I have always admired the artists who are not afraid to stray from the norm and are not afraid to evolve throughout their career. It was hard to chose from just one of my many artistic inspirations to write about because there are so many influential people in the industry that constantly inspire me. I chose Donald Glover because he is someone who whether I knew it or not, I have been aware of and has influenced my life for a very long time. My first time really recognizing his work was probably when I was in 8th grade and I heard Childish Gambino's first debut album Campfire which has been one of my all time favorite albums sense then and caused me to take a closer look at this individual. Not only was I impressed by his catchy beats and smooth tone, but the rhythm and artistry of his lyrics and music caused me to analyze music in a way I had never thought to before. My obsession continued as I realized he was also an actor and voiced one of my favorite characters on an animated T.V. show my brother and I loved and so I started to follow his career, leading me to his standup-comedy career as well as his original show, Atlanta. My fondness for this man only grew as I continued to enjoy his music through his iconic Redbone era where he incorporated many unique aspects from different genres of music into a more pop oriented piece, as well as his influential statement with his song This Is America which made apparent commentary of the brutal history black Americans have endured throughout history and to this day. Mr. Glover has never ceased to impress me and educate me in a creative and constructive manor that is very unique and he has truly shaped the industry of comedy, music, and cinema.
https://www.vulture.com/2016/08/donald-glover-atlanta.html
In this article, Glover talks about his the his wildly successful show show Atlanta which he created, produced, cowrote and stared in. His wide range of experience in comedy, music, and the television industry give him the qualifications in the field, but his more unique experience of being a predominant black man in a white dominated industry gives his work a different affect than most other shows or movies, focusing on different black experiences rather than playing into the outdated Hollywood standards of cinema.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/may/12/the-rise-of-donald-glover-childish-gambino
This article focuses mostly on Donald Glovers musical career as "Childish Gambino", more specifically it goes into depth talking about his hit song This is America, which is a work of art as well as a political statement. The song and music video portray many literal and more abstract concepts of different experiences of black American throughout the U.S. history. The 2019 video depicting gun violence as well as a sense of soul and community in the video seems to have some powerful foreshadowing affects of the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement, although it is obvious to Gambino as well as anyone who looks throughout our history that is not a new issue.
Donald Glovers long timeline in the spotlight and many roles in the media are highlighted in this article. It highlights his success in writing and creation of popular shows, of his standup and comedy background, and well as his stardom in both him musical profession and as a leading actor in many shows and movies.