Table Of ContentI’m
Not
a
Rapper:
Donald
Glover
aka
Childish
Gambino’s
search
for
authenticity
in
the
hip-‐hop
industry
Natalie
Robertson
Virginia
Tech
I’m
not
a
rapper:
Donald
Glover
aka
Childish
Gambino’s
search
for
authenticity
in
the
hip-‐hop
industry
In
Shakespeare’s
Hamlet,
Polonius
gives
Laertes
this
advice:
“This
above
all:
to
thine
own
self
be
true.”
The
notion
of
being
real
and
not
false
has
played
a
firm
role
in
society
since
the
early
1600s,
and
perhaps
earlier.
‘Keeping
it
real’
transcends
cultural
boundaries
that
are
normally
predetermined
and
untouched,
from
English
literature
to
hip-‐hop
music.
In
the
hip-‐hop
industry,
authenticating
oneself
reigns
paramount
among
all
feats.
Whether
it
is
the
car
you
drive,
the
people
you
know
or
the
music
you
produce,
such
factors
aid
hip-‐hop
artists
in
their
quest
for
authenticity.
On
the
other
hand,
what
factors
hinder
artists
as
they
try
to
‘keep
it
real’?
Could
one
of
those
elements
involve
an
artist’s
acting
career?
In
this
paper,
I
will
examine
actor
Donald
Glover’s
transition
from
acting
to
rapping
under
the
stage
name
Childish
Gambino.
In
addition,
I
will
examine
the
cultural
nuances
associated
with
authenticity.
Although
Childish
Gambino
uses
many
authenticating
strategies,
he
also
asserts
himself
as
an
individual.
My
research
will
dive
into
if
and
how
this
can
be
attributed
to
his
background
in
acting.
Moreover,
I
will
examine
how
the
rapper
persona
is
similar
and/or
different
to
the
actor
persona.
Does
he
face
struggles
in
authenticating
himself
because
of
his
overlapping
careers
in
television
and
film?
Specifically,
I
will
assess
the
‘keeping
it
real’
category
of
authenticity,
and
how
the
combination
of
acting
and
rapping
either
hinders
or
helps
Gambino
as
he
tries
to
be
‘real.’
More
generally,
I
will
delve
into
the
other
categories
of
authenticity,
including
culture,
location,
sexuality
and
race.
Literature
Review
This
literature
review
pertains
to
authenticity
in
entertainment,
especially
in
the
hip-‐hop
industry.
First,
I
will
present
sources
that
discuss
the
cultural
constructs
of
authenticity
in
general.
Then,
I
will
present
material
that
highlights
the
notion
of
“keeping
it
real”
in
hip-‐hop.
After,
I
will
draw
attention
to
sources
that
cite
the
importance
of
individualism
in
hip-‐hop.
Finally,
I
will
end
with
material
that
examines
authenticity
in
Hollywood.
Authenticity
in
Hip-‐Hop
Authenticity
is
a
culturally
constructed
concept
that
plays
a
critical
role
in
hip-‐hop,
but
how
is
it
defined?
What
exactly
is
authenticity,
and
why
is
it
so
important
to
hip-‐hop
artists?
Peterson
defines
authenticity
as
a
“claim
that
is
made
by
or
for
someone,
thing
or
performance
and
either
accepted
or
rejected
by
relevant
others”
(2005).
The
idea
of
acceptance
or
rejection
is
something
that
is
often
overlooked;
instead
of
looking
at
the
“relevant
others”
who
judge
claims
of
authenticity,
individuals
tend
to
focus
on
those
who
make
the
claims.
The
various
means
of
authenticating
oneself
in
the
hip-‐hop
industry,
whether
it
is
being
from
the
“hood”
or
not
selling
out
to
the
mainstream
demands
of
the
industry,
continue
to
be
utilized
and
altered
by
society.
This
is
precisely
why
the
“relevant
others”
are
critical
in
authentication.
Without
these
groups,
claims
of
authenticity
would
be
meaningless.
An
artist
can
claim
to
be
real,
hard
and
old
school,
but
how
valuable
are
these
claims
without
acknowledgement
from
others?
There
are
three
dimensions
of
authenticity
when
appealing
to
“relevant
others”:
first
person,
second
person
and
third
person.
First
person
authenticity
addresses
the
performer’s
ability
to
convey
a
sense
of
honesty
and
integrity
to
the
audience.
In
this
dimension,
the
audience
becomes
more
invested
in
the
performer
him/herself
rather
than
his/her
acts
and
gestures
(Moore,
2002.)
An
example
of
this
dimension
is
when
an
artist
performs
at
a
concert.
