The Because the Internet Iceberg Explained

►The Iceberg Image: tinyurl.com/25bfv9ac
In December of 2013, Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino dropped one of the most intriguing pieces of art of the 21st century. What was initially supposed to be an album turned into a multimedia expression of Glover’s many thoughts and feelings all wrapped up in an internet theme bow. It’s one of the densest and most intricate projects with a lot to unpack and explore. My hope is that this iceberg may help to shed some light on the depths of this project overall.
If any of the topics are covered out of order it’s for the flow of the video as it wouldn’t make sense to talk about certain topics without explaining another first.
►Resources: tinyurl.com/3z3nwbdb
►Because the Internet Piktochart: tinyurl.com/25pr83nc
►Leo's Soundcloud: / lpopstar
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Special thank you to the fans who participated in the video.
Swu_
Em Vee
TheDemonBurrito
Synthesisrabbit
@TheBobisZack on Twitter
Leo Pinto
Matics
Arecaceae
Orri is fine
(If your voice line was featured and I didn’t mention your name here, please DM on Discord.)
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Let's Unpack Because The Internet | Mic The Snare
Childish Gambino’s 3005 Video FINALLY Explained
Donald Glover: How Versatility Defines Our Generation
This Is America: Childish Gambino's Genius Absurdity
Why Donald Glover Is An Existentialist
Childish Gambino - Storytelling Through Hip-Hop
The Minecraft Iceberg
This KZbin Iceberg Explained
The Donald Glover Iceberg
Childish Gambino Iceberg
The Lost Media Iceberg Explained
The MF DOOM Iceberg Explained

[@AnAbsurdExistence]

𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐨𝐧 www.patreon.com/AnAbsurdExistence 𝐓𝐢𝐩 𝐉𝐚𝐫 tinyurl.com/4vnr6xyy

[@SergioTestaYuno]

upvoted on Reddit

[@sh00damusic]

notice me senpai

[@well_as_an_expert_id_say]

Bro, please, please tell me how you got the DOOM mask emoji

[@ilaibengal6920]

:)

[@konradsigsgaard7663]

Please change the title to "The "Because the internet" Iceberg Explained"

[@ohianaw]

this is gambinos best album. it doesnt even sound like its from 2013

[@vincent5903]

sounds like... it's from... 3005 maybe??!!

[@daz5718]

I see what you did there😏

[@king6595]

The ironic part is it does but it doesn't

[@TheRainyKingdom]

Right??

[@grandpappyeats9295]

As someone who’s been producing music for just under a year and has always been a fan of childish gambino since I was in middle school…this album was way ahead of its time. Even after listening to it multiple times it still doesn’t get old.

[@finnishamerican]

An “infinity pool” doesn’t have to be in the shape of an infinity symbol. If I remember correctly it is supposed to look like it goes on endlessly into infinity.

[@maurice7002]

i don’t know if this is what you meant but an infinity pool is a pool that flows off the side and the water is spit back in through the jets therefore making it infinite since it doesn’t run out of water

[@mattyofsmokes3706]

@@maurice7002 you are correct haha

[@DannyIsSoFly]

I came here to comment this, good work.

[@lilcrossfaded]

this comment alone made me not want to watch the video. that’s such a small detail but google is RIGHT THERE

[@nicolangzo5185]

Usually the end of the pool fades into the beginning of the ocean, making it endless

[@salsaucy2547]

This album was ahead of it's time. Listening to it is a fuckin experience man. Wish "Flight of The Navigator" got more love. Favorite song on the album.

[@DNVYN]

Hell yeah! Best song to me

[@sinah536]

Top 5 gambino

[@daz5718]

This album is so ahead of its time, really well thought out and executed exquisitely, a hidden gem Favorite album of all time

[@tayvone24]

Same

[@JCAdhd]

Streets ahead

[@YouTubechannel-fb9yd]

Wouldn’t call it a hidden gem bro🤣

[@RSL_NothinG]

It’s definitely my second after TPAB

[@jacksonsaunders-sn4nl]

It literally is tho

[@goombino_]

I personally think The screenplay is a prequel to Atlanta not story-wise but how it mixes surrealism and realism just like Atlanta

[@thenameisomari]

Yeah, I think Glover’s always been fascinated with blending those two elements in his art (e.g., the twist at the end of the “Telegraph Ave” music video, or the “Sweatpants” music video).

