I think there is another aspect to these criticisms that is often left out. This musical functions as a type of nationalist progressive "diversity TM" type of propaganda. I know that sounds harsh but let me elaborate. It writes black and brown people into the founding myth of a nation that to this day seeks to violently oppress, assimilate and ultimately eliminate them. It does this to buy in both middle class POCs particularly African Americans into the national founding myth, and to assuage the guilt of middle class and upper middle class white liberals. The fact that it is extremely well done both in its music, production and acting reinforces this. Great propaganda is well made and enthralling. Hamilton is this. To me this is very apparent as a person of the African Diaspora who isn't from America. I think because some of the loudest critics have been black Americans this nationalist aspect is missed in their criticisms. One thing that really bums me out is black history globally, in the diaspora and in America is full of diverse, heroic, compelling and sometimes victorious histories of struggle and resistance and perseverance, but these stories are rarely if at all told. Thinking here of the black Seminole war, the Haitian Revolution and many many other stories. I would rather see myself represented in these stories than written into white history just so we can fit into a nationalist story that has always marked us as the enemy. Anyway really enjoyed this video regardless and appreciate your fair representation of the critics.

@GameheadTalks

2 жыл бұрын

oh boy this was excellently written!

@abbanjo13

2 жыл бұрын

@@GameheadTalks thanks. Yeah I've gotten into many heated discussions about it with friends and family so I've thought about it a lot. Perhaps too much.

@BarryB.Benson

2 жыл бұрын

Couldn’t have said it better myself

@desdar100

Жыл бұрын

I don't think that Hamilton was made to sell people of color into the American dream anymore than something like Green Pastures wasn't created to essentially project Christianity onto the black masses. Hamilton is very similar to something like The Wiz and the after mentioned Green Pastures or it's basically a rebuttal to how Broadway used to cast white Americans to play and project everything on stage even if those things weren't even meant to be represented by then ( think West side story). Miranda and numerous black and Brown hip-hop and R&B artists got together to make a statement about the diversity on Broadway

@j.muntuspeakercoachchef5984

Жыл бұрын

“Great propaganda is well made and enthralling”!!!!!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

I used to love the musical but now I'm a bit sickened by its popularity, Hamilton is what happens in a culture where the work of so called activists starts and ends with representation . No interrogating the systems that allow the ruling class to amass so much wealth, prestige and power most of the time on the backs of POC but only on getting a few select POC into the existing power structure. In Hamilton the founding myth of America is preserved for instance of the 20000 black soldiers who fought for the British, because Britain's promised them their freedom including some of George Washington's slaves and the way he was a land speculator an wanted to encroach on native land which Britain denied the colonist is erased as it doesn't fit the narrative. All of this would suggests that the revolutionary war wasn't meaningful for all Americans. Conservatives love to erase all mention of poc and their struggles in ameican history to preserve the myth of American exceptionalism liberals do the same and instead have the descendants of slaves play their oppressors and call it progress. In both instances the true story of POC is erased.

It is not a "work of historical fiction" in any sense. It's an artistic retelling of real history by Miranda. Miranda has stressed in interviews a desire to be "as historically accurate as possible". With that sentiment in mind the things he decided to omit are all the more important. Hamilton is just a collection of liberal jingoism spoken on beat.

I have not seen "Hamilton" on stage or streaming live. I did see Reed's "The Haunting of Lin-Mauel Miranda." It was amusing and jarring at the same time. It will never make its way to Broadway of to a Disney livestream. However, I'm glad that Reed's play has led to some meaningful debate and discussion. After all, isn't that what art is supposed to do, you know, lead us to think about things? As per Ms. Morrison, I'm glad that she had the chutzpah to fund Reed's play. I can imagine her up in heaven editing something Amiri Baraka wrote and cautioning Muhammad Ali about misbehaving!

