Before launching FX Atlanta and dropping his critically acclaimed "Awaken, My Love!" Childish Gambino was a rising in the rap game around the same time as Black Hippy, Danny Brown and A$AP Rocky. He dropped a steady stream of EP's and mixtapes which helped him build his massive fanbase. One of the best mixtapes in his catalog is Royalty and today, we revisit it with the song "Unnecessary" featuring Ab-Soul and ScHoolboy Q.
"Unnecessary" is one of the many cuts on Royalty that found Childish Gambino proving that he could stand along some of the hardest emcees in the game. Gambino not only killed the track but he also produced it, much like the rest of the project. It also included stand-out verses from Ab-Soul and ScHoolboy Q around the time they both released their second albums.
While Childish Gambino's reached higher status in his career among his many accomplishments, Royalty was a glimpse into his brilliance.
Quotable Lyrics
I did a song about DMT,
Soulja Boy did one right after
Three eyes, these guys ain't seeing me
No radio showed up over B.o.B,
G-O-D emcee
About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years.
Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021.
Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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