Today, Childish Gambino released the official music video for “Lithonia,” the first visual from his newly released album Bando Stone & The New World via RCA Records. Directed by Jack Begert, the eerie, psych-fun video features Gambino alongside Suzanna Son, Ludwig Göransson, Alex Wolff, and more.
“Lithonia” debuted at No. 23 on Billboard’s Hot Alternative Songs chart, marking Gambino’s second single to appear on this chart. The song has climbed into the top 10 in just two weeks, reaching No. 9.
Bando Stone & The New World is Gambino’s final album under his Childish Gambino imprint. The 17-track album includes collaborations with Jorja Smith, Steve Lacy, Yeat, Amaarae, Fousheé, and others.
Childish Gambino knows how to sell an aesthetic. He alters his look for each album rollout, and the music videos that accompany his singles follow suit. “3005” is worlds away from “This Is America,” and his new single, “Lithonia,” is different from both. The video for “Lithonia” starts off with a surprisingly minimal set up. Childish Gambino steps to the mic and sings. The camera focuses on his mouth, and stays put for the first 40 seconds before cutting to a wide shot. From there, a band shuffles in behind the artist and starts jamming.
“Lithonia” has a rock and post-punk influence, which is relatively within Childish Gambino’s catalog. The band members will look familiar to fans of both indie music and film. The drummer is Alex Wolff, who got his start in the Naked Brothers Band but has since gone on to star in the classic horror flick Hereditary. The guitarist is Ludwig Goransson, Gambino’s longtime producer and Oscar-winning composer of the film Oppenheimer. A small audience sits before the band, listening intently as the music swells. It’s the switch at the 1:30 mark, though, where things really take a turn for the weird. The band members begin to exhibit strange behavior, culminating with Gambino screaming until his eyeballs literally explode.
The girl in the front row gets covered in blood, and proceeds to run out of the studio. The video hard cuts to her running outside, but Childish Gambino chases after her. The artist can no longer see (obviously), but feral instincts appear to have kicked in, and he lets out an animalistic scream. It’s pretty unsettling, especially given how sudden the shift from weirdness to outright terror is. Gambino has never officially dabbled in horror, but he’s flirted with the genre in the past. He was the co-creator and producer of the HBO show Swarm, which detailed a woman’s disturbing obsession with a pop star.
The music video for “Lithonia” also harkens back to Childish Gambino’s breakout single, “Bonfire.” The 2011 standout from Camp featured the rapper waking up in the woods with a noose around his neck. He spends the rest of the video trying to warn his friends about an impending murderer. The video ends with Childish Gambino realizing that he’s a ghost, and that none of the other campers can see or hear him. We’re curious to see how the rest of the Bando Stone and the New World music videos continue the “Lithonia” storyline.
On Monday, July 22, Gambino’s official video for the Bando track “Lithonia” arrived.
The Jack Begert-directed video captures Gambino singing in a dark room about how “nobody gives a f*ck.” It seems like a relatively tame, grungy rock video for about 80 seconds. Then, it becomes obvious that everyone is teetering toward something drastic — tensions heightened so much sweat drips off their faces.
The truly shocking climax comes when Gambino gutturally screams and his eyes explode from his face. An onlooker’s face is covered in his blood, causing her to also scream wildly before he chases her through the woods.
“I always knew, like, Childish Gambino was like a character, on some level I wanted it to end,” he said. “I feel like the Childish Gambino character is almost like the boss from The Office. It’s like, yeah, that worked 10 years ago. It’s like, oh, it’s a little sad, but it’s also like, wow, the cycle kind of continues, which is great I think.”
As most hip-hop fans are aware, Bando Stone and The New World is the last album Childish Gambino is going to release. It remains to be seen if Donald Glover decides to put out music under his government name. For now, though, supporters of the genre chameleon’s craft are enjoying this project for what it is in the moment. This soundtrack-to-be for his upcoming self-titled film is a melting pot of genres and soundscapes, which makes sense. There is a good chance that every track is included within the confines of the storyline in some capacity. However, the one that has us scratching our heads (for now) is the collaboration effort between Childish Gambino and Yeat, “Cruisin’”.
