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Childish Gambino

Childish Gambino

Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

News
Childish Gambino: "This Is America" Hits No. 1 childish-gambinos-striking-america-charts-no-1

Childish Gambino's Striking "This Is America" Charts At No. 1

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The GRAMMY winner's powerful cultural phenomenon earns him his first career No. 1 hit
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
May 14, 2018 - 11:00 am

While Childish Gambino — aka Donald Glover — debuted his latest single "This Is America" on May 5 while hosting an episode of "Saturday Night Live," it seems the fever pitch surrounding the ground-breaking song and video has finally hit bigtime.

On May 14, Billboard reported that "This Is America" topped the Billboard Hot 100, earning the GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter his first career No. 1 single. It was the most-streamed and top-selling song of the previous week. In addition, Gambino dethroned Drake's 15-week run in the top spot with "Nice For What" and, previously, "God's Plan."

Written by Gambino and songwriter Ludwig Göransson, "This Is America" features a gospel-type choir and variety of artists, including Young Thug, Slim Jxmmi, BlocBoy JB, 21 Savage, and Quavo.

Likely the driver for the song's chart-topping success this past week has a lot to do with its gripping video. Directed by Hiro Murai, it's full of politically and culturally driven symbolism, from the Confederate-style pants Gambino wears to the visual references to Jim Crow, gun violence and a subversive commentary on America's penchant for distraction through entertainment.

The cumulative result of "This Is America" is not only a No. 1 hit for Gambino, but the spark for a much larger conversation on Gambino's reading of America itself.

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GRAMMYs

Childish Gambino

Photo: Burak Cingi/Redferns

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Saying Goodbye To Childish Gambino remembering-childish-gambino

Remembering Childish Gambino

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The GRAMMY winner announced that his current "This Is America Tour" would be his last. Last year, he said his next album would be the last under that name. Is this really the end?
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Sep 7, 2018 - 4:42 pm

Childish Gambino aka Donald Glover is currently on his "This Is America Tour" and while he took the time to drop new music during a recent show, he also took a moment, right in front of a crowd of screaming fans, to announce that it would be his last tour ever as Childish Gambino.

Donald Glover Talks Leaving Childish Gambino Name

"If you’re at this show then you know this is the last Gambino tour ever," he said. "So that means I love you forever for supporting me."

Last year, The GRAMMY winner dropped a clue that he was moving on from the moniker saying, “I’ll see you for the last Gambino album,” during a set at a music festival. Months later, we got his biggest hit yet, "This Is America" and a year later, the summer anthem "Feels Like Summer," making it hard for us to even think about letting go. Now, we're not even sure there will be a next album.

And it will be tough to let go – music as Gambino won Glover his first GRAMMY. During an interview with the press right after winning Best Traditional R&B Performance for "Redbone" during the 60th GRAMMY Awards, he was asked by one of the members of the media if he was really done making music as Childish Gambino.

"I stand by that," he said. "I mean, I'm really appreciative of this and I'm still making another project right now, but I like endings and I think they're important to progress."

Well, if this really is goodbye to Childish Gambino, we want to start by remembering some of the amazing songs he brought to us:

"This Is America"

Childish Gambino received huge praise for this hit. It made us dance with its catchy, upbeat sound, but it also made us think and get in touch with social justice topics relevant to our society and culture today. His answer to why he made the song? “I just wanted to make, you know, a good song. Something people could play on Fourth of July.”

"Redbone"

Gambino's first and thus far only GRAMMY win, "Redbone" is an R&B, funk-influenced song that was influenced by the sounds and era of Funkadelic. From his album titled Awaken, My Love! it's known as his "first big hit." It even won Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 60th GRAMMY Awards. In total, Gambino has seven GRAMMY nominations.

"3005"

The rapper/singer's beginning into the GRAMMY world was thanks to 2013's Because The Internet. The album was nominated for Best Rap Album and his song on the album, "3005," was nominated for Best Rap Performance during the 57th GRAMMY awards. In a 2013 interview he said of the song:

'Everybody's like, 'It's a love song, It's kind of an existential thing. I'm just really scared of being alone. When I was little, there was a big dog down the street. I was really scared of it. But when I was with my sister, when I knew I had to protect her, I wasn’t afraid of the dog as much because somebody was there. I had a purpose…I kind of feel lost. I kind of lost that, I feel.'

We'll miss, ya.

The Carters

The Carters

Photo: Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

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See The 2018 MTV VMA Nominations carters-cardi-b-top-2018-mtv-vma-nominations

The Carters, Cardi B Top 2018 MTV VMA Nominations

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Childish Gambino, Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello also notch notable nomination tallies
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Jul 16, 2018 - 1:58 pm

It's that time again. On July 16 MTV Video Music Awards announced its 2018 slate of nominees.

