The Good & Bad in Rihanna's Politically-Charged "American Oxygen" Vid

FUSE TV - The Good & Bad in Rihanna's Politically-Charged "American Oxygen" Vid

In Rihanna's new track "American Oxygen," she sings, over and over, how "We are the new America." Now we get to see what the "Bitch Better Have My Money" singer considers the American dream in the anthemic track's video. In a politically charged visual, Rih sings on music video sets as iconic shots from U.S. history flash across the screen. For the most part, it's all good and inspiring, but some of it's giving us pause. 

Watch above for a scrapbook of American highs and lows, including the Great Depression, the Civil Rights Movement, recent immigration protests, Ku Klux Klan demonstrations, the moon landing, September 11th, President Obama's inauguration and much more. RiRi offers some sharp visual juxtapositions from history as well, from shots of men trading on Wall Street to the Occupy Wall Street movement, or fireworks on the Fourth of July exploding next to an atomic bomb. 

There's also a heavy handed look at police brutality, with loads of recent and vintage footage of officers attacking citizens, but at the end we get a lovely shot of two African American officers smiling for the camera.

Probably the coolest commentary comes from the only images of musicians—the Beatles and Bob Marley, who made lasting impacts on our country's culture despite being born elsewhere. (Just like...Rihanna!) Do you really need to be American to be a part of American history?

Anthony Ramos On 'The Good & The Bad' (Extended Cut)

12m

Anthony Ramos On 'The Good & The Bad' (Extended Cut)

Racial Profiling: Good Policing or Bad Judgement?

23m

Racial Profiling: Good Policing or Bad Judgement?

Rihanna: Rebirth

41m

Rihanna: Rebirth

The All-Americans

1h 36m

The All-Americans

Rico Nasty Shares Her First Time In the Studio & Meeting Rihanna

4m

Rico Nasty Shares Her First Time In the Studio & Meeting Rihanna

Big Freedia's In Charge

20m

Big Freedia's In Charge

The American Rat Race

20m

The American Rat Race

Politics

22m

Politics

Bad Ass 2: Bad Asses

1h 30m

Bad Ass 2: Bad Asses

Charged: The Eduardo Garcia Story

1h 22m

Charged: The Eduardo Garcia Story

Breaking Bad

44m

Breaking Bad

The Hilarious Reality of the American Rat Race

2m

The Hilarious Reality of the American Rat Race

Bad Table Manners

46m

Bad Table Manners

American Thief

1h 15m

American Thief

Good Records

1m

Good Records

Inherent Good

54m

Inherent Good

Big Bad Voodoo Finale

21m

Big Bad Voodoo Finale

Buy, Bye American

24m

Buy, Bye American

Democracy American Style

24m

Democracy American Style

Hurts So Good

46m

Hurts So Good

Bad Blood:  Hawkins vs. Jett

44m

Bad Blood: Hawkins vs. Jett

American Obsessions Pt.1

20m

American Obsessions Pt.1

American Obsessions Pt.2

20m

American Obsessions Pt.2

The Beatles: In the Life

1h 2m

The Beatles: In the Life

Meagan Good and Lil Rel Howery

20m

Meagan Good and Lil Rel Howery

She Wanna Have A Good Time

20m

She Wanna Have A Good Time

Tension In The Tenderloin

20m

Tension In The Tenderloin

Chaos In The Cage

44m

Chaos In The Cage

Out in the Ring

1h 43m

Out in the Ring

All In The Family

20m

All In The Family

The Ladies Play "Fill In The Blanks"

1m

The Ladies Play "Fill In The Blanks"

Bishop Briggs On Her First American Dating Experience

2m

Bishop Briggs On Her First American Dating Experience

Out With The Old, In With The New

20m

Out With The Old, In With The New

Cher: Life in the Spotlight

56m

Cher: Life in the Spotlight

In Through the Out Door

47m

In Through the Out Door

Porn, The Ins and Outs

21m

Porn, The Ins and Outs

Meagan Good Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

1m

Meagan Good Plays 2 Truths and a Lie

In Search of the Elusive Orgasm

43m

In Search of the Elusive Orgasm

Brunch In The Castro: Deleted Scene

2m

Brunch In The Castro: Deleted Scene

Love In The Time Of Pandademic

20m

Love In The Time Of Pandademic

Plenty Of Fish In The Street

20m

Plenty Of Fish In The Street

Mahalia Takes A Lie Detector Test: Was She Really A Bad Roommate?