This tandem had been making some headlines over the last several months, as Yeat was sharing some ambiguous messages and pics of them working in the studio together. All of this was going on around the time that the rage specialist was getting ready to drop his album, 2093. In hindsight, it appears that all of that teasing was for the sake of their first-ever song together on Bando Stone. Regardless, we are happy it’s finally here.
Obviously, a track with Gambino and Yeat is something a lot may not expect. It makes sense, even with the former being such an experimenter. Overall, though, “Cruisin’” goes over very well, as the pace of the instrumental keeps you on your toes. It starts out fairly restrained and the tone is more lighthearted. Then, the beat swells up and it eventually dips down into the distorted and cavernous depths. Yeat makes the most of his six bars before Gambino returns and delivers some impassioned vocals on the track’s crescendo. Like a great action sequence, the thrills are at a constant high, and we surmise “Cruisin’” will be the perfect backdrop for an action-packed scene in Bando Stone as they fight to survive in their apocalyptic world.
When you almighty, all the Gods cry, all the Gods cry like— Babies walkin’ through the belly of the beasts, steady, all night Near sight and far sight, huh, aliens make ya (Uh) When you almighty, all the Gods cry, all the Gods cry, like Babies walkin’ through the belly of the beasts, steady, all night Babies walkin’ through the belly of the beasts, steady, all night
Childish Gambino raps on his new album, Bando Stone and the New World. Not as much as you’d think, though. The artist intersperses bars with sonic experiments and electronic flourishes. “Yoshinoya” is a rare exception to this. The track sees Childish Gambino drop aggressive rhymes over a trunk-rattling instrumental from producer Triangle Park. He takes aim at some undisclosed target in his verses, but fans have been quick to point out clues that suggest the target is in plain sight. The theory is that the rapper is the latest to attack Drizzy Drake.
The biggest piece of evidence to suggest that Childish Gambino is targeting Drake is in the first verse. “I put your boy in the seat. You got your biz’ in the streets,” he raps. “I wash my hands when I eat. I never hand her the key.” The use of the moniker the “Boy,” evokes the nickname that Drake has used over the last decade. Genius even posits Gambino’s wording as a means of schooling the 6 God, hence putting him in a seat (the annotation is, notably, unreviewed). The next few lines have also been theorized to be about Drake. “I don’t know no one BD,” he raps. “But they dependent on me.” “BD” is baby daddy, which technically applies to the Toronto rapper. Drake also scored a hit single in 2023 with “Rich Baby Daddy.”
Childish Gambino And Drake Have Had Issues In The Past
The rest of the song is peppered with slights and comments that could easily apply to Drake. Childish Gambino mentions finding a house “on the app,” which evokes the iconic imagery of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” diss. The rapper also suggests that his unnamed target has untrustworthy people in his circle. “They plottin’ hard when you slatt,” he spits. “Thеy got a gun in your back. This who you trust when you sleepin’ at night.” There’s even an “AK” bar. “AK not silent like knife,” Childish Gambino raps towards the back end of the verse. The reference applies to a loud firearm, of course, but could just as well apply to DJ Akademiks and the fact that he serves as Drizzy’s mouthpiece.
Childish Gambino and Drake have not had the closest relationship over the years. The latter infamously criticized Gambino’s “This Is America” during a 2018 concert in Chicago. He posted a user comment that read: “The overrated and over awarded hit song ‘This Is America’ was originally a Drake diss record.” It’s also worth noting that fans have compared Childish Gambino’s sound on the new album to Drake. Many social media users have compared Bando Stone and the New World to the 6 God’s recent releases, and there’s definitely similarities. We won’t know if “Yoshinoya” is a diss unless Gambino confirms it, but we know there isn’t love lost between him and Drake.
Childish Gambino is an experimental artist. He’s found incredible mainstream success, but at the end of the day, he likes to tinker with established formulas. It’s what makes him such a consistently engaging artist. Gambino is also smart about who he aligns himself with in the studio. He only works with people who generative creative sparks, as evidenced by the eclectic feature list on his new album. The most unexpected feature on Bando Stone and the New World has to be rage phenom Yeat. That said, the rapper claimed that Yeat was the one who impressed him the most.
