Childish Gambino: "Be Alone" / "Lights Turned On"

I don't want WKMR to be just another would be "tastemaker" blog - which is probably fortunate since I have like zero readers as of this writing - but instead I'm more interested in engaging in dialogue regarding the direction of pop culture, for better or worse.

Speaking of direction, what's going on with Donald Glover a.k.a. Childish Gambino in 2011?



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Admittedly I've only heard the two part I Am Just a Rapper mixtape, which is a year old now, but these two new tracks (second one below) seem to be taking the uncertain, self deprecating rhymes of last year in an unwelcome new direction.  The couplets are as clever as ever, but the chorus and backing track on both of these tunes come off like a third string parody of Kanye's emo rap.  The generic R&B crooning and even more generic dance beat - sounds like it came off the Rihanna reject pile - are both major turnoffs to these ears.  I'm really hoping this shit isn't representative of CG's upcoming Camp album.  There are enough sell out rappers trying to land a single on the increasingly irrelevant Billboard Top 40 as it is.