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Pitchfork is highly presumptuous for giving Childish Gambino’s Camp a 1.6. There are many key points in this review that are upsettingly hypocritical, but especially infuriating is the writer’s attack on Donald Glover’s rhyming of “LSU” with “molest you.” Since when is Pitchfork selective about what makes a “real” rhyme? Let’s talk about how Kanye rhymes “behind me” with “behind me,” but still gets impressively high ratings. Don’t get me wrong, I love Kanye. I just don’t understand why Pitchfork is being so hard on Glover. His album is self-produced, his rapping is skillful, and his lyrics run the gamut of silly to thoughtful. It’s not that his sophomore effort is perfect - who’s efforts are ever perfect? I think, however, that Camp deserves to be listened to without the preconceived notion that it’s terrible.

Furthermore, this review is very explicit in its rejection of Glover’s feelings of alienation about being middle class and black. Who does this writer think he is, insinuating that Glover’s experiences somehow aren’t real? Is it that Glover isn’t “street” enough? Are privileged hipsters everywhere upset that they can’t live vicariously through a rapper who doesn’t represent their idea of “thug?” Don’t they know that Tyler, the Creator also comes from a middle-class background, and that his lyrics about drugs, rape, and murder are in jest (just like many of Glover’s)? Does Pitchfork’s complete rejection of this album speak to a larger problem in our country - a problem of assumptions about races having specific cultures and socioeconomic statuses automatically assigned to them, and a deep discomfort when confronted with this assumptions’ falsehoods?

Furthermore, I think that Pitchfork should be held accountable for the reviews it writes by enabling readers to comment, just like the A.V. Club does. Check out this unfortunate and reactionary review of a Season 14 episode of South Park. It may have been unfortunate and reactionary, but at least readers could interact with the reviewer, and hold them responsible for their words.

Thankfully, we live in a society where we are able to consume a wide array of entertainment. Unfortunately, with so many options available to us, we put a lot of trust in sources that claim to be right in telling us what is and isn’t worth our time. On one hand, these sources are sometimes very apt in what they say; I should mention here that I really enjoy Pitchfork as a whole, and find many of their reviews to be thoughtful and spot-on. On the other hand, when they are inaccurate, they have the power to actually ruin careers. I sincerely hope that Glover’s career isn’t ruined by this review, and that listeners will take the time to experience Camp on their own terms.