Childish Gambino's "Royalty"

Track-by-Track Review:

Between his previous works such as Camp, and this latest mixtape, Childish Gambino has proven to be versatile if nothing else.  Camp, which received generally positive remarks aside from being destroyed and mocked by some idiot’s review on pitchfork.com, was more of an experimental hip-hop record.  Royalty serves as a step away from his typical style and introduces a more self-assured Donald Glover.

Royalty- Blake Griffin makes a surprise appearance as a feature in this 9 second opener.  It leads into a comical voice that rises in pitch, which smoothly transitions into the first actual song.

We Ain’t Them- Donald Glover spits over a very catchy beat in a song that makes you bop your head.  It is extremely laid back and is definitely something to chill too.

One Up- Here is where Childish Gambino switches it up on us.  We are accustomed to his lighter, less aggressive music, but “One Up” is our first taste of his newfound confidence.  The beat goes hard.

Black Faces- Yet another song that showcases a new swagger as Childish talks about some of the more superficial aspects of life such as money.  He gives himself a metaphorical pat on the back because of the success he is having as a black male.  At the same time, he makes it known that he is going to the top of the rap game and plans to stay there to see the money roll in.

Unnecessary- Gambino, Schoolboy Q, and Ab-Soul destroy their respective verses in this song about rappers living in an immoderate manner.

Shoulda Known- “Shoulda Known” brings us back to enjoy a calmer, more relaxed Childish Gambino.  The chorus contains murmurs of Childish, while the verses are cleverly thought-provoking, as usual.

R.I.P.- “R.I.P.” samples “Nightcall” by Kavinsky.  Bub B’s presence is felt for the first minute of the song, and then Childish takes over.  Childish raps about his current state in the music industry, while he addresses his haters and puts himself on a pedestal.

American Royalty- This song uses music from a brass ensemble, which creates for a unique beat.  RZA makes an appearance on “American Royalty” and contributes to a tune that is anything but laid-back.

It May Be Glamour Life- Here, we have a song that strangely does not even include Mr. Glover!  Instead, Ghostface Killah shows up for a single verse.  It is a curious selection for the mixtape but I like the beat so I can’t complain.

Toxic- “Toxic” samples an easily recognizable section of Britney Spears’ song of the same name.  Danny Brown does his usual and yells over the beat, while Childish continues the pattern of bodying the second verses.

Silk Pillow- This song opens with singer-songwriter Beck uttering words over a piano-oriented instrumental.  Beck has been a friend and mentor to Childish Gambino and actually jokingly suggested Childish name his upcoming sophomore album “Because the Internet”…  Seems to have stuck!

They Don’t Like Me- Chance The Rapper has his typical strange but entertaining verse, as he whines over the beat.  The end of the song features a sample of Dem Franchize Boyz’s song “Ohh I Think They Like Me”.  The two rappers make for an intriguing listen.

Arrangement- A fairly simple beat plays in the background while Childish Gambino, with the help of Gonage, spits bars that go along with the chorus to create somewhat of an anthem.  This song gets me pumped!

Won’t Stop- Donald Glover thinks about the past in this song.  He considers his home in Atlanta, where he has not lived since high school, and wonders if his success has made his family, friends, and haters proud yet.  Overall, “Won’t Stop” is a change of pace for Royalty, containing a soothing chorus and bridge, soft piano chords, and less boasting than the songs that lead up to it.

Bronchitis- Simply put, the beat in “Bronchitis” is mysterious.  It is an extremely alternative form of hip-hop but it works.  It is one of the realer songs on the mixtape.

Wonderful- “We finally made it.”  This epitomizes the third-to-last song on Royalty.  Life is wonderful and Glover has worked hard to get to this point.  This track serves as a sigh of relief.

Make It Go Right- Vocalist Kilo Kish calmly kills the track in the beginning and on the chorus.  This is the perfect duo to complement the beat.  Childish Gambino hops on the track to get his LL Cool J on, as he begins his verse the same way LL did in his 1987 mainstream breakthrough single “I Need Love”.

Real Estate- This final piece is definitely a Wiz Khalifa type of beat.  Childish Gambino is joined by Alley Boy, Swank, and Tina Fey.  Tina Fey provides a comical interpretation of what she believes the typical end to a hip-hop song sounds like!

This mixtape is a testament to the incredible amount of skill that Donald Glover possesses.  He shows people that he is not bound to any one subgenre of rap because, unlike his previous works in which he spits modestly over alternative beats, Royalty is full of bravado over hardcore beats.  Now, after the release of his debut album and many mixtapes, Childish Gambino is making promotional rounds for his sophomore album, Because the Internet, which drops December 10^th.  According to him, there will, yet again, be noticeable differences between this and past efforts stylistically.  The anticipation is currently at a high and I can only hope that his upcoming second major-label album is what finally gets Glover the attention and respect he deserves as a musician.