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]
Hero
Childish Gambino Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm going this hard, and no I won't stop
Yeah, yes I'm on top
I'm going this hard, and no I won't stop
Wassup
Let me hear you holla bitch: actor, writer, rapper
Lactose tolerant, addicted to cheddar
And I spent it on a jacket man I don't know no better
Yeah it's Childish Gambino, yeah I'm fly as a feather
Yeah my nigga be suburban but my flow keep it ghetto
Keep my swagger poloroid you can watch it develop
Ain't it funny in a year I went from different to special
Yeah I got it together, yeah I took those chances
Labels on me like I might cause cancer
Yes a nigga flow went from Camry to Phantom
I'm just talking real shit, hope you can handle
Sleepin on the jet like Lear like chandel
Flyer than a jet women hoping they can land 'im
How we turn everything to gold that they handle?
I am just different, that's the only answer
Yeah, yes I'm on top
I'm going this hard, and never gon' stop
Yeah, yes I'm on top
I'm going this hard, and never gon' stop
I'm a hero (8x), yeah
Back on my grind, nigga I'm a skater
She just think I'm fine, nigga you's a hater
Sign with no name, they just want to label me
They should call it what these other niggas are afraid to be
APC store walkin' out with eight bags
Yeah I'm killin' paper, call it poppin' tags
You ever spend three grand on designer vision,
When you should've spent it on your little sis' tuition?
She played my album when nobody else out there would listen
I'm comin' harder than these girls that you would swear were pissin'
Davinci-esque, I'm the real deal
The only thing I don't know is how afraid feel
I'm living everything these other niggas lyin' bout
Bitches don't believe me, to prove it to em I fly 'em out
She say that I'm her everything, I'm better than those other guys
I say I'm just a rapper, she tell me that's a fuckin' lie
Yeah, yes I'm on top
I'm going this hard, and never gon' stop
Yeah, yes I'm on top
I'm going this hard, and never gon' stop
I'm a hero (8x), yeah
They said me rappin' was like MJ and baseball
But that would make me MJ, so motherfuck all of y'all
Trippin' on this fame shit, drinking like a fuckin fish
Listen to the next track I be on That other shit
Yes I sound weird, nigga, take it as a compliment
Guess who's in the house and representing like a congressman
Anything I put my mind to I accomplish it
From writing scripts with Tina Fey to laying down the hardest shit
Who else is doing what I'm doing? No one
And I mean girls too, intended no pun
I'm on the road son, busy like I'm Bone Thug
Comment left anonymous cause ain't nobody want none
She laying in my bed she gotta be bi-curious
Barf on the track, the amazing and rap-furious
Damn bloggers argue whether or not I'm serious
It's Nas' Illmatic not Eddie Murphy's Delirious
Got the limelight, you stupid you think I'm sharing this
Showing up late, promoters wondering where he is
Got some nightmares, my family gotta be scariest (?)
But I would never fail, I'm a hero one of the best there is
Yeah, yes I'm on top
I'm going this hard, and never gon' stop
Yeah, yes I'm on top
I'm going this hard, and never gon' stop
I'm a hero (8x), yeah
The verses in Childish Gambino's "Hero" critically put forward his success and journey to the top of the music industry. He uses his verses to express his ability as an actor, writer, and rapper, making it obvious that he has a lot to say about his fame, wealth, and the people who doubted him. Gambino, who used to be a Camry driver, now owns a Phantom, which is a reflection of his growth and tells a story of ambition and a desire for better living conditions. Having solidified his position in the industry by collaborating with Tina Fey, he finds creative ways to express himself, ultimately leaving the critics behind. Gambino points out girls who say that they are in love with him, however, he finds it fishy and calls them liars. He, however, acknowledges that he is different, which in turn means a non-conformist, and that’s what makes him special.
The hook of the song, “Yeah, yes I'm on top, I'm going this hard, and never gonna stop,” is Gambino's message to his fans, telling them he is ready to take on the world and that he plans to hold his top spot for a long time. The song is an homage to his incredible journey to the top and how his fans' love and support helps him continue at the top of his game. His lyrics are motivational, and they help to solidify his position as a hero in today's music industry, making it possible for others to emulate him.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah, yes I'm on top
I am currently at the peak of my success.
I'm going this hard, and no I won't stop
I am pushing myself to my limits and won't let anything impede my progress.
Let me hear you holla bitch: actor, writer, rapper
I am an accomplished performer and creative, excelling in multiple fields.
Nigga I do all of it
I am capable of and actively involved in various forms of artistic expression.
Lactose tolerant, addicted to cheddar
I am able to consume dairy products and enjoy the finer things in life.
