Cities of the Plain

[Tracks] Childish Gambino

Childish Gambino is the alter ego of Donald Glover. During the day time, Glover is an actor, comedian and writer. He’s best known as Troy Barnes on NBC sitcom Community and a charter member of sketch comedy group Derrick Comedy; before that, he was writing on Tina Fey’s staff at 30 Rock. This is all to say, don’t feel bad if you think Childish Gambino’s flow could use some work. He has other things going for him.

On his latest mixtape, I AM JUST A RAPPER, Gambino has taken the biggest jams in Blogworld and rapped over them. I find this hysterical; most of the time, he can’t even be bothered to drown out the original vocals or find an instrumental track. He raps about his life, girls, checking out Hypebeast and messing around. “My Girls” is the standout track; it’s an ode to sex in which Glover begins by listing some of his elementary school crushes and “but they don’t like me, because I’m too nice, and I’m kinda fat and not the dope type.” My favorite verse is from “Bitch Look at Me Now:”

I’m wearin’ tight jeans and nobody’s laughin’…
more pussy than recycled sanitary napkins.
Bitch sittin’ shotgun in my Tracy Chapman…
I did exactly what you n*ggas said would never happen.
I’m doin’ me so big I can hardly walk.
These rappers need ER are like they’re Charlie Park.
Stay hard like my suit made by Tony Stark.
This kinda music make your balls drop, DICK CLARK.
Yes I’m grown and sexy, and I’m worth the wait…
girls act like I’m the only dude on earth to date.
Put these words on your head and let them percolate.
We need to separate…n*gga church and state…