Glover, Jr was born at Edwards Air Force Base, California and raised in Stone Mountain, Georgia. His mother, Beverly (Smith, is a retired daycare provider, and his father, Donald, Sr, is a retired postal worker. His parents also served as DeKalb County foster parents for 14 years. He was raised a Jehovah's Witness. He was voted "Most Likely to Write for The Simpsons" in his High School yearbook. Glover, Jr graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with a degree in dramatic writing in 2006.
From 2006 to 2009, Glover, Jr was a writer for the NBC series 30 Rock where he also had occasional cameo appearances. He was presented the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Comedy Series at the February 2009 ceremony for his work on the third season. Glover, Jr's stage name, Childish Gambino, came from the Wu-Tang Clan's name generator. On June 5, 2008, he released an independent album, titled Sick Boi. Glover, Jr would then become a member of the sketch comedy group Derrick Comedy, along with Dominic Dierkes, Meggie McFadden, DC Pierson, and Dan Eckman. The group wrote and starred in a feature-length film, Mystery Team, released in theaters in 2009.
On September 17, 2009, Childish Gambino released the independent album Poindexter. A pair of mixtapes, titled I Am Just a Rapper and I Am Just A Rapper 2 were released, in close succession in 2010. Robert Scahill added his producing expertise helping with the majority of the tracks. The track listings for those mixtapes consist of the name of the song "he" raps, followed by the song he raps over. His second album, Culdesac, was set to be released on July 2, 2010, but a couple of last minute additions caused the album to be delayed for a day. The album was made available on July 3. Glover, Jr has stated in interviews that on Sick Boi and Poindexter he felt he had to hide behind gimmicks, such as pink hoodies, but with his subsequent projects, he has touched on more personal subject matter, including family, schoolyard bullying, troubled romantic relationships, suicidal thoughts and alcoholism. He has disowned his 2005 album, The Younger I Get, as the too-raw ramblings of what he calls a "decrepit."
Glover, Jr's stand-up special aired on Comedy Central on March 19, 2010. In May 2010, a fan suggested Glover, Jr for the role of Peter Parker in the then-upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man film, encouraging his supporters to retweet the hashtag "#donald4spiderman". The campaign, originally started to see how far social networking could carry a message, quickly gained a large following. The call for Glover to be allowed to audition for the role was supported by Spider-Man creator Stan Lee. Glover, Jr was not awarded an audition and the role instead went to Andrew Garfield. He would later reveal that he was never contacted by anyone from Sony Pictures for the role. Comics writer Brian Michael Bendis, who announced an African-American version of Spider-Man a year later, said he had conceived of the character before Glover, Jr's campaign went viral. Bendis gave credit to Glover for influencing the new hero's looks for Spider-man after seeing him dressed as Spider-Man on Community (a nod to the campaign), Bendis said, "I saw him in the costume and thought, 'I would like to read that book.'" Glover, Jr would later voice this incarnation of Spider-Man on the Ultimate Spider-Man animated series.
Glover, Jr received the Rising Comedy Star award at the Just for Laughs festival in July 2010. Glover, Jr was featured in Gap's 2010 Holiday ad campaign. He DJs and produces electronic music under the moniker "mcDJ" (pronounced "M-C-D-J"). His music is often made available for free download via his website.
On December 1, 2010, Glover, Jr released the first track off of his EP titled "Be Alone". He released the next track, "Freaks and Geeks", as well as a five-song track list, on February 11, 2011. On February 25, Glover, Jr released the dates for the IAMDONALD tour and also his very first music video for "Freaks and Geeks". The music video was shot by Dan Eckman, the director of the Derrick Comedy troupe. This song was later used in an Adidas commercial featuring Dwight Howard. On March 8, 2011 Glover, Jr released the EP via his official website.
On March 16, 2011, Glover, Jr hosted the mtvU Woodie Awards held live at South By Southwest. On March 24, 2011, Glover, Jr taped his one-hour comedy special Weirdo for Comedy Central; it aired on November 19.
Glover, Jr appeared at the 2011 Bonnaroo Music Festival on June 9 in the 'This Tent' as Childish Gambino and June 11 at 'The Comedy Theater' with Bill Bailey performing stand up. Comedy Central streamed the comedy live on their website.
