9 Reasons Why You Should Take Childish Gambino Seriously

Don't let the comedy act fool you, Donald Glover ain't no joke.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Childish Gambino is having a pretty great week. He kicked things off by dropping a new track called "3005." The song was cool, but things really turned up when he stopped by Sway In The Morning and dropped one of the best "Pound Cake" freestyles we've heard so far. He then stopped by The Breakfast Club and gave an in-depth interview about his recent Instagram rant, bullying, and everything in-between. And finally, yesterday he dropped another track, "Worldstar." 

His new songs and interviews come on the heels of his excellent guest spot on Jhené Aiko's "Bed Peace" last month and that weird short film Clapping For The Wrong Reasons he dropped back in the summer. All of this is meant to build anticipation for his upcoming album, Because the Internet, which drops December 10 and according to Gambino himself is "not a rap album." 

Now, if you're not interested in Because the Internet, it's probably because you're not a fan of Childish Gambino. You probably don't take him seriously. Maybe you heard his name and cringed. Maybe you rolled your eyes when you heard that he got it from a Wu-Tang Name Generator. Or when you heard that he doubles as the writer/actor/comedian Donald Glover, who stars on NBC's Community and has written for 30 Rock. Comedian/rapper? Sounds like a joke, right? 

We get why a rap fan might be dismissive of a guy like Gambino; on paper, he sounds like an novelty act. We had doubts ourselves. But you know what? In recent years, he's proven to be a legit artist. Not only that, he's a viable one too. He sells out shows, has a dedicated fanbase, one that's liable to get larger in the coming months. So if you've sleeping on the flow, we humbly submit: 9 Reasons Why You Should Take Childish Gambino Seriously.

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Because he's already rich and famous from TV and movies, so he has the creative freedom to do whatever he wants without a need to go to a major label or chase radio hits.

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Because he's a role model for middle class black kids in a climate that's ripe for such. He's college educated, heavily influenced by Kanye West and Drake, and not afraid to be emo.

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Because Camp and Royalty were both dope. They featured a mix of sincerity and humor that proved Gambino can make full length projects that are worth your time.

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Because expectations were already so low. People thought he was a novelty act, but he's already gone further than anyone thought he would—and he's determined keep going.

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Because some of your favorite rappers already take him seriously, too. From Kid Cudi to ScHoolboy Q to Chance The Rapper to Ghostface Killah and many more.

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Because his shows are packed with hot girls.

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Because thanks to his celebrity fame and his penchant to tour with non-rap acts, he reaches a wide, diverse audience.

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Because of his recent Instagram rant, which suggested both a high level of self-awareness but also a yearning to be great.

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Okay fine, yes..."Childish Gambino" is a genuinely awful rap name and probably the reason a lot of people scoff at him. But don't cut off your nose to spite your face!

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