Childish Gambino ““ Because the Internet

With a recording process that began in 2012 and continued until October 2013, you’d think that Donald Glover, who goes by the stage name Childish Gambino, would’ve delivered a mind-blowing masterpiece when he released his new studio album Because the Internet.

Although it could qualify as his best work yet, in terms of growing as an artist, the album tends to be jumbled and unfocused.

What is most enjoyable (although it’s unlikely that the intended target audience will interpret it the way the rapper would like them to) is that it makes an attempt at plumbing social media, by looking into the different ways in which people present themselves online.

Because the Internet does a stellar job critiquing the all-conquering rise of internet culture by parodying its overwhelming randomness. Having written all the tracks himself, the album shows Glover wielding his best qualities: nerdiness and confidence.

It features cameos by Jhené Aiko, Azelia Banks and Chance the Rapper – a random combination – but they work well with what the album is trying to achieve: to show off the rapper’s full array of talent as a musician, comedian and writer.

Featuring jazz fills, dub step, static electronic sounds and R&B sing-alongs, Glover has improved and become more polished and fluent.

But he’s too fond of punch lines, puns and similes – evident in the opening tracks I. crawl and II. Worldstar, where you hear average bars such as, You can kick it like it’s FIFA and Got no patience/ Cause I’m not a doctor.

Here and there you find couplets that are completely unrelated to what he previously said, which can make you lose focus on what he’s actually trying to put across. You have to give him credit for his prominent athleticism in the way his lines flow.

Focusing an entire album on the internet is a risky thing to do as a musician. And although Glover’s attempt at producing a concept album is good, he tends to tackle too many themes and social-media related issues that he doesn’t fully commit to.

It won’t make your ears bleed but it will most certainly make you think about the superfluity and instant gratification that comes with being an online user. The internet has the potential to be an incredibly unifying tool and it’s one of the most underused resources in history, but also it has become the main source of distraction, hurtful words thrown between strangers, and continuing growth of the digital divide between the rich and poor.

I give this album 7 out of 10.