Childish Gambino has taken aim at the Grammys and BET Awards by comparing his record at both awards shows to that of Will Smith and Sam Smith.
While presenting the award for Album of the Year at the 2024 BET Awards on Sunday (June 30), the rapper and actor (born Donald Glover) used the opportunity to question why he has more Grammys than the Fresh Prince and the same number of BET Awards as Sam Smith, who is white.
“I’m really excited to be here, but I want to get some things off my chest first,” he said after gracing the mic in front of the Peacock Theatre audience in Los Angeles.
“This isn’t personal but I just feel like I should have more BET Awards. I’m serious. It’s the Black Entertainment Television Awards. How much more entertaining do I have to do? It’s just the math of the fact. It doesn’t really make sense.
“I have more Grammys than Will Smith, which makes no sense. But I have the same amount of BET Awards as Sam Smith,” he added, prompting laughter from the crowd. “Does that make sense to you guys? Me and Sam Smith are neck and neck at the Black Entertainment Television [Awards].”
Gambino then joked: “If I have to, like, do, I dunno, Baby Boy or something, just let me know. I’ll have Jonathan Majors put me in a headlock and shave my head. I’ll do it!”
Oh he MEANT THIS SHIT! #BETAwards#BETExperience#childishgambinopic.twitter.com/7fdEyUVqaD
— SincerelyB Blogging – #ThisMyNitch (@SincerelyBlogg) July 1, 2024
Gambino has won just one BET Award, with “This is America” taking home Video of the Year in 2019. He has been nominated a total of seven times for his work in music, film and TV, including for Best Actor in 2024. (He lost out in that category to Denzel Washington.)
Sam Smith also has a sole BET Award to his name, winning Best New Artist in 2015 over Tinashe, Rae Sremmurd, Fetty Wap, Bobby Shmurda and Dej Loaf.
Donald Glover will be hoping to add more silverware to his trophy collection over the next year as he gears up to release his new movie Bando Stone & The New World and accompanying album.
The Atlanta star premiered the trailer in IMAX theaters last week, with the film finding him playing a fictional pop star named Bando Stone who must survive a post-apocalyptic world, despite his only talent being singing.
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The creepy yet comedic video shows him navigating various threats on a tropical island, including giant blood-thirsty creatures, what appears to be massive electromagnetic traps and other potentially extraterrestrial forces.
The movie, due out this summer, will be paired with a new album from Childish Gambino that will serve as his final release under his rap moniker.
It will be his second music project of 2024 following Atavista, an updated version of his 2020 album 3.15.20 which dropped in May.
