfly in hell today, will I die or go to jail today?” Wayne’s word choice of godless America is a reference the feeling of abandonment when an important part of one’s life disappears. And to African Americans the feeling of being forgotten and persecuted by the one’s that they were supposed to be protected by rings true. By saying the overall chorus repeatedly with the images of persecuted African Americans followed by images of police officers it reinforces the idea that police brutality is an issue in America, especially concerning African Americans. 
