Gambino’s Funkadelic, 70’s-Inspired “Awaken, My Love!” Pays Homage To Soul Greats Whilst Subverting Expectations And Changing The Course Of His Career Forever.
It simply cannot be understated just how significant Awaken My Love! is in terms of shifting Childish Gambino’s career from a rapper into a cultural icon but also how it modernizes such a significant genre, bringing funk into the mainstream. To put this into context at this point in his career Donald Glover was just coming off a successful stint as a comedy actor on community and his rap music persona Childish Gambino was finally getting significant critical and commercial recognition with his concept record Because The Internet. He had also been the outsider, the quirky rapper but when he grew a beard, ripped his shirt off and embraced his early funk influences you worried that maybe it was a risk too far. He was potentially turning away his entire fanbase and throwing away a music career he’d worked so hard to achieve. Awaken, My Love! however had a much more unpredictable impact on not just Gambino but the entire culture of music itself…