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]
Hold You Down
Childish Gambino Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whenever you need my hand
I'll hold you down, oh
Oh, you want it, yeah
Why in the fuck these niggas
Try and hold me down, oh?
You such a fuckin' lame
My mama said she'd get me that new jacket when the cost go down
Hit the office, stole some Tommy Hill from lost and found
Not bad for a family of foster child
Lookin' fly man, I'm flossin' now
But them niggas saw through me
Are you serious? What is this?
Took the jacket off third period, ellipses
Listening to "Sky is the Limit" on my Walkman
Thinking if Biggie can make it through it, man, then I can
Dope boy swag
I always wanted that
But my persona was always more of that Arthur Ashe
But no love for the son of a commuter
Who was a radio head and okay at them computers
At the post office
It's funny how you smoke niggas, then you start coffins
All my people need throat lozenge
My fear is dead
Ambition drove the hearse
But niggas got my feelin' I ain't black enough to go to church
Culture shock at barber shops 'cause I ain't hood enough
We all look the same to the cops, ain't that good enough?
The black experience is blackened serious
'Cause being black, my experience, is no one hearin' us
White kids get to wear whatever hat they want
When it comes to black kids, one size fits all
Oh, I want it, yeah
Whenever you need my hand
I'll hold you down, oh
Oh, you want it, yeah
Why in the fuck these niggas
Try and hold me down, oh?
We the baddest, nigga, we the baddest, nigga
Yeah
We the baddest, nigga, we the baddest, nigga
Uh
We the baddest, nigga, we the baddest, nigga
We the baddest, nigga
Uh
We the baddest, nigga
The reason that they say I'm nothin' what they seen or heard's
The same reason Will Smith always opposite Latino girls
They only see you how they wanna see you
'Til you make them see you in some other way
I'm trippin' off the other day
'Cause God knows what these white kids sayin'
Dude, you're not not racist cause The Wire's in your Netflix queue
Subtle racism
It's hard to pin it 'cause you'd only understand
If you were me for just a minute
This one kid said somethin' that was really bad
He said I wasn't really black because I had a dad
I think that's kinda sad
Mostly 'cause a lot of black kids think they should agree with that
If you're a father, you should stick around if you could
'Cause even if you're bad at it, you get Tiger Woods
Or MJ
We warriors, we all need senseis
Change everything that we've done so far
I don't mean makin' B.E.T. T.E.R
I mean just the way that we see each other
I won't stop until they say, "James Franco is the white Donald Glover"
Yeah, these niggas wanted Cookie but instead I gave 'em Loch Ness
Sick Boi for life, my swag is in the hospice
Aimin' for the throne, Jay and Ye said to watch that
They ask me what I'm doin', and I said I'm stealin' rock back
Nigga
Oh, I want it, yeah
Whenever you need my hand
I'll hold you down, oh
Oh, you want it, yeah
Why in the fuck these niggas
Try and hold me down, oh?
Oh, I want it, yeah
Whenever you need my hand
I'll hold you down, oh
Oh, you want it, yeah
Why in the fuck these niggas
Try and hold me down, oh?
In "Hold You Down," Childish Gambino talks about his experiences growing up as a black boy in America. He starts by declaring his loyalty to his loved ones, promising to always be there for them when they need him. He then addresses the haters and calls out the individuals who tried to bring him down throughout his life. Gambino reflects on his past and shares a story from his childhood where he stole a jacket from school in order to feel cool and accepted. However, he admits that his insecurities have made him a target for others to bring him down. He expresses that he understands the difficulties of being black in society, where the black experience is misunderstood and not valued enough. He also speaks about the inherent subtle racism that still exists in the world today that may not be intentional but contributes to the suppression of people of color. Through his lyrics, Childish Gambino paints a picture of what life is like when society is holding you down and resisting against you.
Overall, "Hold You Down" is a powerful reflection on the struggles and injustices that black individuals face in society. It is a reminder that even though it can be tough to make it to the top as a person of color, it is important to have a support system that will stick by you through thick and thin.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, I want it, yeah
I really desire something
Whenever you need my help
I'll be there to assist you anytime you need me
I'll hold you down, oh
I'll support you and be there for you during hard times
Oh, you want it, yeah
So, you also desire something
Why in the fuck these niggas
Why are these people trying to hold me back
Try and hold me down, oh
They want to inhibit my progress and growth
You such a fuckin' lame
You are not cool and lack style
That's what they used to yell back in seventh grade
People used to call me that when I was in 7th grade
My momma said she'd get me that new jacket when the cost go down
My mom promised to buy me a new jacket when the price becomes affordable
Hit the office, stole some Tommy Hill from lost and found
I stole Tommy Hill clothes from lost and found in the office
Not bad for a family of foster child
Considering we were foster children, it's not too bad
Lookin' fly man, I'm flossin' now
I'm looking stylish and confident
But them niggas saw through me
But they were able to perceive my true intentions
Are you serious? What is this?
