So the joke goes like this: Actor/comedian Donald Glover (you know, Troy Barnes from Community) got it in his head one day that he wanted to be a rapper. Cue a boatload of EPs, mixtapes, and random song drops, and now Glover (going by the nom de rhyme Childish Gambino) has dropped his debut album, Camp, on Glassnote Records, the home to big-name acts Mumford & Sons, Phoenix, and The Temper Trap. Here’s the punchline, though: The joke’s actually on us. Gambino can really rap. Scratch that; he can really, really rap, plus sing and emote and put on a show better than 90% of his hip-hop counterparts. What’s funny isn’t that some dude who used to work with Tina Fey has big-time rap dreams; it’s that they’re about to come true.
While fellow rapper Drake might work the hardest to fill his songs with earnest emotional displays, Gambino’s heartfelt declarations flow the easiest. And while they may not always be the most complicated or compelling, there’s no denying how readily Gambino lets people in. One of the more well-constructed confessions is the album opener “Outside”, where Gambino muses on the loss of his cousin to the streets (“She don’t want me in a lifestyle like my cousin/And he mad cause his father ain’t around/He lookin’ at me now, like ‘Why you so ****in lucky?/I had a father too/But he ain’t around so I’mma take it out on you’/We used to say ‘I love you’/Now we only think that ****/It feels weird that you’re the person I took sink baths with/Street took you over/I want my cousin back”). And it’s in that low-key moment that Gambino sums up his whole aesthetic: young, angry, and full of regrets in the face of this unending wealth of swagger and a blazingly bright future.
As depressing and open as Gambino can be, there’s no denying the Jekyll and Hyde aspect of his personality. From the depths of family despair, the MC can turn it all around with cuts like “Heartbeat”. Where he shows musical development in utilizing a rip-roaring electro beat, the rhymes tell the story of a truly tasteless Gambino (one who is even more emotionally vacant than on previous efforts, which is saying volumes), offering up primo lines like, “So I’m chilling with my girlfriend/But she not my real girlfriend/She got a key to my place but/She’s not my real girlfriend.” And the rest is filled with unrepentant cheating, loads of self-deprecation, a heaping helping of harassment, and an overall sheen of douchebaggery on Gambino’s part. The feelings expressed in “Outside” and “Heartbeat” are diametrically opposing, yet flesh out the inner workings of a complicated man who is beyond his years and yet overwhelmingly in need of a reality check.
Duality is nothing new for Gambino, as he’s built his whole career on developing his desire to connect and his simultaneous isolation from the black community. This LP, though, sees some of the focus moved toward making more of what could be considered straight-up “hits.” Gambino’s always had a sense for creating bangers and anthems, but these latest tracks feel different in scope. “Bonfire” is the perfect lead single, a killer synthesis of his charisma and attitude, his fondness for off-kilter beats, and his plethora of pop culture references. ”Fire Fly” is as close to a mainstream hit as Gambino is likely to get, with an oozing, synth-y beat a la Kanye West. Even his frustrations are decidedly more pop-ready, with rhymes like “These black kids want something new, I swear it/Something they wanna say but couldn’t cause they embarrassed/All I do is make the stuff I wanna write/Reference shows I wanna watch, reference girls I wanna bite/Now I’m firefly like a burning kite/And yousa fake **** like a fleshlight.” The apex of his hit-making prowess, though, is “Sunrise”. Hand clapping galore, fuzzy synth instrumentation, and a grand chorus sample make for a big-time sonic revival. Lyrically, it’s weaker than most of the songs on the album, but that abandonment feels like a conscious step toward further embracing the power of pure music.
Camp ends with “That Power”; buzzing with loads of giant-sized thud, the track’s most appealing quality is the ending monologue. Gambino (possibly as full-on Glover now) tells the story of his first experience of heartbreak after summer camp ended. Looking back on that young pain, he muses on its greater contextual meaning, saying, “I wish I could say this was a story about how I got on the bus a boy and got off a man more cynical, hardened, and mature and ****. But that’s not true. The truth is I got on the bus a boy. And I never got off the bus. I still haven’t.” And here’s hoping he never does.
During DJ SOSUPERSAM's opening set at New York City's Terminal 5 last night, Kanye West's "Get ‘Em High" elicited a visceral crowd reaction. It made sense. Despite his Lil Wayne flow and Drake inflections, Donald Glover, who raps as Childish Gambino, is closest in lineage to College Dropout-era West: he boasts an Everyman appeal built on witty, biting humor, a prideful disdain for hip-hop clichés and some incendiary prodding of racial typecasts, post-Obama and post-Chappelle's Show. In Childish Gambino's world, race is sometimes the topic, but always the punchline. On this night, the actor/rapper toyed masterfully with the hot-button issue, and along the way he put on a great hip-hop concert.
Backed by a live band that included a violinist, Glover performed fervently from start to finish for a sold-out crowd of frat-boy devotees, scenester girls and industry skeptics. Crowdsurfing began within moments of Glover launching into "Hero," one of the many cuts he would perform from his various mixtapes and his upcoming debut, Camp (in stores November 15th). Glover is a comedian at heart, and his punchlines hit with the crisp timing of a seasoned performer. "I wish we never ****ed, and I mean that," he shouted during the climax of Camp's "Heartbeat," pausing before nailing the rimshot: "But not really – you say the nastiest **** in bed and it's ****ing awesome." Viral hits like "Freaks and Geeks" and a Jamie xx-produced remix of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" satiated the raucous crowd, who shouted back nearly every lyric during a 12-song set.
