I hate Childish Gambino. Not in the sense of his music or art, but for what he represents. In the past few months Gambino’s been on a tirade. From Twitter meltdowns to dissing his contemporaries in freestyles, Gambino has lost a lot of the momentum that made him such a riveting character in the wake of Because the Internet. Obviously, Glover is troubled. Over what its hard to tell.
In his most recent interview with Paul Rosenberg on Hot 97, Gambino talked at length about race, class, and his ultimate place in hip-hop. While a large majority of the interview could be written off as another radio stop on Gambino’s promotional run for his new mixtape, there were a few gems that painted Glover’s mindstate in 2014.
Whatever movement is happening now – Like I would like to think I’m a leader of whatever movement is happening. People call it ‘new black.’ People call it whatever, but I don’t want to name it cause its bs to name it. [...] So whatever this thing is. Whatever’s happening. Like whenever Jaden Smith tells me he’s like ‘I’m real excited whatever’s happening.’ He can feel it. I can feel it
As a young black male in America, Gambino’s new manifesto is hard to swallow. While he doesn’t strive to name it, this “new black” philosophy is dangerous. Gambino goes on to state:
He [Jaden Smith] has room to fail. That’s what it is. That’s where its happening. That’s the really big thing. Jaden, Malia, Seven this black royalty they have room to fail, which is very important and cool.
Gambino’s message reeks of an “us vs. them” mentality. The hard part about starting a movement is the fact that movements by design are exclusionary. Who is a part of this “new black,” movement? What are the criteria to be a part of it? Do you have to be young, black and rich? Gambino’s “black royalty” consists of Jaden Smith, Seven Benjamin (Andre 3000’s son) and Malia Obama; all young African-American children who have had extraordinary opportunities because of the accomplishments of their parents.
So much of Gambino’s current energy has gone to preaching about inequalities he faces daily. His racially charged message speaks to the continued pursuit for equality that black people have been striving for ever since our ancestors were bound in chains. The fight isn’t new, but how we contextualize it is.
Being black in America is hard, but so is being a part of any minority in the U.S. of A. If Gambino is a so called “leader” of this movement then he should make it evident what he’s leading. As a young black male I know Gambino’s struggle, but I definitely don’t want him representing me.
I look for transparency, consistency, and honesty in my leaders.
Gambino at times can be some of these things, but never all of them at once. I get it…being black is difficult. I’ve been called a nigger. I’ve gone through the trials and tribulations of being in an interracial relationship. I’ve been denied job opportunities based on my skin color, if you’re a minority in America its a shameful reality. However, I also don’t think its right to paint that plight as something its not.
When Gambino says, “I get it. I’m wearing a grandma sweater, but I am also a black male. I still have to wear this grandma sweater when I go see my grandma in the Bronx. Who lives in a shitt neighborhood. My cousin just got shot and stabbed twice hustling there,” it comes out of nowhere. How can Gambino lead a new black movement, when he can’t even articulate what it is to truly be black.
For every time Gambino brings up a valid statement on race relations in America he has to back it up with his “hood” credentials. He flexes his “hood pass” in a way that is inauthentic in 2014. Who cares if he’s from Stone Mountain, Georgia or that his cousin got shot? It doesn’t make him any more or less black. Race is socially constructed. Its an ethereal concept that changes with the times, and has unfortunately been manipulated to make blacks feel worthless for generations.
When people throw around the term “New Black,” it seeks to make a percentage of the black population feel good about themselves while making the other part feel lesser. Is the new black experience any different from the old one? Most likely not. What Gambino is getting at is that he wants the same opportunities as a Jaden or Malia, but their opportunities are born out of money and status. The increasing class gap in America isn’t just a black problem.
Being white doesn’t inherently make ones life easier. In the same fashion being black doesn’t make your struggle any more important than the struggles of other minorities (i.e. Latino, Gay, Women, etc.).
I am not trying to shit on Gambino’s beliefs, but someone has to call him out. In the past I’ve been an ardent fan of the Childish Gambino brand and by extension Donald Glover. From I Am Not a Rapper 1 & 2, Cul De Sac to EP, Camp to Royalty, I’ve been fascinated by Glover’s various artistic endeavors. Whether it was his time with Derrick Comedy, his 2011 stand-up special “Weirdo,” or his time as Troy on Community, in Glover I saw a multifaceted individual that was breaking down barriers left and right.
Along the way something changed. Maybe I grew up. Perhaps the young, black, and awkward kid that needed albums like Cul De Sac and Camp is no longer there. I haven’t gotten any more or less black in the interim between my Gambino fandom, but I have gotten more comfortable with my place in the world. I’d be lying if I still don’t get mad when something clearly racist happens to me in a normal situation, but the rage has subsided.
Maybe its harder to get a cab in New York when your black, but that’s life. Bitching about it doesn’t help, but spreading a message of positivity and awareness does. There’s no such thing as “New Black.”
Childish Gambino and the Myth of New Black
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