Childish Gambino criticises own record label, wants to be bought out of contract

15 April 2014, 11:32 | Written by Luke Morgan Britton

(News)

Actor-come-rapper Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, released a new video this week for his track “Sweatpants”. One person wasn’t happy with how the whole thing turned out, however, and that was Glover himself.

In a series of tweets posted yesterday, Gambino criticised his current label (Universal offshoot Glassnote Records) and asked rival imprints to buy him out of the deal.

“We were told a lot of things were gonna happen and they were all lies. So I’m done. Someone buy me out of this contract,” he wrote, before adding: “I don’t like record companies. But I’m not having another project go through this.”

The star also revealed tensions arising from the handling of online content (“I said “I know how the internet works tho” my record company laughed on the phone and said “oh really?””) and their focus on other acts (“I know I’m not loud, or outrageous, or a white girl with a big ass, but I’m fuckin honest.”)

You can read the tweets in question beneath:

so this sweatpants video and blog was important to us.
— Childish Gambino (@DonaldGlover) April 14, 2014

and it wasnt handled correctly.
— Childish Gambino (@DonaldGlover) April 14, 2014

we were told a lot of things were gonna happen and they were all lies. so im done. someone buy me out of this contract.
— Childish Gambino (@DonaldGlover) April 14, 2014

a lot of people came around after our first week sales. all those people are welcome now. def jam, atlantic, whatever.
— Childish Gambino (@DonaldGlover) April 14, 2014

i dont like record companies. but im not having another project go through this.
— Childish Gambino (@DonaldGlover) April 14, 2014

i said “i know how the internet works tho” my record company laughed on the phone and said “oh really?”
— Childish Gambino (@DonaldGlover) April 14, 2014