The
artist
often
sings,
dances
and
addresses
the
crowd
directly
during
the
concert.
Perhaps
the
artist
stops
the
show
midway
to
have
an
intimate
conversation
with
the
crowd.
The
audience
then
becomes
more
invested
in
the
person
on
stage
rather
than
his/her
songs.
This
establishes
a
relationship
with
the
audience
that
transcends
any
other
act
or
gesture.
Thus,
first
person
authenticity
is
one
mode
an
artist
can
prove
to
“relevant
others”
that
he/she
is
real
and
honest.
Second
person
authenticity
occurs
when
a
performer
succeeds
in
validating
a
listener’s
life
experience
–
that
the
artist
is
“telling
it
like
it
is”
for
the
listener
(Moore,
2002).
For
example,
Grandmaster
Flash
&
The
Furious
Five’s
1982
hit,
“The
Message,”
conveys
the
harsh
reality
of
the
“hood.”
In
the
song,
Grandmaster
Flash
raps:
“I
can't
take
the
smell,
can't
take
the
noise
/
Got
no
money
to
move
out,
I
guess
I
got
no
choice.”
With
the
song’s
themes
of
drugs,
violence
and
poverty,
it
made
it
a
relatable
tune
for
those
living
in
similar
conditions.
In
a
1983
interview,
Flash
said
“The
Message”
proved
the
group
could
speak
about
things
that
have
“social
significance
and
truth”
(Rolling
Stone,
2012).
Grandmaster
Flash
&
The
Furious
Five
claimed
second
person
authenticity,
giving
those
living
in
the
ghetto
a
voice
in
the
music
industry.
Lastly,
third
person
authenticity
is
when
a
performer
accurately
represents
the
ideas
of
another,
embedded
within
a
tradition
of
performance
(Moore,
2002).
Tribute
bands
are
examples
of
artists
who
demonstrate
third
person
authenticity.
The
Silver
Beatles,
a
leading
tribute
band
for
The
Beatles,
provide
such
an
accurate
representation
of
The
Beatles
that
Cynthia
Lennon
claims
they
“look
alike,
sound
alike
and
even
think
alike”
(Moore,
2002).
Artists
who
exemplify
third
person
authenticity
embrace
the
spiritual
origin
of
the
music
they
produce.
The
concept
of
a
‘genre’
of
music
is
another
example
of
how
artists
can
claim
third
person
authenticity.
In
any
given
music
genre,
there
are
overarching
themes,
sounds
and
styles
that
make
it
exclusive
from
other
genres.
In
hip-‐hop,
specifically
rap,
factors
such
as
abundant
bass,
expletives
and
predominant
vocal
presence
contribute
to
the
construction
of
the
genre.
Artists
can
authenticate
themselves
by
following
the
benchmarks
set
by
their
genre
of
music.
McLeod’s
six
dimensions
of
authenticity
are
intertwined
within
the
three
points
of
view
in
authenticity.
The
following
chart
outlines
the
six
dimensions:
Retrieved
from
McLeod,
pg.
139
In
this
paper,
the
most
important
dimensions
are
social-‐psychological,
gender-‐sexual
and
social-‐locational.
Social-‐psychological
authenticity,
as
supported
by
Table
1,
discusses
how
artists
either
stay
true
to
themselves
or
follow
mass
trends.
“Keeping
it
real”
is
the
valorization
of
individualism
and
the
demonization
of
conformity;
this
is
ironic
because
you
have
to
follow
the
same
patterns
of
authentication
to
be
accepted
and
valued
as
a
rapper,
but
those
evaluating
your
authenticity
want
you
to
“keep
it
real”
and
stay
true
to
yourself
(McLeod,
1999.)
How
does
an
artist
“keep
it
real”
when
he/she
is
required
to
follow
culturally
constructed
ideas
of
authenticity?
The
ultimate
way
to
authenticate
oneself
is
representing
who
oneself
is,
but
characterizing
this
concept
into
a
limited
category
seems
to
contradict
“keeping
it
real.”
Artists
must
fit
into
the
“boundaries
set
by
institutionalized
notions
of
authenticity”
to
be
recognized
as
authentic
by
others
(Yuen,
2008).
No
matter
how
technical
this
analysis
of
the
dimension
may
seem,
the
irony
and
contradiction
are
unavoidable.
Gender-‐sexual
authenticity
relates
to
whether
an
artist
is
“hard”
or
“soft.”
Hard
attributes
are
typically
associated
with
masculinity,
while
soft
attributes
are
associated
with
femininity
(McLeod,
1999.)
