With every generation comes a new group of renaissance men and women. These “it” guys and girls often appear in the limelight with a particularly impressive assemblage of talents in a variety of fields. One of those men of the past few decades is actor, musician, comedian and writer Donald Glover, also known by his stage name, Childish Gambino.
Glover began his career in the early 2000s writing for “30 Rock,” a sitcom starring and created by Tina Fey. He then went on to portray the lovable washed-up high school football star Troy Barnes in Dan Harmon’s “Community,” a role which skyrocketed him to fame and introduced him to the world as an actor with brilliant comedic timing and on-screen presence. Time alludes to Glover’s departure from the show as one of the reasons “Community” began to lose its charm and momentum in the later seasons.
Although Glover is said to have left the show for personal reasons, the timing of his exodus correlates with the rising success of his musical persona, Childish Gambino. The actor released his debut album, “Camp,” under that stage name in 2011. His second studio album, “Because the Internet," was released in 2013 and created an 84% growth in sales for the artist. This began the artist's consistent rise in the music industry and he went on to release hit tracks like “Redbone,” “This Is America,” “Sober” and “Feels Like Summer.”
Another of Glover’s professional pursuits was “Atlanta,” a show for which he took a page out of Fey’s book and starred in as well as created. The first season was released between albums and only recently came to a close. The show has been nominated for and won numerous awards, including Primetime Emmys and Golden Globes.
Glover has seen incredible success in his many career paths, but so have the countless other celebrities that populate his sphere. What sets him apart from the other renaissance men contending for the top spot is his relationship with his fans. Glover has created a trajectory that allows him to constantly win over new devotees and keep them satisfied with existing content while working on his next passion project.
A fan of Glover's music who heard about his final show, which was announced in 2018, may have been disheartened by the impossibility of seeing him perform live and could have turned to a wide range of his work to fill that void, whether it’s his featured role in “The Martian” or his 2012 comedy special, “Weirdo.” That fan would have soon learned how accessible his entire repertoire is and Glover would have indirectly guided that fan into the open arms of his catalog by maintaining an allusive presence in numerous industries. This brilliant technique sets him apart from the other renaissance men of the era and places him on top of the podium.
The most recent example of this enticing allusiveness is in the form of “The New World Tour,” the latest project to be announced as the last venture under the Childish Gambino name. Variety's recent concert review details the technical intricacies and futuristic energy of the tour, describing a concert great enough to earn Glover his standing at the top of the industry all on its own. However, by announcing it as the last Childish Gambino tour, Glover further proves his brilliance and opens the door to two possibilities. Either he never tours again and goes out on a triumph, or he announces his seventh world tour a few years down the line and revives a dormant fan base that can’t seem to stay away.
Sophia Rooksberry is a junior studying journalism. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Sophia know by tweeting her @sophiarooks_.
