Because The Internet.
| Childish Gambino
Because The Internet.
Because the Internet is the second studio album by American recording artist Donald Glover, under the stage name Childish Gambino. It was released on December 10, 2013, by Glassnote Records. The recording process began in 2012 and ended in October 2013. Recording primarily took place at a mansion owned by basketball player Chris Bosh, which Gambino rented. The album features guest appearances from Chance the Rapper, Jhené Aiko, and Azealia Banks, with production primarily handled by Gambino himself, Stefan Ponce, and Ludwig Göransson, among others. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
The onetime “30 Rock” writer and “Community” star Donald Glover's newest Childish Gambino album is a multi-platform project that includes guest spots from Chance the Rapper, Azealia Banks, Problem, Mystikal, Miguel, and Jhené Aiko, among others.
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The Guardian
His second major label album, which loosely links digital-age themes such as trolls and dial-up, perpetuates that impression.
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Rock Haq
Because the Internet is a beautiful character study that will make you consider the importance of love, the problem of responsibilities and the meaning of life.
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Entertainment Time
New Childish Gambino Album’s Fatal Flaw: It’s Just Not Cool.
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Spin
Maybe the entire album is a meme itself, a grand existential joke critiquing the all-conquering rise of Internet culture by parodying its overwhelming randomness. Whatever it is, though, it’s a bad rap record.
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Sputnik Music
Whether you consider it a concept album or not, Because the Internet tells a story and engages the listener, clutching the audience by its throat. By the time it lets go, it leaves you cold and alone with a slight feeling of discomfort, wondering what it all means and prompting you to take the journey again. Donald Glover makes you embrace this discomfort, and while he doesn’t end the album with anything extremely profound like he did with 'That Power', he at least made you listen, and sometimes that’s half the battle with today’s music.
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Focus Hip Hop
This is definitely my favorite Childish Gambino album. I think it’s his best work, and honestly I don’t think he can top this. I REALLY love this album. This shit is fucking amazing to me. It’s dope af.
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HipHop DX
Childish Gambino gives in; to those who only take their Rap music as self-assured and hyped-up and motivated, it may feel like he gives up. But hey, he knows that he didn’t ask for your opinion.
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AV Club
“Because the Internet,” anything seems possible, and he’s acknowledging that power. With this Because, Childish Gambino finally seems to be growing up.
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Music Feeds
The approach which Gambino has taken may be slightly ahead of its time and makes it difficult to listen to his music, but it’s a creation which is a step above the rest. It has been a long time since an album has had the depth and intrigue that Because The Internet commands. Gambino has been an innovator for years and with the release of his second album he continues to prove it.
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Clash Magazine
Reality bites. But sometimes it kisses you better afterwards and points out there’s a wonderful world outside – so get off the ’Internet and go explore it.
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Slant Magazine
Bloated with all manner of interstitial suites and assorted skit-like stopgaps, the 19-track Because the Internet could serviceably represent the titular web Gambino finds so perplexing.
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HHS Media
“Because the Internet” is definitive proof that Glover is capable of recovering from a terrible album. Sure, it may have its flaws, but overall shows to be a body of work with coherent story, atmospheric beats and witty lyrics. Certainly one of 2013’s best hip-hop albums. Did I also mention the the album is aptly titled? How did Gambino even get his start as a musician?
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Pulp
However, despite some setbacks, Because the Internet shines through here and there. “I. Crawl,” the album’s second track, has a great build-up. It leads the listener to female vocals that run in the chorus. The remaining verses are Childish Gambino’s flows and rhymes that emphasize his talent. “III. Life: The Biggest Troll (Andrew Auernheimer),” the final track on the album, is slow and steady, which suits the lyrics. This song is deep and the lyrics are sad, but, the song is put together so well that the dark tone doesn’t even matter.
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Paste Magazine
What Gambino has done with this album is assuredly parted views; people who will never, under any circumstances enjoy his music are slandering it. Folks who love him dearly are calling it the best thing since seasonings for food. They’re arguing right now, because, well, the internet.
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Under the Radar Magazine
No matter what, Because the Internet is ambitious and daring. The surrounding flutter of puzzle pieces adds depth, but the record still stands on its own as a bold statement on modern life and the cold distance technology places between human relationships. I’m less worried about Childish Gambino these days, but no less interested.
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Neon Tommy
He may not have broken all the way through, but Gambino is making headlong rushes at the brick wall of future of music and art. The boundaries are falling, and the results are by no means unimpressive. To those willing to give the album an full listen, pair it with becausetheinter.net. For those who aren’t, bang out to “Worst Guys,” “Worldstar,” “Sweatpants,” and “3005” and get in the mood with “Pink Toes” and “Telegraph Ave."
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Bearded Gentlemen Music
Because The Internet, much like its namesake, is a rollercoaster of various emotions—there are moments of incredible joy, and there are moments of unbearable sadness. It’s confrontational at times, and also brutally honest about the human condition. I went into this album not knowing what to expect, and Donald Glover has surprised me with a remarkably complex record that becomes a little more identifiable with each listen.
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The National
As Childish Gambino, Donald Glover has the skippy flow of a stand-up and couplets that hit like a well-delivered punchline.