On May 4, 2011, in an interview with TheHipHopUpdate, Gambino revealed that he was working on an LP, to be released in September. On July 25, 2011, Glover, Jr announced that his new album would be titled Camp. On October 8, during his Orlando, Florida concert, he announced Camp would be released on November 15, 2011. Glover, Jr worked with friend and film composer Ludwig Göransson on the debut album. On August 20, 2011, at the Los Angeles Rock The Bells concert, he gave an interview to AllHipHop.com, and he announced to the crowd that he had signed with Glassnote Records. On September 20, his first official single, "Bonfire", was released.
The IAMDONALD tour made 24 stops in 34 days, beginning with Ames, Iowa, on April 16, and finishing with Minneapolis on May 19. In between, this included stops at music venues in Las Vegas, Houston, Washington, and Atlanta. The tour was a one-man live show that consisted of rap, comedy, and video segments.
The Sign-Up Tour was Glover, Jr's next pre-album tour. He visited 11 cities over the course of 38 days in October and November 2011. Chidlish G made a website for the tour called Camp Gambino on November 19, four days after his album released. The tour featured special guest Danny Brown and made 20 stops during the course of 32 days along a dates in California in December. On March 14, 2012, several dates on the CAMP tour were postponed due to a fractured foot Childish suffered on March 10, while performing in Tampa, Florida. The tour began in Austin, Texas on April 5 and ended August 10 in Hollywood, California.
On January 11, 2012, Childish Gambino announced on his website that a new mixtape would be coming out soon. On April 2, he released a new song, "Eat Your Vegetables", through his website. On May 14, Funkmaster Flex premiered "Unnecessary," featuring Schoolboy Q. On May 16, Gambino released "We Ain't Them" through his website, produced by himself and frequent collaborator Ludwig. On May 22, Glover, Jr appeared on Das Racist's radio show "Chillin' Island" where he premiered a new song, "Tell Me," which featured Himanshu Suri, aka Heems from Das Racist. On May 26, Glover released "Black Faces", featuring Nipsey Hussle and produced by Boi-1da. On May 30, he released a third track, "Silk Pillow," featuring Beck and produced by both Glover, Jr and Beck. On June 25, he revealed that the mixtape was to be released on July 4, 2012. On June 26, Glover, Jr premiered another new track, on Sway in the Morning (on Shade 45), entitled "One Up," featuring his brother, Steve G. Lover. That same day, he stated that the mixtape would be titled Royalty despite previous statements that it would not be called that. On July 4, 2012, he released Royalty for free via digital download. On July 7, 2012, Gambino released the track, "Body," featuring Prodigy, which did not make the cut for the mixtape. On July 24, 2012, he released the music video for "Fire Fly" through his VEVO account on YouTube.
On August 21, 2012, BBC Radio 1 premiered Leona Lewis' new song, "Trouble" off her upcoming album Glassheart, which features Childish Gambino. The song was available for purchase via iTunes on October 7, and peaked at #7 on the UK Singles Chart the following week, making it his first UK top 10 single. On November 4, 2012 Ludwig Göransson said in an interview with Portable that he and Gambino were in his studio coming up with new ideas for the next album which was to be "bigger" and "with more people involved."
In 2013, Glover, Jr signed on to create a music-themed show for FX titled Atlanta in which he will star, write, and executive produce. Consequently, he decided to reduce his work for NBC, and only appears in the first five episodes of Community's 13-episode fifth season. Although many TV stations were interested in picking up his half-hour comedy, he ultimately picked FX due to their willingness to work around his touring schedule.
On October 6, 2013, he announced on Twitter that his second studio album was completed. He further announced this at Homecoming Week at Penn State University, stating “I got a new album coming out soon, so this is the last time we’re gonna play a lot of this shit.” On October 8, 2013, he announced its title as Because the Internet and revealed that it would be released in December 2013. On October 21, 2013, Glover, Jr released the first single "3005", and announced a release date for the album as December 10, 2013. On February 15, 2014, the rapper launched his Deep Web Tour in the UK. On February 27, Childish Gambino was scheduled to begin the United States portion of his tour with a gig at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California. On June 6, 2014, RIAA certified Heartbeat Gold - making it Glover's first certification, and then on July 18, 2014, RIAA also certified 3005 Gold, making it Glover's second certification.
On October 2, 2014, he released a new mixtape titled STN MTN, and the next day he released an EP titled Kauai. The mixtape and the EP follow the story that was last told in Because The Internet and are meant to be a joint project instead of separate projects.