[@ToyotaCamrySEv]

directed by the same guy. i get what you mean like it feels similar.

[@cullenavent6585]

Im a huge fan of Atlanta, but no parts of it seem surreal to me. I see hella people saying its surreal tho

[@ToyotaCamrySEv]

@@cullenavent6585 the dude with the invisible car, black justin beiber, that one dude with the sandwitch on the bus, Teddy Perkins. Thats what people are talking about

[@JC-rs3nh]

@@ToyotaCamrySEv the episode where alfred was lost in the forest too. lol you get it

[@realjoshb]

Seven/ eight years later and I’m still impressed by the work he put into this album and the world around it

[@vewn2432]

"my peanut butter chocolate cake with kool-aid" - some actor/musician we've never heard of

[@Jerzey97]

I did some research on the gold molar and this scene in 2016 and this is what I concluded: After doing research I learned that someone with a gold tooth represents a hustler or someone who has a certain leverage in the hood or other “off-brand places”. Basically someone with a gold tooth is someone like a ice cream man, someone who cuts hair, etc. Basically someone who can make ends meet by using a talent they learned in the streets. In the scene when Donald pulled it out was about him losing that quality due to the Internet. When it comes to the Internet you don’t really have to work hard to gain recognition or acceptance, or even money. All you have to do is conform. That scene also pertains to the music industry and how they rob artist or their most unique qualities and sell it for profit.

[@generaldiscernment]

That's pretty thorough and interesting. It could also reference his "blackness", as gold teeth and traditional black culture have sort of a synonymity. That moment could signify his fame (the internet made him famous) stripping him of his "blackness".

[@Jerzey97]

@@generaldiscernment exactly around those lines

[@ndx2k]

This is one of those albums that will never ever sound dated

[@mrsmiley707]

timeless album

[@peazeralus]

Easily my favorite album of all-time. DG said he built the album and story to be a "world you could live in". He killed it.

[@kokoloka1223]

Omg finally someone did it. This album was realised 2013 talking about our life on the internet and even though the memes changed, design of websites changed the topic didn't grow up even a little bit and how accurate it is to this today is just wow.

[@BradenGoodall]

Check out the dissect podcast if you liked this!

[@milkymarauder]

i was such a huge fan of the screenplay, but that could be because i was having similar existential feelings when i discovered it back in high school

[@d_c05]

One of my favorite BTI songs is not even in the album. It’s a promotional song called Yaphet Kotto

[@mattmcbrayer2687]

Yaphet Kotto is a fire track!

[@ramcopicswhiskersonkittens7586]

"childish like goldfishes"

[@AnAbsurdExistence]

DOIN' IT AND DOIN' IT AND DOIN' IT WELL

[@jacob_]

Insane how this Album was made in 2013 ahead of its time

[@AnAbsurdExistence]

prophetic in someways

[@josegurrola9021]

Was so glad that Dissect Podcast did a season on this album because despite it being a favorite of mine, I didn't look into all the extra stuff that came out along with the album when I was just entering HS. The subjects that Gambino covers in this album are very deep and real so it's not an album I throw on for just background music. I always try to take something away from the album every time I listen to it. I highly encourage anyone to dive deep into the wormhole that is this album.

[@adrianramirez4884]

Yesss this! I had a 9 hr drive back from Florida and put it on and that was one of the greatst experiences of my life just drivinf and listening to that

[@biterface03]

"Because The Internet" Was A Masterpiece.

