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]
What The Fuck Are You
Childish Gambino Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am so different
Being me is like the lottery
I am so on like the TV when you fall asleep
Niggas makin pottery, but I broke the mold
Now my shit has got them
Dancing like I channel Oakenfold
Yes, I got a lust for life
And I drink my weight in whiskey
And these hoes are actin' different
Cause I'm Rich comma Richie
These friends are iffy
They're alcoholic geniuses
I think they hang around until I'm
Drunk and buy them Guinnesses
I gotta drink my medicine to
Cover what's inside of me
I'm still fucked up from the
Days nobody liked me
I'm lying just a little when I say
That I don't give a fuck
You know I gotta give a fuck
My face is broken out
My shirt is hand-me down
This kid named Vincent wanna take my
Shit and lay me out
I'm trying to fit in like a
Fat bitch in her shoe size
It's funny how I'm flyer now than
Witches on their broom rides
I always thought these new
Clothes were the potion
Cause I never felt that good in my own skin
It's probably cause I'm the only
Black kid in my school
And when I meet another black kid
They tell me I'm a fool
Cause I wear these tight
Clothes, tight jeans, tight shirt
Yeah I stay tight like these girls
That make my dick hurt
Yeah, I'm self conscious
Go ahead - laugh it up
Cause I dig deep and pull something
Out to back it up
They told my ass to blacken up
What the fuck are you?
You don't even say shit
Quit writing gay shit
Now they see me and have
To squint like asians cause I'm on fire and
Everything I touch blazes
Giving you the realness
Kid I got a lot of it listen to my mixtapes
Tell me if they contradict
Don't fuck with these niggas cause
This swag is abstinent
I don't have time to sleep
I don't have time to eat
These niggas got time to do
Everything but be unique
I gotta do me like I'm
Jerkin' in the mirror i am just a rapper
Can't make it clearer
Yes I'm in the building
No I own the company
Your girlfriend's sister- you cannot
Fuck with me childish Gambino
We are all children i am just a murderer
We have just killed them
The lyrics to Childish Gambino's song "What The Fuck Are You" explore themes of identity, self-expression, and societal pressures. Gambino begins by asserting his uniqueness and how being himself is like winning the lottery. He describes himself as always being "on," like a TV that stays on even when you fall asleep. Gambino takes pride in breaking the mold and having a distinct style that captivates people, comparing it to the way DJ Paul Oakenfold's music can make people dance.
The lyrics also touch on Gambino's struggles with fame and how it has affected his relationships. He mentions how some of his friends only seem to stick around when he's drunk and buying them drinks. He acknowledges using alcohol as a coping mechanism to cover up the pain and insecurities he still carries from his earlier days when nobody liked him. Despite claiming not to care, Gambino admits that he does give a fuck, highlighting his vulnerability.
Gambino expresses his feelings of self-consciousness and trying to fit in, particularly as the only black kid in his school. Meeting another black kid, he is met with criticism for his tight clothes, which he wears as a means of self-expression. He juxtaposes his own struggles with the experience of being on fire, metaphorically suggesting his artistic brilliance and how everything he touches blazes.
The song concludes with Gambino recognizing his success and talent, asserting himself as a force to be reckoned with. He playfully references his stage name, Childish Gambino, while also alluding to the idea that they have metaphorically "killed" others with their talent and originality.
Line by Line Meaning
I do not talk, I am just a rapper
I communicate through my music and artistry, expressing myself through lyrics and melodies.
I am so different
I possess a uniqueness that sets me apart from others.
Being me is like the lottery
Being myself is a rare and fortunate occurrence, like winning the lottery.
I am so on like the TV when you fall asleep
I am constantly active and present, just like a television that remains on even when you're asleep.
Niggas makin pottery, but I broke the mold
While others conform and follow common trends, I stand out by challenging conventions and breaking free from the norm.
Now my shit has got them dancing like I channel Oakenfold
My music has a powerful effect on people, inspiring them to dance and enjoy themselves, similar to the euphoria created by DJ Paul Oakenfold.
Yes, I got a lust for life
I have an intense desire and passion for living and experiencing all that life has to offer.
And I drink my weight in whiskey
I consume a large amount of whiskey, possibly as a means to cope with my emotions or drown my sorrows.
And these hoes are actin' different
Women who were once familiar now treat me differently, likely due to my newfound success or status.
Cause I'm Rich comma Richie
My wealth and prosperity have elevated my social standing, earning me the nickname 'Rich Richie.'
These friends are iffy
The loyalty of my friends is questionable, as they may only stick around when I can provide them with alcohol.
They're alcoholic geniuses
These friends display a high level of knowledge or expertise in consuming alcohol.
I think they hang around until I'm drunk and buy them Guinnesses
They may only spend time with me when I'm intoxicated and willing to buy them drinks, particularly Guinness beer.
I gotta drink my medicine to cover what's inside of me
I rely on alcohol as a way to cope with my internal struggles and emotional pain.
I'm still fucked up from the days nobody liked me
The past experiences of rejection and feeling unaccepted continue to haunt me, leaving lasting emotional scars.
I'm lying just a little when I say that I don't give a fuck
Despite claiming not to care, there is a part of me that still deeply cares about others' opinions and validation.
You know I gotta give a fuck
Deep down, I cannot completely detach myself from caring about what others think or say.
My face is broken out
I have acne or blemishes on my face, reflecting the imperfections of my physical appearance.
