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Z O O M - I N

Childish Gambino O2 Concert Review

NYU alumnus Donald Glover, also known as Childish Gambino, was doubtlessly the biggest winner at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, as his game-changing hit, "This Is America," won him four Grammys in 2018. On March 25th, 2019, Glover achieved a dramatic and religious night with his fans at the O2 Arena.

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“Put your phones away, this is church!” Glover appeared on stage through the red and light beams that intersect each other, and plead his audience members to put away their electronic devices. It is common in theatres that phones are not allowed during the show, but it is the first time that a singer, or a rapper, to say such words on his concert. The saint-like aura began to spread inside the arena, until the overture of Glover's song, "Redbone," was becoming louder and louder. 

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The audience had waited for a long time, from the moment they heard the bad news that Glover's tour was postponed for a lengthy period due to injury last year. With Glover also confirming this tour in 2019 would be his last tour, anticipation turned to poignant reflection when many realised this could be the last time they see his alter-ego live.

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“If you’d have told me years ago when I did a small little show here in London that I’d be filling up the O2 one day I’d tell you, ‘You were f******* crazy’,” Glover said, who seemed to be moved by the atmosphere. 

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Glover's fans raised the O2's roof when the talented Gambino brought his most controversial hit, "This Is America," to London during the encore. â€‹This trap rap with brainwashing flow includes plentiful meanings and implications: black lives matters, financial crisis, school-shooting, the material world and so on. Every single individual can understand this song differently, thus depict his or her own image of America. From my perspective, Glover tends to draw attention to gun violence, as the sound of someone pulling the trigger of a gun was sampled as one of the drum racks in the instrumental. Watch Childish Gambino's "This Is America" music video below, and share your understanding of this song with me! 

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Photo by Alice Cheung

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