On October 10, 2014, Ubisoft revealed that they had collaborated with Glover, Jr to incorporate his song, "Crawl" into Far Cry 4.
On December 5, 2014 Glover, Jr was nominated for two Grammy Awards. He was a contender for Best Rap Album for Because The Internet (Glassnote Records) and Best Rap Performance for his single, “3005.”
On March 21, 2015 Glover, Jr won an mtvU Woodies Award for Best Video Woodie for the song "Sober" from the Kauai EP.
As of February 2016, Because the Internet has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipping over 500,000 copies.
Glover's third album, Awaken, My Love!, spawned the single "Redbone", which peaked at number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100 and eventually earned him his first Grammy Award. In 2018, Glover released "This Is America", which debuted at number-one on the Hot 100, and won four Grammy Awards, including for Song and Record of the Year.[13] Glover's fourth album, 3.15.20, was released in 2020.[14]
47.48
Childish Gambino Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Broke down the violence
Little boys playing 'round, shot down
The violence, the violence
Baby girl, baby daddy, he's had it
The violence, the violence, the violence
Cut him up, in the gang, did the same
The violence, the violence, oh
Don't worry 'bout tomorrow
The violence, the violence
Don't worry 'bout tomorrow
The violence, the violence
Beat him up, keep him down
Light him up, the violence
Never say what you see, keep quiet
The silence, the silence
Little boy, little girl
Are you scared of the world?
Is it hard to live?
Just take care of your soul
Let the beauty unfold
You'll get through it
Don't worry 'bout tomorrow
The violence, the violence, the violence
Don't worry 'bout tomorrow
The violence, the violence
The violence, the violence
What do you love?
I love, who do I love?
Yeah, who do you love?
Me?
Yeah
Anybody else?
Mom and Oiallo, and Genesis
And I love, and I love Roland
And I love myself
That's, those are good answers
Those are really good answers
Do you love yourself?
I do love myself
Does mommy love herself?
Absolutely
Mom, do you love yourself?
Yeah I do, you best or (do both)
The lyrics of Childish Gambino's "47.48" are a reflection on the violence that rampant in society. The song is about the effects of violence on individuals and how it affects them emotionally and psychologically. The song starts with a thirteen-year-old girl who is affected by violence and feels broken down by it. It goes on to describe little boys who are shot down and a baby girl who has had enough of the violence. The lyrics paint a picture of a community where the gang culture is prevalent, and people are cut up without remorse.
The chorus of the song "Don't worry 'bout tomorrow, the violence, the violence" implies that the people in this community are living in fear and are unable to plan ahead or hope for a better future due to the constant threat of violence. The second verse highlights the reluctance of people to speak up against the violence perpetuated by gang culture. The silence is an indication of how people have become used to the violence and are afraid to be the ones to speak up and bring about change.
Despite the bleak picture that the song portrays on the subject of violence, there is still a message of hope in the lyrics. The last verse speaks to the youth and encourages them to take care of their souls and let beauty unfold. The encouragement is a call to young people to keep pushing and not to become despondent in face of violence, but to hold on to what gives them life and keep pushing.
Line by Line Meaning
Little girl, thirteen
A young girl, just thirteen years old, is the subject of this song.
Broke down the violence
She has been affected by violence and is now emotionally overwhelmed.
Little boys playing 'round, shot down
Young boys are playing when they are suddenly attacked and shot down by violence.
The violence, the violence
The repetition of this phrase highlights the omnipresence of violence in society.
Baby girl, baby daddy, he's had it
A baby girl and her father have reached their limits in handling the stress and impact of violence in their lives.
Cut him up, in the gang, did the same
Violence has led to retaliatory violence, where one person is harmed by another and becomes part of a gang that operates in a similar fashion.
Don't worry 'bout tomorrow
The repetition of this phrase is a cautionary warning to young individuals to not think too much about the future and instead focus on the present moment.
Beat him up, keep him down
This line refers to the cycle of abuse, wherein the victims are kept under oppression, never giving them an opportunity to rise or recover.
Light him up, the violence
This phrase likely refers to the usage of weapons to inflict harm on individuals, perpetuating violence even further.
Never say what you see, keep quiet
The culture of violence is perpetuated by silence and non-involvement, where witnesses choose to remain quiet instead of acknowledging the violence.
Little boy, little girl
Again, the emphasis is placed on the vulnerable children that are exposed to the violence.
Are you scared of the world?
The song empathizes with the fear and apprehension young children have of the world given the prevalence of violence.
