Childish Gambino releases best mixtape/album of the year (Review)
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Album: STN MTN/KAUAI
Artist: Childish Gambino Recording Company: Glassnote Records Release dates: STN MTN: October 2, Kauai: October 3, 2014 Cost: STN MTN: Free on Datpiff.com, Kauai: $6.99 on iTunesMulti-talented Donald Glover, a.k.a Childish Gambino, has released his brand new project Stn Mtn/Kauai in two pieces with very little promotion, hosted by DJ Drama, and Jaden Smith reciting poems written by him and Childish Gambino. Both projects are drastically different from each other, so let’s compare them before combining the two.
STN MTN
Stn Mtn takes you back to Gambino’s roots in the Stone Mountain area of Atlanta, Georgia. Making remixes of songs from other Atlanta natives, including a brilliant acapella cover of “U Don’t Have To Call” by Usher, Gambino still never fails to hit us with hilarious but clever punchlines, like “I’m all up in your bae like Oakland,” and throws punches at Drake the whole album. My favorite tracks include “Move That Dope/Nextel Chirp/ Let Your Hair Blow,” “Candler Road” and “Go DJ.”
This half of the project is more of a step to the side than a step forward for Gambino, but he does an amazing job at delivering in this portion.
Kauai
Kauai is more like the Gambino everyone knows, feeling more like a continuation of Because The Internet. With dreamy-like beats and multiple poems with Jaden Smith starring as “The Boy,” this is, in my opinion, the best half of the album. Gambino does a great job at pulling the listener in with catchy hooks, like in “Pop Thieves (Make It Feel Good).”
But, besides singing on a lot of this side of the album, he still jumps back to his hip hop ways. The production, lyrics, and poetry make this side of the album absolutely amazing. As this half of the project does cost money, all the proceeds go to keeping Kauai clean and investing in cameras for their police force.
As a complete whole, Stn Mtn/Kauai is, in my opinion, the top projects this year, making Gambino one of the biggest names in rap at the moment.
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Terrell Brown is an excited member of Periscope and is a junior. He hopes to benefit Periscope as a Sports Editor and an occasional A&E writer. ...
Jake Chronister • Oct 31, 2014 at 10:05 am
Nice review. I will check out the album
Bry Youtzy • Oct 29, 2014 at 10:58 am
I really like Childish Gambino so this review was helpful.
George Gilbert • Oct 28, 2014 at 1:32 pm
As a big fan of Gambino, I’ve listened to STN MTN, but I have to admit that I was unaware of Kauai’s existence. I really like STN MTN and enjoy when his witty punch lines “click” for the first time. I’ll be sure to listen to Kauai soon.
Jada Salters • Oct 28, 2014 at 10:52 am
I loveeeddddd it!
Timothy Mayberry • Oct 28, 2014 at 9:38 am
Listened to it twice, however I don’t find it to be the best album of the year. While this was some of his best work I don’t believe that he has surpassed anyone notable thus far. anyone can take shots at big name rappers such as drake, especially because he fell off, Hopsin takes shots at almost everyone signed to YMCMB and doesn’t get any more attention than Gambino. Additionally, JoeyBada$$ has yet to come out with B4The$ this year, which is sure to be amazing, and nas releasing Illmatic xx earlier this year the competition is steep. In my opinon, JoeyBad has already proven superior with his release of Christ conscious and Big Dusty, Gambino is good, but can’t stand up to any of the big lyricists yet.
Abdel Begic • Oct 28, 2014 at 9:35 am
I just finished listening to the mixtape and it was amazing. Gambino is a true artist in this day and age. Even though there is a ton of talent in the music industry, Childish Gambino has consistently proven that he can keep up with everyone; maybe even surpass everyone as well. This is a mixtape that I would recommend to everyone.
McKenzie Mangan • Oct 23, 2014 at 9:32 am
I loved Gambino’s Kauai half of the album. When I was in Florida and just laying on the beach Kauai was the perfect thing to listen to. Like said about the dreamy like beats it just put me in the perfect paradise with the Florida sun. This album got my mom hooked on him and now she loves his music too. Gambino is such a good artist because he can take on so many different sides on his music so you aren’t just always listening to the same things. And especially in this album his songs have so much depth.
James Schwartz • Oct 22, 2014 at 8:47 am
Just listened to this mixtape and loved it! Besides the fact that Haden smith is randomly thrown in there it was all around pretty great! I like how gambino showed the influences of Atlanta rap on him in stn mtn then completely showed his own flavor and did his own thing on. Kauai. Truly an amazing mixtape that is open to so many interpretations.