Childish Gambino’s This is America Tour began Thursday (Sept. 6) at Georgia’s Infinite Energy Arena. During the show, the Atlanta actor spoke to the crowd about the performance’s importance. “If you’re at this show know it’s the last Gambino tour ever,” he said in a Reddit video captured by a fan. “This is not a concert. This is f**king church.”
This isn’t the first time the artist, born Donald Glover, teased early retirement. During an interview after the 2018 Grammys, the Redbone singer told reporters that the next Childish Gambino album would be the last under that name.
“I stand by that,” he said of the retirement claim. “I’m really appreciative of this. I’m making another project right now. But I like endings, I think they’re important to progress.”
As Gambino prepared for the tour to begin, he sent ticketholders an email on Monday (Sept. 3), with two new songs titled “Algorhythm” and “All Night.” According to The Fader, the email stated the two new songs are “not complete” but that “it is important for you to be familiar with them in order to participate, and therefore fully enjoy the experience.” Gambino’s email also stressed keeping the songs “within the community” to prevent them from being leaked online.
“Algorhythm” and “All Night” have yet to be released to non-ticketholders, but Gambino released two summer-themed tunes along with an animated video to get fans through the end of the hot season.
READ MORE: Childish Gambino Drops Calming Animated Visual For “Feels Like Summer”