@monicahope3615

4 жыл бұрын

Hamilton The Musical DID lead to meaningful debate and discussion. In addition, Lin answers the question about what was omitted by expressing that he had to narrow and narrow and narrow his focus to the creation of one country out of 13 colonies, with 13 different monetary systems - and exclude a significant amount of the founding fathers flaws. We need to read some history books to get more information. Hamilton the Musical opens that door. It was never promoted as the be all end all of Hamilton's life. No critique I have read so far has made me change my mind about the brilliance of this historical musical, and I hope people keep on sharing their views and talking about their discoveries for years to come.

@kensmall6755

4 жыл бұрын

@@monicahope3615 That's wonderful and cool. I'm not trying to convert you. All I'm saying is I enjoyed Reed's spoof on "Hamilton" as much as you enjoyed Miranda's epic musical. We've gotten some pleasure and learned some things along the way as well. It's wonderful to have two geniuses, one who is a MacArthur Genius recipient and another who metaphorically has blown up Broadway. Both have stimulated conversations related to the history of this nation. Sounds exactly like what good art is spozed to do...

@theguywhoeats1

3 жыл бұрын

would you happen to know of any way to purchase a recording of Reeds play? i’d love to watch it

@leonorcrafts9877

2 жыл бұрын

The bad thing about that is how it represented Lin Manuel Miranda

I can’t believe you have less than 100 subscribers! Everything was well-said and taken into consideration. Looking forward to more videos!

Huge fan of the musical - it actually gave me a boost to read about the history. Just today I finished Chernow’s biography of Hamilton that inspired the musical and WOW there is so much that was left out, including the deep presence of slavery and the divide this issue had in our country from the very beginning. The musical is at best a fun stage play that provides a stepping stone towards an interest in learning about our nation’s history.

Appreciate the analysis and all the links, thank you.

Thanks for this excellent discussion. I'm excited to see your future work.

Her home was burnt down by white people when she was 2, most of her father’s life was humiliated by the similar kind of people so her father decided that black people are better than white people, told her that, to act like that. Women who was similar in that situation, they grew up becoming housewives struggled in that demented world. Her words are powerful. Someday I will watch Hamilton, she didn’t like it, nothing to do with me.

i personally hated hamilton when i saw it. i do not regularly watch stage plays but i watched it on disney plus and was disgusted. everyone said how good it was without mentioning the whitewashed nonsense

@GucciDishes

2 жыл бұрын

like the critical engagement part was never prevalent. its a grain of sand on the beach that is the praise for it

@moonscout3702

Жыл бұрын

I LOVE the songs, my favorites are First Burn and Satisfied. But I don't care about the story that much... it was too whitewashed I agree and not that accurate

I absolutely LOVED how you explained this. I personally didn't enjoy watching it, the actors and actresses are TALENTED though, but I do enjoy some of the music.

I love this. Thank you :)

The fact Thomas Paine isn't in it is notable.

@JJ-el6qx

2 жыл бұрын

He's mentioned

@JakobVirgil

2 жыл бұрын

@@JJ-el6qx When? but also not enough.

@JJ-el6qx

2 жыл бұрын

@@JakobVirgil it's just one line angelica sings: "I've been reading common sense by thomas paine, some men say that I'm intense or I'm insane...you want s revolution, i want a revelation, so listen to my declaration"

@JJ-el6qx

2 жыл бұрын

@@JakobVirgil also you have to remember, it's a 2hour musical which first and foremost is a narrative, throwing in a million references to everything would have thrown off the plot and also seemed kind of disingenuous to mention such heavy and important subjects in just a passing song or lyric, and then just go back to Hamilton and Jeffersons dick measuring contest, as if nothing happened? I believe these bigger issues, slavery, the treatment of indigenous people, women's rights, all deserve a whole plot dedicated to them. I don't know, but I may be thinking of this wrong, let me know what you think.

@JakobVirgil

2 жыл бұрын

@@JJ-el6qx He is isn't a reference he is the cause. Every beautiful thing that folks like Jefferson and Hamilton believed was because they read Paine. Otherwise, they were just Slavers who did not like paying taxes.

