Childish Gambino has shared a rare update on his music plans, hinting that his long-awaited return could be on the horizon.
In an interview with Complex that was published on Monday (October 2), the multi-hyphenate (born Donald Glover) shed light on the many creative ventures that are currently occupying his time — with new music being among them.
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“I feel like it’ll be clear sooner rather than later,” he said when asked about the prospect of new Childish Gambino material dropping soon. “It’d be better for people to just tune in, I suppose.
“But I’m trying harder to not be cryptic. Tyler [The Creator] is always, like, ‘You’re so cryptic.’ But I’m like, ‘I’m really not.’ I just like suspense, I guess. I think it makes stuff better. But that’s just me.”
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When asked what’s most “exciting” him in the studio right now, the Georgia native replied: “I like it when something is naturally functional. I used to try and be like, ‘Oh, this is just a good song and I like it.’ But now I think functionality is key.
“I think back in the day, it was a lot easier to be like, ‘I made this!’ And it was harder to make stuff so people would be like, ‘Oh, this chair, you can’t really sit in it. But otherwise, people wouldn’t have made this chair.'”
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He continued: “It’s kind of like art where it became, like, ‘Yeah, this is a pointless piece, which is the point.’ And now I feel like, because it’s so much easier to make everything, when something is actually truly functional and it’s easy to get to, I love that.
“I love it when we make something and I’m like, ‘Oh, I know exactly what this is for. This is for Monday Night Football.’ [Laughs.] You know, that kind of thing. Like, ‘This is for this kind of Instagram post.’ I like all that shit.”
Childish Gambino’s last album, 3.15.20, arrived over three and a half years ago. For a while, it seemed like it was going to be his final release under his Wu-Tang Clan Name Generator-created rap moniker.
“I’ll see you for the last Gambino album,” he told fans during his performance at New York City’s Governor’s Ball Music Festival in 2017.
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But roughly six months after 3.15.20‘s release, Gambino U-turned on his retirement plans and revealed that he was working on a new album that he described as “spiritual.” “I still don’t feel like I’m done with that project,” he told GQ of his stage name.
Donald Glover doubled down on that stance in his Complex interview, saying he doesn’t see himself ever quitting music for the simple fact that he’s “nice” with it — word to Cam’ron.
“I don’t do this shit for money,” he said. “There’s a famous Cam’ron clip that me and my brother love. Cam is on the radio talking to Ma$e or somebody, and he says, ‘Man, I do this because I’m nice. I don’t need the money. I do this because I’m nice, man.’
“And I’m like, yeah, I do this because I’m nice. I don’t think I’d ever stop, because of like… I always liked it because I liked it. I never did it because it was like, man, this is a good way to get put on or something. I like the feeling of it. I do this because I’m nice. In a certain way, I think that makes me old school.”
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How soon new Childish Gambino music will arrive exactly remains to be seen, however, considering the array of projects he’s currently working on.
In addition to running Gilga, the creative company that he launched last year and is headquartered on a farm in Ojai, California, the 40-year-old has a slate of film and TV projects in the works, including the Disney+ movie Lando, the Amazon Prime Video series Mr. & Mrs. Smith and a film adaptation of Community.