Leading the pack this year with 10 nominations are new mom Cardi B and seasoned parents the Carters — aka Beyoncé and Jay-Z — with a total of eight nominations. Childish Gambino and Drake racked up seven nods each, Bruno Mars earned six and Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello follow close behind with five total nominations.

The MTV VMAs are awarded in a variety of categories such as Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. Genre-based awards in pop, hip-hop, Latin, dance, and rock are also awarded. Notably, fans are eligible to vote in eight of these categories, including Best Collaboration and Video with a Message through Aug. 10, while voting for Best New Artist will stay open until the telecast airs.

"It has already been a monumental year in music, and this year's VMAs will take things to a whole new level," said Bruce Gillmer, head of music and music talent, Global Entertainment Group, Viacom. "The extraordinary group of nominees have amazed us with their talent and inspired us with their creativity — and when you get them together for one night, anything is possible."

The VMAs will take place on Aug. 20 at Radio City Music Hall,, which was the home of the inaugural VMAs in 1984. This year's show will mark the 12th time the telecast makes its way to the iconic Big Apple venue.

Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? "Talk To GRAMMYs"

Childish Gambino

Childish Gambino

Photo: Presley Ann/Getty Images

News
Childish Gambino Drops Two-Tune 'Summer Pack' EP childish-gambino-releases-two-tune-summer-pack-ep

Childish Gambino Releases Two-Tune 'Summer Pack' EP

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"Summertime Magic" and "Feels Like Summer" keep the heat feeling groovy
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Jul 11, 2018 - 1:50 pm

GRAMMY winner Childish Gambino released his Summer Pack EP on July 11 — two new tracks to keep you locked in the groove while it's hot. The audio-only singles "Summertime Magic" and "Feels Like Summer" were produced by the artist with long-time collaborator and GRAMMY nominee Ludwig Goransson.

Childish Gambino is, of course, the musical persona of singer/songwriter, actor and TV producer Donald Glover. His schedule feels as accelerated as the Millennium Falcon, fresh off his appearance on the BET Awards, prepping for his tour starting September, and sharing the Austin City Limits Music Festival headliner bill with Paul McCartney this October. If that weren't enough, an additional appearance was just announced on July 11 — he'll also be performing at the iHeartRadio Music Festival on Sept. 21 in Las Vegas.

Gambino's "This Is America" reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 after he released a video for the song and  performed it on "Saturday Night Live." Behind his SNL performance of the new song "Saturday," viewers could spot a smiling Ludwig Goransson on guitar. Those two songs plus the July 11 Summer Pack make up four tracks from what fans expect will be his upcoming album, while they cross their fingers that it won't be his last. After his GRAMMY win in Jan. 2018 backstage, he ominously added weight to rumors his musical persona will be terminated by saying he liked "endings" and advocating the benefits of contracts having a "death clause."

Meanwhile, Glover is currently voicing Simba for the upcoming The Lion King remake. Fans, with their fans turned on, can enjoy the Summer Pack songs while waiting for an audio release of his second song from SNL, "Saturday." One of the most versatile and surprising of entertainers, he's bound to keep everyone guessing at what's coming next.

Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? "Talk To GRAMMYs"

SZA

SZA

Photo: Dia Dipasupil/WireImage.com

News
Watch: SZA, Donald Glover In "Garden" watch-sza-debuts-garden-video-featuring-donald-glover

Watch: SZA Debuts "Garden" Video Featuring Donald Glover

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The GRAMMY-nominated R&B singer gets cozy with the "This Is America" singer/songwriter in her latest video
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
May 21, 2018 - 12:18 pm

Last week SZA teased that a video for "Garden (Say It Like That)" would be coming shortly. And now she's made good on that promise.

"Garden" features not only SZA's mother, but also "This Is America" singer/songwriter Donald Glover, who plays the video's love interest. The video shows SZA singing against nature-based backdrops such as the ocean and a forest while pining after Glover's character.

The track is from the R&B singer/songwriter's 2017 album Ctrl, which earned SZA her first five career GRAMMY nominations for the 60th GRAMMY Awards, including Best Urban Contemporary Album and Best New Artist.

SZA's "Drew Barrymore" Connection

If you want to catch SZA performing "Garden" and her other hits live, grab your tickets to the upcoming TDE Championship tour, which runs through June 16 and also features Kendrick Lamar,  ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock, among others.

Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? "Talk To GRAMMYs"

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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.