Music

Donald Glover Has Explained Why He’s Calling It Quits On Childish Gambino

“I feel like there’s gotta be a reason to do things and I always had a reason to be punk."

by Chris Woods  7 June 2017
Childish Gambino

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As everyone around the world reels from Childish Gambino’s recently-announced early retirement, Donald Glover has elaborated on his frustrating, if pretty fair decision.

For those playing catch-up, Glover wrapped up his only performance for 2017 — the NYC Governors Ball gig on Saturday — by saying “you’re in my heart, I’ll see you for the last Gambino album”.

The abrupt news was the direct cause of millions of hearts breaking in tandem, including mine.

Now, Glover has confirmed to Huffington Post that yes, his fourth album will be his last, although he has yet to reveal when it’ll drop. He also discussed his reasons for retiring Gambino as a project. “There’s nothing worse than like a third sequel, like a third movie and we’re like, ‘again?’” Glover said. “You know, I like it when something’s good and when it comes back there’s a reason to come back, there’s a reason to do that.”

“I feel like there’s gotta be a reason to do things and I always had a reason to be punk,” he said. “Being punk just always felt really good to me and we always looked at Atlanta as a punk show and I feel like the direction I would go with Childish Gambino wouldn’t be punk anymore. As much as ‘Redbone’ is a punk song because it’s a gospel song that’s on the radio, I’m like, there’s only so far you can go before you just are the radio.”

While the internet is naturally devastated, there are plenty of good reasons why fans should be excited that Gambino is retiring early, namely a) it’s better than more music that he doesn’t feel confident about and b) Glover will get to go on doing amazing stuff in every artistic genre and medium imaginable.

Because honestly, the guy has gone from strength-to-strength — from writing on 30 Rock, starring in Community, and rapping as Childish Gambino, and doing all three in Atlanta. Whatever comes next will, in all likelihood, be kickass.

In terms of future projects, Glover is set to star in Atlanta‘s second season, Spider-Man: Homecoming, 2018’s untitled Han Solo origin film as Lando-freaking-Calrissian, and the live-action Lion King as Simba.

The only question we have left is: when the hell does this guy sleep I mean, oh my god.