Hamilton is a story about him the other characters are either shown talking to hamilton fighting with him or like the schyluar sisters introduced to the story so we have a better understanding about washington having a slave i dont think he told hamilton about thwt so ofcourse wasnt in the musical.

How could they easily assume there was no slavery when they mentioned slavery like 20 times lol

@coyotedreaming

2 жыл бұрын

The whole rap battle between Jefferson and Hamilton was about the economics of slavery, and Hamilton called Jefferson on the fact that his position depended upon the free labor he received from the slaves he owned.

@politereminder6284

2 жыл бұрын

There's no portrayal of slavery in practice. It also just pretends that Hamilton and his pals are abolitionists.

@PoetPariahMusic

2 жыл бұрын

@@politereminder6284 lol ok

@desdar100

Жыл бұрын

@@politereminder6284 Hamilton was a part of the New York Main Mission Society, but the play makes a note that essentially he prioritized his political career over literally everything else

Thanks for your nuanced take!

I just don't understand why a LATINO wrote about BLACK slavery and got praised for it. Like I thought we were done with that in 2010.

@desdar100

Жыл бұрын

That's because Hamilton is not about slavery and more so just about The Life and Times of the after mentioned man. Additionally, Miranda was not the only person who played a part in its creation because plenty of big hip hop and R&B legends assisted with it such as black thought and Nas

You’re giving the play way too much of a pass I think you should actually just watch Ismael reads play Hamilton is ideologically awful it’s not just about representation it reflects the dominant ruling class ideology it’s bad because it’s ideologically bad it’s also horrible rapping. This play gives white people a pass to feel comfortable without having to confront anything it’s a play for smug liberals and self-righteous conservatives it says nothing about wealth and equality or class which is perfect for the kind of Neil liberal identitarianism That it is a propaganda vehicle for I’m disgusted by Hamilton I’m amazed that anyone thinks it’s any good

@desdar100

Жыл бұрын

I feel like this is a gross misrepresentation of what Hamilton set out to do. It was a play created to rebuttal to what Broadway was perpetuating at the time ( which was tokenizing actors of color and flat out excluding them in favor of all white cast). Hamilton not only utilize art forms that were rarely hurt on Broadway but managed to fit them in to a theatrical Spectrum when many thought it was impossible. The popularity of Hamilton also proved to Hollywood that people were hungry for diversity which led to a completely new era for Broadway and even Hollywood with stuff like black panther. Sure, you can make critiques about creators like Miranda working within the system to progress further, but I think it's easier to say that when you're not the one pushing the envelope

Well Michelle Obama did ask Lin if he can create a musical about the African American struggles during slavery, give him the time he's still young, I'm sure he will not disappoint.

@darkinetix

3 жыл бұрын

Lmao noooobody wants that from LMM.

@LukeSkyWatchers

3 жыл бұрын

@@darkinetix Speak for yourself.

@darkinetix

3 жыл бұрын

@@LukeSkyWatchers I'm comfortable speaking for Black people, the culture I represent. At large, we don't want that from him. He didn't even capture the actual make up of Afro-Latinx people in Washington Heights for the In the Heights movie... why would we want to attach him, of all people, to a project about Slavery when he is clearly still struggling with the nuance of the Black experience??

@JJ-el6qx

2 жыл бұрын

@@darkinetix did not know you were the official elected representative

@simbahunter8894

2 жыл бұрын

@@darkinetix Maybe because LMM is a direct descendant of an enslaved African American woman and his maternal grandfather is listed as Black in the US census.

I LOVE the music but agree the story is Problematic

A little alarming that the Hamilton press conference was held in the George W Bush building

The mere fact that many have been debating slavery and the horrible contradictions of the founding fathers is amazing. Leave the musical alone and fight for what happens now. White supremacy is the problem, not a show.

@wolfwilliams

2 жыл бұрын

"Leave the musical alone"... That's not how criticism works. You put the art on stage and get rich from it, you have to put up with the debates that the art inspires. All art is open to criticism.

