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]
III. Life: The Biggest Troll
Childish Gambino Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Man made of faults, I ain't too ashamed
Every thought I had, put it in a box
Everybody see it just before the cops
Trolling, trolling, trolling these niggas
Rick Rolling these niggas, they mad cause they don't know any better
"Hold up, it's the kid, quick, tell him he can't sit with us"
Fuck it, got money, bought friends like I'm TBS
Real-D, hope they dig a nigga before they bury me
Even though, we were told to go where they wouldn't go
Hella slow, that's that dial up, watch it pile up, fly
Andrew Auernheimer
Pulling on her weave
It's that Andrew Auernheimer
Andrew Auernheimer
Pulling on her weave
It's that Andrew Auernheimer
Andrew Auernheimer
Pulling on her weave
It's that Andrew Auernheimer
Andrew Auernheimer
Pulling on her weave
It's that Andrew Auernheimer
We are the dreams of our parents lost in the future
Who hide the deepest desires and wear a mask like a lucha
Door open, we were smoking in the hotel
The vapors went through the hallway, the manager pissed as hell
I mean where's the line between Donnie G and Gambino?
He hang with girls like he Lena, but needed some time to re up
Tequila in the cantina, 30 dollars I swallowed (I nuzzled my Nyla)
The Sauza so malo then she said "you need to grow up
You been doing this for too long
That camp was a million years ago, sing me a different song"
Whether you're trolling or controlling, just a reminder
You think you get it, you don't, it's the Andrew Auernheimer
I'm gone, now I'm back
Give a fuck or give 'em hell, just not a chance to react
Tyler Durden this burden, hurtin', they said there was curtains
Certain demise, look in his eyes, the pain inadvertent
I could've stayed where I was and have a life you'd be proud of
But I'd rather chase things never thought of
It was all love, saying "go hard"
Making dope, it's a trap, Ackbar backfired
Panic dreams, so it seems we're meant to die
I had to figure it out, "it's the best," no, that's a lie
Had to get some stuff off my chest, I vaporized
High on my own, it took time to realize
Because the internet, mistakes are forever
But if we fuck up on this journey, at least we're together
Man, I wish I could go back and tell that kid it's make-believe
Make 'em believe in themselves, people who needed my help
Feelings I felt, keeling myself
No one's ever been this lost
I just get the information retweeted or say it sucks
I just got the motivation, your talent's just a bunch of luck
Hard work and dedication, but lately it's run amok
Waking up in these places I don't remember
Texts from people I never met, doors left open
(Who are you? Don't do it. Who are you?)
I don't know who I am anymore
Still on the beat though
Still in the game, but he moves with a cheat code
Slowest connection ever, my life inside a computer
Them bands that'll make 'em dance, my wallet's Lollapalooza
The violence, first-person shooter
First person to move, first person to speak
My mils aren't meek, they scream in the streets
Losing my frame of reference, these pieces are shit for breakfast
Funny the day you born that's really your death sentence
I met this girl at a dinner, we conversating
She beautiful in the face, but her voice is truly amazing
And plus she write her own shit, becoming so close knit
Smoke up and talking to eat, she helping me focus
No Anna Nicole Smith, she getting hers
Niggas taking props like a musical live and learn
She say she feel alone all the time, I'm similar
I meet her in my dreams on the moon, I visit her
Every night I text her "I wanna solve the world, I think I need your help"
She text me "how you gon' trust somebody when you don't trust yourself?"
I mean she right though, .45 like a light-bulb
And I could've died like my iPhone, but I kept going like a psycho
And I took chance like a dice roll, dropping jewels like it's puberty
Wrote a note on the glass, "you see what these labels do to me"
Texts said "I'm Wet", I said "hold up, wait up a minute"
H2O plus my D, that's the hood I'm living in it
Never forget this feeling, never gonna reach a million
Eventually all my followers realize they don't need a leader
Stay on your own shit, fuck what these clones think
Just remember that you the shit, but act like it don't stink
We were childish but had to grow up
When you spitting real shit eventually you throw up
Realities like allergies, I'm afraid to go nuts
Life's the biggest troll but the joke is on us
Yeah, the joke's you showed up
You're here now
You have to help me
You have to help me
I need you
You have to help me
You have to help me
You have to help me
Please help me
Please help me
Please
Please help me
Please
Help me
Help me
(See me die)
In "III. Life: The Biggest Troll" by Childish Gambino, the artist speaks about his complex relationship with the internet and his audience. He recognizes that the web is both a tool and a trap, used for both connection and control. Gambino equates the internet to a large troll, playing tricks and games with our reality by disseminating fake news and constantly updating us with information that is sometimes meaningless. He speaks openly of his insecurity about his authenticity as an artist and communicates that the web can amplify one's insecurities when it comes to comparing oneself to others.
The lyrics also delve into Gambino's regrets and doubts about missing out on certain aspects of life despite being successful. He realizes that "mistakes are forever," but if we make them, we are at least "together." He speaks of wanting to go back in time and tell his younger self that life is not all perfect, to make them believe in themselves rather than some illusory concept. We are given examples of Gambino's experiences with women, friends, and substances, and how all of these things, while once seemingly vital, pale in comparison to one's self-worth.
Line by Line Meaning
Man made the web, you don't need a name
The internet was created by humans, and anonymity is possible on it.
Man made of faults, I ain't too ashamed
Humans are flawed, but I'm not ashamed of my flaws.
Every thought I had, put it in a box
I share all my thoughts and ideas, keeping nothing hidden.
Everybody see it just before the cops
My thoughts and ideas are visible to everyone, even before the authorities.
Trolling, trolling, trolling these niggas
I am intentionally provoking and teasing these individuals.
Rick Rolling these niggas, they mad cause they don't know any better
I'm tricking and frustrating these individuals, and their anger stems from their ignorance.
"Hold up, it's the kid, quick, tell him he can't sit with us"
There are people who try to exclude me and reject me due to jealousy or other reasons.
Fuck it, got money, bought friends like I'm TBS
I don't care about genuine friendships; I can buy fake friends like a TV network.
VVS, I can see it all with the clarity
I have a clear perspective and can understand everything with great vision.
Real-D, hope they dig a nigga before they bury me
I hope people truly understand and appreciate me before my death.
Even though, we were told to go where they wouldn't go
Despite being advised to avoid certain places, we still ventured there.
Hella slow, that's that dial up, watch it pile up
Our progress was slow, reminiscent of slow dial-up internet, but we kept accumulating achievements.
Andrew Auernheimer
Pulling on her weave
It's that Andrew Auernheimer
'Andrew Auernheimer' is persistently messing with someone's life or causing chaos.
We are the dreams of our parents lost in the future
We are the embodiment of our parents' unfulfilled dreams, living in a different time.
Who hide the deepest desires and wear a mask like a lucha-
We conceal our deepest desires and emotions, pretending to be someone we're not.
Door open, we were smoking in the hotel
We were rebellious, smoking in a hotel despite regulations.
The vapors went through the hallway, the manager pissed as hell
The smoke spread through the hotel, angering the manager.
I mean where's the line between Donnie G and Gambino?
The line between my stage persona 'Donnie G' and my real self 'Gambino' is blurred.
He hang with girls like he Lena, but needed some time to re up
I associate myself with women like Lena Dunham, but I needed a break to replenish my energy.
Tequila in the cantina, 30 dollars I swallowed
I indulged in tequila shots at the cantina, spending $30 on drinks.
The sauce was so malo then she said "you need to grow up
The alcohol made me act foolish, and someone told me to mature.
You been doing this for too long
You have been doing this for an extended period, and it's time to change.
That camp was a million years ago, sing me a different song"
The past experiences no longer hold relevance, so tell me something new.
Whether you're trolling or controlling, just a reminder
Regardless of whether you are provoking or manipulating, remember this important lesson.
You think you get it, you don't, it's the Andrew Auernheimer
You may believe you understand, but you don't; it's the chaos caused by 'Andrew Auernheimer'.
I'm gone, now I'm back
I was absent for a while, but now I have returned.
Give a fuck or give 'em hell, just not a chance to react
I don't care about their reactions, but I won't give them an opportunity to respond.
Tyler Durden this burden, hurtin', they said there was curtains
Like the character Tyler Durden, I'm carrying the weight and suffering, and people assumed it would be the end.
Certain demise, look in his eyes, the pain inadvertent
This person's demise was predetermined, and their pain is unintentional.
I could've stayed where I was and have a life you'd be proud of
I had the option to remain in a comfortable position and have a life that would make you proud.
But I'd rather chase things never thought of
Instead, I chose to pursue unconventional paths and chase ideas that were never considered.
It was all love, saying "go hard"
Initially, there was nothing but love and encouragement, with people saying 'go hard.'
Making dope, it's a trap, Ackbar backfired
Creating something great is alluring, but it can be a trap, and the trap backfired like in Star Wars.
Panic dreams, so it seems we're meant to die
We are plagued by anxiety-filled dreams, suggesting that we are destined for death.
I had to figure it out, "it's the best," no, that's a lie
I had to discover the truth myself, realizing that it's not always the best as it's perceived.
Had to get some stuff off my chest, I vaporized
I needed to express my thoughts and emotions and metaphorically vaporized them.
High on my own, it took time to realize
I was intoxicated by my own success, but it took time for me to realize my true situation.
Because the internet, mistakes are forever
In the age of the internet, any mistakes made will last forever.
But if we fuck up on this journey, at least we're together
Even if we make mistakes along this journey, we'll face them together.
Man, I wish I could go back and tell that kid it's make-believe
I long to go back and inform my younger self that life is just an illusion.
Make 'em believe in themselves, people who needed my help
I want to empower and inspire those individuals who required my assistance.
Feelings I felt, keeling myself
I experienced intense emotions, often hiding and suppressing my true self.
No one's ever been this lost
I have never felt so directionless and lost before.
I just get the information retweeted or say it sucks
I either gain information by having it retweeted or receive criticism for it being unpleasant.
