Today, Danny Brown and Childish Gambino are among the most respected names in hip-hop. But back in the early 2010s, when both were first getting their starts in the music business, things were much different, as Gambino (aka Donald Glover) pointed out earlier this year. Danny recently reflected on his and Donald’s bumpy starts on his podcast with guest Redveil, recalling a joint tour that he says went horribly for them both after they collaborated on Glover’s Royalty track “Toxic.”
“I remember when I first did [‘Toxic’], people weren’t really f*cking with Childish Gambino like that around that time,” he reminisced. “‘Cause I remember when he asked me to go on that tour. My manager at the time was like, ‘You sure you wanna do this?’ I’m like, ‘Hell yeah, f*ck that. I’m tryna get on the road.’ Which was, I will say — that was one of the worst tours I ever played. They hated my guts every night; I was getting booed offstage. I remember I was crying one night, crying crocodile tears like a little bitch, sitting in some diner. We had some hoes with us and everything. I ain’t even wanna deal with the b*tches, man. I’m like, ‘They hate me, man. This sh*t sucks. I’m really trash.’”
He’s since gained some perspective thanks to having a little more distance from the traumatic events of his past. “When I look at it, man, our music was so different,” he elaborated. “I was coming from a whole different perspective than what he was coming on. But then when I got in the studio, I’m like, ‘Oh no, this n**** is dope.’ So I would say, more than anything, I’ve been impressed by people that I didn’t really think were like that. He’s just an all-around talented motherf*cker in that sense, and I be jealous of them motherf*ckers, too. I call them ‘art school kids.’ Like, this motherf*cker can really do anything; why you wanna rap?! This all I got! This all I know how to do!”
Danny Brown is likely to have better luck on his next joint tour with Jpegmafia this summer. He also recently addressed getting sober, which has done wonders for lots of his artist peers.
Donald Glover – also known as Childish Gambino – has gone through several transformations throughout his career, the latest of which has seen him leaning more into making TV than music. He previously found success with FX’s Atlanta, and more recently, he shared Swarm on Amazon Prime, which earned him some apparent shade from Beyoncé on her RENAISSANCE World Tour. Along with the series, the multihyphenate shared an accompanying EP that found him returning to the studio to get off a few bars.
Besides that, he also appears on Summer Walker’s long-awaited CLEAR 2: Soft Life EP, earning both artists immense praise. As HipHopDX reports, that’s not all Gambino has had up his sleeve as of late. For his first performance since 2019’s Austin City Limits Festival, the 39-year-old took to the stage at his manager, Chad Taylor’s wedding. The song requested for the happy couple’s first dance was “24.19” from Glover’s 3.15.20 album, which he delivered with plenty of gusto.
Considering they’ve worked together since the early 2010s, with Taylor starting out as his tour manager and eventually levelling up to the close bond they have now, it makes sense that ‘bino would be willing to come out of retirement for the occasion. It remains unclear what the “Heartbeat” hitmaker has planned for the future of his music career, but after seeing how captivated he left audiences with Swarm, many likely wouldn’t be upset to see him continue down the path he’s on.
Interestingly, Glover isn’t the only recording artist to change directions in favour of Hollywood this year. The Weeknd – who now prefers to go by Abel Tesfaye is also making similar moves with HBO’s The Idol and an upcoming film he recently wrapped filming on. Unfortunately, the former received mostly negative reviews upon its debut at Cannes this week. Would you hire Childish Gambino to perform at your wedding? Let us know in the comments, and tap back in with HNHH later for more pop culture/hip-hop news updates.
Today’s R&B Season playlist update is a perfect mix of male and female talent, chiefly kicking off with a joint effort from Summer Walker’s new CLEAR 2: SOFT LIFE EP. The 9-track project has earned the Atlanta native comparisons to neo-soul queen Erykah Badu and found her working with J. Cole and Childish Gambino as guest collaborators. Elsewhere, Steve Lacy and Solange Knowles came through to aid the mother of three with production on her closing title. Her work with the Dreamville founder on “New Type” sits at the top of our weekly round-up, while “To Summer, From Cole” featuring Donald Glover closes things out later on.
