My newest obsession is the rapper known as Childish Gambino. Childish Gambino is the stage name of Donald Glover, the uber-talented comic, actor, and writer of "30 Rock" and "Community" fame. Dude can act/perform comedy, write, and now writes & performs some sick rap music. He's been recording music since 2008 (with the release of Sick Boi) and is finally starting to get some of the recognition he deserves as a serious musician. After reading some interviews with him, it seems music was more of a creative and a not-so-serious release for him in the past (in the "joke-rap"/Lonely Island vein). But now it seems like he's taking this whole rapper thing rather seriously.
His newest release, "EP," includes a raw honesty about his feelings and upbringing that wasn't present on previous releases. He speaks openly about his feelings on how he is perceived in Hollywood and his own low self-esteem (See "Be Alone" where he confronts his often harsh critics and haters). His "Childish Gambino" creation also comes through at times, boasting heavily of wealth, women, and some of the other usually sexual and violent things often heard in rap music. But he sprinkles this language with witty and intelligent lyrics that you're likely to hear coming out of the mouths of comic book geeks and book nerds. Who else can turn poet E. E. Cummings into a sexual punchline?
Glover himself is a self-confessed nerd, "the black Clark Kent," if you will. While Glover doesn't have the usual background of a rapper - he graduated from NYU with a degree in dramatic writing and started writing on "30 Rock" under Tina Fey at age 22 - that doesn't make his content and life experience any less relevant or appealing. Perhaps his music isn't aimed at the typical rap audience, but the industry is going to have to start recognizing this immense talent. His skills as a musician are undeniable and you can hear the personality of the tracks come through in the production. Glover is onto something here. His passion and love for music comes through in the production, even through the dick jokes and sexual references. This is a guy having the time of his life. While he seems to be going less for the comic punchline, the comedy is still present, but the high musical quality balances it out nicely.
Perhaps the greatest thing about Childish Gambino is that he records and releases his music on his own. You can and should download his albums directly from his website - www.iamdonald.com. And, if he comes to your area, you should check out his live comedy/rap show "I am Donald" coming at you this April and May.
Below you'll find the official video for his release "Freaks and Geeks." I hope you enjoy Childish Gambino as much as I do.
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