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MojoMay 31, 2012The identity-crisis themed Camp trumps through whip-smart intelligence, comic brio and bristling malign intent. [Jan 2012, p.90]
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Under The RadarJan 19, 2012The star here is Glover's malleability, as he can move from a club banger such as "Heartbeat" to something as sensitive as "All the Shine," a plaintive, yearning song about his own shortcomings. [#39, p. 75]
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Jan 4, 2012It's less surefire than Culdesac. But it's more satisfying emotionally.
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Dec 22, 2011Camp is powered by the same blend of quirk, wit and vulnerability that drives Glover's comedic endeavors.
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Q MagazineDec 21, 2011Glover's wit and dexterity confirm he's the real deal. [Jan. 2012 p. 119]
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UncutDec 12, 2011Producer Ludwig Goransson imbues the beats with a comparable degree of pomp, although we could have done without diversions into cheesy Swede-pop. [Jan 2012 p.88]
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Dec 5, 2011Although Glover plays the part of rapper exceptionally, he needs to do a little more to stop "n****s asking whether this dude's for real or not".
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Dec 2, 2011Gambino's strength is also his weakness. As a TV writer and a comedian he's naturally focused on punchlines and creating moments, which at his best is enormously entertaining and at the worst forced
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Dec 2, 2011While Glover's exaggerated, cartoonish flow and overblown pop-rap production would be enough to make Camp one of the most uniquely unlikable rap records of this year (and most others), what's worse is how he uses heavy topics like race, masculinity, relationships, street cred, and "real hip-hop" as props to construct a false outsider persona.
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Dec 1, 2011Camp feels like only so much acting, with the Gambino flow a mixture of West and Lil Wayne...
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Nov 29, 2011While the album doesn't necessarily reinvent the wheel, those with mainstream sensibilities that like metaphor-heavy rhymes with a strong dose of social commentary will be pleasantly surprised.
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Nov 29, 2011It's wholly derivative, self-pitying emo rap that owes everything in its essence to Drake, Weezy, Cudi, and Kanye. That said, Glover is an incredibly compelling and talented rapper.
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Nov 23, 2011It's somewhere between impressive and impressionistic how Glover inhabits each style, but pit between street chaff and crooner cheese, between respect and restless imitation, one can't help but wonder where all of Glover's talent is headed.
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Nov 23, 2011This album is undoubtedly one of the best records of any genre to come out in 2011, and finally sets Donald Glover up as a "serious" rapper.
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Nov 21, 2011CAMP is an imperfect album, to be sure, one that both succeeds on its incongruities and occasionally stumbles on them.
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Nov 18, 2011Vastly talented, he brings rare articulacy to the thorny subject of black self-image, particularly the problem of breaking down the barrier of ghetto authenticity.
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Nov 17, 2011Childish Gambino is more than just a rapper, and Camp is more than just an album: It's a stone-cold classic.
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Nov 17, 2011Even if his insecurities can illicit a few cringes (he sounds genuinely upset with his haters on All The Shine), there's enough empowered anthems like Bonfire and Outside for Childish Gambino to pull through.
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Nov 16, 2011Gambino can really rap. Scratch that; he can really, really rap, plus sing and emote and put on a show better than 90% of his hip-hop counterparts.
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Nov 16, 2011Taken on the whole, Camp is full of top-tier lyricism, honesty, uncertainty and triumph.
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Nov 15, 2011No song seems out of place and every single one will be your favorite the moment you listen to it because of extremely quotable songs.
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Nov 15, 2011A meaty concept album about how the insecurities of youth carry into adulthood, Camp is heavy with themes of racial expectations and cultural ostracism--big ideas that aren't always done justice by Glover's cartoonishly exaggerated, one-liner-laden flow.
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Nov 15, 2011Camp is like the Drake, Cudi, and Kweli camps all offered their best, but it's really just Glover and his overwhelming bundle of talent, taking indie hip-hop to new levels after spending the day working alongside Chevy Chase.
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Nov 15, 2011For a dude who gets big laughs on NBC's Community, Donald Glover sure fiends for approval on his debut.
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Nov 14, 2011It'll be difficult to find many albums (regardless of genre) that stimulates as many emotions as Camp. Years of hard work and perseverance from Glover has finally paid off and Camp is the culmination of all that, making this one of the best albums of 2011.
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Nov 14, 2011The overall result is a messy jumble that, in its inability to find a consistent tone, ends up in a place that hasn't really been explored before.
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Nov 14, 2011What follows this auspicious beginning is a riveting album about race, class, opportunity, tribalism, love, the pitfalls of fame, comedy and "seriousness"--one that coexists quite happily with a potty-mouthed pop-rap record about sleeping with girls.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 185 out of 235
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Mixed: 34 out of 235
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Negative: 16 out of 235
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Feb 2, 2012
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Feb 9, 2012
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Apr 15, 2014