Childish Gambino sat down with Apple 1 host Zane Lowe to discuss the new album. He touched on the album’s themes and aesthetic in detail. It was the topic of Yeat, however, that drew the most praise from the rapper. Childish Gambino and Yeat collaborate on the song “Cruisin,” which is wild blend of tempos and sounds. Lowe asked about the process behind the song, and Gambino heaped praise on his creative partner. “He’s a workaholic, he’ll make something so fast,” the rapper stated. “I’m just super impressed with him, and he loves music. He’s the man.”
Childish Gambino Was Impressed By Yeat’s Work Ethic
Childish Gambino speaks on working with Yeat for ‘Bando Stone & the New World’
“I’m just super impressed with him, and he loves music. He’s the man. […] He’s a “creative prepper”, where he’s like, ‘I can do this at any point, at any time.'” pic.twitter.com/jsnTMtAZZy
Childish Gambino elaborated on the making of “Cruisin,” and revealed that the collab came together in Paris. He recalled being shocked by how adaptable Yeat was to different working conditions. “We were in Paris working together,” he explained. “I’m just surprised by how resourceful he is.” Gambino was wowed by the fact that Yeat didn’t have to resort to plug ins or additional software to get the sound he wanted. “I was like ‘What are you using?’ and he’s using all the stuff that comes with the stuff,” the rapper stated. “He’s not getting like ‘Oh I need this plug in.’”
Childish Gambino is not the only one who has taken notice of Yeat’s talent. While him and Zane Lowe laughed about Yeat’s cult status among fans, the artist is slowly building up his profile. In addition to being on Bando Stone and the New World, Yeat has linked up with some of the biggest artists in the world. He scored a hit with the Drake collab “IDGAF” in 2023. He has also landed collabs with Gunna, Young Thug and Don Toliver. All signs point to him leading the new wave.
The end is here: Today (July 19), Donald Glover released Bando Stone And The New World, which he says will be his final album as Childish Gambino. He didn’t go out quietly, either, as it looks like he might have cultivated some beef on the project.
Did Childish Gambino Diss Joe Budden On Bando Stone And The New World?
Since the album’s release, some have speculated that Glover references Budden on “Survive.” On the track, he says, “They in the minor leagues, but I’m pro-black / I bet he hate his mom, how you know that? / You got a podcast ’cause you can’t rap / You on some Fresh And Fit sh*t, talking body counts / I count a body every time I’m on tracks.”
Budden, of course, is a retired rapper who now hosts The Joe Budden Podcast. As HipHopDX notes, Fresh And Fit is a podcast whose hosts have had run-ins with Budden, while Budden his talked about “body counts,” a term meaning the number of sexual partners a person has had, on his show.
Childish Gambino has released his highly anticipated sixth studio album, Bando Stone and The New World, via RCA Records. The 17-track LP showcases Gambino’s versatility and creative evolution, blending various genres and styles.
The album opens with “Hearts Are Meant To Fly,” a roaring electro-hip-hop cut co-penned with Ammaarae. This glitchy and twisty track sets the tone before transitioning into the moody psych-funk single “Lithonia,” written by Gambino himself. “Lithonia” evolves into a full-on operatic rock anthem, demonstrating Gambino’s range.
The summer-ready “Survive” features Gambino’s melodic vocals, flowing seamlessly into the ethereal “Steps Beach,” a guitar-laden track featuring Grammy-winning artists Steve Lacy and Fousheé. The duo returns on the alt-punk pop track “Running Around,” showcasing their collaborative synergy.
Gambino’s lyrical prowess shines in “Talk My Shit,” featuring Flo Milli, where his sharp bars and dynamic delivery take center stage. The album’s diversity continues with “Dadvocate,” highlighting Gambino’s reverence for blues, folk, and country.
