
Source: Gilbert Flores / Getty
Donald Glover has been grappling with identity for a while.
Glover is known for his creativity in developing shows like FX’s Atlanta and the limited series Swarm. But his alter ego and moniker, Childish Gambino, has been known for taking musical chances for more than a decade and releasing projects that range in genres from Royalty to the uber-popularĀ Awaken, My Love!
But now Glover has decided to retire the name forever, despite having a new album, Bando Stone & The New World, that drops this week.
He spoke to the New York Times about the creative decision, and it’s not something deep and philosophical. He just believes he’s done all he can under that personality.
āIt really was just like, āOh, itās done.ā Itās not fulfilling. And I just felt like I didnāt need to build in this way anymore,” he explained.
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He also says that the change of heart came from maturing and becoming a parent.
āIām not 25 anymore, standing in front of a boulder like, āThis has to move.ā You give what you can, but thereās beauty everywhere in every moment. You donāt have to build it. You donāt have to search for it,” he said. āWhen I put my son on my shoulders, I feel deep joy. Thatās real. No one on their deathbed is going to look back and say, āThank God I avoided being cringe.āā
But before he retires the alter ego for good, he’s delivering Bando Stone & the New World and explains that with the album, he hopes to “play big rooms and have big, anthemic songs that fill those rooms, so that people feel a sense of togetherness.ā
Glover has been using the name since at least 2008 when he released his mixtape, Sick Boi. He credits the Childish Gambino name to simply entering his real name into a Wu-Tang name generator, and that’s what popped out.
He told Jimmy Fallon in 2011 that he did it when he was a sophomore in college hanging with his friends. They all entered their names, and he knew he was onto something.
“We were all hanging out, chilling and drinking, and then we were like, ‘Oh, Wu-Tang name generator, letās put our name in.’ And weāre putting them all in, and theyāre all funny and stuff, and then mine came up, and I was like, āyou guys, itās not funny anymore. This is something big.ā I just really liked it.ā
See how social media feels about the end of an era below.