Those who follow Donald Glover may have noticed that he and his rap alter ego, Childish Gambino, suddenly went off the social media map for the past year. Gambino spent the time secluded in the home of Miami Heat star Chris Bosh, recording his new album Because the Internet. Glover dubbed Bosh’s mansion “The Temple” and set strict ground rules: “No tweeting or instagramming. No shoes. Work begins at 10 am.” The formula definitely worked. Because the Internet has become a huge success even prior to its release.
Glover has declared that he doesn’t want to just be a rapper, and Because the Internet is so much more than just a rap album. Don’t be fooled by the blank expression he wears on the cover. Because the Internet has more soul and life to it than any rap album that’s been released in a long time. Not only does it feature incredible homemade beats and samples, the album also includes some alternative influences as well.
Songs like “I. The Worst Guys” and “I. Crawl” include guitar and vocals rarely ever seen in rap or hip hop. The intro to “I. Crawl” includes a sample that’s different and more aggressive than Gambino has ever used before. This may be offsetting to listeners at first, but it is used well in the track, and “I. Crawl” is still probably one of the best songs on the album.
Gambino fans certainly weren’t let down with this album. Because the Internet was predicted to be the perfect mix of Childish Gambino’s previous mixtape, Royalty, and his premier album, Camp. Although Because the Internet is completely different from anything Gambino has ever done, he seems to have taken the styles of all of his previous works and mastered them into an album with clever puns, great beats, words of wisdom and twists of sadness.
Raps on songs like “II. Worldstar” and “IV. Sweatpants” show how he’s perfected his rapping style, making these songs almost as addictive as the drugs that influenced them. Chance the Rapper collaborates with Glover for a brief part in “I. The Worst Guys,” and the simple repetition of their line, “all she needed was a,” is enough for the listener to want to play it on repeat.
Glover’s singing is one detail that makes this album stand out from his other works. Songs like Culdesac’s “So Fly” and Camp’s “All the Shine” gave us small previews of his singing talent in the past, but Gambino’s work was primarily centered around his raps. Because the Internet showcases Glover’s sweet and soulful voice in several tracks, such as the premier single “V. 3005,” “II. Shadows” and “III. Telegraph Ave.”
“II. Shadows” is the perfect mix of singing and rapping, and it shares a laid back, almost beachy feel with the 17th track “I. Pink Toes.” Jhene Aiko is featured on this track, making it just as great of a collaboration as their recent song, “Bed Peace,” which is featured on her album Sail Out.
Although Childish Gambino has said in some of his other raps that he’s “not cool,” Because the Internet shows that he really has given up on trying to fit in. References to Star Wars and intricate titles such as “Earth: The Oldest Computer” and “Life: The Biggest Troll” mean that Glover no longer feels the need to mask his nerdiness, and he certainly won’t be losing fans over it. Glover has also discussed in many interviews that the album encompasses the depression that he’s felt over that past years. Although songs like “ V. 3005” may seem simple and upbeat, they’re just as dark as the vague yet emotional confession letters he posted on Instagram.
Because the Internet certainly stands alone as a great piece of work, yet it is only one small piece of Gambino’s master project, the World Album. On Dec. 7, just four days after iTunes radio started streaming the album for free, Glover released a screenplay and revealed what has actually been going on for the past year.
He had been seen in several interviews wearing the same plain white T-shirt and winter hat, which, as it turns out, wasn’t just a lack of a change of clothes. It was Glover playing his character, The Boy, from his screenplay and short film. The film, Clapping for the Wrong Reasons, was filmed in The Temple around the same time that Because the Internet was recorded, yet it was released much earlier in August. Clapping for the Wrong Reasons serves as a prelude to the screenplay, and the screenplay and album are meant to be read and listened together.
This explains why songs on Because the Internet are marked with roman numerals and separated by brief instrumental tracks. The album can be listened to by itself, as many fans had been more than happy doing before the screenplay was released, but almost a third of it is simply instrumentals. These parts seem to slow the album down, especially with the tracks that break it up, but are justified when listened to along with the screenplay. Almost every vague tweet, social media move or statement that Glover has made over the past year has been him playing his role as The Boy, as well.
Fans have been left stunned, awestruck and a bit confused. Whether you simply listen to Because the Internet or follow the World Album in its entirety, Donald Glover, Childish Gambino and The Boy will have you immersed in the world of The Internet.
Selene SanFelice can be reached at selene.sanfelice@spartans.ut.edu