I just got the motivation, your talent's just a bunch of luck
I only gained motivation, but your talent is merely a result of luck.
Hard work and dedication, but lately it's run amok
I used to believe in hard work and dedication, but recently, it has become chaotic and unruly.
Waking up in these places I don't remember
I wake up in unfamiliar locations with no recollection of how I got there.
Texts from people I never met, doors left open
I receive messages from strangers, and doors are left unlocked and accessible.
(Who are you? Don't do it. Who are you?)
(Who are you? Don't do it. Who are you?)
I don't know who I am anymore
I have lost my sense of identity and don't recognize myself anymore.
Still on the beat though
I'm still following the rhythm and staying on track.
Still in the game, but he moves with a cheat code
I'm still actively participating, but I have an advantage or an unfair advantage.
Slowest connection ever, my life inside a computer
My connection to others is exceptionally slow, as if my life is contained within a computer.
Them bands that'll make 'em dance, my wallet's Lollapalooza
The money I possess will make others excited and dance, as my wallet is like a festival (Lollapalooza).
The violence, first-person shooter
The aggression and conflict resemble a first-person shooter video game.
First person to move, first person to speak
I am the first one to take action and speak up in any given situation.
My mils aren't meek, they scream in the streets
The mothers I encounter are not timid or submissive; they protest loudly in the public.
Losing my frame of reference, these pieces are shit with breakfast
I'm losing my sense of perspective and reality, as these components are trivial compared to breakfast.
Funny the day you born that's really your death sentence
It's ironic that the day you're born is essentially the start of your journey towards death.
I met this girl at a dinner, we conversating
I encountered this girl at a dinner, and we engaged in conversation.
She beautiful in the face, but her voice is truly amazing
She is visually attractive, but her voice is remarkably incredible.
And plus she write her own shit, becoming so close knit
Furthermore, she writes her own work, and our bond is becoming stronger and intimate.
Smoke up and talking to eat, she helping me focus
We smoke together and have deep conversations while eating, and she assists me in maintaining my focus.
No Anna Nicole Smith, she getting hers
She is not like Anna Nicole Smith, as she is achieving her own success.
Niggas taking props like a musical live and learn
People are stealing credit in a manner similar to a live musical performance, but they will eventually learn from it.
She say she feel alone all the time, I'm similar
She reveals that she frequently feels alone, and I can relate to that.
I meet her in my dreams on the moon, I visit her
I encounter her in my dreams, meeting her on the moon, almost as if visiting her.
Every night I text her "I wanna solve the world, I think I need your help"
Night after night, I text her expressing my desire to solve the world's problems, realizing that I need her assistance.
She text me "how you gon' trust somebody when you don't trust yourself?"
She questions how I can place my trust in someone else when I lack self-trust.
I mean she right though, 45 like a light-bulb
She is correct in her observation, and it's like a light bulb switching on in my mind.
And I could've died like my iPhone, but I kept going like a psycho
I could have given up and died, like how an iPhone battery dies, but I persisted like a crazy person.
And I took chance like a dice roll, dropping jewels like it's puberty
I took risks similar to rolling dice, sharing valuable knowledge and experiences like a young person going through puberty.
Wrote a note on the glass, "you see what these labels do to me"
I wrote a message on a glass surface, emphasizing the negative impacts labels have on me.
Texts said "I'm Wet", I said "hold up, wait up a minute"
Someone sent a message saying 'I'm Wet,' and I replied, asking them to wait for a moment.
H2O plus my D, that's the hood I'm living in it
The phrase 'H2O plus my D' is a reference to hydration and living in an environment associated with the hood.
Never forget this feeling, never gonna reach a million
I will never forget this sensation, and I will never achieve immense financial success.
Eventually, all my followers realize they don't need a leader
Over time, my followers come to the realization that they don't require a leader.
Stay on your own shit, fuck what these clones think
Remain true to yourself and disregard the opinions of these imitators.
Just remember that you the shit, but act like it don't stink
Recognize your worth and greatness, but don't display arrogance or superiority.
We were childish but had to grow up
We used to be immature, but we had to mature and become adults.
When you spitting real shit eventually you throw up
When you continuously express genuine and raw emotions, eventually you become overwhelmed and vomit metaphorically.
Realities like allergies, I'm afraid to go nuts
Reality is similar to allergies for me as I'm afraid of going crazy or losing my mental stability.
Life's the biggest troll but the joke is on us
Life itself is a massive prankster, and the irony is that we are the ones being fooled.
Yeah, the joke's you showed up
Indeed, the punchline is that you are here and present.
You're here now. You have to help me
Since you are present, you must assist me.
You have to help me
You are responsible for aiding me.
I need you. You have to help me
I am in need, and it is your duty to provide assistance.
You have to help me
It is imperative that you support and help me.
Please help me
I am pleading for your assistance.
Please help me
I am desperately seeking your help.
Please
I request your aid.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ludwig Emil Tomas Goransson, Donald Mckinley Glover
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vishwanath Ji
on This Is America
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