In
other
words,
are
you
a
gangster
and
a
thug,
or
a
“faggot”
and
a
“pussy”?
As
made
evident
by
the
name,
this
dimension
addresses
both
the
gender
and
sex
of
an
artist.
Being
“hard”
isn’t
guaranteed
if
you
have
a
penis,
just
as
being
“soft”
isn’t
necessarily
ensured
if
you
have
a
vagina.
More
than
that,
being
hard
means
acting
in
a
masculine,
and
often
hypermasculine,
manner.
In
hip-‐hop,
femininity
overlaps
with
homosexuality.
LL
Cool
J
received
criticism
when
he
made
love
songs
such
as
“Hey
Lover”
and
“I
Need
Love.”
Though
his
love
songs
sold
millions
of
records
and
attracted
female
audiences,
LL
Cool
J
was
accused
of
not
“keeping
it
real”
because
these
songs
made
him
appear
“soft”
(McLeod,
1999).
Social-‐locational
authenticity
relates
to
where
an
artist
is
from
and
what
neighborhood
with
which
he/she
identifies.
When
hip-‐hop
artists
try
to
distance
themselves
from
their
roots,
they
are
referred
to
as
“sell
outs”
(McLeod,
1999).
In
Tupac’s
1999
song,
“I
Ain’t
Mad
at
Cha,”
Tupac
addresses
attacks
on
his
authenticity
due
to
his
change
in
social
location.
Tupac
raps:
“So
many
questions,
and
they
ask
me
if
I’m
still
down/I
moved
up
out
of
the
ghetto,
so
I
ain’t
real
now?”
(McLeod,
1999.)
In
hip-‐hop,
selling
out
and
leaving
the
streets
is
equivocated
with
being
“fake”
and
not
“keeping
it
real.”
Moreover,
when
hip-‐hop
artists
try
to
appeal
to
other
audiences
such
as
suburban
kids,
they
are
categorized
as
inauthentic.
When
the
Black
Eyed
Peas
added
Fergie
to
the
group
in
2003,
the
band
started
to
move
away
from
its
hip-‐hop
roots
and
instead
align
itself
with
pop
and
radio
friendly
music.
The
band
went
from
an
underground
look
(left)
to
a
pop,
high
fashion
appearance
(right).
Photo
retrieved
from:
www.bep.wikia.com
Photo
retrieved
from:
www.searchenginepeople.com
Similar
to
LL
Cool
J,
Tupac
and
the
Black
Eyed
Peas,
the
focal
point
of
my
research,
Childish
Gambino,
is
affirmed
and
challenged
by
the
social-‐psychological,
gender-‐sexual
and
social-‐locational
dimensions
of
authenticity.
Gambino
is
not
the
typical
black,
hard
gangster
rapper,
which
poses
the
essential
question:
through
what
means
does
Gambino
achieve
authenticity
in
the
hip-‐hop
world?
Honesty
is
often
regarded
as
the
best
policy.
Ideally,
the
most
honest
form
of
authenticity
would
come
down
to
our
true,
individual
existence,
not
as
it
may
be
perceived
or
presented
to
others
(Handler,
1986).
However,
is
this
form
of
authenticity
truly
possible?
How
can
we
show
the
world
who
we
really
are
when
that
person
only
knows
that
true
self?
“Keeping
it
real”
is
the
valorization
of
individualism
and
the
demonization
of
conformity;
this
is
ironic
because
you
have
to
follow
the
same
patterns
of
authentication
to
be
accepted
and
valued
as
a
rapper,
but
those
evaluating
your
authenticity
want
you
to
“keep
it
real”
and
stay
true
to
yourself
(McLeod,
1999.)
How
does
an
artist
“keep
it
real”
when
he/she
is
required
to
follow
culturally
constructed
ideas
of
authenticity?
The
ultimate
way
to
authenticate
oneself
is
representing
who
oneself
is,
but
characterizing
this
concept
into
a
limited
category
seems
to
contradict
“keeping
it
real.”
Artists
must
fit
into
the
“boundaries
set
by
institutionalized
notions
of
authenticity”
to
be
recognized
as
authentic
by
others
(Yuen,
2008).
No
matter
how
technical
this
analysis
of
the
dimension
may
seem,
the
irony
and
contradiction
are
unavoidable.
Individualism
Authenticity
is
a
cultural
construct
of
the
Western
world
that
is
closely
tied
to
Western
notions
of
individualism
(Handler,
1986).
In
order
to
stay
true
to
oneself,
he/she
has
to
focus
on
him/herself.
