Childish Gambino is up to something. Then again, when isn’t he? The rapper—who is, of course, the great Donald Glover—is a Swiss Army knife. Glover began his career as both an actor and a musician in the early aughts, impressing fans on Community as well as with albums such as Camp, Because the Internet, and Awaken, My Love. Then he dropped the viral political anthem “This is America”—and flexed his acting chops on Atlanta (which he wrote and produced, too). And let’s not forget the recent Mr & Mrs Smith reboot. (He a co-creator and Mr Smith.)
Got all that? Good. Now he’s back in the booth. Early this morning, Glover dropped Atavista—the “finished version” of his 2020 album, 3.15.20. He announced the news on X, teasing a special vinyl, upcoming visuals, and another (!) new album that we’ll hear this summer. He also posted a link to the music video for his latest song, “Little Foot Big Foot,” which you can watch in the video streaming above.
Fans of Glover will recognize most of the tracks on Atavista, but “Little Foot Big Foot” is a new treat. The song features a verse from Young Nudy—and the Hiro Murai–directed music video stars Quinta Brunson, Monyett Crump, and Rob Bynes. Now that Atavista is out, we can appreciate the record in all its glory. But for those surprised by the release, perhaps it’s time we pay closer attention to Glover—he’s been dropping hints since April.
Last month, Glover played a few tracks for fans on Instagram Live, telling a stunned listener, “It’s a rollout, dummy.” His Instagram includes posts for Gilga Radio—a mysterious website named after his production company—and an album visual with the social-media star Casey Frey, along with dates for his upcoming world tour.
So what’s the difference between Atavista and 3.15.20? The new record boasts refreshed arrangements, but the most significant difference is that the tracks have names. Each song on 3.15.20 has a time stamp for its title. At the time, Glover decided to keep the titles simple amid personal and global strife from the pandemic. “I took that approach because I guess that’s what I was going through,” Glover told Complex. “People are always going to want what they want, but I have to express what I’m going through. I had just lost my father, I had just had a kid, and I was going through a lot. I was having a lot of different new experiences, and that’s what I expressed.”
