Childish Gambino Opens Up About Father’s Death During Show

Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino)

Childish Gambino Opens Up About Father’s Death During Show ‘Allow Yourself To Just Be’

Childish Gambino, 35, wrapped the Australian leg of his world tour by telling fans about his late father. The singer had pushed back that portion of the tour and explained that it was because of his tragic loss as well as an injury.

“I got injured before and I couldn’t come. My father passed. I couldn’t come. This whole tour my neck has been f***ed up.”

He then left fans with a message and said,

“You can’t hold onto s***. None of it matters while I’m up here. Because I get to see you guys. None of it matters and I mean it in the best way possible. You guys look very young. A lot of stuff means a lot of things to you right now. And it should. That passion drives us all. But life is like the ocean. It is in and out. It’s like breathing. You let as much of it go as much as you receive. Laugh all your laughs. Cry all your ears. Allow yourself to just be.”

Childish Gambino, whose real name is Donald Glover, pushed back the concerts in Sydney and other places after he broke his foot at a Dallas show in October.

A couple of months later he announced the passing of his father while performing in L.A. He dedicated his song, “Riot” to his dad, Donald Glover, Sr., and told the audience,

“I hope you guys get to feel that kind of love and trust in your life.”

His father’s passing also came the day The Lion King trailer was released. Childish Gambino infamously voiced Simba. He said in an interview that after his loss, he wanted to go back and redo some of the vocals.

“I lost my father. The trailer came out the day my father passed. And I called (the director Jon) and I was like, ‘Can I come back and redo some of the (lines)?’ I had to because I was like, I understand this in such a different way.”

He added that it helped him relate to his character even more.

 “I went through the exact thing [as Simba]: When somebody’s like, ‘You know your father’s always with you, you know that, right?’ And you don’t want to hear that.”

He said he had a circle of life moment when he saw himself holding his son’s hand.

“You’re walking past the mirror and you’re like, I’m him. I look just like (him) – the way I’m even doing this. [It] wasn’t lost on me.”

Prayers up for Donald Glover and his family!