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Daily Collegian
Even at the brim of this conceptual album, with only having listened to it for two days, it is obvious that there is so much here. Gambino released a screenplay of the album that can be found at becausetheinter.net that includes videos and scripts to coincide with the record.
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The Arkansas Traveller
I would recommend this album to anyone who has followed Childish Gambino for a while, but keep in mind that this is not the same ’Bino we saw in 2011. His style is different, but he’s just as likeable.
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The Line of Best Fit
Because the Internet’s ‘ambition’ turns out to be little more than superficial posturing, and that really isn’t going to cut it in the same year Yeezus was released. Beat-wise, Gambino makes serious progress here, but on every other front he’s tried far too hard; there’s a ton of 2013 hip hop records more deserving of your time than this one, which strives for greatness but is, ultimately, about as deep as a paddling pool.
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Music Connection Magazine
Featuring Chance the Rapper, Jhene Aiko and Azealia Banks (among others), this is more than just hip-hop for the hipsters; this is an up-and-coming rapper offering an inside perspective on a mind dealing with the rigors of success.
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musicOMH
Because The Internet can be a difficult listen at times, but it’s well worth sticking with. With no notable ‘singles’, it’s designed to be sat down and listened to through the whole of its running time (preferably with the accompanying screenplay in hand). If the effort’s put in, Childish Gambino could well eventually earn that elusive credibility.
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ihiphop
It’s a lengthy album that starts off fairly light in tone and gets progressively darker in its second half. However, if a few tracks had been edited, the Lost Internet Artist theme may have been more understandable, and created a clearer experience. During the epilogue, Childish Gambino decrees “Because The Internet is forever…and nothing ever gets erased” completing the truncated title with that premise. Maybe the ultimate irony of his album, aside from his take on the predatory nature of the web, is that his obsession with attention has left only a forgettable mark.
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Chwomp
As a whole thing, Because the Internet is easily one of the best pieces of art to come out this year. I would strongly recommend that you read the screenplay through at least once (can easily be done in one sitting.) Below is the tracklist, normally I would recommend certain tracks to pull out and listen to separately, but I feel that this album works best as a whole, because it is split into all these subsections.
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Pop'stache
Because The Internet is complex, reimagining what is typically thought of hip hop. Gambino produced a work that was crafted beyond expectation while retaining the quirks that make him stand out as a rapper. In short, he made a masterpiece.
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The Daily Cougar
“Because the Internet” is possibly the best concept-driven album of this year and it marks as Gambino’s best work so far. Gambino successfully executes sharing his introspective state of thought and his aggravations through varying colors in the production and vividly storytelling lyricism.
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The Northampton Gent
Overall Gambino solidifies himself as fully fledged musician, displaying an impressive array of album production, improved rapping and song writing. It is an album that must be revisited time and time again and has something for everybody.
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It's All Dead
Because the Internet is surely a brilliantly crafted snapshot of our culture, yet it is also an extremely worthy work of art in its own right, and the best Childish Gambino release by a fairly large margin. Anyone who was concerned that Glover might take a turn for the predictable with last year’s Royalty mixtape can rest assured that he has an arsenal of creative ideas to keep us all on our toes. Because the Internet is a thoughtful and painstakingly constructed commentary on our internet culture that doubles as a portrait of Glover’s own struggles and self-awareness. It excels on every level and has solidified Childish Gambino as a creative force in the hip hop community.
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Exclaim!
Truth be told, the album doesn't know if it wants to be a competent standalone piece or part of a larger multimedia device, but like anything else on the internet, it's up to the consumer to figure that out, and maybe that's the point. Either way, Because the Internet is a vast improvement over his debut effort, showcasing an artist who has confidently found a way to coalesce his love for music and films into one hybrid effort.
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Rap Reviews
This is a difficult spot to be in because I want Glover to take rapping seriously, and if he wants to make artistic visionary albums instead of jokes, I can't fault him. It's fair to say he's not a Childish Gambino any more though - he's an Adult Gambino. He grew up, and put away Childish things. I fear if he takes himself TOO seriously from this point forward he'll lose what made him an interesting rapper in the first place. He may be a success "Because (of) the Internet," but he shouldn't have to prove his art to them or anyone else. Glover can make art and still have fun. I hope he'll try.
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The Ithacan
The combination of “STN MTN” and “Kauai” creates a sort of dreamscape, telling the story of Childish Gambino as a two-sided personality: the Atlanta rapper and the lovesick dreamer. “STN MTN” shows the reality of Gambino as a serious rapper, while “Kauai” is the story of Gambino’s dreams and the idea of transcending from existence as a real person into more of an idea of what he really wants to be. Glover is pushing his talent in every possible direction, and the mixtape-EP combo is an impressive example of the creative genius and versatility in his music.
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Rap Indie
Childish Gambino or Donald Glover, is a pretty consistent rapper. His transition from comedy makes humorous punchlines his comfort zone. Although the "Because the internet" album has good production, none of the instrumentals really stand out from other hip hop releases. His lyrics are political but trail off after nuance. The album is good but it isn't as melodic or complex as his earlier releases.
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