Glover clearly yearns for recognition as a technical rapper, and he was notably deft with rapid-fire lyrical exercises such as "You See Me," during which projected lyrics helped the crowd keep pace. On more somber numbers like "My Shine," Glover's pleas for respect sometimes felt off-putting, and even misplaced: "Why nobody want to admit they like me, just a little bit?" he rapped to a packed hall of adorers. This self-deprecation is the context from which he draws much of his art – he raps about being called a "******" and getting dumped by girls. But these bits floundered next to more bombastic numbers.
Still, there were few lulls during the nearly two-hour performance, and Glover's control over the audience never wavered. "I just found out backstage that Camp got four out of five mics in the Source magazine," Glover swelled from the stage while holding the first physical copy of his debut. "So I'm going to do a new song for all the mother****ers who told me I couldn't be a rapper." He then performed "Backpackers," a scathing cut from the album that narrates his internal conflict about his own act and career. "That well-spoken token who ain't been heard/The only white rapper that's allowed to say the N-word," he spouted from the stage, disregarding the hundreds of white patrons who shouted the epithet along with him throughout the night.
The crowd fell mostly silent as Glover inched near the inevitable question that has defined many a black comedian's career – whether fans were laughing with him for mocking racial tropes (sample puns: "Brand-new whip for these *****s like slavery," "Eating Oreos like these white girls that blow me"), or simply laughing at other races. "**** you, backpackers," he hissed with notable menace. After a brief moment of tension, a Grizzly Bear sample dropped, the audience cheered, and all was well again.
Glover displays a deep understanding of performance art, and his material gains sizeable context onstage. He's at home in front of the crowd, if not in the booth. After a three-song encore that included a roaring rendition of his latest single, "Bonfire," a shirtless Glover profusely thanked his band and sound crew before addressing the crowd. "I seriously ****ing love each and every one of you guys," he professed with the polish of a veteran. As he walked offstage, Glover triumphantly held a copy of his debut album over his head, without the slightest grin. For an instant, it was clear just how serious the comedian could be.t
1. Community is not getting canceled, I read an article in the newspaper today
2. This album *****!! Gambino is just ridiculous
3. I hope you bitches are buying the album and not just praising here
4. Favorite tracks: Bonfire, Heartbeat, You See Me, That Power, All the Shine and Fire Fly
1. Community is not getting canceled, I read an article in the newspaper today
2. This album *****!! Gambino is just ridiculous
3. I hope you bitches are buying the album and not just praising here
4. Favorite tracks: Bonfire, Heartbeat, You See Me, That Power, All the Shine and Fire Fly
Community isn't getting cancelled but the chances of it coming back for a fourth season are VERY slim. The ratings have been struggling for a while now.
Community isn't getting cancelled but the chances of it coming back for a fourth season are VERY slim. The ratings have been struggling for a while now.
Yeah sadly, it's one of the best comedies out there
I am IN LOVE with this song! And seeing this performance makes me love it even more! His flow is insane.
And yeah, Community is going to be a mid-season replacement, which makes it likely at the moment that when the show comes back it will be for the last time. There seems to be a lot of people upset over it, so hopefully NBC listens.
It really deserves to! Unfortunately I'm expecting anywhere between 90-110k. I know he's doing great on iTunes but I wonder how many sales that will be.
What are your favorite tracks?
Fire Fly= LIFE
Where is the promo for this album? He needs more appearances than Fallon and Conan.
The Source gave the album four mics:
Quote:
While some may reach for features or big name producers, Childish opts to take full control of his destiny rapping, singing and co-producing alongside Ludwig Goransson. A 13 track offering, Camp's topic of conversation centers around the opposite sex, racial differences, and his own physical features, specifically, major emphasis on his penis. Pause. “Outside” features an eerie Broadway/Gospel style chorus which weaves a compelling story. "Bonfire" is a head banger and is the album’s most aggressive cut. The most complete song on the album is “All The Shine,” as Child’ handles the hook impressively while dropping lines like “I keep it wrapped till I meet the right one, I ain’t Mumford, I ain’t trying to have sons.” On “Sunrise”, Gambino pays homage to The Source as he raps "My **** be Jackson, Jordan, Bolton, Keaton, Tyson... 5 Mikes." Rounding out the LP is “That Power,” featuring a QuestLove percussion assist as a conscious Childish explains the meaning of Camp.
Gambino’s use of one liners and imagery draws listeners into his world. Though his rapping ability may be overlooked at first, Childish refuses to let his critics dismiss him as being just another actor trying to do this rap thing on the side. This album proves that he may very well be the coolest kid in his class.
OK so let me tell you about my Gambino day yesterday.
So I hauled my ass out of bed with a fever and a sore/swollen throat to go buy Camp at a record store because of the whole merit badge deal. Two local stores were listed to say they have it. WELL not only did they not have the badge, they didn't even have the album in stock.
Long story short, I don't get my album until Friday. Playing the **** out of my rip from the NPR stream until then