We also heard from Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge together under their NxWorries moniker. Following their successful “Where I Go” track with H.E.R., the duo reunited to share “Daydreaming” ahead of this past New Music Friday (May 19). Speaking of the “Slide” songstress, she also took us alongside her on “The Journey” thanks to her latest single, which spans nearly four-and-a-half minutes.
The Weeknd’s rising artist, Chxrry22, also caught our attention with her latest. She first made her debut in 2022 with singles such as “The Falls,” “Call Me,” and “Sacrifice,” as well as her 7-track The Other Side project. Nearly halfway through 2023, the songstress is coming through with her first effort of the year, called “Worlds Away.” Any fans of Abel Tesfaye’s work over the years will certainly be able to appreciate why he’s backing Chxrry.
Finally, we have yet another collaboration for your listening consideration. This one comes from Maeta and the Free Nationals, and is called “Through The Night.” Further down on our playlist, you’ll also find arrivals from names like Jorja Smith, Janelle Monáe, and Keke Palmer, all of whom have been shining brightly in their respective careers. Stream our weekly R&B Season update exclusively on Spotify above. What do you think of the latest additions? Let us know in the comments, and for more HNHH release recommendations, tap into our Fire Emoji round-up at the link below.
The last time we heard new music from Summer Walker was in 2021. At that point, she released her second album, Still Over It. The record gave a behind-the-scenes look at her relationship with producer London On Da Track. The album became a certified hit, giving Walker her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart. Since then, the R&B songstress has lent her incredible talents to collaborations with the likes of Ari Lennox, Ciara, and The Weeknd. She has also expanded her family with the arrival of twin babies.
The artist first announced her Clear 2: Soft Life EP during Dreamville Festival a few weeks ago. Since then, her fans have been waiting with bated breath. Earlier this week, Walker decided to treat her fans to a sneak peek of the EP. In a video posted to social media, Walker is seen enjoying the company of her friends, Sexyy Red and Sukihana. They lounge by the pool and sample caviar in a comedic manner. Posing a humorous question, the singer asks, “So this is what the Caucasian people be eatin’?” Then, she finally revealed the details that fans have eagerly been waiting for. The video concluded with the project’s tracklist. Now, the wait is finally over.
Summer Walker is back in fighting form on her new EP. It’s R&B perfection, equal parts soulful and sexy. The atmosphere of the project makes listening to it feel like a sort of fever dream. Walker is great enough on her own, but she also tapped artists like J. Cole and Childish Gambino to feature on the new effort.
While the features are certainly a highlight, the standout track is “Hardlife.” On it, the singer talks about her experience in relationships as a black woman. “Tired of seein’ all these, all these / Spanish and these white bitches,” Summer sings smoothly. “Livin’ they soft life with they feet kicked up / And they glass in hand, bills paid, thanks to the man.” Interestingly, on the final track, “Agayu’s Revelation,” Walker seems to have reached the conclusion that she can’t change someone who isn’t ready to change in a relationship.
After Summer Walker announced the release date for her new EP Clear 2: Soft Life at Dreamville Festival last month, she’s followed up today, revealing its tracklist. In a video clip Summer shared on social media, the singer shares a conversation with raunchy rappers Sexyy Red and Sukihana, complete with a ’90s sitcom-style laugh track. At the end of the clip, the tracklist appears, containing nods to guest stars J. Cole — who Summer beat at pop-a-shot basketball — and Childish Gambino. In addition, the final track is produced by Solange and Steve Lacy, which has fans on Twitter sharing their excitement.
Upon finding out that Solange is involved, Summer fans were flourishing. Solange hasn’t put out new music since 2019’s When I Get Home, so it’s understandable. And while she did compose a score for the New York City Ballet, that’s not quite the same as getting new music for public consumption.
