Childish Gambino issued his final album under the millennial moniker on Friday (July 19) and brought some talented guests on stage to close the show. With artists including Flo Milli, Chlöe, Jorja Smith, and Yeat, the 40-year-old managed to deliver 17 tracks on Bando Stone and The New World. The album is also set to be the soundtrack for his upcoming film of the same name.
“Success to me is, honestly, being able to put out a wide-scale album that I would listen to,” detailed Gambino to the New York Times. “For this album, I really wanted to be able to play big rooms and have big, anthemic songs that fill those rooms, so that people feel a sense of togetherness.”
While fans can mourn or celebrate the next chapter, they can savor Donald Glover‘s Childish Gambino era with his expansive musical library, cemented with this final work. The multi-hyphenate talent is also set to hit the road this summer on The New World Tour produced by AEG Presents, with WILLOW joining for North America, and Amaarae on the international dates.
Check out Bando Stone and The New World below and dive into the featured musical guests.
1
Chlöe
Chlöe attends the world premiere of Amazon Prime Video's "Candy Cane Lane" at Regency Village Theatre on November 28, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Photo : Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
Chlöe is featured in the album’s third track titled “Survive.” The duo sings together through the track’s hook, as well as two separate verses. “Summer’s always comin’/ All I wanna do is get high,” explains the chorus. “Survive” is produced by Childish Gambino and Dahi.
2
Amaarae
Amaarae at the world premiere of Marvel Studios Black Panther: Wakanda Forever held at the Dolby Theatre on October 26, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
Photo : Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Amaarae is featured in track five “Talk My Sh*t” which also features Flo Milli, as well as track eight which also features Jorja Smith. Additionally, she co-penned the opening song, “Hearts Are Meant To Fly.” The Fountain Baby performer is joining Childish Gambino on The New World Tour for select international dates.
3
Flo Milli
Flo Milli at the 2024 BET Awards at Peacock Theater on June 30, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
Photo : Gilbert Flores/ Billboard via Getty Images
Flo Milli is featured with Amaarae alongside Childish Gambino in the song “Talk My Sh*t.” The trio takes the moment to do exactly what the title implies. “Passin’ h*es, no hands, I’m cruisin’/ Pop sh*t in my sleep, they snoozin'” brags the Alabama-bred rapper.
4
Jorja Smith
Jorja Smith attends The BRIT Awards 2020 at The O2 Arena on February 18, 2020 in London, England.
Photo : Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
Jorja Smith joins Childish Gambino and Amaarae in “In The Night,” listed as track eight on the feature-heavy album. The song, self-produced in collaboration with Dahi and Kurtis McKenzie was released ahead of Bando Stone and The New World as the latest single.
5
Legend Glover
Donald Glover at the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
Photo : Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images
The youngest guest on the album, Legend Glover is the 7-year-old son of the leading artist. Legend joins Childish Gambino providing vocals in track 10 “Can You Feel Me.”
6
Yeat
Bloody Osiris, Yeat and Zack Bia attend the Kenzo Menswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on January 19, 2024 in Paris, France.
Photo : Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
Childish Gambino called on Yeat for track 12 “Cruisin’.” Legend also provides vocals to this track. While his appearance is brief, Yeat adds his flair alongside the lead artist in the second verse.
7
Steve Lacy
Steve Lacy attends the 2023 Time100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 26, 2023 in New York City.
Photo : Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Steve Lacy is not credited as an official feature but he added on to “Steps Beach” with Childish Gambino and Fousheé.
8
Fousheé
Fousheé at the Mercedes-Benz all new G-Class Los Angeles star-studded world premiere held at Franklin Canyon Park on April 23, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
Photo : Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images
Fousheé is not credited as an official feature in “Steps Beach,” however, she adds with Steve Lacy and Childish Gambino. Additionally, she sings in “Running Around” near the end of the album. “Runnin’ out of ammunition/ Don’t need to fire at my opps, they dig their own ditchеs,” declares New Jersey native.
9
Khruangbin
FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 26: (L-R) Mark Speer, Donald Ray Johnson Jr. and Laura Lee of Khruangbin perform onstage during day two of the 2021 Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival on September 26, 2021 in Franklin, Tennessee. (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival)
Childish Gambino enlisted musical trio Khruangbin for the song “Happy Survival.” The mostly instrumental track features the artists singing the title at moments throughout. The song ends with Gambino exclaiming “Unfortunately, that’s a hit,” seamlessly transitioning into the album’s closer.
Flavor Flav knows how to work his way around a clock, but maybe don’t let him get a gavel in his hands. The lesson was learned when the Public Enemy rapper joined U.S. Women’s Water Polo Team goalie Ashleigh Johnson at the New York Stock Exchange on Monday (Sept. 9).
That’s when Flav got a bit overzealous with the gavel when attempting to ring the closing bell, which saw him lose control of the hammer and accidentally send it into the crowd. “FLAVOR FLAV::: They said it was good luck if I hit it hard,” he captioned his Instagram post.
Fans hit the rapper with jokes in his comments section after he nearly decked an onlooker with the gavel. “Is catching the gavel from flav akin to catching the bouquet at a wedding,” one person asked. Another added, “Opening the stock exchange?! What happened to fighting the power?”
The 65-year-old hadn’t had the opportunity to be at the NYSE in his career, and he basked in the honor after watching it on television all these years.
“This means the world to me right now to be here at the Stock Exchange,” Flav added. “The only time I ever seen it was on TV. Now I get to be here part of it. Yeah, boy!”
Flavor Flav signed a five-year sponsorship deal with the U.S. Women’s and Men’s Water Polo Teams, for whom he served as the hype man at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. His sponsorship came with a $1,000 check to each player and a cruise voyage for the women’s team.
It’s a busy week running around the Big Apple for Flav. After stops at the U.S. Open tennis championship and the NYSE, the New York native is slated to appear at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday (Sept. 11).
Watch some of the highlights from his NYSE trip below.
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