Childish Gambino, also known as award-winning actor Donald Glover, has released a music video for his hit song “Feels Like Summer” taking a nostalgic look at the last few months while featuring countless cameos from the musicians and celebrities that have dominated summer 2018. On summer’s final day, it somehow manages to make you miss it already.
The video starts in an animated world where a Childish Gambino cartoon walks through a neighborhood listening to music, oblivious to the world around him. The 34-year-old actor and musician then begins to take notice of the scenes that surround him, each filled with star cameos involved in fairly standard summertime events.
However, the most notable cameo exists simply in an empty space. In a reference to a story that dominated the summer, a weeping Kanye West is shown wearing his now infamous bright-red “Make America Great Again” hat. Michelle Obama appears, wrapping the 41-year-old rapper in a hug that seems to settle him down.
West has put himself in the center of controversy in recent months through his regular support of President Donald Trump, posing in photos wearing the “MAGA” hats, calling Trump his “brother” in tweets and making an appearance on TMZ On TV where he made the statement that he considered slavery sounded like a “choice”.
While relatively quiet about the controversy since the release of his album and the launch of several other records from his G.O.O.D. Music labelmates, West did take some time to speak on his behavior during the summer after reflection when he made an appearance on 107.5 WGCI Radio in Chicago.
“I don’t know if I properly apologized for how the slavery comment made people feel,” said West during the interview. “I’m sorry for the one-two effect of the MAGA hat into the slave comment, and I’m sorry for people that felt let down by that moment. And I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to talk to you about the way I was thinking and what I was going through and what led me to that and I just appreciate you guys holding on to me as a family.”
The video also features references to the other big summer stories, including the beef between Drake and Pusha T and the recent complaints from Nicki Minaj about Travis Scott sabotaging her album sales. Other cameos include Beyonce, Will Smith, and Azealia Banks
While not commenting on the video himself, Childish Gambino retweeted a tweet of support for the video’s animator Justin Richburg.