9m

Mahalia Takes A Lie Detector Test: Was She Really A Bad Roommate?

The First Time, In A Long Time

20m

The First Time, In A Long Time

Ne-Yo On Leading By Example With His Album, Good Man

4m

Ne-Yo On Leading By Example With His Album, Good Man

Grimes Explains the Characters in Flesh Without Blood

1m

Grimes Explains the Characters in Flesh Without Blood

Don't Swear In Front of The Song

21m

Don't Swear In Front of The Song

Keeping Your Girls The Girls In Check: G-Thing

2m

Keeping Your Girls The Girls In Check: G-Thing

Rogelio Shows His Acting Prowess In 'The Dark Military'

55s

Rogelio Shows His Acting Prowess In 'The Dark Military'

Inside the MMA: Fear and Loathing in La Jaula

41m

Inside the MMA: Fear and Loathing in La Jaula

Comedians React to Unbelievably Strange Laws in the US

6m

Comedians React to Unbelievably Strange Laws in the US

King Keraun Falls Into a Sunken Place While in the Woods

2m

King Keraun Falls Into a Sunken Place While in the Woods

Dwayne Johnson and The Blue Devils Break It Down In Hawaii

3m

Dwayne Johnson and The Blue Devils Break It Down In Hawaii

What The Hell Are We? Are We Living In A Simulation?

18m

What The Hell Are We? Are We Living In A Simulation?

Clash of the Corps Drummers Step Up and Show Out in Rhythm

1m

Clash of the Corps Drummers Step Up and Show Out in Rhythm

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 2: Optimism

1m

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 2: Optimism

What Does The Transcendent Star Look For In A Man: Dear Bambiana

1m

What Does The Transcendent Star Look For In A Man: Dear Bambiana

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 3: Inner Thoughts

1m

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 3: Inner Thoughts

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 1: Hollow Man

1m

A Day In the Life of Wilmer Valderrama's Puppet Ep. 1: Hollow Man

Got to Be in it To Win it: America's Obsession with the Lottery

2m

Got to Be in it To Win it: America's Obsession with the Lottery

The River and the Wall

1h 45m

The River and the Wall

The Abuela and the Furious

12m

The Abuela and the Furious

Inside the MMA: Release the Kraken

41m

Inside the MMA: Release the Kraken

The Blue Devils Bring The Parade

1m

The Blue Devils Bring The Parade

Triple the Pleasure, Triple the Fun

43m

Triple the Pleasure, Triple the Fun

The 212

The 212

The Runway

1h 33m

The Runway

The Luau

1h 30m

The Luau

The Feels

1h 21m

The Feels

The Pilot

21m

The Pilot

The Hustle

20m

The Hustle

The Decision

44m

The Decision

The Reunion

45m

The Reunion

The Citizen

1h 34m

The Citizen

The Motorcycle

23m

The Motorcycle

The FP

1h 20m

The FP

The Exchange

1h 27m

The Exchange

The Canvas

The Canvas

Moving In

41m

Moving In

Punching In

45m

Punching In

All the Focus is on the Diamonds

21m

All the Focus is on the Diamonds

The Abuela Test for Leaving the Nest

15m

The Abuela Test for Leaving the Nest

Inside the MMA: Best of the Year

41m

Inside the MMA: Best of the Year

Higher Brothers Take a Lie Detector Test: Do the Best Rappers In China Come From Chengdu?

5m

Higher Brothers Take a Lie Detector Test: Do the Best Rappers In China Come From Chengdu?

T-Pain's School of Business: Artiphon- The All In One Musical Device | Season 1 Look Back |

1m

T-Pain's School of Business: Artiphon- The All In One Musical Device | Season 1 Look Back |

The Abuela Trap

16m

The Abuela Trap

Who's the Boss?

24m

Who's the Boss?

Making the Cut

46m

Making the Cut

Assume the Position

42m

Assume the Position

The Prison Within

1h 23m

The Prison Within

Meet The Family

21m

Meet The Family

Missy: The Icon

20m

Missy: The Icon

Mind the Mints

21m

Mind the Mints

Cassandro, The Exotico!

1h 15m

Cassandro, The Exotico!

The Glow Up

20m

The Glow Up

Surfing the Skies

22m

Surfing the Skies

The North Shore

22m

The North Shore

Free The Robots

9m

Free The Robots

The Sex Clinic

The Sex Clinic

Create The Future

20m

Create The Future

Beyond the Binary

20m

Beyond the Binary

Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information