This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Notre Dame chapter.
Donald Glover’s rap persona, Childish Gambino, owes his success to the internet. A tv-writer, comedian, and actor by trade, he created a bona fide music career that has since superseded all of those aforementioned jobs thanks to a system of 1’s and 0’s that disseminated raps he wrote and produced in his spare time across the globe to a fanbase that only grows.
Donald’s work, much like himself, doesn’t easily conform to the tropes of the rap genre. While his music is distinctly hip-hop, it’s tinged with an alarming sense of awareness that he defies the archetype of a ‘real’ rapper. It’s likely why he has such a cross-demographic appeal. A self proclaimed hipster, he represents the millennial youth caught between genres who love rap music but can’t necessarily claim to identify with its traditional themes.
With lyrical prowess that rivals the Bard or Weezy himself, there’s no denying that Glover is talented. Following him as I have, it’s clear he’s still finding his voice. But he invites you to come along with him. His newest release is just as modern as he is. An EP simultaneously released with a companion mixtape speaks to Donald’s dichotomous existence, commercial appeal with a foot still on the margins. Kauai, the EP, is more of the Donald standard: modern beats, meta lyrics, catchy tunes. STN MTN, the Mixtape, is the obvious passion project, a love letter to Glover’s hometown (and mine) of Atlanta and the legends that inspired him. Rapping over Atlanta standards like “Southern Hospitality” or “Money Baby” and collaborating with legends like DJ Drama, STN MTN is Donald’s living dream. For Atlanta natives, it’s a heavy piece of nostalgia guaranteed to elicit a puff-your-chest-out kind of pride. For outsiders, it’s an introduction to one of the greatest cities in hip-hop and the world.
In order to appreciate new Gambino, it’s only right to look back at what came before. Here’s a list of some of my favorite pre-STN MTN/Kauai tracks and a peek at some of my new favorites.
Enjoy!
“Freaks and Geeks” – Camp (2012)
You’ll be hard pressed to find a list of Childish Gambino songs that doesn’t include this track. It’s probably the most comprehensive example of Gambino’s style and ability. However, unlike a lot of his more introspective pieces, “Freaks” is an in your face manifesto where Glover openly touts his talent and with good reason. With dizzying wordplay (that includes a raunchy pun about a classic American poet) and undeniably good production, it’s some of his best work.
“Lights Turned On” – The Great Gambino (2011)
The same hurried, frantic style as “Freaks”, “Lights Turned On” is another aggressively hype Gambino classic. Again, a great example of his ability to string together an endless array of puns and wordplay.
“L.E.S.” – Camp (2012)
A slow, dreamy jam about trying to get some in New York City that somehow celebrates and berates hipster culture.
“Fire Fly” – Camp (2012)
Donald Glover raps about what he knows, which is why so many of us love him. “Fire Fly” documents his successes as well as his perennial struggle to fit his genre. Favorite lyric: Me and hip-hop that black Sid and Nancy
“The Last” – Culdesac (2010)
Some of his best work comes in the retrospective pieces like “The Last,” an autobiographical track that charts his early struggles with fitting in and his devotion to staying himself.
“The Palisades” – Kauai (2014)
I love when Donald makes poppy tracks like this. “The Palisades” is a slow, relaxed, and feels almost effortless. I love it.
“Dream/Southern Hospitality/Patna Dem”- STN MTN (2014)
A cleverly layered homage to some iconic rap and the city that inspired it.