My shirt is hand-me down
I wear clothing that has been passed down to me, possibly indicating financial limitations or a lack of access to trendy attire.
This kid named Vincent wanna take my shit and lay me out
There is a person named Vincent who desires to steal from me and potentially harm me physically.
I'm trying to fit in like a fat bitch in her shoe size
I strive to blend in and be accepted, just like an overweight woman trying to squeeze into shoes that don't fit her size.
It's funny how I'm flyer now than witches on their broom rides
It's ironic that I am now more stylish and fashionable than witches traditionally depicted riding brooms in folklore.
I always thought these new clothes were the potion
I believed that wearing trendy clothes would magically transform my self-confidence and make me feel better about myself.
Cause I never felt that good in my own skin
I have always struggled with self-acceptance and feeling comfortable in my own body.
It's probably cause I'm the only black kid in my school
The source of my discomfort and lack of confidence may stem from being the only Black student in my school, feeling like an outsider.
And when I meet another black kid, they tell me I'm a fool
Even when I encounter other Black individuals, some criticize and mock me for behaving in a way they perceive as foolish or not conforming to stereotypes.
Cause I wear these tight clothes, tight jeans, tight shirt
My choice to wear fitted clothing, such as tight jeans and shirts, becomes a target for criticism and judgment from others.
Yeah, I stay tight like these girls that make my dick hurt
I maintain a physically fit and attractive appearance like the girls I find sexually desirable, which leads to mixed feelings and conflicting emotions.
Yeah, I'm self conscious
I am highly aware and concerned about how others perceive me, often feeling insecure about my appearance or actions.
Go ahead - laugh it up
Feel free to mock or find amusement in my vulnerabilities and insecurities.
Cause I dig deep and pull something out to back it up
Despite my insecurities, I tap into a deeper strength within myself to prove that I can overcome challenges and validate my worth.
They told my ass to blacken up
Some individuals have advised or pressured me to conform and adopt stereotypical behaviors associated with being Black.
What the fuck are you?
I question the true identity and motivations of those who criticize and judge me, challenging their own authenticity and integrity.
You don't even say shit
You lack substance or genuine contributions to make, resorting to empty words and shallow criticism.
Quit writing gay shit
Stop producing or expressing content that you perceive as weak, unimpressive, or lacking in masculinity.
Now they see me and have to squint like asians cause I'm on fire
Upon witnessing my success and talent, some individuals struggle to fully comprehend or acknowledge it, metaphorically squinting like Asians to cope with the brightness or intensity.
and everything I touch blazes
My creative endeavors and interactions have a powerful impact and ignite excitement or inspiration in others.
Giving you the realness
I am providing authentic and genuine content, sharing personal experiences and emotions through my music.
Kid I got a lot of it, listen to my mixtapes
I possess a great deal of realness, evident in the heartfelt content of my mixtapes, and I encourage others to listen and experience it.
Tell me if they contradict
I invite listeners to assess and reflect on whether my mixtapes consistently convey authenticity or if there are instances that appear contradictory.
Don't fuck with these niggas cause this swag is abstinent
I advise against associating or engaging with individuals who lack style, confidence, or originality, using the metaphor of their 'swag' being abstinent or inactive.
I don't have time to sleep
I am constantly occupied and focused on my craft, leaving little time for rest or leisure.
I don't have time to eat
My dedication and busy schedule prevent me from prioritizing regular meals and proper nourishment.
These niggas got time to do everything but be unique
Despite having ample free time, these individuals fail to cultivate their own distinct identities, settling for conformity instead of embracing their uniqueness.
I gotta do me like I'm jerkin' in the mirror
I must focus on being true to myself, similar to how individuals engage in the dance style 'jerkin' in front of a mirror, expressing their individuality and style.
I am just a rapper
Ultimately, I am an artist who uses rap as a medium for self-expression and storytelling, constantly evolving and challenging societal norms.
Can't make it clearer
I cannot emphasize this fact any more strongly or explicitly.
Yes I'm in the building
I am present and making my mark on the music industry.
No I own the company
I am not just a participant or employee in the industry; I have attained a level of success and influence that allows me to have ownership and control.
Your girlfriend's sister - you cannot fuck with me childish Gambino
I am a force to be reckoned with, someone who possesses qualities that make me irresistible or enviable, even to individuals closely connected to those who dislike or oppose me. I am referring to myself as 'childish Gambino,' my stage name.
We are all children
We are all inherently young and exploring life, continuously learning and growing, despite our outward appearances or roles in society.
i am just a murderer
I am an artist who skillfully and metaphorically 'kills' the competition and delivers impactful performances or content.
We have just killed them
Collectively, we have triumphed over obstacles or rivals, establishing our dominance and leaving a lasting impact.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ace Haunter
I like this version more than the original
Yung Wolfo
i love this shit still
ankl3deep
@kingkelson0 It's called sampling, a lot of rappers do it. And we love him because he's more clever than most rappers, and more talented. He says some of the same stuff but he says it better. Also, not all of his songs al like that. A lot of his songs explore deep internal conflicts.
Lucid
Can you believe this came out 8 years ago. Damn.
Malik Knox
This track is fire!
Michelle J Coker
Favorite Track so far Bars
Jess Kszos
one of his best songs.
Art Kannon
The comment section is a cemetery
Mikel West
This uh, yeah. . . . describes my life.
MarleySaysRelax
Nice. This song didn't download with his "I Am Just A Rapper" mixtapes for some reason... Digging the Venn diagram, too.