Childish Gambino Declares 'Rap Is Done,' Addresses 'New Black' Movement In Hot 97 Interview

According to Childish Gambino, "Rap is done." During an interview with Hot 97's Peter Rosenberg, he said that although he still has a love for rap, he thinks that the genre is no longer doing "the thing it was supposed to do."

As HipHopDX points out, Gambino has previously revealed that he doesn't consider himself a rapper and admitted to Rosenberg that Because The Internet is "a pop album essentially." He also spoke about a new movement in music, which he says some have dubbed "new black."

Here's what he told Hot 97:

"We never wanted to make a rap album. I've talked about this before. Rap is done. Rap is done. I love Hip Hop. I love rap, but the thing it was supposed to do it doesn't do anymore. Like I love it as a music. It's the same thing as like jazz. Jazz when it was doing what it was supposed to do. And people still listen to jazz now, but it doesn't have-It's not doing the social work it's supposed to do anymore. And that's not because it's gotten bad...It's just a different movement. Whatever movement is happening now-Like I would like to think I'm a leader of whatever movement is happening. People call it 'new black.' People call it whatever, but I don't want to name it cause it's bs to name it. As soon as it gets named that's when you start marketing it. And it's like 'Ah, this is hipster.' Cause hipster was cool until it became hipster...And then it became monetized. Same thing with Hip Hop. So, whatever this thing is. Whatever's happening. Like whenever Jaden Smith tells me he's like 'I'm real excited for whatever's happening.' He can feel it. I can feel it."

He went on to talk about how there needs to be "a sense of balance" among the races and the thinking behind his Mike Brown-inspired poem "I Wanna Be A White Rapper."

Listen to the full interview below, and let us know what you think in the comments section!

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Childish Gambino