Actor-writer-comedian Donald Glover, who also goes under the rap moniker “Childish Gambino” sounded off on Instagram Monday with a series of deeply personal handwritten notes about his fears, frustrations and uncertainties with his future career changes.
The former stand-up comedian and “30 Rock” writer gained exposure in 2009 with his breakout role as college student Troy Barnes in the NBC comedy “Community.” Earlier this year, the 30-year-old triple threat scaled back on his acting work, signing on for only five episodes of the upcoming fifth season. Despite assumptions that Glover left “Community” to focus on his budding music career, he proved to be elusive on all fronts, limiting his music tour dates and removing his pensive, yet witty social media presence that was responsible for much of his following.
Glover addressed his stepping back from the show in his posts, saying, “I didn’t leave Community to rap. I don’t wanna rap. I wanted to be on my own.” On seven pages of Marriott hotel stationary, Glover penned an open letter of personal admissions, answering many questions of where he went this past year. "I've been sick this year, I've seen a bunch of people die this year. This is the first time I've felt helpless. But I'm not on that," he wrote.
“The label doesn’t want me to release in December ‘cause its not a holiday record and I’m not a big artist,” he added, referring to his highly anticipated new album titled "Because the Internet," his first since 2011's “Camp.”
This type of candidness is not new to Glover, whose work as rapper Childish Gambino has been critically acclaimed for its “emotional rawness,” and characterized by subjects like troubled relationships, social ostracism and alcoholism.
While his upcoming album awaits a release date, Glover is reported to be producing and starring in a new music-comedy show on FX titled “Atlanta.” His attempt to get a semi-autobiographical series off the ground last year fell through.
But as Glover put it in his last note: “You’re always allowed to be better. You’re always allowed to grow up. If you want.”
