Malcolm X

Malcolm X's influence on the African-American civil rights movement stands at the forefront of the most recognized and revolutionary civil rights activists in recent history. When being introduced to Malcolm X one may see flaws in his very direct approach of Black Nationalism, preaching of separatism and his ties to the Nation of Islam. However, when one delves deeper they can see the selfless, diligent and innovative qualities that form Malcolm X's character. Malcolm was able to round the black community together in times of turmoil through the teachings of Islam and his own life experiences. His teachings were met with backlash from his own community, other black activists, white America, the government and more. This backlash grew to threats, which grew to scare tactics, which grew to violence. With no one to save Malcolm he had two options. Move his family out of New York, stay quiet, off the grid of his enemies, and live a peaceful life or continue his teachings, spreading inspiration to a new wave of African Americans ready to fight for their equality day in and day out but risk his life every time he takes the stage. Even when Malcolm knew his life was in danger he looked death in the eyes and took the stage to continue his teachings, ultimately sacrificing his life.

Childish Gambino represents Malcolm X's ideology of Black Nationalism in multiple of his songs. In "Baby Boy" Childish Gambino tells a story of losing his relationship with the mother of his child and struggling in this relationship in order to keep contact with his child but the struggle with the mother still affecting him and the child's relationship. Although she says she won't take the child away the child is still distanced and the relationship slowly loses its grip over time. This connects to Malcolm's X speech at Harvard Square on the importance of fatherhood and being a man whom their children can look up to and be proud of. " MALCOLM

Mr. Muhammad is trying to get us on

God's side, so God will be on our

side to help us fight our battles.

When Negroes stop getting drunk,

stop being addicted to drugs, stop

fornicating and committing adultery.

When we get off the welfare, then

we'll be MEN. Earn what you need for

your family, then your family respects

you. They'll be proud to say "That's

my father." She's proud to say "That's

my husband..." Father means you're

taking care of those children. Just

'cause you made them that don't mean

you're a father. Anybody can make a

baby, but anybody can't take care of

them. Anyone can go and get a woman

but anybody can't take care of a

woman. This is the type of teaching

that the honorable Elijah Muhammad

teaches us so we can build the moral

fiber of our people (Malcolm X 1992). 

Malcolm X also spoke about how before he changed his name to el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz his original family name (Malcolm Little) carried no value to him because this name was given to him by the white slave owners who enslaved his recent ancestors and stripped them of their original name from Africa. Childish Gambino references this ideology when in I.V Sweatpants he says "And I don't give a f*ck about my family name". Gambino is constantly dropping subtle cultural references like this throughout his songs.