Childish Gambino’s ‘because the internet’ creates dreamy mood
Photo courtesy of XXL Magazine
Childish Gambino’s “because the internet” was released on Dec. 10, 2013. Photo courtesy of XXL Magazine.
March 18, 2014
While many may know Donald Glover as Troy Barnes on the hit NBC sitcom “Community,” his popularity is also growing on the rap scene as Childish Gambino. Childish Gambino released his second album, “because the internet” on Dec. 10, 2013, debuting at No. 7 on the Billboard Top 200.
As a fan of both Glover and Gambino, I thoroughly enjoyed his first album “CAMP” and I was eagerly anticipating his sophomore effort. My first impression of the album as a whole was one of pleasant surprise.
While “CAMP” seemed to center around traditional rap and R&B influences, “because the internet” heavily sampled electronic and dubstep styles, featuring instrumental interludes between tracks.
The feel of the album is incredibly cohesive, sounding more like one long song that fluctuates between calming beats and booming bass. Where some artists may cultivate different moods for each song, Gambino appears to have attempted to create an album with a story that has a consistent mood, making for an easy listen.
My favorite song on the album is definitely “Telegraph Ave.” It’s close to my heart because of the references to the Bay Area, where I come from. However, it also seems to capture the mood of driving the streets at night with its smooth and lilting beats.
The song centers around relationships in general, in particular trying to make a relationship work even when it seems difficult, which is something that I feel a lot of people can relate to, especially young people.
Another strong point of this album is that it is very lyrically strong, which is typical of Gambino’s previous work. The lyrics are witty and clever, while still remaining meaningful. While some seem nonsensical or unnecessary, such as the repetition of “look at the recluse” on the track “No Exit”, I believe that Gambino puts everything into his songs for a reason.
Some of my favorite lyrics include the lines “I used to care what people thought, but now I care more/ I mean, nobody out here’s got it figured out” on the song “3005.” These lyrics resonate with me particularly because I’m in high school. Sometimes it can seem like everyone is judging you, but the reality is that everyone is just trying to figure themselves out.
The lyrics “Laugh for a minute, couldn’t cry for the life of me/ Park by the bridge, sit on the hood/ Look at the cars, stare at my hands, look at the moon/ I can’t find it, it’s gone, what’s wrong?” on the song “No Exit” also really struck me. He really captures feelings of inadequacy and numbness. When one is feeling overwhelmed, especially during hectic moments in their life, these lines can be very relatable.
With lyrics like these, Gambino seems to really capture the hazy, sometimes confused feeling of youth and all of the unfortunate problems that go along with this. I can see the album being played on the radio during the summer since its tone is so mellow.
The only weak point of this album is probably the fact that it does sample so much from electronic and dubstep influences. I loved “CAMP” because I felt like it was a new and refreshing take on rap and R&B. While “because the internet” is a strong rap album overall, the pounding bass and shrill buzzes distract from Gambino’s lyrical prowess at times.
