Donald Glover on retiring Childish Gambino: "It’s not fulfilling"

Childish Gambino just released "In the Night" as the final preview of the album. Featuring vocals from Amaarae and Jorja Smith, the track was co-produced by Glover, DJ Dahi, and Kurtis McKenzie, and follows the album's lead single,"Lithonia".

Speaking to The New York Times, Glover explained his simple reason for wanting to step away from Childish Gambino: “It really was just like, ‘Oh, it’s done.’ It’s not fulfilling, and I just felt like I didn’t need to build in this way anymore.”

Donald Glover, the Emmy- and Grammy-winning actor, is officially retiring his rap alter ego Childish Gambino with the release of “Bando Stone & the New World,” on Friday. “It really was just like, ‘Oh, it’s done.’” Read our full interview with Glover: https://t.co/1Q8kOI7KnX pic.twitter.com/cddn6022Rk

— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 17, 2024

Alluding to the fact that he's in a different place as a human, and has matured away from his old creations, he adds: “I think grace is undervalued in the world. When I put my son on my shoulders, I feel deep joy. That’s real. No one on their deathbed is going to look back and say, ‘Thank God I avoided being cringe.'”