@goldenhorde6944

Жыл бұрын

Stop making shows about white supremacists then.

I think Hamilton would've worked as a concept album.

Yooo make more videos you’re a great video journalist

I'm not American, but I spent my early years there. I went though the school system that created false portrayals of founding fathers. I found the story and it's setting to be an eye roll moment reeking of propaganda. I like some of Lin's musical work, but not the rapping so much, and not this play.

I'm not american, and my problem with hamilton (even tho i love it) is probably how it's all american-patriotic-propaganda lol but i get that it's made to make all americans love america despite its history of slavery and racism in the country. But i think that if america wasnt racist it still would not be a good country, like there's so much more to criticize about america. Just not into american propaganda, but I love the music!

It's all intentional. I think we are supposed to walk away from the show thinking "What does this show say about minorities in America today?" It's not a history lesson.

do some ppl not just understand that lin was trying his hardest? i dont know much tho so plz dont come at me if im wrong

@JJ-el6qx

2 жыл бұрын

I also think that he wasn't thinking "that deep" into it. Like he didnt set out to create "perpetual myth propaganda" or whatever some people are saying. I think his thought process went as far as I want to tell the inspiring story of this man, i love hip-hop so I'll play it to that, and I believe in poc representation in theatre, so let's have an all poc cast. This may be naive thinking, but i think his intentions were good and the musical has resulted in more positivity than harm. However it is a public piece of art, so people are allowed to critique and over analysis it further m

@JJ-el6qx

2 жыл бұрын

@@jomsies wow what an insightful and thought provoking take. You should do a ted talk

@JJ-el6qx

2 жыл бұрын

@Persephone Goddess of Spring yeah you can appreciate the story of the founding of the US, it's an important one while also acknowledging the horrendous things that were happening at the time to minorities and how some of the founding fathers had involvement in them. Some people don't see it this way but as a POC myself (now given I'm not black so I can't 100% speak on the issue of slavery but just give my opinion), I think by having POCs tell the story, it's a way of taking back the story of the founding of the us and letting POCs take the spotlight for it. Idk about you but tbh now when I think of george washington i don't automatically picture the white dude on the 1 dollar bill, but chris jackson is the first to pop into my mind etc. At the end of the day Hamilton is not meant to be a history lesson and is leaning more towards historical fiction.

@JJ-el6qx

2 жыл бұрын

@Persephone Goddess of Spring oh I've been meaning to listen to 13! Looks good!

I only like the show because it was entertaining it was keeping people Spirit up through these time of crisis

Very interesting. I enjoyed your presentation and analysis. Thanks for not being condescending regarding blacks portraying the white founding fathers. It is possible for black people to hold two complex realities regarding the founding fathers at the same time.One, that they were slavers and all that implies. And 2, that the narrative of the founding fathers is about governance based on theories based in the Enlightenment and the Protestant Reformation. The later being something all people can celebrate. The musical Hamilton allows all people to have an ownership in the creation of America.

I loved the musical

You can’t please all the people all the time!! And perhaps some jealousy involved here. You know…they’re getting the all the attention…what about me?? Waaahhh!! But…you can’t always get what you want…So what do they want…that Hamilton address every issue under the Sun??

It's ok.

Many older people seem to get angry as they age. Always a sad situation in every family.

Why would anyone be shocked. I’m shocked that people were shocked lol

What the fuck?

Because Love of Hamilton is, admittedly or not, a litmus test for one's Woke-ism, especially if they are white, I think it gets nothing but gushing praise. I personally found it confusing to keep up with the story and characters, and didn't care for the music.

just old people that can't let go of their hate

@eddie9559

3 жыл бұрын

Horrible take. Horrible.

@waterfall3479

3 жыл бұрын

@@eddie9559 she wants to be a victim even in the afterlife

@IrresistibleWitch

2 жыл бұрын

@@waterfall3479 she was NEVER a victim.