You can just imagine how Childish Gambino’s school reports would have read:
“Brilliant student who lacks focus”; “clever but easily distracted”; and, “enthusiastic but needs discipline”.
The actor/writer/comedian/hip-hop artist Donald Glover, who performs under the name Childish Gambino, is undeniably talented. He was a writer for 30 Rock – which gives you an indication of his ability – but suffers from a case of trying to do too much. The result is Because The Internet, a meandering, directionless album.
While he ambitiously accompanies the record with visuals and a screenplay (which can be found on his website), the features don’t enhance the experience of the album beyond the first listen.
Gambino is a word-nerd capable of throwing out unique, hilarious, and quote-worthy one-liners, but he has yet to figure out a style of his own.
Single ‘3005’ provides the most memorable hook while ‘Crawl’ is Kanye-lite, one of the few songs that warrants repeated listens.
Chance The Rapper drops by on ‘The Worst Guys’ but is under utilised, while Because The Internet’s other big cameo comes from Azealia Banks, who similarly isn’t given much to do on her track ‘Earth: The Oldest Computer (The Last Night)’.
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Gambino could write a radio hit – the elements are there – but he still hasn’t figured out what kind of artist he wants to be.
Because The Internet contains fragments of ideas stretched to their limit rather than complete songs. If you weren’t a fan of Childish Gambino before, then this record won’t do enough to sway you in a different direction.
Listen to ‘3005’ from Because The Internet here:
