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]
Wonderful
Childish Gambino Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We finally made it
And now we sailin'
I never dreamed we'd get this far
My heart keeps asking
How did it get so wonderful? So wonderful
How did it get so wonderful? So wonderful
You can call the shots, I'm going to my aunt's house
What's it all about? Lookin' like I'm Millhouse
What's it all about? I ain't get my bike back
I ain't get my bike back, I know where he live at
I know what he look like, I know what I live like
Five to a bed, head to toe, that's a good night
Five to a bed, head to toe, with the fan on
I don't think these other niggas know what your man on
I used to have to sneak just to get my food
Free lunch made it feel like they don't approve
Sell a car for a dollar used to be the mood
I wanna be Jabari man that nigga cool
I wanna lash out nigga keep your cool
All my friend did was draw something now he outta school
'Cuz everything was always "Show me what you're made of"
And everybody knew somebody who was laid up
I didn't need it, momma said it's a lesson
Some people will never like you
Don't let'em catch you stressin'
You know a code's a code, the world can't stop'em
Eating out rat holes and Cheerios boxes
This nigga think he hot shit, he think he good at everything
I just didn't wanna get left out more
My little sis' mom got shot, she in the newspaper
Prayers couldn't save her, she died a day later
Like my cousin got the HIV
When she bust the leg open playing jump rope
Should I tell them kids what the fuck's up?
They gone judge her and me
Man fuck them, we livin', all is forgiven
I fucked up royally
But now that's who we are man you gotta use the royal "we"
This is royalty, and this is all I ever wanted 'cuz
[Hook x2]
The song "Wonderful" by Childish Gambino featuring Josh Osho is a reflective and introspective piece that reflects on the sometimes-confronting experience of growing up and overcoming diverse challenges. The heart of the song lies in Gambino's stories about his difficult childhood, living in poverty, and trying to find his place in the world while dealing with heartbreaking personal tragedies. He has a deep sense of appreciation for the successes that he has achieved, although reflecting on his challenging origin makes these successes even more remarkable.
In the opening lines of the hook, Josh Osho reflects on how far he and Gambino have come, expressing both a sense of pride at their triumphs while still being somewhat incredulous that they managed to overcome such significant challenges. Gambino then jumps in, taking a traditional rap form, reflecting on his challenging origins, how they shaped him as a person, and ultimately enabled him to achieve success in his life. He tells stories of growing up in poverty, sleeping five to a bed, and not having enough food, which made free school lunches a worthwhile luxury. He goes on to explain that 'some people will never like you' and how his mother taught him the importance of not stressing about the opinions of those who don't matter.
Overall, the song's central message is that all our experiences, both good and bad, are integral to defining our identity and strength, and if we can keep progressing, we can go on to achieve remarkable things. Gambino reminds listeners that, even when things are tough, it pays to be resilient and focused to get to the top.
Line by Line Meaning
We finally made it
After struggling with past hardships, we have now achieved a level of success
And now we sailin'
We are now living comfortably and have reached a new level of prosperity
I never dreamed we'd get this far
I did not expect to achieve this level of success from where we came from
My heart keeps asking
Despite our success, I still ponder how we got to where we are
How did it get so wonderful? So wonderful
I am amazed at how great our lives have become despite our past hardships
You can call the shots, I'm going to my aunt's house
I am not concerned with following societal norms and will do what makes me happy
What's it all about? Lookin' like I'm Millhouse
I question the meaning of life, despite trying to keep up a facade of being carefree
What's it all about? I ain't get my bike back
I am still bothered by past injustices, such as not being able to retrieve my stolen bike
I know where he live at, I know what he look like
Despite not getting my bike back, I am aware of the thief's identity and appearance
Five to a bed, head to toe, that's a good night
Sharing a bed with multiple people was a common occurrence, but we found comfort in this routine
Five to a bed, head to toe, with the fan on
Despite the cramped living situation, we found relief in using a fan to cool down during hot nights
I don't think these other niggas know what your man on
I do not believe others understand my struggles or how determined I am to succeed
I used to have to sneak just to get my food
I had to scheme and find ways to procure food to survive
Free lunch made it feel like they don't approve
Receiving free lunch at school made me feel like an outcast and like I did not belong
Sell a car for a dollar used to be the mood
At one point in time, I was so financially destitute that I had to sell a car for just one dollar
I wanna be Jabari man that nigga cool
I look up to Jabari and admire his cool and confident demeanor
I wanna lash out nigga keep your cool
While I may feel the urge to act out, I remind myself to remain composed
All my friend did was draw something now he outta school
My friend was so talented at drawing that he was able to leave school to pursue art
'Cuz everything was always "Show me what you're made of"
I grew up in an environment where toughness and resiliency were valued traits
And everybody knew somebody who was laid up
Many people in my community were injured or sick and unable to work
I didn't need it, momma said it's a lesson
Although I did not want to hear it at the time, my mother taught me valuable lessons through difficult situations
Some people will never like you
I have come to terms with the fact that not everyone will accept or like me, and that's okay
Don't let'em catch you stressin'
I remind myself not to worry or stress over the opinions of those who do not like me
You know a code's a code, the world can't stop'em
I live by a strict code of ethics and morals that cannot be compromised by outside forces
Eating out rat holes and Cheerios boxes
I have experienced immense poverty and have had to resort to eating food in unsanitary conditions
This nigga think he hot shit, he think he good at everything
I know someone who is overly confident and thinks they're skilled at everything
I just didn't wanna get left out more
I went along with this person's boasts because I did not want to feel left out or inferior
My little sis' mom got shot, she in the newspaper
My younger sister's mother was shot and made headlines in the news
Prayers couldn't save her, she died a day later
Despite our desperate prayers, my sister's mother passed away the following day
Like my cousin got the HIV
My cousin was diagnosed with HIV, a dire and life-threatening illness
When she bust the leg open playing jump rope
She contracted the virus through a simple injury while playing jump rope
Should I tell them kids what the fuck's up?
I am unsure about whether or not to tell children about the harsh realities of life
They gone judge her and me
I fear that the children will form negative opinions and unfairly judge my cousin and me
Man fuck them, we livin', all is forgiven
I am no longer concerned with the opinions of others and am focused on enjoying life
I fucked up royally
I made a significant mistake and am fully aware of the consequences
But now that's who we are man you gotta use the royal "we"
Despite my mistake, I still consider myself a valuable member of the group and use 'we' instead of 'I'
This is royalty, and this is all I ever wanted 'cuz
Despite my hardships, I always dreamed of achieving a sense of royalty and success in life
Contributed by Bailey N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dap Bino
I remember listening to this track on repeat while on the bus to school in the morning... Passing out, waking up and repeat
Dennisd1122
I literally did the same thing lol thought I was the only one
Eric Barrier III
Those still some of the chillest moments of my life I swear
Vigorous Vigilante
Back in 2014 😂
Austino Casino
I swear this will be the song I play the day i finally set out to sea. I'll make it...one day.
Daniel
did you ever make it?
Del Flanary
I am also curious!
Austino Casino
I made it. And how wonderful it is.
Durell Patterson
Best of luck my guy... 🙌🏽
Joe Murphy
@Austino Casino I knew you could do it!! Look out for the Childish tycoon