Voices of the Day: Childish Gambino

Childish Gambino's Camp, out since November 15th, is without question a new classic of the genre. Full of self conscious themes jogged by "childish" worries, Gambino questions whether he's taken seriously as a rapper. In answer to this, take a look at Billboard, where his debut album is set to chart at No. 6, right under Justin Beiber's Under the Mistletoe. While this statement is an injustice to Gambino as an artist, it is a feat accomplished by few and a testament to his musicianship.

Gambino is unmatched in lyrical dexterity. In watching his stand-up (Donald Glover), we see him flesh out many of the ideas he quickly nods to through verses. He condenses the complexity of humor into clear, emphatic lyrics that fit to a variety of styles. From the drama and intensity of Outside to the thoughtfulness of All That Shine to the synthed-out momentum of Heartbeat, Gambino never loses ground as the central focus. Instrumentally the album relies on more spartan beats with generally simple melodies. This bare-bones approach works to showcase the artist himself but doesn't forgo hooks that we can catch on to.

Check out the undeniable style of Camp on iTunes or stream it on Spotify.

-SNewman

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