"Because The Internet" Album Review

By Tamira Thomas 

January 27, 2014

cover of "Because the Internet"

                       

                  Prominence
Late last year, Donald Glover, also known as Childish Gambino, dropped his second official album “Because The Internet”. Well according to him, he doesn’t want to call it an album but an ‘experience’. There really isn’t one category to define his music as a whole, especially this album. Not to get into the sells analysis, but he had much success, selling over 95,000 copies. The actor-turned-rapper has been making what would be considered rap/hip-hop music for over 5 years now and this “experience” contained some of his best. Songs like “3005”, which sort of a love song and “The Worst Guys”, which the very opposite, stood out the most. Those songs which seem to be the singles of the album are the foundation of the album; they balance out the meaning of the album. To me, it seems as Donald is trying to figure out who he really is and who are really his friends.

                              Gambino’s Growth

Compared to his first album “Camp”, Glover has improved lyrically and vocally. With this album, his talent really shows, being that he can rap and sing. His wordplay has always been great but in this album, it has improved satirically and emotionally. Through every song in which he speaks, there’s a meaning and it’s the way he feels. He can go from full blown hip-hop in “Sweatpants” and “Worldstar” to a little bit of pop in “Earth: The Oldest Computer”. There was even some R&B soul with “Urn”. This album really proved how creative he is and how multi-talented he is. With this album, it shows that Gambino is very capable of winning Hip-hop awards and even Grammys. 

                                Then and Now
Starting from underground rapping, Donald has made his way to the mainstream spotlight. He now collaborates with various artists like Chance the Rapper (The Worst Guys) and Jhene Aiko (Pink Toes). But he has made it clear that it isn’t fame that he really wants, he just wants to make music. Plus, most people know him from the TV show Community.
When he first started, he felt like he had something to prove. But in this “experience”, he pointed out that he didn’t know who he was anymore because he was so busy trying to fit in. Him now being 30 years old, I guess it hit him that well it’s finally time to just be himself, whoever that is (as he stated in several songs).

                         Success and Comparison

I mentioned early that “Because the Internet” sold thousands of copies but its success is much more than that. The originality of this album is impressive and shouldn’t be looked over. Childish Gambino shouldn’t really be any kid’s role model but then again maybe he should because this guy is very, very musically talented. And as a comedian, he’s pretty funny too. But anyway, Gambino’s goal was to refine and improve his craft as a whole and that’s what he did with this album. I could even go farther to say that his album is just as great as Drake’s Nothing was the Same and J. Cole’s Born Sinner because to me, there wasn’t any other rap/hip-hop compared to theirs. All three albums told a story but I feel like Gambino’s was told the best without any subliminals. He even had chapters to each section. The guy is a music genius and he deserves more praise because of this album. This quality music is expected from Donald on his next project because it definitely impressed.