Childish Gambino – “Heartbeat”

Pumped that Hot 97 barely tagged this. Great to hear an album quality version after barely understanding a word of it when he performed it live.

See, here’s the thing about Donald Glover. I adore him as an actor and he’s a great comedian, original and true to himself in his standup and sketch work. But it’s like when he raps, he never has anything to say. Like, I hear him talking, but it’s like no words coming out. He’s a hip-hop chameleon, adapting the style of anybody he listens to and adding his extra dose of corny. Dude wants to be Lil’ Wayne? He makes Bonfire, same “A Milli” beat and punchline after punchline. Dude wants to be Drake? He makes this, takes the most watered-down french-touch bassline possible, and adds the cheesiest reference to Super Smash Bros. I’ve ever heard. I really liked his stuff during his “I Am Not A Rapper” days, but that’s probably because I went in with minimal expectations and he was rapping on top of Crown On The Ground and, come on, that’s pretty tough to get wrong. It still had that “fun side project, but nothing serious y’know?” feel. Now that he’s putting songs on iTunes and acting like a Professional Musician and signed to Glassnote I feel like he’s just another punchline rapper, except when he’s in his car, he bumps The Flaming Lips, not Fabolous. He’s too corny for his own good, a self-aware tryhard on the mic, and needs a serious originality injection before he swaggerjacks his way into blog-rap obsolescence.

Cant agree with you there, his songs are really personal, and he says a fair bit, if you can grasp his lyrics, and punchlines

I can’t wait for the album! I just saw his video for Bonfire and it’s amazing! here it is if you haven’t seen it yet…http://www.mtv.com/videos/childish-gambino/706255/bonfire.jhtml#id=1518071

Stop comparing him to other rappers or stop listening. Can’t please everyone.

Haters haters.
I really like him tho. He’s everything but unoriginal.

Wow, CG getting some REAL people who don’t like his music now? He must be blowing up more than ever. This is a fantastic, heartfelt song.

@Nathan S.: When he raps he never has anything to say? That’s just plain not true. The same “original and true to himself” compliment you paid to him in terms of his standup and sketch work comes through even 10 times more in his music. His music is the most achingly personal art that I have ever heard in my life, no exaggeration. Are some of his songs about fucking bitches? Yes, but that’s because he fucks those bitches. He doesn’t talk about that to sound “cool” or so people will buy his shit. He’s not trying to be like Lil Wayne, he’s not trying to be like Drake. If you hear those artists in his rapping, it’s because YOU attributed them to his rapping. His aim isn’t to sound like either of those artists, it’s to make music the way he wants to and to talk about the topics that are important to him. Why does rapping have to be a side project for him? Because he’s already successful in other fields? You realize that’s an inane argument right? Just because someone is successful in 1 profession doesn’t mean they can’t pursue and be successful in other professions as well. If you think he’s “just” a punchline rapper, you really need to listen to more of his songs. Since when is being self-aware a bad thing…? He is original, unless you know other rappers that don’t give a shit about being cool? I can think of like 3 at the most.

@Didimydoe3: Every rapper has ego, not sure what your point is. What do you have to do to be a “serious rapper”? Do you have to live in the hood or sell drugs or be misogynistic or be black or beat people up? This fucking bullshit about being a “real” rapper is so stupid. You don’t have to do anything to be a “real” rapper EXCEPT RAP. End of story. Sorry for his voice, because, ya know, you can totally determine what your voice sounds like. Please keep rapping Donald, you are better than 90% of rappers out there, easily.