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]
These Girls
Childish Gambino Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This party's really loud
We should go outside and talk, better yet
Let's take a cab
We're kissing in the back
My apartment's pretty close
Baby, let me make you breakfast
An omelet with some toast
Wasn't my design
To be sitting here across from you
Pretending I ain't lyin'
I know exactly how you feel
I wanna keep you real
I never thought that I'd be
Working for the start 'cause
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I will lose it all
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I will lose it all
I know this thing will never last
I need to tear it all apart
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I can lose it all
I don't have the heart, fuck it
I don't have the head
Every time that we're apart
Someone's sleeping in my bed
I wanna be alone, I wanna be alone
This fame and fortune shit shows
Me things I wasn't knowin'
You're my biggest fan, I promise to be there
I wanna be that guy, but I don't think I can
I'm losing everything, I wanna let it go
I wanna take it right and slow because
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I will lose it all
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I will lose it all
I know this thing will never last
I need to tear it all apart
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I can lose it all
The song "The Girl" is a reflection on the challenges faced by Childish Gambino (Donald Glover) as he tries to navigate the demands of fame, fortune, and romantic relationships. The opening lines set the scene for a party that he attends with a girl he is interested in, but the noise and crowds force them to seek some privacy outside. As they kiss in the back of a cab and he invites her to his apartment, his thoughts are preoccupied by the constant pressure and competition from other girls for his attention, and his own doubts about being able to sustain a genuine connection with someone.
The chorus repeats the haunting refrain of "These girls have all the best of me, I bet that I will lose it all", acknowledging the danger of being caught up in the superficial attractions of fame and physical pleasure, while losing sight of his own sense of identity and values. He admits that he is torn between wanting to pursue his dreams, be alone, and also be there for someone who cares about him, but fears that he might not be able to live up to their expectations or his own.
The final lines of the song express his desire to slow down and take stock of his life, before it spirals out of control. He realizes that he needs to let go of some things, including his obsession with being successful and popular, in order to find a sense of peace and purpose. The song ends on a somber note, emphasizing the fragility of human relationships and the high cost of fame.
Overall, "The Girl" is a poignant and introspective track that delves into some of the more personal and vulnerable aspects of Childish Gambino's artistic persona, showing that beneath the bravado and swagger, there are deeper fears, doubts, and struggles with identity.
Line by Line Meaning
We are really close and
We have a close relationship
This party's really loud
The party where we currently are is very noisy
We should go outside and talk, better yet
We should step outside and converse, or better yet
Let's take a cab
Let's travel by taxi
We're kissing in the back
We're embracing in the rear of the vehicle
My apartment's pretty close
My residence is reasonably nearby
Baby, let me make you breakfast
Honey, allow me to prepare your morning meal
An omelet with some toast
I will cook an omelet and toast for you
These girls are on my mind (On my mind)
I'm thinking about these other women
Wasn't my design
I did not intend for this to happen
To be sitting here across from you
To be in this position, facing you
Pretending I ain't lyin'
Falsely pretending I am not deceiving you
I know exactly how you feel
I understand your emotions precisely
I wanna keep you real
I want to maintain a genuine connection with you
I never thought that I'd be
I did not envision being in this scenario
Working for the start 'cause
Starting my career caused certain issues to arise
These girls have all the best of me
These other women have gained the majority of my attention and affection
I bet that I will lose it all
I am willing to wager that I will lose everything
I know this thing will never last
I am aware that this relationship is impermanent
I need to tear it all apart
I must dismantle everything and let it go
I don't have the heart, fuck it
I lack the courage, forget about it
I don't have the head
I am not in the right state of mind
Every time that we're apart
Whenever we are away from each other
Someone's sleeping in my bed
Another person is occupying my sleeping space
I wanna be alone, I wanna be alone
I desire solitude
This fame and fortune shit shows
The consequences of fame and wealth are revealing themselves
Me things I wasn't knowin'
It has opened my eyes to things I was unaware of
You're my biggest fan, I promise to be there
You are my most loyal supporter, and I vow to always be present for you
I wanna be that guy, but I don't think I can
I aspire to be that person but do not believe it is possible
I'm losing everything, I wanna let it go
I am losing all that I hold dear and wish to release it
I wanna take it right and slow because
I want to proceed with caution at a deliberate pace
These girls have all the best of me
These other women have gained the majority of my attention and affection
I bet that I will lose it all
I am willing to wager that I will lose everything
I know this thing will never last
I am aware that this relationship is impermanent
I need to tear it all apart
I must dismantle everything and let it go
These girls have all the best of me
These other women have gained the majority of my attention and affection
I bet that I can lose it all
I am willing to bet that I will lose everything
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pressilla Waikay
[Verse 1: Childish Gambino]
We are really close and this party's really loud
We should go outside and talk, better yet, let's take a cab
We're kissing in the back, my apartment's pretty close
Baby, let me make you breakfast, an omelet with some toast
These girls are on my mind, wasn't my design
To be sitting here across from you, pretending I ain't lyin'
I know exactly how you feel, I wanna keep it real
I never thought that I'd be working for the start cause
[Hook: Garfunkel & Oates]
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I will lose it all
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I will lose it all
I know this thing will never last
I need to tear it all apart
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I can lose it all
[Verse 2: Childish Gambino]
I don't have the heart - fuck it, I don't have the head
Every time that we're apart, someone's sleepin' in my bed
I wanna be alone, I wanna be alone
This fame and fortune shit shows me things I wasn't knownin'
You're my biggest fan, I promise to be there
I wanna be that guy, but I don't think I can
I'm losin' everything, I wanna let it go
I wanna take it right and slow because
[Hook: Garfunkel & Oates]
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I will lose it all
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I will lose it all
I know this thing will never last
I need to tear it all apart
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I can lose it all
Pressilla Waikay
[Verse 1: Childish Gambino]
We are really close and this party's really loud
We should go outside and talk, better yet, let's take a cab
We're kissing in the back, my apartment's pretty close
Baby, let me make you breakfast, an omelet with some toast
These girls are on my mind, wasn't my design
To be sitting here across from you, pretending I ain't lyin'
I know exactly how you feel, I wanna keep it real
I never thought that I'd be working for the start cause
[Hook: Garfunkel & Oates]
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I will lose it all
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I will lose it all
I know this thing will never last
I need to tear it all apart
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I can lose it all
[Verse 2: Childish Gambino]
I don't have the heart - fuck it, I don't have the head
Every time that we're apart, someone's sleepin' in my bed
I wanna be alone, I wanna be alone
This fame and fortune shit shows me things I wasn't knownin'
You're my biggest fan, I promise to be there
I wanna be that guy, but I don't think I can
I'm losin' everything, I wanna let it go
I wanna take it right and slow because
[Hook: Garfunkel & Oates]
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I will lose it all
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I will lose it all
I know this thing will never last
I need to tear it all apart
These girls have all the best of me
I bet that I can lose it all
Lubsiarty
i just discovered this and it's so good :( why isn't this on spotify
Joseph Stalin
@Carter Courtney Download it on your computer then u can listen to it on spotify
Ronan McElveny
Whenever that next hit drops, we'll be there #bringbackbino
Go Home Roger
He's had a lot of hits the past two years haha.
Gunnar James
Esteban Aldana Awaken, My Love! Released today
Esteban Aldana
Pharos !
JesusMcMann YT
This has a real end of community vibe
itscarcrasher
I haven’t finished the series yet so no spoilers however if your talking about the end of an episode I see what you mean
MG STAPPIE
I like this song. Just because it's so pure and good. It makes me feel like I shouldn't try to hard when it comes to making a song. It's simply perfect