I can't believe this. What's going on here?
Took the jacket off third period, ellipsis
I took off the jacket during the third period and replaced it with something else
Listening to "Sky is the Limit" on my Walkman
I was listening to this song on my Walkman
Thinking if Biggie can make it through it, man then I can
If Biggie can overcome his struggles, I can do the same
Dope boy swag
A stylish and classy look
I always wanted that
I've always desired that kind of look
But my persona was always more of that Arthur Ashe
But I have a personality more like Arthur Ashe
But no love for the son of a commuter
But people don't give much attention to someone like me whose dad is a commuter
Who was a radio head and okay at them computers
My dad loved listening to the radio and was decent at using computers
At the post office
Working at the post office
It's funny how you smoke niggas then you start coffins
It's ironic how you insult people then end up defeated
All my people need throat lozenge
All my friends need to stop talking so much
My fear is dead
I'm no longer afraid
Ambition drove the hearse
My determination was the driving force behind achieving my goals
But niggas got my feelin' I ain't black enough to go to church
But some people make me doubt if I'm black enough to attend church
Culture shock at barber shops 'cause I ain't hood enough
I experience cultural shock at barber shops because I don't fit the hood culture
We all look the same to the cops, ain't that good enough?
The police don't distinguish us much, isn't that good?
The black experience is blackened serious
Being black comes with serious challenges
'Cause being black, my experience, is no one hearin' us
As a black person, it seems like no one is willing to listen to us
White kids get to wear whatever hat they want
White kids have more fashion freedom
When it comes to black kids, one size fits all
Black kids have fewer fashion options and need to conform more
The reason that they say I'm nothin' what they seen or heard's
They say I'm nothing based on their limited perception of me
The same reason Will Smith always opposite Latino girls
They expect me to behave in a certain way just like Will Smith always being paired with Latino girls
They only see you how they wanna see you
People tend to judge you based only on their predetermined beliefs
'Til you make them see you in some other way
You have to prove them wrong in order for them to see you differently
I'm trippin' off the other day
I'm still thinking about something that happened recently
'Cause God knows what these white kids sayin'
I bet these white kids say all sorts of racist stuff
Dude you're not not racist cause The Wire's in your Netflix queue
Watching The Wire doesn't excuse you from being racist
Subtle racism
Underlying and disguised racism
It's hard to pin it 'cause you'd only understand
It's hard to identify it since only those who experience it can understand
If you were me for just a minute
If someone were in my shoes for a brief moment
This one kid said somethin' that was really bad
This particular kid said something really offensive
He said I wasn't really black because I had a dad
He said I'm not genuinely black because I have a dad in my life
I think that's kinda sad
I think that's unfortunate and depressing
Mostly 'cause a lot of black kids think they should agree with that
The sad part is many black kids tend to believe in those stereotypes and agree with that statement
If you're a father, you should stick around if you could
If you're a dad, you should be present in your child's life if possible
'Cause even if you're bad at it, you get Tiger Woods
If you're not a great dad, you can still have a successful child like Tiger Woods
Or MJ
Or like Michael Jordan
We warriors, we all need senseis
We're all warriors and could use someone to guide us
Change everything that we've done so far
We need to change everything we've been doing up until now
I don't mean makin' B.E.T. T.E.R
I don't only mean making B.E.T. better
I mean just the way that we see each other
I mean changing the way we perceive and interact with one another
I won't stop until they say, "James Franco is the white Donald Glover"
I won't stop until I reach the same level of recognition as James Franco is to Donald Glover in terms of fame
Yeah, these niggas wanted Cookie but instead I gave 'em Loch Ness
They expected something simple and easy, but I gave them something unique and unexpected
Sick Boi for life, my swag is in a hospice
I'll always be Sick Boi, and my fashion sense is in a retirement home
Aimin' for the throne, Jay and Ye said to watch that
I'm aiming to be the best, and Jay and Ye warned me to be cautious
They ask me what I'm doin', and I said I'm stealin' rock back
People ask me what I'm doing, and I'm telling them that I'm taking back the rock genre
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Donald Mckinley Glover II
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vishwanath Ji
on This Is America
http://goo.gl/opiYbg
http://goo.gl/SXFJ1X
http://goo.gl/Ja4XGG
http://goo.gl/UoXDri
http://goo.gl/bgLrfs
http://goo.gl/kJQTxi
http://goo.gl/2YLBYN