That’s why these fake niggas who call me pussy are mad at me
‘Cause they ain’t have the smarts or the heart
Ain’t you read the fucking book 'Things Fall Apart?'
I was never gonna stay the same
All I ever really wanted was to change the game Childish Gambino – Not Going Back
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Things Fall Apart is a 1958 novel written by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe.
Spoiler Alert: The main character, Okonkwo, is a talented wrestler. However, he’s unfortunately put in an ultimatum that forces him to murder one of his kind. After this, his life plummets downhill. He’s exiled from his village, which is eventually taken over by White people. The book ultimately ends with him hanging himself.
Donald is basically saying that you have to be able to change and adapt to what can’t be changed to become successful. Gambino was able to, so he prospered. Okonkwo couldn’t do that, so he killed himself.
“Could’ve been a tragedy” alludes to how Things Fall Apart is a tragic book, along with how if Donald listened to those who criticized him, he wouldn’t be where he is now.
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Glover attended NYU, a prestigious university that requires pretty high test scores for admission; the acceptance rate has been as little as 27%.
Insect ligaments, I'm the bee's knees Childish Gambino – I Be On That
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Steez refers to someone’s unique style.
To say you are the “Bee’s Knees” means you are at the height of excellence
Insect = Bee
Ligament = Knee
Put them together and what do you get kiddos?
Everything I’m sayin’, I’m super sayin’ like Goku Childish Gambino – My Shine
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To further prove his point that he isn’t a gimmick, he’s raps about intimate details of his life, like being bullied when he was younger, his use of drugs, his alcoholism, etc.
He’s not just talking, he’s “super saying it” with emphasis.
Super Saiyan is an advanced transformation assumed by extraordinarily powerful members of the Saiyan race (including protagonist Goku) in the anime Dragon Ball Z. Clever.
Charles Hamilton used this same punchline in a similar fashion:
“I ain’t sayin, i’m just sayin, I guess im super-sayin like Goku”
Cause I’mma be on these tracks like indie girls on Amelie Childish Gambino – My Shine
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Don’t worry about Gambino, he’s making moves. But you can find him spitting dopeness over beats.
Amelie is a 2001 romantic comedy that whimsically depicts contemporary Parisian life. It’s a stereotypical, “counter-mainstream” foreign type film that hipsters/indie kids would watch and then make references to, then when you don’t get it say “Oh, you haven’t seen Amelie!?”
In the WikiHow article “How to Be ‘indie’ (for Girls)” one of their suggestions is:
If you’re stuck for ideas, try watching movies like Elizabethtown and Amelie. Claire Colburn from Elizabethtown and Amelie from Amelie are very indie (the whole movie Amelie is indie!)
This screams “LOOK AT ME I’M INDIE”
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Aladdin went from a street rat in the beginning of the movie to a prince of Agrabah. Childish is referring to himself as Aladdin because he’s on that come up. He went from a nerdy kid who use to get bullied in school and now he’s on top of the game with his rapping and acting career.
Gambino is up on his Disney soundtrack game.
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These are the genres that listeners try to put his music into. Though he has collabed with notable nerdcore rapper, mc chris, and his music does fit the “more lyrical/educated” requirement of backpack rap. Gambino refuses to be pigeonholed.
mc chris
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If you were to try to record/listen to the thoughts that run through his mind, your Tivo (or any DVR for that matter) would literally need to grow in storage space because of the amount of shit that goes on his head.
This reference also points to the fact that Childish has been a writer and actor for various television shows, and therefore his thoughts literally fill up a TiVo in their expression through Community and 30 Rock.
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One of legendary rock band Pearl Jam’s biggest hits was “Even Flow”. Notice the even “flow” reference to his rapping.
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