Me and Your Mama

My favourite intro to a Childish Gambino song has to be Me and Your Mama's. The slow build, the starry signature instrumentation, the encroaching vibrations, before breaking into the screeching declaration he makes: “let me into your heart”. As if more of a demand than a plea, a passionate scream breaks all the calm from the slow build. Building with the vibey quiet, you know something is coming but not exactly what. Your eased mind is almost put into a frayed state when it comes. You know it's coming, but it doesn't matter. The music has enveloped you. It has successfully tricked you… it does every time. It's terrifying…

More spectacular than the intro is the whole song itself. It works almost as an emotional palindrome. It lulls you into a sense of security, exploits that by calling into some dormant corners of your soul, then drops you back into the ocean of calm. It's like taking a dog to a grassy field at a park only to yank them into space for a short while to see all the shiny white dots, before dunking them back onto that empty grassy field. A bit unfair, but once you expect it, you hope to see space for a while longer. Even when you're pulled out, you can't help but appreciate you got to see it to begin with.

Ok it’s Childish Gambino

Childish Gambino, also known as Donald Glover, is one of my favourite artists of the past two decades. As a screenwriter he apparently did big work on 30 Rock (I’ve a few episodes, it’s definitely a sitcom). As a key cast member on Community he was a standout playing Troy “Troy the Wonderboy” “Buttsoup” Barnes. After that, he created Atlanta, starring in, directing and writing many of the award winning episodes. Then he was Lando in the Han Solo movie, then Yoshi in the Mario Galaxy movie. That's a supercut of his monumental film and television career. I care to mention that because all the while he was producing generational music under his alter ego Childish Gambino. Starting predominantly as a rapper, his genre base evolved into something wholly unique enough to call “Childish Gambino type music”.

He's made many albums and mixtapes but I'm going to talk about my favourite songs from each of the ones I've listened to. I'll be referring to Donald Glover as Childish Gambino throughout because I want to. Sometimes I won't also because I want to. It’s all about how I feel and stuff.

Camp

Arguably the “nerdy guy” era of Gambino, Camp has a lot of… interesting songs. A lot of bars grab attention for the sheer absurdity they suggest. Other bars are just really smart. A lot of people would call this “corny era” Gambino, but to me I see that as honest Gambino - something that's missing as we settle into a society of homogenous people. That said, there's a lot of inarguable corny in this album. It is very corny at times. So corny. (Which explains the direction of his next couple of albums.)

For years Firefly was my favourite of this album. The beat is incredibly floaty. The chorus is so catchy and agreeable with its singy nature. The rapping is good. Smart sometimes, corny other times. It perfectly encapsulates the Camp era of Gambino.

Bonfire was a close second favourite (sometimes first favourite). Again the beat is so catchy and addictive. The grunge delivery is awesome. Again, the rapping is good. Smart sometimes, brazey sometimes, corny other times. I think I liked this song because it sounded good. I wasn't very lyrical minded when I first listened to these songs.

Heartbreak is probably my favourite from this album. There's something about a relatively simple punky breakup song. You got the singing that he's so known for nowadays. You can tell there's something unexplored there. The beat is also sewage-like. He also has a leather jacket in the video which is something I guess. I always see the thumbnail and laugh for some reason.

Not my favourite album, but has some great songs if you give it a chance. Honourable mention is Les which I used to hate (yeah really hate) but its grown on me. The beat is awesome.

Because the Internet

All she needed was some… catchy songs and the evolution of a classic artist in the making.

By this point (2013), Gambino's artistry had evolved drastically. Persona's started cropping up. His persona in this era was very despondent, care free, and reflective. We're yet to reach the peak of this personality - which comes to play around 2016 - but we get hints of modern Gambino.

The whole “character thing” was something he came up with to differentiate himself from the art. He wanted it to be layered beyond “I am making an album”. This is so much so that this album was released alongside a short film that might be available on YouTube. Yup it is. It’s called clapping for the wrong reasons. But I’m here to talk about the music!

More singing, more smart bars, and significantly less corny. The flow and skill on most of these songs are incomparable to the previous album. You've got less of that rusty edge he had going on in Camp. This one's more focused on making good music. There's a story going on throughout the album. A motif about his success and how it changed the relationships he has.

Sweatpants is the spiritual sequel to Bonfire. Similar aggressiveness and ignorance. A few odd bars here and there. High in the energy. I've never been to a Gambino concert but I can imagine this is one the tracks of his that gets those people moshing. I like this song because of the very good rapping. This might be some of the best rapping he's had.

I feel similarly about The Worst Guys with Chance the Rapper. There's something humorous and laid back about this one. The sounds of window wipers in the beat effortlessly finds a home there. Crazy flow on this, good energy, and the most catchy chorus: all she needed was some. Some what Chance? Some what!?. I recall fond memories of friends yapping this chorus endlessly and my naive self not understanding what was going on. I was very Drax coded.

