Actor and singer-songwriter Donald Glover, also known as Childish Gambino, released his fifth and final record, “Bando Stone & the New World,” on July 19. The record is part of a three-part creative concept: an album, a film, and a world tour, all sharing the same name. Many of the songs on the album feature samples from the production to tease the upcoming release.
The movie trailer and album prepare audiences for what’s to come, as Glover has kept most details a secret.
Glover’s multimedia career began in 2006 with Derrick Comedy, a YouTube channel that blended dark and slapstick humor with music. However, his breakout roles came from appearances on “Saturday Night Live” and as his most famous character, Troy Barnes, on the hit sitcom “Community.” His comedic style and skill later translated into his musical career.
His acclaimed discography under his stage name, Childish Gambino, began with his debut studio album, “Camp,” released in 2011. However, his first album was negatively received by mainstream critics and online.
It took Glover several more years and albums to reach his peak popularity and Billboard charting success with “Awaken, My Love!” and the hit track “Redbone.” In 2018, he saw his first No. 1 single, “This Is America,” beginning a new age for Glover as Childish Gambino. But even after his many accolades for both “Redbone” and “This is America,” he’s using “Bando” to retire his stage name.
During a “Hot Ones” interview with Sean Evans, he remarked on Evans’ statement that putting the stage name to rest is like closing a book on a creative journey. Glover responded that it’s like finally growing up and “becoming a boss,” as fellow rapper RZA told him. Glover has always treated Childish Gambino as a separate character, but it has become outdated and does not reflect his true creativity. People would associate him with Childish Gambino more than himself, which began to bother him when he would meet fans in public.
“Bando Stone & the New World” allows Glover to transform creatively. In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Glover stated that the soundtrack “forces you to have an imagination” while listening.
Since the album was released before the movie, the listener is given participatory responsibility. Glover cleverly prepares his audience for the film, making listeners think about when parts of the album may occur during the film or question the significance of the production. He wants the audience to find clues and details to make the listening and soon-to-be-watching experience connective and entertaining.
The lead single, “Lithonia,” was released on July 2, and the official music video was released on July 22. The title references the city bordering Glover’s Stone Mountain home in Georgia. The song is narrated as a personal crisis following the mention of Cody LaRea, a possible character from the movie.
The song, just like the album, is Glover’s attempt at a genre mash-up. It starts the hype for the entire project as a pop-rock ballad about how insignificant you can feel when the world around you becomes overstimulating. Even when you try to fix it with love or medication, it still feels like “nobody gives a f**k.”
The track “In The Night (feat. Jorja Smith & Amaarae)” delivers a more downbeat and sensual second single. It stays true to Glover’s award-winning rhythmic and jiving R&B beat. Channeling a bedroom mood with Smith’s and Glover’s smooth voices, the song pulls you in like an embracing hug of a lover, but with the scandalous twist of cheating. The track is where the audience’s imagination is tested through atmospheric artistry.
The following track highlight from the catalog is “Yoshinoya,” which fuels the fire of the previously infamous Kendrick Lamar versus Drake diss train. There are parallels in the careers of Drake and Glover, as actors and music artists who achieved success simultaneously.
The album serves as a reflection, so Glover exemplifies that through this diss track, showing that he’s winning over Drake in the short term. The second half shifts the tone into a brutal industrial rap beat, insulting Drake.
In another genre shift, “Dadvocate” goes in the direction of a modern interpretation of folk rock. It’s a gut-punching banger about fatherhood as a working man with kids. The song is uplifting, but the lyrics will tear the listener out. It’s neither a happy song nor sad; instead, it’s a reflective approach to working as a man. Glover lost his father and has kids of his own, so this song is a rare form of vulnerability to the perspective of being a busy father; acting, producing, and working can take a toll.
“Got to be” is a subversive masterpiece. The song opens with a profound, choir-backed intro about the pains of relapse into party life. The song references the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns that left millions locked in their homes. It’s a tremendous industrial rave with a chaotic riff and distorted high-pitched vocals, displaying an unbearable need to party during the lockdown—a relatable place people felt back then.
“Bando Stone & the New World” is Childish Gambino’s swan song. Donald Glover attempts to re-establish his identity and retire his old stage name with this collection of tracks ready for cinema. It represents every featured artist and a masterful execution of Glover and his team’s ever-growing production skills. It has something for everyone to enjoy, from hardcore rap fans to the original fans of Childish Gambino.
Connor Moody is an Arts & Entertainment Intern for the summer 2024 quarter. He can be reached at cwmoody@uci.edu.
Edited by Alaina Retodo and Jaheem Conley.