Because the Internet

ラッパー、シンガー、俳優、コメディアン、作家など様々な顔を持つエンターテイナー、チャイルディッシュ・ガンビーノによる2年振りとなるセカンド・スタジオ・アルバム!既に全米チャート7位(ラップ1位/R&B3位)を獲得し、メガヒット中の本作。ゲスト・アーティストにはミックステープにも関わらず2013年の年間ベスト・アルバムを総なめにしたチャンス・ザ・ラッパーを始め、アジーリア・バンクス、日系R&Bシンガーのジェネイ・アイコが参加!また、プロダクションはガンビーノ自身の他、サンダーキャットやポップ・リーヴァイといったプロデューサーを起用しネクスト・レベルのヒップホップ・アルバムが完成した。タイトル『ビコーズ・ジ・インターネット』は米ロック・アイコン、ベックとの会話から生まれたという逸話も(!)、幅広い人脈を持つ彼ならでは。

Entertainment Weekly - "[This sees him] doing trick dives into the deep end of his psyche." -- Grade: B- CMJ - "WORLDSTAR features a hollowed-out xylophone-like beat and stadium chanting while Gambino keeps his flow mellow and monotone." Paste - "Compelling...Childish Gambino's growth as a musician in the two years since CAMP is commendable." Rolling Stone - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "On his second album, actor-turned-rapper Childish Gambino wields his nerdiness with newfound confidence, spitting meditations on Internet culture with fluency and ease."

Because the Internet is the third album from actor/rapper Childish Gambino. He left his full-time role as Troy Barnes in hit comedy Community to concentrate on music after his successful 2011 debut Camp and his 2012 mixtape Royalty. The record features a host of guests, including Chance the Rapper and Azealia Banks, and it was recorded in Miami Heat basketball player Chris Bosh's L.A. mansion.|

Having left his full-time role on the hit comedy Community to concentrate on music, rapper Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino gets broader and bolder on his 2013 effort Because the Internet, an indulgent kaleidoscope of studio tricks and celebrity problems that's still wildly attractive thanks to its smarts and ability to swing. That latter bit comes courtesy of primary producers Glover and Ludwig Goransson, who mix the edgy sounds of indie rap and indie pop with the best the mainstream world of R&B has to offer. Cool, radio-friendly crooner Lloyd shows up on the creamy West Coast dream called "Telegraph Ave.," while "3005" comes with a chorus so uplifting and bright, it makes the nerdy stay-at-home wallflower at its center sound epic and sexy. The booming influence of the A$AP Mob is felt on numerous cloudy cuts like the grand "Worldstar," where popping pills at Coachella, a Martin Scorsese reference, and a twisted sax solo all congeal into a dank glop of hip-hop hash oil. Then there are all the instrumental interludes that divide the album into chapters or suites, because this one reaches for art with some interruptions for getting flashy on "The Worst Guys" (where Chance the Rapper is merely Chance the Hypeman) and crashing on the couch for either a spliff, or maybe spliff and a sweet snuggle, with Jhene Aiko's "Pink Toes." All of it flows splendidly and Gambino's wit, hipness, and lyrical dexterity are all still strong points, with "I got more tail than Petco," "More green than my Whole Foods/And I'm too Fly, Jeff Goldblum," plus a reference to the "Ain't Nobody Got Time for That" meme being some examples. Still, even with all these strong points, Gambino often frames his angst and anger with the burden of being born rich (something he mentions quite often on the album), providing plenty of "we should all have such problems" bait or "hierarchy of needs" ammunition, depending on the listener's viewpoint/bank account. Even the short "The Party" finds him inviting friends over and then yelling at them to get the "F" out, but there's long been a wide gap between the life experience of rappers and their fans, something supported by the growling background vocals on "Crawl" provided by Mystikal, an MC who did plenty of hard time when most of his fans have not. Connecting with the album is nearly impossible, understanding it is difficult, and often enough, its inflated ego is irksome, but Because the Internet is too free and fascinating to be dragged down by these complaints, so if a Yeezus with more flash and fun is what's required, Gambino's got the good stuff. ~ David Jeffries

2013年末、ヒップホップ年間ベスト・アルバム候補の一角に大外から突っ込んできた強力作(印象的なタイトルは一2013年のミックステープ『Royals』にも参加していたベックの提案によるもの)。全曲の制作に携わるガンビーノ自身、USインディー方面からも支持された2011年のデビュー・アルバム『Camp』を〈13歳の奴が作ったような作品〉と振り返っているだけあって、音楽的充実度は飛躍的に向上。サンダーキャットと共作した疾走感溢れる“Shadows”、神秘的なメロウネスを描く“Flight Of The Navigator”、ジェネイ・アイコがコケティッシュな魅力を振りまく“Pink Toes”など、全編を覆うコズミックなサウンドスケープが最高だ。計5つの組曲から成るトータル性の高いアルバム作りにも好感が持てる。
bounce (C)高橋芳朗