return in form and in numbers for Childish Gambino

It has been more than two years since actor Donald Glover – aka Childish Gambino, his musician name – has kept his world patient. On May 5, 2018, he published This is America, a both violent and intelligent charge against the use of firearms in the United States. This rap was the first to win four Grammy Awards in 2019, including the best recording of the year.

Any other artist would have released their album in the process. Not Childish Gambino, who does nothing like everyone else. His fourth studio album, 03.15.20, is dazzling proof. He first broadcast it on his website, Donald Glover Presents, during the day on March 15, then made it available for streaming platforms on March 22. No visual for album art and strange numbers (19.10 or 39.28) instead of song titles.

Explosive and enjoyable

The musical content is explosive and enjoyable. As for the already remarkable Awaken, My love!, in 2016, Childish Gambino called on regular collaborators such as the Swedish producer Ludwig Göransson, composer of soundtracks (that of the film Black panther in particular), the rapper 21 Savage, and the musician Kadhja Bonet, both present on the sublime 12.38. DJ Dahi (composer for Drake or Kendrick Lamar) co-produces nine of the twelve songs.

Apart Algorythm, which quotes the words of Hey mr dj's Zhané and Feels Like Summer, all titles are unreleased. They invoke the spirit of Prince as well as the funk of Parliament, the anger of Rage Against the Machine as much as the insolent phlegm of trap music. On this album, Childish Gambino talks a lot about self-esteem, especially on the songs 19.10 and 47.36 that he ends with a conversation with his son Legend. For him self-esteem is the key to surviving in this world and hoping to be happy. The musician finishes 03.15.20 in apotheosis with punk and soul 53.49. From the very great Childish Gambino who, extending the work started in Awaken, My love!, now masters his soul howler and rapper voices.