Tracks like “Got To Be” and “Real Love” blend electro-pop, dance, and rap, while “Yoshinoya” boasts bold, unrelenting bars. The collaboration with Yeat on “Cruisin’” adds another layer of innovation, wrapping up with the Max Martin-produced anthem “A Place Where Love Goes,” which melds the album’s sonic diversity into a cohesive finale.
Bando Stone and The New World is abundant in sounds, exhibiting the plurality of Childish Gambino’s artistry. This latest project reaffirms his status as a boundary-pushing artist, offering fans a multifaceted musical experience.
Donald Glover’s days as Childish Gambino are over. Speaking with the New York Times, Glover reveals why he is dropping his rap name.
“It really was just like, ‘Oh, it’s done.’ It’s not fulfilling,” Glover said. “And I just felt like I didn’t need to build in this way anymore.”
That makes his upcoming album the ending of the Gambino era.
Donald Glover, the Emmy- and Grammy-winning actor, is officially retiring his rap alter ego Childish Gambino with the release of “Bando Stone & the New World,” on Friday. “It really was just like, ‘Oh, it’s done.’” Read our full interview with Glover: https://t.co/1Q8kOI7KnXpic.twitter.com/cddn6022Rk
Donald Glover hosted an exclusive listening party for “Bando Stone & the New World,” ahead of the July 19 release at New York’s cozy outdoor venue, Little Island.
Manhattan’s Little Island was packed for the event, tickets sold out within minutes despite the humid 90-degree Saturday night.
Onto the show … Glover performed 15 tracks from “Bando Stone & the New World” in a non-sequential order, showcasing styles from the hard rap of “Camp” and “Because the Internet” to the experimental, pitched-up vocals of “Awaken, My Love.”
Get this, two tracks that had the audience nodding along to the powerful bass were “Talk My Shit” and “Yoshinoya.” The former features Flo Milli and includes a pitched-up verse that Glover described as his favorite on the album. After a brief technical issue with the bass speakers, Glover returned to “melt faces off” with “Yoshinoya,” spitting verses with intensity and dispelling any notion that he’s merely an actor who raps.
Move over North West, as one standout track, “Can You Feel Me?”, featured touching lyrics from Glover’s young son, Legend. The duo sings together over a chorus reciting the ABCs, with Glover reflecting on his father’s death and themes of family and fatherhood.
When it comes to other notable collaborations on “Bando Stone” include Steve Lacy and Fousheé on the sentimental, stripped-down track “Steps Beach.” Both artists sat in the front row at Little Island, with Lacy playing gentle guitar riffs as Glover sang a soothing melody. Fousheé returned for “Runnin’ Around,” a lively party anthem. Though not present at the listening party, Yeat features on “Cruisin’,” a dramatic track from 2014 that Glover recently completed, and Jorja Smith and Amaarae contribute to the groovy “In the Night.”
Childish Gambino marches to the beat of his own drum. He’s never made the same album twice, whether it be the pop-rap opus Because the Internet or the funky Awaken, My Love. The sounds are different, and the themes wildly varied. This pattern is upheld with the latest (and possibly last) Gambino album. Bando Stone and the New World is a wildly eclectic collection of music, blending and melding genres at every turn. It may be Childish Gambino’s most ambitious album to date. However, it may take a few listens to fully click with fans.
The off-kilter approach is evident from the opening track. “H3@rt$ W3re M3@nt T0 F7¥” is a glitchy, bass-heavy banger with unhinged vocals from Gambino and Amaarae. It doesn’t follow a conventional song structure in the slightest, but it is compelling. The rest of the album is easier to listen to, though not significantly. “Steps Beach” is a gorgeous acoustic number that evokes Childish Gambino’s tropical attire on the album cover. A similar mood is evoked on “Real Love,” which could have been a hit for an indie pop band circa 2012. These palatable moments are broken up, however, by musical left turns. “Happy Survival” is a lush instrumental piece with a repeating mantra. “Got to Be,” meanwhile, is a techo nightmare with Uncle Luke samples. Gambino, regardless of where things go, is having fun challenging his fans.
the harmonizing on that survive track with gambino. The vocals are giving me ungodly hr nostalgia 
(@doctoropptavius) 