And I spent it on a jacket man I don't know no better
I have indulged in luxurious purchases, even if it may not be the most practical decision.
Yeah it's Childish Gambino, yeah I'm fly as a feather
I am confident in my talent and style.
Yeah my nigga be suburban but my flow keep it ghetto
I come from a privileged background but I still remain true to my roots and incorporate urban elements into my art.
Keep my swagger poloroid you can watch it develop
My confidence and style only continue to grow and improve over time.
Ain't it funny in a year I went from different to special
I have experienced rapid growth and success in a short amount of time.
Yeah I got it together, yeah I took those chances
I have taken risks and worked hard to achieve my current position.
Labels on me like I might cause cancer
The media and industry are closely scrutinizing me, as if I am a potentially negative influence.
Yes a nigga flow went from Camry to Phantom
I have come a long way in my career, from humble beginnings to luxurious success.
I'm just talking real shit, hope you can handle
I am being honest and straightforward in my lyrics and hope listeners can appreciate it.
Sleepin on the jet like Lear like chandel
I am able to travel in luxury and comfort.
Flyer than a jet women hoping they can land 'im
I am attractive and successful, with many women vying for my attention.
How we turn everything to gold that they handle?
Those in my inner circle are able to turn any situation into a success.
I am just different, that's the only answer
My unique talents and perspective are what sets me apart and have led to my success.
Back on my grind, nigga I'm a skater
I am back to focusing on my career and working hard, like a skateboarder practicing their moves.
She just think I'm fine, nigga you's a hater
A woman finds me attractive, but others may be envious.
Sign with no name, they just want to label me
The industry wants to categorize and profit off of my success, even if it means ignoring my individuality.
They should call it what these other niggas are afraid to be
Instead of restricting me with labels, they should recognize me as someone who is brave and unafraid to take risks.
Yeah I'm killin' paper, call it poppin' tags
I am spending a lot of money, especially on items perceived as fashionable or high status.
You ever spend three grand on designer vision,
I have indulged in expensive, trendy items in order to impress others.
When you should've spent it on your little sis' tuition?
I may be prioritizing my own image or desires over the needs of my family, like paying for my sister's education.
She played my album when nobody else out there would listen
My music was not immediately successful, but my sister believed and supported me when others did not.
I'm comin' harder than these girls that you would swear were pissin'
I am working harder and putting more effort into my music than others who may appear to be working harder.
Davinci-esque, I'm the real deal
I am a true artist and creative genius.
The only thing I don't know is how afraid feel
I am confident in my abilities, but do not know what it feels like to be afraid or hesitant.
I'm living everything these other niggas lyin' bout
I am living a lifestyle of success and achievement that others may only pretend to attain.
Bitches don't believe me, to prove it to em I fly 'em out
Women may not believe in my success, so I use my resources to fly them out and show them my lifestyle.
She say that I'm her everything, I'm better than those other guys
One woman values me more than others she may have dated.
I say I'm just a rapper, she tell me that's a fuckin' lie
Despite my humble claims, a woman sees me as much more than just a rapper.
They said me rappin' was like MJ and baseball
Some people may view my decision to pursue music as risky or unorthodox, like Michael Jordan's stint in baseball.
But that would make me MJ, so motherfuck all of y'all
Despite others' doubts or skepticism, I am confident in my abilities and success.
Trippin' on this fame shit, drinking like a fuckin fish
I am struggling with the effects of fame and may be indulging in unhealthy coping mechanisms like drinking excessively.
Listen to the next track I be on That other shit
I am continuing to create music that differs from the norm and sets me apart from others in the industry.
Yes I sound weird, nigga, take it as a compliment
My unique sound and style should be appreciated, even if it is not traditional or expected.
Guess who's in the house and representing like a congressman
I am present and accounted for in the industry, representing my own interests and creative vision.
Anything I put my mind to I accomplish it
I am self-assured and confident in my abilities to achieve my goals.
From writing scripts with Tina Fey to laying down the hardest shit
I am capable of excelling in multiple fields and consistently delivering high-quality work.
Who else is doing what I'm doing? No one
I am unique and singular in my talents and artistic vision.
And I mean girls too, intended no pun
Even amongst women in the industry, I am still the most unique and accomplished.
I'm on the road son, busy like I'm Bone Thug
I am constantly working and busy, like the legendary rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.
Comment left anonymous cause ain't nobody want none
Critics or detractors do not have the courage to confront me directly or openly criticize me.
She laying in my bed she gotta be bi-curious
A woman is in my bed and may be questioning her sexual preferences or desires.
Barf on the track, the amazing and rap-furious
I am highly skilled and impressive in my rapping abilities, leaving others in awe.
