Childish Gambino reveals why he almost didn't perform at the Grammys
It's hard to imagine that Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino)'s Grammy performance almost didn't happen, yet it looks like that was almost the case.
Read more: Donald Glover still plans to retire Childish Gambino
In an interview with The New Yorker, Glover discussed a wide range of topics that included the making of his hit show Atlanta and the subject of race and the music business as a whole. He also mentions that he almost didn't perform at the Grammys.
“I’m one of the hotter acts, and they had a visual of the performers on the show: Lady Gaga, Pink and me. Only they showed some black kid from a fan video—it’s not even me. I was, like, 'Fuck this, fuck them. I’m not going to do the show.'”
Glover then said: “The sad thing is I’m going to do it, because black people don’t get that chance very often.”
Glover did go on to perform his song “Terrified” at the Grammys. During the performance, he brought his Lion King co-star J.D. McCrary onstage to perfom the song with him.
The Grammy's marked a rather big night for Glover. After his performance of “Terrified,” Glover also took home the Best Traditional R&B Performance for his Awaken, My Love! hit “Redbone.”
Glover also confirmed his plans of departing from the stage name.
“No I stand by that,” Glover says. “I'm making another project right now, but I like endings, and I think they're imporant to progress.”
In the story by The New Yorker, Glover elaborated a little more about his plans to retire his music monkier Childish Gambino, saying: “There are so few stories available to us, though. That’s why I’m not going to be making music much longer, and Atlanta won’t interest me much longer.”
While the statement might come as a surprise, don't worry. It doesn't appear that Glover will be leaving the entertainment business anytime soon. With a new record deal through RCA (that includes a new and possibly final Gambino album), Atlanta Season 2 and two films—The Lion King and Star Wars: A Solo Story—we're sure he'll be around for quite some time.
