If you don't know who Childish Gambino is, then you will after you have read this review about his new song called This Is America along with the music video. Childish Gambino, whose real name is Donald Glover, was on Saturday Night Live on May 5th as the host and musical guest for the show. When he performed this song on SNL, I was like, "This is a really good song. I think I'm going to listen to on YouTube". And the special effects for the performance that he did were amazing. You can go and watch his performance of "This Is America" by clicking on the link you see below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1xkLqd1wd
So, I listened to This Is America on YouTube and I love this song. I have never listened to Childish Gambino's music before. The opening of this song starts off with a choir singing, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah/ Yeah, yeah, yeah, go, go away/ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah". On the bridge, Gambino, with background vocals from rapper Young Thug, talks about how some people are willing to sell themselves just to get ahead, therefore becoming numb to the physical and mental suffering that they face around them singing, "We just wanna party/ Party just for you/ We just want the money/ Money just for you/ I know you wanna party/ Party just for me/ Girl, you got me dancin' (yeah, girl, you got me dancin')/ Dance and shake the frame/ We just wanna party (yeah)/ Party just for you (yeah)". Then the track begins to take a aggressive turn with the lyrics, "This is America/ Don't catch you slippin' up/ Don't catch you slippin' up/ Look what I'm whippin' up/ This is America (woo)/ Don't catch you slippin' up/ Don't catch you slippin' up/ Look what I'm whippin' up". Childish also talks about gun violence and the police saying, "Look at how I'm livin' now/ Police be trippin' now/ Yeah, this is America (woo, ayy)/ Guns in my area (word, my area)/ I got the strap (ayy, ayy) / I gotta carry 'em/ Yeah, yeah, I'ma go into this (ugh)/ Yeah, yeah, this is guerilla (woo)". After I listened to the song, I watched the music video on Vevo. You can watch this video either here or on YouTube.
The video, if you watch it closely, make some political statements about Black America and the culture that we live in. It starts out with a guy sitting down to play the guitar while a shirtless Childish Gambino stands with his back turned to the camera and begins to dance behind the man sitting in the chair. He also shoot him along with the choir members in the following scene possibly making a reference to gun violence. and then, in the next scene, Gambino continues dancing, but this time with little children as he distracts himself from all of the chaos that's going on around him. It ends with Gambino seen running away from the police as the video turns into black. This is also reminding some people of the popular running scene from the movie "Get Out" created by Jordan Peele.
H.E.R. Vol. 1 is the debut extended play by R&B singer H.E.R. It was released on September 9, 2016 by RCA Records. If you already know about H.E.R. from my previous blog posts on When A ThinkBubble Bursts™, good for you. If not, then keep reading about this mysterious new artist.
On "Losing", the singer talks about being in a relationship with someone that she knows is not going anywhere. The song begins with her estranged lover with her singing, "My ambition is attractive/ My aggression isn't passive/ I promise with you/ The butterflies in my stomach are active", and then she starts to act desperately for her lover with the lyrics, "They're dancin', I'm feelin' static/ Wanna get closer like magnets/ Your company, I've been feinin'/ I think I've turned to an addict/ I don't get high/ But lookin' in you eyes, I'm lifted/ Can we make this tradition?/ Your kisses make all my doubts go away". On the chorus, H.E.R. sees her romance her lover like her love for music saying, "You only show me love/ When it comes to the music/ It's like when I feel lonely/That's when you start actin' choosey/ I don't wanna keep playin' theses games/ 'Cause I feel like I'm losin'/ I don't wanna keep playin' these games/ 'Cause I feel like I'm losin'/ What we doin'?/ What we doin'?/ What we doin'?".
