Every Childish Gambino Single Ranked Worst To Best

I concede that I tried my hardest to not put this at number one, but it was simply unfathomable to justify putting anything else above it. So why does this 2018 satirically self-aware recording find itself in a league all of its own in comparison to the rest of this artists portfolio, or most artists’ portfolios for that matter.

The song’s 4 Grammy nominations (Record of the year, Best rap/sung performance, Best video of the year and Song of the year) that ALL resulted in wins should be a precursor to anyone that hasn’t heard this song already (if such a person exists) that this isn’t your average rap outing. Not to mention the other 7 accolades it picked up along the way. So, what is it that makes "This is America" an example of music becoming larger than life?

Misleading the viewer/listener with an overly exuberant introduction to the song, allegorically representing the mistreatment of “African-American’s” (despite this being so immensely culturally inept in the current social climate) as the tune presents joyous lyrics upon initialising, until the unmistakable bang of a gunshot incidentally disturbs the peace, propelling the encrypted message of oppression via gun violence, police brutality and racial profiling promptly into the forefront. The ambiguity of the social commentary provided in this track is evident throughout as the lyrics, collaboratively alongside the accompanying video commandeer its listeners down a path of history both recent and distant, referencing unfeasibly nuanced events that, inevitably, find themselves swept under the rug. Such as the Charlestown shooting (2015), Jim Crow (an undeniable apotheosis of racism) and the ongoing issue of gun control (or lack thereof) in the states. All while never sacrificing its relevancy to the contemporary inconsequential world that we find ourselves currently inhabiting.

Most artist’s will never reach the heights of global superstardom, some won’t even reach the other side of the channel, but rest assured Donald Glover; Childish Gambino; mcDJ or any other alias that he may go by has defiantly breached all pre-conceived notions of the formulaic realms we normally tend to associate with music as a platform, an artform and as a concept. Cementing his name in the history books for all to see.