By GEORGE KIELTY, Gibbs High
Grade: 4/5 asterisks ****

Damn, Donald, why you gotta be so mean? What started as a comedian doing features on remixes of songs like Rolling in the Deep in between standup is now something much more powerful than anyone ever thought it would be. Childish Gambino (Donald Glover is his given name,  except when he’s Troy on Community)  breaks a lot of rules, but gets away with it through use of dark, dry humor and silky flows, layered over beats like frosting on some sensuous sound cake.

Childish’s debut album, Camp, threw me for a loop the first time I heard it. It has both the cynicism the new young rapper is already known for, and the sickeningly sweet sentimentality we don’t usually see. Here is an artist who can rip critics apart with swear words and insults, and also pop into falsetto and sing about giving “you everything you ever wanted.” And make it sound really good while he’s at it.

I can tell you the line referencing Casey Anthony made me die laughing/crying, or the line referencing the Human Centipede made me gag and crack up at the same time. I can tell you how hypnotizing the O’s in the background are, or how the pure industrial strength of the song makes listening to it feel like digesting a brick.  I can also tell you about Outside. This beautiful exposition doesn’t just set up the album, but also the opening of Gambino’s life. He weaves stories out of crackles and claps, and the voices work like a Greek chorus from some Aeschylean piece of theater. Exquisite.

I could spend another 300 words telling you, reader dear, about how much joy the other diamonds on this debut gave me. I’m talking about Fire Fly, All the Shine and Heartbeat. But words just aren’t enough. You should listen to this. Five times. At least.