Childish Gambino makes commercial debut

Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, is making his commercial debut with his album "Camp" later this month, and he plans to enter the game with a big bang.

While chances are most people haven't heard of Childish Gambino, its safe to say that he is one of the most lyrically talented artists in the rap game. Prior to "Camp", Childish Gambino released three albums and two mix tapes available for free online, each bringing a new level of talent to his lyrical resume. "Camp" stays true to Childish Gambino fashion, making countless references to Glover's personal life and his childhood as well as a slew of nerdy references.

One thing that I love about this album is the fact that he keeps the lyrical quality at its usual high. While artists like lil Wayne make millions with lackluster references, it's refreshing to see an artist making music that intellectuals can enjoy, relate to, and appreciate. Glover is more known for his acting career with his biggest role to date being Troy Barnes on NBC's "Community," but he is making way in his musical endeavor recently finishing his IAMDONALD tour.

Personally, I appreciate "Camp" because of the intellectual references throughout the album and the fact that a lot of the lyrics are relatable, if you were ever thought of as different in your life. If you listen to "Camp", you'll definitely want to have Google, Wikipedia, and Urban Dictionary on standby because the lyrics are filled with analogies and comedic references that might require those reference guides to decode through some of the verses. While his lyrical content is fresh, he seems to be caught in a bit of an identity crisis, repeatedly finding himself commenting about a handful of topics: the trials and tribulations of high school, the feeling of never being "hard" enough or "black" enough to satisfy his peers, the many people who have called him gay, and his fondness for Asian women.

I will say, that it seems Glover, or Childish Gambino, has created an amazing album. Opening with "Outside," Gambino brings a very serious note, giving listeners an intimate look at his childhood, and the struggles that his family went through trying to stay afloat in the projects. This track seemed a bit reminiscent of Kanye West's "Dark Fantasy," with eerie sound combinations, but offers a glimpse of "positivity" within the chorus.

Fast forward to "You See Me" and this is where Gambino takes things to a different level. With a very gritty sound, Gambino gets "hood" for this track and seriously kills it, while still bringing an arsenal of metaphors and similes to keep me hitting replay.

Gambino ends the "Camp" adventure with "That Power," which has an odd undertone of achievement, and a great monologue from a young Glover, as he writes a letter to a girl whom he grew fond of while away at camp.

All in all, I loved this album as a whole, and would recommend it to anyone who asked me where to find good music.