In January, Summer celebrated reaching her goal of having “hella kids before 30.” Despite having three kids now with the birth of her twins, the Atlanta singer has still found the time to appear on tracks from Kali Uchis and Daniel Caesar and perform at Dreamville Festival.
Donald Glover’s hit TV series Atlanta has won its second Peabody Award. The feat of winning a second of these awards is one few series have managed to accomplish. The award was given to the show on May 9, and other winners included Abbott Elementary, Better Call Saul, and We Need to Talk About Cosby. The comedy/drama also won two Primetime Emmys in 2017. The Emmys were awarded to Glover for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series and for outstanding directing in a comedy series. The fourth and final season of the series premiered in September of last year with the series finale airing in November 2022.
The Series, starring Glover, sees two young men navigating their way through the Atlanta rap scene. Also starring Brian Tyree Henry, LaKeith Stanfield, and Zazie Beetz, season three of the show received backlash from viewers and critics. Glover shared with GQ that his unique approach to the season was something he, “needed to see for [himself].” He adds, “We deserve quality. We deserve something that isn’t easy for everyone to digest all the time.” The actor and musician doubles down on the creative direction of the show, saying “people never give [him] the benefit of the doubt.” “This season is good,” Glover assures GQ, telling them that he “wasn’t ever worried about that.”
Glover Adds To His Accomplishments
Recording artist Childish Gambino performs onstage during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for NARAS)
Glover himself has also won several awards for his work as Childish Gambino. He won five Grammy Awards, four of which in 2019 and one in 2018. Awards included Best Music Video, Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and more. The artist’s work on Atlanta won him two Golden Globe Awards in 2017 for Best Actor and Best Television Series. He was also nominated for two additional Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor in a Television Series for Atlanta.
Atlanta has seen several celebrity appearances, including cameo roles by Katt Williams, Liam Neeson, and more. The show, highly praised for its music, features various genres of rap and R&B. The series showcases the work of artists like Jeremih, Kodak Black, Migos, and more.
With a unique style and raw storytelling abilities, 21 Savage (real name Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph) has made a significant impact on the rap scene since his debut in 2014. In this article, we’ll further examine the various factors that have contributed to his remarkable wealth.
WealthyGorilla estimates the rapper’s net worth at around $12 million as of 2023.
The Rise of 21 Savage’s Music Career
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 06: 21 Savage attends The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage)
Born Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph in 1992 in London, England, 21 Savage grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, which significantly influenced his musical style. His first mixtape, Slaughter Tape, released in 2015, quickly gained attention in the rap community. The following year, he released his joint EP, Savage Mode, with producer Metro Boomin, which skyrocketed his popularity and featured the hit single “X” featuring Future.
21 Savage continued his successful music career with his debut studio album Issa Album in 2017, including the hit single “Bank Account.” He followed up a year later with 2018’s I Am > I Was, which featured collaborations with notable artists like J Cole, Childish Gambino, and Post Malone. The album’s success and the resulting record sales undoubtedly played a major role in boosting Savage’s net worth.
Awards and Recognition Impacting 21 Savage’s Net Worth
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 26: 21 Savage is seen at the GRAMMY Charities Signings during the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robin Marchant/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Over the years, 21 Savage’s music has earned him numerous awards and nominations, which have significantly contributed to his net worth. In 2019, he received a Grammy Award for Best Rap Song for his collaboration with Post Malone on “Rockstar.” This recognition has undoubtedly increased his earning potential and industry standing.
21 Savage: Touring and Live Performances
INDIO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 16: 21 Savage performs at the Sahara Tent at 2022 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival weekend 1 – day 2 on April 16, 2022 in Indio, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Coachella)
Touring and live performances have also played a significant part in 21 Savage’s net worth. He has headlined several tours, such as the Numb the Pain tour in 2017 and the I Am > I Was tour in 2019. Additionally, he has performed at major music festivals like Rolling Loud and Coachella, which not only boost his earnings but also increase his visibility and fanbase.
