Childish Gambino
EP


4.0
excellent

Review

by NickelbackFTL USER (3 Reviews)
March 12th, 2011 | 28 replies


Release Date: 2011 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Another great addition to the catalog of one of the most talented people in basically every form of media nowadays, Donald Glover.

If I had to name the person whose talent I am envious of the most, I'd most definitely have to pick Donald Glover. The name might not exactly be familiar to you, but you've probably most definitely seen some of his work. Maybe you would recognize him from his work from the extremely popular Youtube sketch comedy troupe Derrick Comedy. Or maybe you've heard seen some of the episodes of 30 Rock that he wrote. Others might have stumbled across his Comedy Central Presents when surfing the channels late at night. Though most people probably know him solely as "Troy" from "Community" on NBC. He also started a Twitter campaign to get him an audition to play Spider-Man in the new reboot of the franchise, and got the support of the likes of Stan Lee and Brian Michael Bendis.

So he's an actor, comedian, and writer. Plenty of people do that. If you check his blog, he talks about fashion, hot women, and music. That's exactly what Kanye does. What's the big deal? Then you get to Donald's music. He's been rapping for the past few years under the name "Childish Gambino." He released two mixtapes entitled "I AM JUST A RAPPER" in early 2010, then followed it with his album "Culdesac" later on in the year. On his music he shows his skills as a rapper, singer, and producer. He has very little input from others in his music. He's one of the biggest up-and-comers in the rap scene. Up there with Odd Future and Das Racist. "EP" is his latest work, a 20 minute EP with 5 new songs.

Donald's subject matter is generally very commonplace for rap. He raps about sex with hot girls, fashion, fame, money, blah, blah, blah. We've heard it all before. But it's not what he raps about it that makes me love his music, it's how he raps. He has some of the best one-liners that I've heard from a rapper in forever. In his songs he namedrops such things like Lil' B, Ariel Pink, Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow", and Jesse from "Saved by the Bell". In "Not Going Back", Donald writes an verse about attempting to write a verse for Rashida Jones (of "Parks & Recreation" and "The Social Network" fame). His raps are so diverse that you can tell he's in between worlds. He's a geek who makes the same music as gangsters. He addresses this in the first words he raps on the EP: "Hard for a Pitchfork, soft for a Roc-a-Fella". He knows he's not exactly what people imagine a rapper being, but he doesn't care. On "My Shine" he says, "*** 'rap cool'. I make cool rap."

This EP shows that Childish Gambino has grown musically in the past year. On his earlier releases, one of the main comparisons he got was that he sounded like Lil' Wayne. On this EP, he still has somewhat the same Weezy-like flow/voice, but he switches it up. His production has gotten better, though he still hasn't done anything that could really be considered a "banger". The only real downside of the album has to do with what he does best: lyrics. I went on earlier about how clever I found his lyrics, but some of the pop culture references might (and probably won't) stick in a few years. His songs are hot now, but will anybody know what the hell he's going on about if they listened to this in ten years? Will I still think that this is a 4/5? Or will it drop down to 3-3.5 territory? Or maybe even lower?

All in all though, "EP" is a fantastic release and is definitely worth every penny you pay for it (probably because it's free on his website, iamdonald.com).


user ratings (253)
3.6
great
other reviews of this album
pneumoniahawk93 (3.5)
He certainly lives up to the first part of his name......



Comments:Add a Comment 
Urinetrouble
March 12th 2011


5771 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

punctuate your reviews. talk more about the music and weinerz. bitches love weinerz

love this guy

mmfarva
March 13th 2011


1352 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

This is another big step up for Donald. Great, great release.

rawrmonster
March 13th 2011


118 Comments


Damn i wish this was on itunes


CrackTheSkye
March 23rd 2011


726 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

“I guess he good for a rapper who on a TV show”

Transient
March 28th 2011


1520 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

e.e. cumming's on her face now that's poetry in motion

Casablanca
March 30th 2011


262 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

This is an awesome EP. Freaks and Geeks is my jam!

GnarlyShillelagh
April 3rd 2011


6385 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

rawrmonster this shit is free on his website...



And Casablanca that's a dope dig you got nig

CrackTheSkye
April 4th 2011


726 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

More people need to hear this.

Circa4life
April 5th 2011


289 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

That they do, I have been listening to this so much. Every song is damn good.

Scenegirlsdontbang
May 3rd 2011


106 Comments


Only heard Lights Turned On, fuckkkk that song is my jam for awhile

FromDaHood
June 20th 2011


9111 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Gambino is a mastermind

gabethepiratesquid
August 31st 2011


4522 Comments


He should stick to being a producer and stop rapping forever. His beats are dope. Can't say the same for his...lyrics.

FromDaHood
August 31st 2011


9111 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Some of his lyrics are pretty funny

iFghtffyrdmns
August 31st 2011


7044 Comments


this dude's lame


BOOM

gabethepiratesquid
August 31st 2011


4522 Comments


His lyrics can be okay and he does have his "hey, cool" moments, but for the most part they're just trying to fit references in verses and making sure to rhyme at the end. No flow

FromDaHood
August 31st 2011


9111 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

I kind of agree. My friends really really likes him and turned me on to Freaks and Geeksm which is his only really good song

gabethepiratesquid
August 31st 2011


4522 Comments


Nah, Do Ya Like and I'm On It from Cul de Sac are okay.

FromDaHood
August 31st 2011


9111 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

I haven't bothered with cul-de-sac

gabethepiratesquid
August 31st 2011


4522 Comments


Better production, more filler, same lackluster lyrics.

Narshh
November 3rd 2011


1193 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I disagree lol wtf are you talking about?



Listen to the lyrics on any one of the songs on this EP...they're insanely clever at times..and no flow? You're talking outta your ass lol



In lights turned on he flows EXACTLY like kanye at times, Freaks and Geeks is fire..idk what songs you're listening to..



As for this EP, it's awesome...I am just Rapper a 1&2 are decent, and Culdesac is good, but this blows all three outta the water. Some of the lyrics are hilarious and others are just genius..



"My Dick is like an accent mark, it's all about the over Es (ovaries)"

"E.E. Cummin' on her face, now that's poetry in motion"

"Do this and I just might wife you/lemme poke you ma (pokemon), Riachu"

"Leave you boyfriend here cause he punk/She's like 'I'm not a slut'/Speed Bump..."

"Mamma told me I was special when the test scores came in/Callin' me the new Will Smith/That's Jaden (jaded)"

"I'm rapping about everything I go through/So everything I'm sayin' I'm super saiyan like Goku"

"Set the game ablaze, I'm an Arcade Fire"

"Took the G out your waffle/all you got left is your Ego"



I mean really lol...



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