STN MTN / Kauai

STN MTN / Kauai
Mixtape / EP by Childish Gambino
Released
  • October 2, 2014 (STN MTN)
  • October 3, 2014 (Kauai)
Recorded 2014
Genre
Length
  • 40:28 (STN MTN)
  • 28:03 (Kauai)
Label Glassnote
Producer
Childish Gambino chronology

  • STN MTN / Kauai
  • (2014)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Consequence of Sound B-[1]
Drowned in Sound 7/10[2]
HipHopDX [3]
XXL XL (4/5)[4]
Wondering Sound [5]
Zumic [6]

STN MTN / Kauai is the combined release of the seventh mixtape and second extended play (EP) by American rapper Donald Glover, who records under the stage name Childish Gambino. The STN MTN mixtape was released on October 2, 2014 as a free download from DatPiff, while the Kauai EP was made available the following day through online music stores by Glassnote Records. They are each considered dual sides of a concept album that are unified by a cohesive story line, and come ten months after Glover's second studio album, Because the Internet.[7]

Background

Producers who contributed to the mixtape include Childish Gambino himself, as well as Nick Banga, Big Soj, Ludwig Göransson, Tim Suby, and Zaytoven.

On October 5, 2014, fans on Reddit discovered a hidden acapella verse on one of Donald Glover's websites. It was confirmed by Gambino that the verse syncs up with the instrumental portion of "V. 3005 (Beach Picnic Version)".[8]

While STN MTN was free, the proceeds from the sales of Kauai will be dedicated to maintaining and preserving Kauai island, which the EP is named after.[9]

Songs

One of the most popular songs on the EP Kauai, "Retro [Rough]", is based on Childish's earlier song, "Love Is Crazy" featuring Eugene Cordero, from his mixtape Sick Boi.[10]

Critical reception

STN MTN / Kauai has received generally positive reviews. DJ Booth gave the project a 4.7/5 stars, calling it "a cohesive project... it's Gambino so there will be at least some depth to make a follow up review worth while." Zach Dionne of Complex gave a positive review saying that "In a couple songs, he flies us there, thousands of miles away from Atlanta, to see for ourselves."

Commercial performance

Kauai debuted at number 18 on the Billboard 200, selling 16,000 copies in its first week.[11] The next week, the EP rose to number 16 on the chart, selling 19,000 copies, bringing the total to 35,000 copies.[12] In its third week, the EP dropped down to number 46 on the chart, selling 7,000 copies, bringing the total album sales to 42,000 copies.[13]

Track listing

STN MTN
No. TitleProducer(s) Length
1. "Dream / Southern Hospitality / Partna Dem"  
5:00
2. "Fucks Given"  Nick Banga 2:30
3. "No Small Talk" (featuring Kari Faux)
  • Black Party
  • Kari Faux
3:15
4. "Money Baby"  Big Fruit 3:25
5. "Move That Dope / Nextel Chirp / Let Your Hair Blow" (featuring Young Scooter) 4:51
6. "AssShots Remix" (featuring Royalty)Big Soj 5:01
7. "Childish Gambino @ The Atrium"  Childish Gambino 1:26
8. "U Don't Have to Call"  
3:34
9. "Candler Road"  
  • Tim Suby
  • Childish Gambino
3:17
10. "All Y'all"  Timbaland 3:39
11. "Go DJ"  Mannie Fresh 4:30
Total length:
40:28
Kauai
No. TitleProducer(s) Length
1. "Sober"  Glover, Göransson 4:12
2. "Pop Thieves (Make It Feel Good)" (featuring Jaden Smith)Glover, Göransson 5:09
3. "Retro" (Rough)Glover, Göransson 3:22
4. "The Palisades" (featuring Christian Rich)Christian Rich 3:10
5. "Poke" (featuring Steve G. Lover)Glover, Göransson 3:36
6. "Late Night in Kauai" (featuring Jaden Smith)Glover, Göransson 4:45
7. "V. 3005" (Beach Picnic Version)Glover, Göransson 3:45
Total length:
28:03

Release history

Country Date Version Format Label Ref.
Worldwide October 2, 2014 STN MTN N/A [14]
October 3, 2014 Kauai Digital download Glassnote [15]

References

  1. Madden, Michael (October 17, 2014). "Childish Gambino – STN MTN / Kauai". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  2. Moore, Sam (October 13, 2014). "Ep Review: Childish Gambino – STN MTN/Kauai". Drowned in Sound. Silentway. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  3. Miller, Kellan (October 9, 2014). "Childish Gambino – STN MTN (Mixtape)". HipHopDX. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  4. "Childish Gambino Reminisces About Atlanta On ‘STN MTN / Kauai’". XXL. Harris Publications. October 8, 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  5. Pearce, Sheldon (October 6, 2014). "Childish Gambino, STN MTN". Wondering Sound. eMusic. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  6. Bershad, Brad (October 2, 2014). "“STN MTN / KAUAI” – Childish Gambino [Official Mixtape Stream, Free Download + Zumic Review]". Zumic. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  7. "Hear Childish Gambino's 'STN MTN' Mixtape Now". Billboard. October 2, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  8. https://twitter.com/donaldglover/status/518867155735949312
  9. "Stream Childish Gambino Kauai EP". HypeTrak. October 5, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  10. https://soundcloud.com/forever-childish/sick-boi-love-is-crazy. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.30972/title.hip-hop-album-sales-prince-chris-brown-childish-gambino
  12. http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.31063/title.hip-hop-album-sales-keyshia-cole-childish-gambino-tinashe-flying-lotus
  13. http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.31139/title.hip-hop-album-sales-game-hoodie-allen-chris-brown
  14. "Childish Gambino – STN MTN/Kauai Mixtape Hosted by DJ Drama". DatPiff. October 2, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  15. "iTunes – Music – Kauai by Childish Gambino". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. October 3, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2014.