Entrepreneurship and Brand Partnerships
21 Savage has shown an entrepreneurial spirit that has contributed to his financial success. In 2018, he launched his clothing line “Slaughter Gang,” which offers merchandise and apparel to fans. Moreover, his collaborations with brands like Chime have expanded his revenue streams and bolstered his net worth.
Philanthropy and Social Activism
ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 21: 21 Savage attends 21 Savage & Congressman Hank Johnson Launch Bank Account Financial Literacy Program With Juma & Get Schooled at Georgia State University on March 21, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia.(Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)
While not directly impacting his net worth, 21 Savage’s philanthropic efforts and social activism demonstrate his commitment to giving back to the community. In 2018, he launched the “21 Savage Bank Account Campaign” to promote financial literacy among youth. Additionally, he has been a vocal advocate for immigration reform, drawing on his experiences as an undocumented immigrant in the United States.
Conclusion/TLDR
21 Savage’s net worth of around $12 million in 2023 can be attributed to his successful music career, awards, live performances, and entrepreneurial ventures. With a unique style and ongoing commitment to using his platform for positive change, 21 Savage’s influence in the rap industry shows no signs of diminishing. As his career continues to evolve and he explores new opportunities, we can expect his net worth to significantly grow in the coming years.
There are a few Hollywood personalities who can match the talent of Donald Glover. The California native has proven to perform at the highest level on any stage. Glover has built a name for himself in entertainment for his musical, comedy, and acting talents. Yet, his most critically acclaimed role is as a creator of hit shows like Atlanta and the critically acclaimed new Prime Video series Swarm.
Additionally, Glover has production and writing credits on hit TV series like 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live and films like Guava Island. He has starred and featured in successful and critically acclaimed movies and TV shows since his career beginnings in 2006. Here are some of his most acclaimed roles.
7. The Lion King (2019)
Glover was involved in a Disney franchise. He lent his voice to the character of Simba in the 2019 Jon Favreau-directed live animation film, The Lion King. Favreau was tasked to remake a live adaptation of the 1994 animated film of the same name. It follows the life of Simba, a young lion trying to figure out his life in the African savannah. Scar, Simba’s uncle, falsely accuses him of killing his father, Mufasa. Scar takes over as king of the Pride Lands after Simba runs away to exile.
Simba is eventually found by her childhood friend and his future queen, Nala. Beyonce Knowles-Carter voices Nala’s character. She convinces him to return to the Pride Lands to challenge his uncle as the rightful successor to his father. The movie later reveals that Scar was the one who killed Mufasa. The movie grossed over $1.6 billion at the box office, making it one of the most successful films of all time.
6. Guava Island (2019)
Donald Glover stars in the Guava Island musical film alongside fellow musician, Rihanna. He plays the character of Deni Maroon, a Cuban musician determined to throw a festival for his island community. Kofi Novia, played by Rihanna, is his love interest. Red (Nonso Anozie) is the antagonist. He tries to stop Deni from creating a local music festival. However, it all turns out well in the end, as Deni successfully hosts and plays in the festival.
The film features songs like “Summertime Magic,” “This Is America,” and “Feels Like Summer.” Glover produced the records and performed them in the musical. Hiro Murai, Glover’s long-time music director, directed the film. The screenplay was co-written by Glover and his brother Stephen Glover. The film currently has a 74% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
5. Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
Donald Glover’s inclusion in the popular franchise is a testament to his star power in Hollywood. The film tells the story of Han Solo, played by Alden Ehrenreich. Glover plays Lando Calrissian, a smuggler, gambler, and self-proclaimed sportsman on the rise in the galaxy’s underworld. Billy Dee Williams portrayed the character in previous Star Wars films.
The two actors met before shooting began, and Glover mentioned in the aforementioned GQ interview that Billy gave him advice on how to play the character of Lando best. The film debuted in May 2018. Glover’s portrayal of Lando was praised by critics despite underwhelming box office sales.
4. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Glover made a memorable cameo in the Marvel franchise that premiered in 2017. He plays Aaron Davis in the film. Spider-man confronts Davis, an illegal weapons criminal, in one of the scenes. Davis is alluded to be Miles Morales’ uncle. Miles is a character that Marvel has hinted to take up the mantel of Spider-man after Peter Parker (played by Tom Holland). The character of Miles Morales is also voiced by Glover in the Ultimate Spider-Man animated series on the Disney XD channel.
3. Atlanta (2016 – 2022)
Donald Glover created and starred in the comedy-drama Atlanta. The plot follows the lives of Earnest Marks and Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles, played by Brian Tyree Henry. Paper Boi is a budding hip-hop artist, and Earn is his manager. The two are trying to navigate the ‘otherworldly’ portrayed Atlanta hip-hop scene.
Atlanta has a predominantly Black cast and a Black-only production crew. The show has a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Guardian ranked Atlanta at number 10 on its 100 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century list. The film has also won numerous awards, including a Critics’ Choice Television Award for Glover for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. He also won Best Actor in a Television Series at the Golden Globe Awards for the role.
Donald Glover goes by the stage name Childish Gambino when pursuing his musical exploits. He has released four albums, including the Grammy-nominated, Awaken My Love. “Red Bone,” one of the lead singles off the album, won a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance. However, his most popular song is the Billboard No. 1 record, “This Is America.”
After its release, the four-minute visual was the most talked about topic in the entertainment industry. It featured a graphic portrayal of themes like gun violence, civil unrest, and the dark side of social media. The music video won the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography Camerimage Award for Best Cinematography in a Music Video. It additionally won a Grammy for Best Music Video in 2019.
1. Community (2009 – 2014)
Donald Plays Troy Barnes in the NBC sitcom Community. The show aired from 2009 to 2014. Troy is a former high school star quarterback who lost his scholarship to a top-tier university when he separated both shoulders doing a keg flip. During the show, we discover that he actually did this on purpose to escape the pressures of his popularity. Troy initially portrays the stereotypical behaviors of a football player in the series. But, he eventually becomes comfortable with his nerdy and carefree side after becoming best friends with Abed, a character played by Danny Pudi.
The show has six seasons, with Donald Glover playing the character of Troy in the first five. Community was the most nominated TV show in the 2012 Critic’s Choice Television Awards and won Best Comedy Series. During a GQ interview, Donald confirmed that they are currently working on a movie version of Community.
Childish Gambino recently admitted his 2018 hit “This Is America” was supposed to be a Drake diss. However, this may come as a shock to many who weren’t aware of their beef. This is how it began. On April 4, Donald Glover, also known as rapper Childish Gambino, admitted in an interview with GQ that […]
Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” is a massive hit, and it looks like the story behind the record is one that we’d never guess.
Released in 2018, “This Is America” took home not one, not two, not three, but four Grammy awards — the biggest being Song of the Year at the 61st Grammys. The record also won Record of the Year, Best Music Video, and Best Rap/Sung Performance.
The 39-year-old recently sat down with GQ for their cover story, revealing the origin behind “This Is America.” In fact, he had the idea for the song and was perfecting it for three years before it was released to the public.
Gambino explains, “I had the idea three years before. I told [director] Hiro [Murai] the idea, and he’s like, ‘I really want to do that.’… The idea for the song started as a joke. To be completely honest, ‘This is America’—that was all we had was that line. It started as a Drake diss, to be honest, as a funny way of doing it. But then I was like, this shit sounds kind of hard though. So I was like, let me play with it.”
Apparently, one of the main lyrics was originally supposed to take a jab at Drake’s stomping grounds in Canada. “[It] was a funny way of like doing [a Drake diss],” Gambino stated. “ But then I was like, ‘This shit sounds kind of hard, though.’ So I was like, ‘Let me play with it.’ So we just had that for a long time, I told Hiro the idea, and he was like, ‘Oh, let’s do it.’”
Gambino goes on to explain how his dance movies in the “This Is America” visual were directly inspired by Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” visual. Gambino even admitted to studying the clip for a long time.
