"Bonfire"- Camp
One week from now, Childish Gambino will be dropping his debut album Camp. In the past week, Gambino has released the above video for lead single "Bonfire," and "Heartbeat," which features a massive electro-tinged beat. The album is currently streaming on NPR's site.
For my money, this is going to prove to be one of the better rap releases of the year, as Gambino has been slowly building towards this moment. His breakout may have been last year's "B**ch Look at Me Now," which did the "impossible" and made a Grizzly Bear song sound like a legit rap beat. After the success of the two I Am Just a Rapper mixtapes, Gambino released the well-received Internet-album Culdesac. Not only has awareness of Donald Glover's Gambino project grown, but his style has changed as well. Gone is the higher-pitched squeak of earlier offerings, replaced with a slightly lower delivery. One thing that has not changed over time is Glover's ability to weave in hysterical punchlines, that may have you consulting Wikipedia. Ultimately it's that effortless humor of his, coupled with his deft beat selection that will make Camp a release worth checking out.