In
hip-‐hop,
a
rapper
has
to
assert
him/herself
against
the
rest
of
the
world
in
order
to
establish
individuality.
There
is
no
room
for
conformity
in
individualism
(Handler,
1986;
Armstrong,
2004;
Quick,
2011;
Yuen,
2008.)
How
artists
conceive
their
own
identities
and
self-‐concepts
often
contradicts
the
established
measurements
of
authenticity
set
before
them
(Yuen,
2008).
Again,
this
proves
problematic
and
ironic.
How
does
an
artist
authenticate
his/her
true
self
when
he/she
must
adhere
to
institutional
dimensions?
Again,
the
contradictions
never
cease.
Hip-‐hop
musicians
stay
true
to
themselves
when
they
“defy
commercial
interests
and
pressures”
by
producing
music
that
is
not
mainstream
(McLeod,
1999;
Yuen,
2008).
This
brings
the
hip-‐hop
industry’s
lingering
question
of
how
much
influence
an
artist
has
over
the
music
and
image
that
he/she
produces,
especially
when
working
with
a
record
company.
Music
and
trends
are
mainstream
because
people
like
them;
does
an
artist
have
to
prove
his/her
authenticity
by
producing
only
underground,
unpopular
music?
The
importance
of
the
individual
in
hip-‐hop
cannot
be
denied,
but
the
concept
of
the
individual
can
be
buried
under
the
needs
and
desires
of
the
audience
(Yuen,
2008;
Moore,
2002).
Authenticity
in
Hollywood
It
appears
that
Hollywood's
standard
of
authenticity
“constrains
actors
from
expressing
their
artistic
and
personal
identities”
(Yuen,
2008).
However,
rappers
have
the
ability
to
express
their
realities
to
an
audience,
while
filmmakers
attempt
to
construct
such
realities
to
sell
to
audiences.
In
many
cases,
rappers
are
able
to
portray
their
rapper
personas
in
films;
rappers
such
as
Snoop
Dogg
and
50
Cent
have
proved
this
time
and
time
again
in
films
such
as
Soul
Plane
and
Get
Rich
or
Die
Tryin’.
On
the
flipside,
there
is
an
elite
group
of
rappers
who
transform
themselves
into
characters
“unlike
their
true
or
music
marketed
selves”
(Tyree,
2007).
This
group
includes
LL
Cool
J,
Queen
Latifah,
Ice
T,
Ice
Cube,
Mark
Wahlberg,
Snoop
Dogg,
Will
Smith,
Mos
Def
and
others.
These
rappers-‐turned-‐actors
have
shown
that
rappers
can
“progress
in
the
Hollywood
movie
system,
transcend
their
Rap
personas
and
become
accepted
actors”
(Tyree,
2007).
Hollywood
often
holds
actors
to
standards
of
authenticity
based
more
on
biographical
factors
such
as
social
status
and
life
experiences
than
their
talent.
These
means
of
authentication
are
similar
to
those
set
in
hip-‐hop
(Yuen,
2008).
As
in
acting,
rapping
is
often
about
where
you’re
from,
how
much
money
you
have
and
how
offensive
your
lyrics
are
(McLeod,
1999).
Both
actors
and
rappers
alike
are
made
most
aware
of
authenticity
when
their
self-‐concepts
are
challenged
or
called
into
question
in
some
way
(Yuen,
2008).
Methods
In
order
to
answer
these
questions,
I
examined
scholarship
on
hip-‐hop
and
authenticity.
Sources
included,
but
were
not
limited
to,
discussions
on
the
social
construction
of
authenticity,
identity
construction
in
hip-‐hop
and
Hollywood,
and
the
categorization
of
authenticity.
I
then
analyzed
the
music
and
acting
career
of
Childish
Gambino.
I
listened
to
his
albums
and
mixtapes,
dissecting
his
lyrics.
Specifically,
I
examines
Gambino’s
studio
album,
Because
The
Internet.
Do
his
references
to
his
acting
career
imply
struggle
with
authenticity
and
‘keeping
it
real’?
I
watched
Gambino’s
stand-‐up
comedy
special
on
Comedy
Central.
I
deliberated
the
differences
and
similarities
between
his
actor/comedian
persona
and
his
rapper
persona.
I
also
looked
at
his
individual
projects,
such
as
his
screenplay
that
shares
a
name
with
his
album.
I
also
examined
articles,
blogs
and
interviews
talking
about
and
with
Gambino.
What
does
the
public
think
of
his
as
an
actor
and
rapper,
both
Description:I'm not a rapper: Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino's search for authenticity in the hip-‐hop industry. In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Polonius gives
