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]
Late Night In Kauai
Childish Gambino Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One time I was at the beach and
We were looking at the stars
And this girl was laying next to me
And the blanket that we had was, had stars on it as well
So, it looked liked we were just floating in an abyss
Honestly, when I see her face I just smile, I guess
So we could see what the waves look like
I'll be waiting here on the sand
I remember that first night you were wearing a power ranger black T-shirt
So was I, a different color, so was Moey and his brother
Not as pure, so insecure
The times have changed
But really we just looked up at the stars
For a couple hours, turned off all the lights on the cars
The world was ours it was yours
It was mine
The time flew by like it was primetime and I'm inside of life
You shouldn't be my wife, you should just be with me
On this beautiful night
Maybe we can make things right
And we can do it without any spite
It's just for tonight and we hope it doesn't end
So we drive back to our homes chilling with our friends
Balling like Jabari Parker, they say I look like him
If we met bet it would be awkward, break out the Sudafed
'Cause the flow cold, like a SoCo
I was smoking, smoking John Lennon where my Yoko?
It's that call yo' grandma, you ain't ready yet
Verbal mania, I'ma show you the illest get my cousin to kill it
Had a flow but you steal it, I'm in the mood so we ball out
Got the top down in the back, we could fall out
We could fall out, nigga, we could fall out
Your girlfriend push a Prius, she giving me that genius
Mensa, we that Tony Danza
Wine on the rug, man, you know that shit expensive
I'm on that Willy Wonka, green so Blanka
Vape so good and the pot like lobster
Nigga, I'ma monster, fuck it, I'm a Monstar
Man, I got this beat I'm going ham like a cop car
That's unless you see me pulling up on the boulevard
Turn them flashing lights, at least you know who you really are
We are becoming God, we are becoming God
We are becoming God, we are becoming God
We are becoming God, we are becoming God
We are becoming God, we are becoming God
We are becoming God, we are becoming God
I guess this ending's the best for me
But I can't leave you behind
You know that I never wanted to see
What's on your mind, ooh
Goddamn, Goddamn Goddamn
Yo, it's kinda hard not to, like
Get fucking cheesy on this shit, but
Does that even matter?
You know what I'm saying, juxtaposition, man
Juxta-fucking-position
My nigga Jaden Smith dropping jewels
And niggas don't believe him 'cause he's Jaden Smith but
It's all about packaging right?
Real shit though, good and bad is all relative, man
It really is, a lot of niggas is sheep
We don't even know what we like anymore
We just know what the most hypest shit
Do you really like that shit you like?
Or you like the way they gave it to you?
You know what I'm saying?
Pepsi, Coca-Cola the same thing, Dave Chapelle said but
The one that taste the best was the one
That was paying him the most at the time
That's all that's happening with us, man
We some weak niggas, man, all of us
Followers, sheeps, plural made that shit up
Apologin' ain't no real word, my nigga
We know this, but he knows more
'Cause he broke the rules that don't even fucking exist, man
Funny thing is, man, is, like
As a futurist and I can call myself a futurist
Nobody is even going to give a fuck until I'm gone
So does it even matter?
Yes, it does
In "Late Night in Kauai," Childish Gambino reminisces about a romantic night he spent with a girl on the beach. They lay on a blanket with stars on it and looked up at the sky for hours. In this moment, he felt like the world was theirs, and he wished that she could be with him just for that night. He remembers what they were wearing and the feeling of the sand between their toes. He also addresses the idea of becoming God and how good and bad is relative. Childish Gambino ends the song with the realization that nobody will care about him or his thoughts until he's gone, but it still matters to him.
Line by Line Meaning
One time I was at the beach and
I am reminiscing about a special moment at the beach.
We were looking at the stars
The stars were shining bright and we admired them.
And this girl was laying next to me
A girl was lying next to me; she was special.
And the blanket that we had was, had stars on it as well
The blanket we used also had stars on it, as if it aligned with the stars in the sky.
So, it looked liked we were just floating in an abyss
It appeared as though we were floating in space due to the stars around us.
Honestly, when I see her face I just smile, I guess
Recalling her face brings me joy, and I can't help but smile.
I mean, our cars came and the lights were on on 'em and
Our cars arrived, and the headlights were on, and we could see the waves.
So we could see what the waves look like
We were able to observe the ocean waves.
I'll be waiting here on the sand
I'll be waiting for you to come back on the beach.
I remember that first night you were wearing a power ranger black T-shirt
I remember distinctly that you were sporting a black Power Rangers T-shirt.
So was I, a different color, so was Moey and his brother
I, too, was wearing a Power Rangers T-shirt, but in a different color, and so were two others with us.
Not as pure, so insecure
We weren't as innocent, carefree, or as confident as we seemed.
The times have changed
The times have passed since then.
But really we just looked up at the stars
We simply stared at the stars for most of that night.
For a couple hours, turned off all the lights on the cars
We turned off the car headlights to have a clear view of the starry sky.
The world was ours it was yours
We felt like we were the only ones in the world, and it was ours to explore.
It was mine
I felt like I owned the world. It was our moment.
The time flew by like it was primetime and I'm inside of life
Time flew by fast; it felt like the best time of our lives.
You shouldn't be my wife, you should just be with me
I don't necessarily want you to be my wife, but I do want to spend more time with you.
On this beautiful night
I want to spend this lovely evening with you.
Maybe we can make things right
Maybe there's a chance for us to make things right.
And we can do it without any spite
We can try to do it without any resentment, hurt, or anger.
It's just for tonight and we hope it doesn't end
We only wish that this beautiful night never ends.
So we drive back to our homes chilling with our friends
We leave the beach to go home and chill with our friends.
Balling like Jabari Parker, they say I look like him
We're having a great time, like NBA player Jabari Parker would.
If we met bet it would be awkward, break out the Sudafed
It would be an awkward meeting, and I would need some Sudafed to make me feel better about it.
'Cause the flow cold, like a SoCo
My flow is smooth like Southern Comfort whiskey.
I was smoking, smoking John Lennon where my Yoko?
I was smoking a joint, reminiscent of John Lennon and his partner Yoko.
It's that call yo' grandma, you ain't ready yet
It's that type of line that would make you tell your grandma not to listen.
Verbal mania, I'ma show you the illest get my cousin to kill it
I have this frenzy for rapping, and I'm going to show you how good I can be. Let my cousin prove it.
Had a flow but you steal it, I'm in the mood so we ball out
I had a great flow, but someone stole it. Nevertheless, I'm still in the mood to ball out.
Got the top down in the back, we could fall out
Let's take the top out so we can fall out while cruising.
We could fall out, nigga, we could fall out
We could fall out, and it would be okay.
Your girlfriend push a Prius, she giving me that genius
Your girlfriend drives a Prius, and she's giving me some great ideas.
Mensa, we that Tony Danza
We are smart, like American actor Tony Danza, and we're in Mensa.
Wine on the rug, man, you know that shit expensive
Spilled wine on the rug is expensive to remove.
I'm on that Willy Wonka, green so Blanka
I'm getting high on that Willy Wonka weed, green like the Street Fighter character Blanka.
Vape so good and the pot like lobster
The vape is so good, and the weed is like lobster in taste.
Nigga, I'ma monster, fuck it, I'm a Monstar
I am a monster, no, I'm a Monstar.
Man, I got this beat I'm going ham like a cop car
I'm going in hard on this beat, man, like a cop car on a chase.
That's unless you see me pulling up on the boulevard
That's unless you see me cruising on the boulevard.
Turn them flashing lights, at least you know who you really are
If you see flashing lights, you know that I'm being pulled over and caught in my actions.
We are becoming God, we are becoming God
We are on our way to becoming gods.
I guess this ending's the best for me
I suppose that this ending is the best for me.
But I can't leave you behind
But I cannot leave you behind.
You know that I never wanted to see
You know that I never wanted to see.
What's on your mind, ooh
Whatever is on your mind, tell me.
Goddamn, Goddamn Goddamn
Oh my goodness!
Yo, it's kinda hard not to, like
Honestly speaking, it's difficult not to feel a certain way.
Get fucking cheesy on this shit, but
This next part might be a bit cliché, but...
Does that even matter?
Does it actually make a difference?
You know what I'm saying, juxtaposition, man
Do you understand what I'm getting at? Juxtaposition, methinks.
Juxta-fucking-position
Juxtaposition, motherf*cker!
My nigga Jaden Smith dropping jewels
My boy Jaden Smith is preaching.
And niggas don't believe him 'cause he's Jaden Smith but
And people don't take him seriously because of who he is.
It's all about packaging right?
Isn't it all about the way a product is presented to us?
Real shit though, good and bad is all relative, man
Real talk! The concepts of good and bad are subjective.
It really is, a lot of niggas is sheep
It's absolutely true; a lot of people are conformists.
We don't even know what we like anymore
We don't even have a clear understanding of what we enjoy anymore.
We just know what the most hypest shit
We just know what's hyped up.
Do you really like that shit you like?
Do you genuinely like the things you do?
Or you like the way they gave it to you?
Or do you like the way the things are presented to you?
You know what I'm saying?
You catch my drift?
Pepsi, Coca-Cola the same thing, Dave Chapelle said but
Dave Chapelle once said that Pepsi and Coca-Cola are the same thing.
The one that taste the best was the one
The one that tastes the best is the one...
That was paying him the most at the time
That was paying him the most money at the time.
That's all that's happening with us, man
That's what's happening to us; we are being manipulated.
We some weak niggas, man, all of us
We are weak; every single one of us.
Followers, sheeps, plural made that shit up
We are followers, and there is no such thing as 'sheeps'.
Apologin' ain't no real word, my nigga
Apologin' isn't even a real word.
We know this, but he knows more
We know this, but he knows even more.
'Cause he broke the rules that don't even fucking exist, man
It's because he broke rules that weren't even real in the first place.
Funny thing is, man, is, like
It's funny, though, like...
As a futurist and I can call myself a futurist
As someone who thinks about the future, and I am one of those people...
Nobody is even going to give a fuck until I'm gone
Nobody is even going to care until I'm dead.
So does it even matter?
So, does it even make a difference?
Yes, it does
Yes, it does.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Donald Mckinley Ii Glover, Jaden Syre Smith, Ludwig Emil Tomas Goransson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vishwanath Ji
on This Is America
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