Rapper, comedian, actor, writer and producer Donald Glover, also known as his artistic persona, Childish Gambino, released his newest project in December 2013. The project, titled “Because The Internet,” combined a 19-song album, a screenplay and an elaborate lead up, to create an experience like no other.

The album leaked eight days early and the screenplay was released via Glover’s twitter feed four days before the intended album release date. The screenplay, found at becausetheinter.net, is 76 pages long and has songs from the album embedded and video clips that visualize snippets of the story.

The story follows a character named “the boy” and his life over the course of several weeks. Glover plays the character of “the boy” in all video clips on the website. Before the album or screenplay was released, Glover created a short film that serves as a sort of prologue to the screenplay and follows the same characters. During both the screenplay and the short film, motifs and symbols appear about the character, “the boy.” These same ideas emerged as Glover adopted the character during interviews and appearances leading up to the release.

This character synthesis by Glover was designed to blur the line between himself and “the boy.” By creating this character and combining him with the album and screenplay, Glover created his own artistic universe that his work inhabits.

The album itself has some ups and downs. Because the album accompanies a screenplay, Gambino took certain liberties that reduce the enjoyment of listening to the album. In songs like “Worldstar,” there is a sudden shift halfway through the song from disjointed bass-filled hip-hop to a smooth electro jazz saxophone hook that accompanies a scene in the screenplay where “the boy” enters a jazz nightclub. Such artistic choices and vision for the album makes it a hard one to listen to just for fun, and that’s the point. Glover is trying to create art that takes thought and time to fully experience and appreciate.

The album is much more diverse than his previous work. Glover continued his partnership with producer Ludwig Goransson which started in 2010 with the album “Culdesac.” The beats range from ghetto chunky bass racket to classical guitar and solo voice. A certain amount of confusion can be felt from this diversity. Certain songs, such as “No Exit,” can feel rambly and unclear which makes them a bit of a chore to listen to. With most tracks, a bit of disarray adds to the experience.

Glover’s flow and lyricism have only improved with time. He continues his habit of quick clever wordplay in songs like “Sweatpants” and “3005.” But he takes a turn for the serious and introspective with songs like “Flight Of The Navigator,” and “Life: The Biggest Troll.”

Throughout the album, Glover addresses themes of social media and its role in our society (hence the album title), love and loss and the isolation and surrealness accompanied with fame.

Glover recently announced his new tour entitled “The Deep Web Tour,” which comes to St. Paul on March 18th. Overall, despite some moments of dullness and incoherence, Glover has created an experience like no other with “Because The Internet.”