There’s more than a touch of nostalgia to Gambino’s Feels Like Summer, its crisp animation calling back to childhood cartoons, with an edge to the warm coloured video that at first appears like the enjoyment of a peak-summer’s day. This, like Gambino’s multi-talented career (also being known as the actor Donald Glover), has many layers which have led to breakdown videos, speculative articles and more – that investigate the star-filled animation of Feels Likes Summer.
Directed by Donald Glover, Ivan Dixon and Greg Sharp, the animation is so enticing and the music so mellow, that you get distracted by what you see rather than hear, like a play on the media. The cleverly phrased lyrics of Gambino revealing the difficulties faced in today’s world; changing society, children growing up too quickly, technology outpacing us, the fast way in which we’re moving forward, and from this not noticing what’s happening around us;
“Seven billion souls that move around the sun
Rolling faster, fast and not a chance to slow down
Slow down”
And as Gambino explains, a big change we’re not noticing is the pull on our planet; bees are dying, water will one day be fought over, all the while the planet is just getting hotter from an endless summer.
“Every day gets hotter than the one before
Running out of water, it’s about to go down
Go down
Air that kill the bees that we depend upon…”
However, a beautiful and emphatic push to Gambino’s words, is the repeating lines hoping that as a planet we will change, despairing that we won’t, while still hoping we could – effectively telling us we’re heading down the same path, unless we make that change.
“Oh, I hope we change.”
The video’s animation meanwhile shows Gambino slowly walking down the street to a collection of celebrities as they hang out; from washing a car, cooking a BBQ, water fights, or a tug of war between celebrities. There’s even heated enemies playing childish games, or eating ice creams together, while Michelle Obama shows forgiveness and kindness as she embraces a crying Kanye – maybe as he realises his political mistakes, for he is after all wearing a Trump-MAGA baseball hat.
Then there’s the upcoming rappers Lil Pump and Trippie Redd who are portrayed as kids, being ignored and turned away by the older rappers 21 Savage, Metro Boomin and Kodak Black, which has been viewed to show that their new style of rap isn’t being accepted by the older generation.
Oprah Winfrey and Tiffany Haddish, meanwhile are shown doing the hair of Lil Uzi Vert and Zendaya – maybe a show of support? There are many, many, more celebrities including Beyoncé wearing a t-shirt that pays respect to the late rapper Fredo Santana, to other blacked out screens that pay homage to other musicians Gambino respects, such as Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson. Meanwhile others are left alone, such as Chris Brown as he cries in the dark.
What do all this celebrities mean? There is certainly a lot of cultural and media references to the stars and their past acts, but there seems to also be a sense of the music’s message – if we don’t change, don’t help, will be stuck where we are, while those that show kindness such as Beyoncé, Rihanna and Michelle are portrayed in a positive light.
This isn’t the only music/video by Gambino to have a commentary on society, his most famous one being This Is America (2018) – a video of juxtapositions; which looks at the continuing and historic violence in America. From the way guns and acts of brutality have been made synonymous with the USA – filling popular culture (and being celebrated in this format), to the reality of how its infiltrated daily life with its horrific acts and consequences, thus raging on the debate of gun use and control. The video also looks at racism, past acts of violence, police brutality, and our relationship with social media.
Gambino’s award-winning music is layered both with open meanings for interpretation, to subtler ones that allow multiple ideas to be generated by others. Either way it leaves you to think, while enjoying a musician versatile in his delivery. From experimental electronics mixed with a hip hop tempo. Harder and straight-faced lines of rap, to a smoother sound that’s almost a hum in line with the score – leaving you to be hypnotised.
Other songs by Childish Gambino we love:
- 10 (2020 – 3.15.20)
- 31 (2020 – 3.15.20)
- Stand Tall (2016 – “Awaken, My Love!”)
- Sober (2014 – Kauai)
- Flight of the Navigator (2013 – Because the Internet)
- Life: The Biggest Troll (Andrew Auernheimer) (2013 – Because the Internet)
- Sweatpants (2013 – Because the Internet)
- Telegraph Ave. (“Oakland” by Lloyd) (2013 – Because the Internet)
Other artists you might like:
- Kid Cudi
- KIDS SEE GHOSTS
- Mac Miller
