Childish Gambino – “Centipede” (Singles Going Steady)

Adriane Pontecorvo: A cut from back in 2013, reflective Childish Gambino track “Centipede” still holds up, and this new video is a perfect match for it. Clips of the rapper at his most unguarded — behind the scenes, talking candidly about his work, constantly pensive — highlight lyrics about dreams and struggles. Gambino has a perfect rhythm, his flow strong and fast against soulful keys and persistent beats. A refreshing track with great staying power. [8/10]

John Garratt: He had me until he started explaining himself at the 2:37 mark. Up until then, it was a terrific little package. The worn-out piano ostinato, the reverb-laden vocal cascades, the soft referencing of the John & Yoko bed-in — even the casual use of the n-word coupled with some genuine humility didn’t jolt me. Things get scary around 2:13, making it sound like the old song was dumped to make way for a completely new one. But then Childish Gambino turned into the comedian who explains his own jokes, the magician who explains his own tricks. [6/10]

Chris Ingalls: This is an older song, right? Is the video new? Since I never heard it the first time around, I’m reviewing this as if it were new. Great flow, love the piano sampling, love the back and forth between the rhyming and the ethereal chorus sections. Glover is stuffing a lot of ideas into a relatively short run time and it never feels overly complicated. [8/10]

SCORE: 7.33