Donald Glover Releases “Break (AOTL)” and Only Mentions Whores Twice
As part of the preparation for his upcoming “I AM DONALD” tour, Donald Glover released a new Childish Gambino track today. It’s called “Break (AOTL).”
Break (AOTL) by Childish Gambino
More than once I’ve tried to write up something extensive about Donald Glover and his Childish Gambino persona to no avail. The main point, though, is that I’m constantly conflicted because I really enjoy his style, think he’s got some clever rhymes, and yet there’s generally so much nerd revenge misogyny among them that I’m exhausted before I have the chance to just be excited.
On “Break (AOTL)” Donald manages to talk about having sex with plenty women without also calling them bitches and hos every second. So there’s that, at least. However, I still think his most compelling moments here are the ones that discuss his struggle with perpetually being an ‘in the middle’ entertainer in this industry: If he appeals to white audiences, does that mean he can’t appeal to black? (The media tells him he can’t.) Is he setting new standards for multiltasking entertainers or struggling to live up to the hype? (Something he goes back and forth on during various tracks.)
Plus, this version of Kanye West’s “All of the Lights” instrumental once again takes advantage of Glover’s ability to sample and revamp recognizable beats, giving them a special Childish Gambino flavor.
So can we hurry up and get past this thing where Donald Glover says he loves girls, and then dumps on them within the same three minutes? I want to love the music and pass it on without caveats. Hopefully this is a step in that general direction, and then Donald Glover will be as excellent in this arena as he already is everywhere else.
Download link for “Break (AOTL)” right here.
