Who is the real Childish Gambino? The rapper with the ever-ready punchline Because the Internet from 2013, the one that delves deep into its identity crisis along with the majestic cinematic magic of Ludwig Göransson? Or the psychedelic funk of Awaken My Love of 2016 with his songs of love, unity and rebellion? Or the experimental R&B star of 3.20.2020 with all his Prince-isms?
The answer to the question is obviously that Childish Gambino is all of these things at once. It should come as no surprise then that on his fifth and (apparently) final album Stone & the New World Announcement the actor-writer-director-comedian-singer-rapper-songwriter-producer moves from one genre to another just as he moves from one film role to another.
Donald Glover has been saying for seven years that he wants to retire his alter ego Childish Gambino and Stone Announcement it actually feels like the final summary of all his passions and also a way to check off some items on his personal to-do list. And so there are love songs and proud dad songs, corrosive industrial rap and brilliant pop-punk, punchlines and diss tracks, a seven-minute Afrobeat jam and a collaboration with Yeat.
These 60 minutes are the soundtrack of the post-apocalyptic film of the same name which, judging from the trailer, brings together The Road, Annihilation And Jurassic Park. The coordination of ideas, guests, sounds and styles recalls the work done by Kendrick Lamar for Black Panther: The Albumwith the not insignificant difference that here Gambino does not select his favorite artists, but does almost everything himself.
When everything goes perfectly, the result is remarkable. The minimal noise-rap of the opening track H3@RT$ W3RE M3@NT T0 F7¥ he is a headbanger vaguely related to Yeezus by Kanye West. Got to Be starts off numb before diving into the moshpit and Matrix, a banger built on other bangers by Prodigy and Luke. The dealers of good vibes Khruangbin are enlisted for a piece of Afro-Brazilian chill called Happy Survivalwhile Kamasi Washington takes on the role of Fela in the album's highlight No Excusesa mix of neo-soul with vocoder, exoticism, Afrobeat rhythms and babenzélé music (see Headhunters by Herbie Hancock). Can You Feel Me It's a duet with his eldest son Legend intelligently built on ABC Song of Ladysmith Black Mambazo (was in a late 80's episode of Sesame Street).
It must be said, however, that certain ideas would have worked better if Glover had brought in Weezer or Pusha T. The slightly emo pop-rock songs like Lithonia, Real Love And Running Around are overproduced and destined for oblivion – the latter in particular sounds like Fall Out Boy remaking Runaway by Bon Jovi. And then there are the battle rap songs like Survive And Yoshinoya. Fans seem convinced that they are directed at Drake, but after the death blow dealt by Kendrick Lamar with Not Like Us it's not very attractive the idea of analyzing sentences that sound like tweets like “you piss off my kids and you piss off yourself, you fuck those whores and I'll fuck my wife”.
Despite the variety of styles, you get the feeling that the real Childish Gambino is simply Donald Glover and you understand it when he sings that he doesn't go to the Grammys because he prefers to be with his family (Can You Feel Me) or when he remembers his vacation in Nantucket (Steps Beach). Stone Announcement It won't give Glover another Grammy or a number one on the charts, but if this is indeed the ending of Childish Gambino, it's a happy ending from which he emerges more fulfilled and less… childish.
From Rolling Stone US.
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