Wait For It contains a sample of "Say Yes" by Floetry as H.E.R. talks about the celebration of two lovers coming together with the lyrics, "Uber on the way, my phone is chargin'/ He keep callin'/ I wanna pick it up, but I keep stallin'/ I feel some type of way/ It's late at night, and babe/ I ain't get dressed for nothin'/ I ain't put this dress on for nothin'/ So, I'm comin', baby". On the chorus, H.E.R.is singing to her lover saying, "Wait for it, wait for it, wait for it, yeah/ I'ma need you to wait for it, wait for it, wait for it/ Baby can you wait for it, wait for it, wait for it?/ Baby can you wait for it? Wait for it".
Facts is about addressing a lover's reliability and consistency in a romance. H.E.R. is saying that she doesn't care about "fiction" or "opinions" when it comes to having complexities for a relationship with so-called emotional turmoil. Just as long as she's with her man, that's all that matters to her the most singing, "Facts/ You were the one I was missing/ The opposite of fiction/ And that's facts/ Ooh, it's a given/ I don't care 'bout opinions/ And that's facts, facts/ And that's facts/ You were the one I was missing".
U is about the singer dealing with being stressed and confused because she cares too much when it comes to her man who only thinks about himself, not her. The first verse begins with, "Right now my head is a mess/ Thinking 'bout you got me stressed/ You're just so hard to impress/ Every time that we go out/ You do something to show out/ Played the fool, but I know now/ I always worry 'bout you/ I only tell you the truth/ I'm not like those other girls/ I don't be acting brand new/ Every time that we go out/ You do something to show out/ Played the fool, I know now". Then she mentions that him and her were supposed to be a couple and that she only wants him singing, "It could be "U.S."/ There's too many letters / But it's only you, only you/ Only, only, only you, only you".
On "Focus", H.E.R. is desperately trying to get her lover's attention to her singing, "Me-Can you focus on me?/ Baby, can you focus on me?/ Babe-/ Hands in the soap/ Have the faucet's running/ And I looking at you/ Stuck on your phone/ And you're stuck in your zone/ You don't have a clue", and then she admits that she's not willing to give up on him with the lyrics, "But I don't wanna give up/ Baby, I just want you to get up/ Lately I've been a little fed up/ Wish you would just focus on/ Me- Can you focus on me?/ Baby, can you focus on me?/ Me-Me".
Jungle is a cover song that was made famous by Canadian rapper Drake for his mixtape "If You're Reading This, It's Too Late". This track also contains a reference to "68" by Gabriel Garzon-Montano in the hook. H.E.R. talks about a break from a long-term relationship that she was in. Now single, she is using this break to focus on her music singing, "I'm not ashamed at all/ Still findin' myself, let alone a soulmate, I'm just sayin'/ Feel like we on in the same, our relationship changed/ That or it never existed/ Whenever they say somethin' bout us, you listen".
Pigment is a piano ballad track that serves as the last song on Vol. 1. The singer finds herself dealing with feelings of a one sided relationship. Her partner isn't really a savior, but that's the only thing that's holding her back saying, "Because it's clear I'm getting bigger/ I know you visualize my figure/ I was the one that made you look/ At your old girl and reconsider/ You see me in that black dress/ On the first date/ And I'm causin' frustration in your mind/ Only in the best ways/ Secretly I'm anxious, 'cause the thirst have never been mutual/ It's unusual/ That someone like you thinks I'm beautiful/ It's beautiful, yeah/ What we have is beautiful". On the original version of this song, it only lasted one minute and twenty-six seconds. So, here is the extended version of Pigment just for you guys.
I had just listened to Vol. 1 by H.E.R. on SoundCloud yesterday and I fell in love with the beautiful music project. From the production to the beat and lyrics of each song, I knew that H.E.R. is a really talented artist with a smooth R&B voice. She is definitely a singer that you do not want to go to sleep on. Ever. I rate H.E.R.'s Vol. 1 a 10. I can't wait to listen to Vol. 2 on SoundCloud when I get a chance! H.E.R. is my new favorite artist along with Jhene Aiko, FKA Twigs, and Tinashe.
