Who says you can’t have it all? One day I hope to be the editor of GQ, be the man responsible for fixing Lindsay Lohan – and therefore the first person she thanks in her Oscar acceptance speech – and represent the UK in Eurovision. Naysayers would say that two out of the three things on my list are near impossibilities (I’ll let you decide the one that isn’t) but one man gives me hope; Donald Glover.
Beginning his career while still studying Dramatic Writing at the prestigious New York University, Donald’s first job wasn’t waiting tables or scanning some bitch’s paperwork like everyone else, oh no. He was writing for Tina Fey’s hilarious televisual baby 30 Rock (I know, I felt suicidal when I heard this for the first time too).
After writing for the multi Emmy award-winning show – in which the character “Toofer” is supposedly based on him – he now stars as college student Troy Barnes in the incredibly funny sitcom Community and has a cameo in the new Muppets film.
In the space of five years Donald Glover has created a career for himself which is easily envied by any would-be comedic writers and actors. However, the career Glover has made for himself as rapper alter-ego Childish Gambino is equally astronomical.
Since 2008, Childish Gambino has release three self-made albums, two mix tapes, an EP and toured the US. He frequently features on the top 10 tracks on Hype Machine with hipsters and gangsters equally enthralled in his unique brand of soulful rap. As if that wasn’t enough, today is the day he releases his first studio album on Glassnote Records, and it’s pretty brilliant.
It’s difficult to guess what will be next for Donald Glover: political office? Nobel prize? Being heralded as the new Messiah? I honest don’t know. At this point all seem equally plausible. What I do know is that the next time someone tells me I can’t have it all I’m going to think of Donald Glover, and hope Lindsay tweets back…
Childish Gambino’s new album “Camp” is out now.