II. Shadows is a singing focused song that to me showcases the potential there even more. Arguably, potential realised. You got a great balance of singing and rapping. The feeling I get from this song is: wow this is a pretty good song.

III. Urn and I. Pink Toes. It's crazy to go through some of this album and land on these songs. They sound so unique and are truly the induction of Gamibino's primary singing phase of music. Urn especially has a quality that I can only define as floaty.

No matter which songs I point to and have an obsession with at any moment on this album, I always go back to 3005. This song is quintessential in defining this version of Childish Gambino. The song tells a story again, but more than that, it is just full of bars, good singing, a chorus that just works. That is my favourite song of the album. It encapsulates the purpose of the album whilst serving as a good song.

Now, I'm about to garner some distrust as I say the following but I have to be honest. I do not like most of the songs on this album. Likewise with the previous album. I know, treachery! How could I write all of this and still not be done yet? They don't all hit for me. Subsets fall into different genres and types of music that are simply not my thing (or just not good enough to be my thing). Some are exceptional, hence why I mention them.

Kauai (mixtape/EP)

I'll be quick with this one since it's a mixtap and not an album.

Sober could be argued to be the best in this Wu Tang fan's – he used Wu Tang Clan name generator to come up with his name – entire discography.

This mixtape/EP has a few really amazing album worthy songs. Sober stands out as a beautiful singing focus song with a great beat and great lyrics.

I love looking at the credits for his music because he's always a producer and sometimes a fellow goat, Ludwig Göransson, is right next to him. Ludwig is a legendary Oscar winning Composer and a close collaborator of Gambino. Everything Ludwig touches turns to gold. These two together, made history with the next album and hit songs.

“Awaken, My Love!”

I found out that this album was almost titled something entirely different; Operation Highjump. If it was called that, I don't think I'd feel the same about the general vibe of this album. It'd be like if Kendrick Lamar's “DAMN.” was called its original name “Whatever Happens on Earth Stays on Earth”. Not bad by any means, just not as cool as “DAMN.”

“Awaken, My Love!”, the album which Me and Your Mama resides, is the best Childish Gambino album. This is not an opinion I hold alone. It doesn't take many ears (at least one) to hear that it has the most consistent tracklist of his discography. Every song, one after the other, is inspired and original at the same time. Starting with the best then flowing into a state I can only call intentional.

Redbone is the most popular song in the album and for good reason. It held a powerful placement in one of the greatest horror flicks of the 2010’s, Get Out, and was also going to be the main song Miles Morales sang in Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse. Sunflower by Post Malone and Swae Lee currently sits at 2 billion views on YouTube. Imagine what the world looks like if Redbone sat there instead. The song has an impossible feeling to you. You hear it and instantly think, nah this guy ain't singing that for real. And then you watch him sing it live exactly like the album. Somehow, the mysterious vibes of the song keep you enthralled for a short feeling 5 minutes. If there was one song that would be a must listen from the album it's this one. Even though it's not my favourite right now, it once was. It's just so good. A defining song in this discography.

Following suit with the sanging, Baby Boy showcases this man's ability to put on a genuinely soulful voice. The guitar in this sounds so perfect. It's got a bluesy undertone that gives you no choice but to feel what the song wants you to feel. What is that feeling? Well you can go on Genius and read whatever it says there or you can come up with something yourself. “Don't take my baby boy, don't take my pride and joy” screams death of innocence to me.

California is my favourite “fun song” he's got here. Yes the voice is amazing, the lyrics feel goofy, the auto tune is crazy. The instrumentation is lightweight but groovy. The bassline is impeccable. It's just good fun and rounds the character of the album. People criticise it for being “parody”. It sounds good though.

Speaking of character. This might be the first album that has 0% corny from Gambino. Around the release of this album his hit TV show Atlanta dropped. He quickly shot up as one of the most important artists in the world.

If there was ever an album that worked perfectly for Donald Glover (yes, not Childish Gambino), it's this one. He made a mysterious character with music that stands out as wholly unique compared to everything else he's made. He sounds so different that when I first heard some of these songs, I thought they come from another human. It's a masterwork in reinvention so much so that it made him a household name. I mean, broski he basically revived a genre (I know not really but kinda!).

3.15.20 / Atavista

This is a weird one and they're technically 2 albums with a lot of crossover and a few odd songs here or there. Unfortunately, I don't really like these albums too much bar a few songs. Sike! Well kinda.

There was a time when I found the album mostly lacklustre. I found it to be too much of what it was. I know that sounds weird but that's honest to how I felt. It didn't help that the names for the songs were originally just numbers.

“What's your favourite song? Mines 16.32.”

For context, due to certain circumstances, Gambino had to release 3.15.20 before it was fully finished. The songs were unmixed and unmastered. His intentions were not fully realised until Atavista. You got to experience an unfinished and unfiltered Childish Gambino album.

I'm sure some people found the number titles at least a little interesting. I found it not good for my feeble brain.

4 years later in 2024, the album was released with a new title and a few additional and a few completely changed songs. Atavista, the title track, being one of them.

