Childish Gambino Believes Rap Isn't Growing Like It Used To

BYGabriel Bras Nevares1.7K Views
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BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: Donald Glover attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Lionel Hahn/Getty Images)
"You get washed and old when s**t just sounds the same to you because you've heard so much," the multi-hyphenate remarked.

Childish Gambino's recent Complex interview saw him dishing out on a lot of controversial and debated topics. One of those was on the role of artificial intelligence in today's world, and his answer might surprise you. However, another contentious and heated discussion, especially right now, is whether or not hip-hop is "dead" or "dying." While Donald Glover didn't take the black-and-white stance that others have, he did express belief that things just aren't as they used to be. Maybe you'll find his comments out-of-touch, maybe they resonate deeply with your thoughts on the game, but one thing's for sure: this is a big and elusive name to be addressing this.

"I think I'm as tapped in as I can be," Childish Gambino replied when asked how in-tune he feels to rap. "[I like] when something feels new to me. You get washed and old when s**t just sounds the same to you because you've heard so much. You know, I think the women are killing it because they have narratives. I feel like a lot of the guys, it's harder to have interesting new narratives now.

Childish Gambino's Summarized Thoughts On Today's Rap Game

"Also, I feel like, in general... I don't want to say 'rap is dead,' it's just, it's not able to grow the way it was growing before," Childish Gambino continued. "It's just not able to. It's a very different time. Who's making it and why they're making it is very different, too. I hear Sexyy Red, I hear Ice Spice, I hear Tokischa. I hear all these artists, and I'm like 'This is all good s**t.' And it goes back to… The audience decides what the functionality of it is. Sometimes, that is just to feel good. Also, people want something fresh, but people want it fast, which sometimes just doesn't happen.

"I feel like it'll be clear sooner rather than later," the multi-hyphenate creative answered to a question about whether he'll drop music soon. "It'd be better for people to just tune in, I suppose. But I'm trying harder to not be cryptic. Tyler is always, like, 'You're so cryptic.' But I'm like, 'I'm really not.' I just like suspense, I guess. I think it makes stuff better. But that's just me." For more news and updates on Childish Gambino, log back into HNHH.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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