The Grammy nominations were recently announced, and with the talk of albums fresh in the air, I wanted to revisit one of my favorite albums. Because the Internet is a 2013 album by hip hop/rap artist Childish Gambino –– also known as Donald Glover. In addition to being an award-winning musical artist, Glover is a critically-acclaimed actor, voice actor, comedian, and writer. He has been in popular shows such as Atlanta and Community, written for shows like 30 Rock, and has a popular comedy special on Netflix named Weirdo.
Because the Internet did not disappoint this streak of success, as the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 charts. Although the album’s tracks are incredible, the character and the story behind it are arguably the most fascinating part. Because the Internet is much more than just an album: with it comes a 72-page screenplay and multiple short films. Each of the album’s parts centers on a fictional figure, “the boy.” Throughout the screenplay, it is revealed that this mysterious character is a teenage boy from a wealthy family who struggles with himself and the impact of the internet on his mental health and social life, hence the name Because the Internet.
The story of “the boy” throughout the album, the screenplay, and the short films stays fairly consistent: a wealthy, reckless teen who struggles to find himself. Something that shocked many about the screenplay and the short films is that there really is no story. This seemingly plotless project fits really well with the character of the boy, a “lost” individual. Interestingly enough, Glover went through an existential crisis in the lead-up to this project. In a 2014 interview with Complex, Glover explains his goal of the album and his feelings during creating it saying: “I want to show how the Internet affects our lives… As much as everyone can find someone on the Internet now, we still feel lost. I still feel very empty. It makes me feel more lost because nothing that I do is that different. Nothing is cool. We’re kind of alone in the universe.” That feeling of lostness that Glover described is heavily reflected through this character and the album. The character of “the boy” adds a unique perspective that otherwise would be hard to portray. Music acts as an emotional outlet for artists, and sometimes musicians find it easier to communicate these emotions through characters than themselves. Characters like “the boy” are a great example of ways that artists can infuse a special touch to their albums.