Childish Gambino | "Camp" | Album Review

Story by Mitch McCann 

| Published Nov 29, 2011

Donald Glover’s music has always walked a strange line between overtly aggressive and openly sensitive. His rap alter ego, Childish Gambino, is an oddity in the rap game. Rarely does a hip hop act register such an extreme reaction. Those who followed the comedian and star of ‘Community’ to his forays into rap either dove right in or turned up their noses, yet both sides felt fully validated and voraciously outspoken.

For someone who used to make goofy internet videos with some friends from NYU, Glover as Gambino shakes the system pretty fiercely, and purists are never ones to be rattled. “Camp” showcases the most fine-tuned Gambino melodic hooks and lyricism to date. With Glover alternating between attacking his very unique brand of haters and detailing his very explicit, romantic feelings,”Camp” is a restructuring for Glover.

Lead single “Bonfire” seems abrasive, sure, but it is definitely puts the album’s best foot forward. Elsewhere on the release, unexpected gems like “Fire Fly,” a definite cornerstone for the album, and “Heartbeat,” which finds its groove in a Justice-esque melody and Glover’s best vocal moments, delight. “All the Shine” also swings for the fences, and as with the majority of the record, it’s almost right on the mark. 


Elder Gambino folks will recognize much of “Camp”’s build, as all of Glover’s moves are still visible. The sometimes obvious lines and references, the more subtle jokes met by sharp jabs, and of course his signature comedic bite; everything that defined previous Gambino releases is there, but in a more focused effort with defined production. Glover abandons the shallow beats with hard vocals while trimming the excess--leaving him with a strong center where his sound is at its most potent.