Donald Glover's Creativity Impresses Dave Chappelle

2016 was the year people finally started taking Donald Glover seriously. In the course of the past 365 days, the artist also known as Childish Gambino added funk virtuoso and showrunner to his overstuffed portfolio, making a two-part splash: first there was the critical success of Atlanta, and then there was the no-holds-barred New Age opus Awaken, My Love!. On a more personal note, Glover also became a father.

In a recent profile with WIRED, Glover spoke on the state of humanity in the virtual age and how people just don’t go to concerts the same way anymore. Glover also spoke on the unapologetic blackness of Atlanta and how he and director Hiro Murai experimented with different lighting and shooting techniques to give the show a unique look. The show’s all black writing staff also spoke on the challenges of getting the show’s idioms and colloquialisms right, and their trust-based relationship with the team at FX. Royalty also expand on how they worked with Microsoft to perfect the visuals for Pharos, Glover’s three-day album listening event that was held in California’s Joshua Tree National Park.

In addition to quotes from Glover, WIRED also spoke to TV executives, members of Glover’s Royalty team, and even legendary stand-up comedian Dave Chappelle to learn what makes Gambino tick. Check some choice quotes below and be sure to read the full piece here.

Why he wanted to start writing TV shows:
“I decided I wanted to write for television because of Tina [Fey],”Glover says. “She was always so happy, and I was like, I want to be happy like that too.”

On hiring an all black writing staff:
“It wasn’t a conscious decision, really. I knew I wanted people with similar experiences who understood the language and the mindset of the characters and their environment.”

On Pharos, his experimental album release event and the absence of social media:
“Today, kids’ idea of going to a concert is proving that they are there on Snapchat or Instagram. We wanted to give them a complete show and have their attention.”

Glover on Dave Chappelle:
“On some level, the situation Dave faced is probably already happening. But that’s why it’s so good to have a room filled with people who understand what you’re trying to do. You’ve got to have someone willing to say, ‘I don’t enjoy that.’ That makes you step back and rethink when someone says that shit doesn’t work.”

Chappelle on Glover:
“I can’t keep up with all the shit he’s doing, but it’s all damn good. That he can do it all blows me away,” Chappelle says. “But my show was a sketch show, and Donald’s is more of a regular sitcom. And then we’re in a different time. Race is more nuanced today, and that helps the message. It’s been 10 years.”