Just take care of your soul
The listeners are encouraged to take care of their spiritual self and inner peace amidst the chaos of the world.
Let the beauty unfold
They are encouraged to celebrate the goodness of life and let it blossom and thrive despite the surrounding violence.
You'll get through it
The song is a message of hope, ensuring listeners that they will overcome any adversities, including violence.
What do you love?
The song switches its focus from the theme of violence to one of love and positivity.
I love, who do I love?
The question poses a challenge to the listeners to introspect and think of who they love.
Me?
The response is an acknowledgment that self-love is equally important as the love for others.
Mom and Oiallo, and Genesis
The singer lists the names of people they love dearly.
And I love, and I love Roland
The list extends to include another person named Roland.
And I love myself
The song emphasizes the importance of self-love and self-care.
Those are really good answers
The song concludes on a positive note by acknowledging and validating the answers provided by the listeners.
Do you love yourself?
The song ends by reiterating the importance of self-love and asking the listeners to introspect on this matter.
I do love myself
The singer reaffirms their love for themselves.
Does mommy love herself?
The song prompts listeners to think of their loved ones and their own relationship with self-love and self-care.
Yeah I do, you best or (do both)
The mother responds positively, suggesting that the listeners should also love themselves and their loved ones around them.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Donald Glover, Dacoury Natche, Ludwig Goransson, Chukwudi Hodge, Legend Glover
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mr. Naoki
lyrics for ya'll
[Verse 1: Childish Gambino]
Little girl, thirteen, broke down
The violence
Little boys playing 'round, shot down
The violence, the violence
Baby girl, baby daddy, he's had it
The violence, the violence
The violence, the violence
Cut him up, in the gang, did the same
The violence, the violence, oh
[Chorus: Childish Gambino]
Don't worry 'bout tomorrow
The violence, the violence
Don't worry 'bout tomorrow
The violence, the violence
[Verse 2: Childish Gambino]
Beat him up, keep him down
Light him up, the violence
Never say what you see, keep quiet
The silence, the silence
[Bridge: Childish Gambino]
Little boy, little girl
Are you scared of the world?
Is it hard to live?
Just take care of your soul
Let the beauty unfold
You'll get through it
[Chorus: Childish Gambino]
Don't worry 'bout tomorrow
The violence, the violence
The violence, the violence
Don't worry 'bout tomorrow
The violence, the violence
The violence, the violence
[Non-Lyrical Vocal Bridge: Childish Gambino]
[Outro: Childish Gambino & Legend Glover]
What do you love?
I love... who do I love?
Yeah, who do you love?
Me?
Yeah
Anybody else?
Mom and Oiallo. And Genesis
And I love... and I love Roland
And I love myself
That's... those are good answers
Those are really good answers
Do you love yourself?
I do love myself
Does mommy love herself?
Absolutely
Mom...
Do you love yourself?
Yeah, I do
You best or... (Do both)
The Nameless channel
The outro really felt like a nice bookend to Childish Gambino. In camp and BTI his character struggles so much at love whether it’s romantic or self love. To hear his son singing and gambino finally admitting he loves himself after his dark period made me tear up and gave me a lot of hope for my future self.
Epsilantro
this man is not done tf r you on about
Flouglemire Industries
@Epsilantro This is his last album under the stage name.
Zeeboss
@Flouglemire Industries he still gonna make music tho right? 😭😭
Josh
@Zeeboss he said recently hes starting to work on music again and i think it was because he wanted to achieve more stuff or sum like that
Debbie Basarich
I’m totally into my great nephew .. he is now my concern .. he is weak! And a rapper.. still trying to please his superiors ..
2222
This album came out in COVID and it really made everyone reflect on their life in isolation. Topics are explored here such as self love, grief, mania, drug abuse, and purpose. Personally, I would say that this album changed my life. The part in the end where his child is speaking, which represents the Inner child that we all have, and how innocence and purity can save the world when It's falling apart. Thank you Childish Gambino and the Universe for this experience.
xoxo
Youtube Poop Mania
Not only that but it came out during a time of American violence at it's highest
Aaron Bruh - insta
I was a bit tearful when I first heard this, no clue why. I guess it’s just because how peaceful it was. Very lovely to hear the kid at the end and listen to how happy he is. And to how Donald keeps treating he message “don’t worry about tomorrow” which brings a smile to my face. But it’s such a catchy and peaceful song.
J
💓