Damn bloggers argue whether or not I'm serious
My success and talent may be debated or doubted by those in the media or blogging community.
It's Nas' Illmatic not Eddie Murphy's Delirious
My music is classic and timeless like Nas' album 'Illmatic', rather than only entertaining or humorous like Eddie Murphy's 'Delirious'.
Got the limelight, you stupid you think I'm sharing this
I am basking in my success and will not share or relinquish my position of power.
Showing up late, promoters wondering where he is
I may be tardy or inconsistent in showing up to appointments or meetings.
Got some nightmares, my family gotta be scariest (?)
I am going through challenging times or experiencing emotional turmoil, which may be affecting my family.
But I would never fail, I'm a hero one of the best there is
Despite any obstacles, I am confident in my abilities to succeed and am a role model for others to look up to.
I'm a hero (8x), yeah
I am a symbol of success and inspiration, achieving greatness in my art and beyond.
Contributed by Caden M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Yarlenyse Quirindongo
Yeah, yes I'm on top
I'm going this hard, and never gon' stop
Yeah, yes I'm on top
I'm going this hard, and never gon' stop
(Cheezy wassup)
[Verse 1:]
Let me hear you holla bitch: actor, writer, rapper
Nigga I do all of it
Lactose tolerant, addicted to cheddar
And I spent it on a jacket man I don't know no better
Yeah it's Childish Gambino, yeah I'm fly as a feather
Yeah my nigga be suburban but my flow keep it ghetto
Keep my swagger Polaroid you can watch it develop
Ain't it funny in a year I went from different to special
Yeah I got it together, yeah I took those chances
Labels on me like I might cause cancer
Yes a nigga flow went from Camry to Phantom
I'm just talking real shit, hopin' you can handle
Sleepin on the jet like "lier" like chandle
Flyer than a jet women hoping they can land him
How we turn everything to gold that they hand em?
I am just different, that's the only answer
[Hook:]
Yeah, yes I'm on top
I'm going this hard, and never gon' stop
Yeah, yes I'm on top
I'm going this hard, and never gon' stop
I'm a hero [x8], yeah
[Verse 2:]
Back on my grind, nigga I'm a skater
She just think I'm fine, nigga you's a hater
Style with no name, they just want to label me
They should call it what these other niggas are afraid to be
APC store walkin' out with eight bags
Yeah I'm killin' paper, call it poppin' tag
You ever spend three grand on designer vision
When you should really spent it on your little sis tuition?
She played my album when nobody else out there would listen
I'm comin' harder than these girls that you would swear were pissin'
DaVinci-esque, I'm the real deal
The only thing I don't know is how fake feel
I'm living everything these other niggas lyin' bout
Bitches don't believe me, to prove it to em I fly 'em out
She say that I'm her everything, I'm better than those other guys
I say I'm just a rapper, she tell me that's a fuckin' lie
[Hook]
[Verse 3:]
They said me rappin' was like MJ and baseball
But that would make me MJ, so motherfuck all of y'all
Trippin' on this fame shit, drinking like a fuckin fish
Listen to the next track I Be On That other shit
Yes I sound weird, nigga, take it as a compliment
Guess who's in the house and representing like a congressman
Anything I put my mind to I accomplish it
From writing scripts with Tina Fey to laying down the hardest shit
Who else is doing what I'm doing? No one
And I mean girls too, intended no pun
I'm on the road son, busy like I'm Bone Thug
Comment left anonymous cause ain't nobody want none
She laying in my bed she gotta be bi-curious
Barf on the track, the amazing and rap-furious
Damn bloggers argue whether or not I'm serious
It's Nas' Illmatic not Eddie Murphy's Delirious
Got the limelight, you stupid you think I'm sharing this
Showing up late, promoters wondering where he is
Got some nightmares, but failing's gotta be scariest
But I would never fail, I'm a hero one of the best there is
dukeofawesomex
I can't believe I finally get to see this dude live tomorrow. HYPE AF!
Danny the spooky skeleton
@EctoMess lol,9 years ago,dont know if he still active
EctoMess
Bro how was it
Danny the spooky skeleton
@random guy why need to be so salty ? he just saying the fact :/
random guy
@earlthepissmaster who cares
KingLouieGaming
@earlthepissmaster lmao I still wanna know 😂
NDHtheartist
The fact that I saw him live in an entirely different era of Gambino, bums me out but I also just appreciate that his change in music was still totally for the good! Plus seeing him the first night of the this is America tour was still very epic! 🔥
rosamii
Ugh this was an amazing Gambino era
Donovan
@Omni that isn't a joke
Bren
Liked his older music better. Dont like his last 2 albums. Liked "because of the internet" though