For a while Atavista (album version) and Human Sacrifice were only available as leaks. I adored Atavista's sci-fi/mystery vibe. Felt like it belonged in a space film about a character finding something fundamental that's missing from their life.

Till today there are still some leaks from this era that remain unreleased. There's one specifically referred to as End of Times (In Paris) which is definitely album worthy but some reason isn't available anywhere. I'll still bump it.

That being said, I obviously don't feel the same way about this album as I once did. I think it's an awkward middle child of singing era Gambino. It is really good, but released in a weird state initially. And then when it was re-release, it was bundled with his final album.

What would you rather listen to, an album you're pretty sure you didn't like or a fresh new “final” album? I picked the new one. I do regret that because I spent far too long away from Atavista. I will add, it's not like I didn't listen to Atavista at all. I did that classic thing of, “Oh this is released nice. Oh yeah I heard this before, skip, skip.”

Unfortunately, I don't think it's as good as “Awaken, My Love!”, but it's far from bad. It simply failed to get its time in the light. With two poor releases, it just about ducked the spotlight. Apple made an advert with an unreleased song from 3.15.20 which was officially released 4 years later - Human Sacrifice. It easily could've been in the spotlight, but it just didn't. It came 2 years after his damn near 1 billion viewed video This Is America. It had all the opportunity to burst through like his previous album, but it didn't. On a technical level, it's not the same genre nor is it at the same level of perfection, but it's undeniably really good.

I already mentioned Atavista as my favourite from the leaks. I think it's also my top 3 of the album after it's official release. Likewise with Human Sacrifice pre official release. It has nosedived in my rankings since. It's still good and hearty. It's just not as good to me as some of the other songs. Maybe it's because it's not as fresh as the other songs are to me. Or maybe it's because my favourite song is likely to be predetermined based on my bias (21 foreshadowing).

The Violence quickly came up in my rankings. “Don't worry about to tomorrow” rings in my ears. The harmonies in this are incredible. The vibes here are on point.

Of all these songs, my favourite song is Psilocybae (Millennial Love). While I can't relate to being a millennial in love, I can relate to liking 21 Savage. At a time he was my favourite rapper of all time. He's one of the funniest rappers alive with the best ad-lib of all time. 21. As a song its got some funny chops, a dope vocal performance, and a beat that I can only describe as covalent bonds. It gets you moving too. My head can't stop bobbing to it. “Ey why your cat looking at me sideways.”

I wonder what the world would look like if this album had its time in the sun. Ironically the album cover is literally just a bright white square with the words Atavista.

Two runner ups for my favourite are Sweet Thang and Little Foot Big Foot. Both are wildly different but sound amazing. The latter especially gives off Hey Ya! by Outkast. The topic and the vibe are juxtaposed in a funny way.

If I had one critique for the whole album it's that the songs are too long and sometimes get old quickly. Especially Why Go To The Party.

Bando Stone and The New World

As unfortunate as it is to say, the final Childish Gambino album is one I do not like.

I can appreciate the whole idea. Gambino did whatever he wanted, which was an album spanning genres. He brought back the rapping with Yonishinoya. That track specifically is some of the best delivered rapping he's ever had. Not his best bars but still superior to a lot of his previous tracks.

This album was tied to a film (that was never released and might be fake) with the same title. You can hear bits of that film throughout the album. It's weird because the entire vibe is that this album is really just Donald Glover being himself and being completely free but then there's this film tie-in and some personal songs like Can You Feel Me featuring his son. But then it goes actually this is a concept album but it's not. Is that the concept? I dunno. Either way, I don't think that matters too much.

I might not like it as a whole but there are some standout tracks that are so so good. Going to start with my favourite. Kind of basic but Lithonia is my top 1 song. It's got this alt rock / punk vibe that might just be perfectly done. Even though I have no idea what he's talking about, the lyrics feel weighty and catchy: “My sweet lithonia/ What have you done!” It's songs like this that show this man's versatility. He apparently made “Awaken, My Love!” via petty means. Someone said he couldn't do it, and he said bet. My guess is that unlocked something in his brain to allow him to do whatever the heck he wanted, including these random genres.

No Excuses is close to being a favourite with its otherworldly atmosphere. The instrumentation is incredible. With features from Ludwig Göransson and Kamasi Washington, it's no surprise that this song sounds good. It's floaty unlike anything he's made. It might have some siblings in his discography, but it really does its own thing here.

Going to say something crazy here, but none of these songs are actually bad. They're just so varied that you'd have to have Glover's palette in music to appreciate how well he's done all of this. I wouldn't say I even like alt punk. I think it's more so I think he excels at singing stuff as opposed to high energy moshpit stuff.

That said, Steps Beach is fantastic at this, reminiscent of I. Pink Toes. Cruisin’ with Yeat, Running Around with Fousheé, Dadvocate, and Happy Survival with Khruangbin are all pretty solid. A nice sequence of songs at the end of the album.

The end

The end.

Do I have any wrong opinion? Lmk bro I care a lot (serious).