[@ptrcrispy]

You somehow made me jump three times during the explanation of how the cover is actually a GIF lmao

[@rbbietherabbit6507]

The alien theory is by far my favorite conspiracy

[@AnAbsurdExistence]

same

[@shaderblue2555]

The pain I feel knowing I'll never get to experience anything like this is immeasurable

[@thehell36]

Childish gambino quickly became my favourite artist. So much so I eventually went back and listened to each mixtape he made. Love the gambino rep!

[@bushes_2676]

Knowing that there was a screenplay actually encouraged me to listen to the album alongside it. From my expirence at least, without the screenplay, there are some songs on the album I personally would have skipped as they are not my exact music taste. Reading the screenplay alongside the album I feel also gave me a deeper view into the lyricism of the songs which I feel like made it more enjoyable to listen to.

[@Slame333]

This was just one gigantic nostalgia trip for me. I knew and remembered all of these things. What a time, man. I used to go onto Forever Childish and his websites religiously at this time to find anything and everything I could about the album. Funny that the former is still a thing and looks the exact same with the same layout it had a decade ago. Was just thinking about his website and all of the easter eggs it had bc today actually bc today is actually the 10 year anniversary of Camp. Really sad to hear that that there’s no archive of it, bc that thing was jam packed with stuff. Hopefully it’s not lost forever and people hit you up to get an archive going. (My personal favorite is the multiple choice question and answers that would wind up being the hook on The Worst Guys.)

[@dg9444]

21:29 an infinity pool isn’t a pool in the shape of infinity

[@AnAbsurdExistence]

I swear i was joking :)))

[@phvros]

Loved every bit of this. It perfectly encompasses all the reasons BTI is still one of my favorite albums. Glover going beyond expectations made the project an experience in itself.

[@AnAbsurdExistence]

Exactly, Gambino went above and beyond for this project!

[@vaughn715]

the screenplay is so overhated and is honestly amazing

[@plantboydesu]

Have you listened to the Dissect podcast? Made me appreciate the screenplay a lot. Hugely recommend it if you haven't.

[@gh0stm0nst3r6]

Riiiiight? And props for finding a nice way to say "I cringed every time you said you didn't pay much attention to the screenplay" lol

[@plantboydesu]

@@gh0stm0nst3r6 yeah like.... Normally I really love Absurd Experiences videos. Especially on DOOM but I kinda stopped watching once he said the script wasn't essential. It's about looking at it more than surface level which is also the point of an iceberg haha. No hate I just think he should delve deeper cos there's so so so much to uncover there

[@Voclain4]

III. Urn is one of the best songs i’ve ever heard.

[@metalface3619]

This video got me to listen to BTI all the way through in my morning during class, and now I love this album even more

[@friendthebarrel154]

Probably one of the best things the KZbin algorithm has ever recommended to me, I Love this iceberg

[@Jessfiester]

Thanks for making this. This album was such a huge part of my high school, glad to see it get more recognition again.

[@Rosen666]

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS!

[@sadboy-dn1pc]

great video! as someone who was obsessed w this album during high school I'm glad to see other people went through this phase haha couple things I'd add to this iceberg: 1. the u/stuntonthesehoes incident where a troll spammed every post on the gambino subreddit with "Stunt on these hoes" until they got banned. the subreddit revolted to get him unbanned, gambino posting a meme about it and then u/stuntonthesehoes deactivating his account right after. this led some to believe that the acc was gambino himself 2. the screenplay ending contest on genius, where contestants wrote their own ending to the screenplay w the winner (chosen by gambino himself) getting a signed vinyl and screenplay 3. there was also a ~15 min version of the screenplay that was produced. it's here on youtube somewhere but i think it was originally posted on his Twitter. personally I think reading the screenplay is just as important as listening to the album; i still come back to a lot of scenes like the Indian wedding and especially the opening of pink toes still, great video overall! I appreciate the amount effort you put into this, I can see how passionate you are about this project

[@TheBoy121212]

where is this 15 min ver?

[@sammysarria]

thank you for making this video 🙏🏽i remember discovering this album years ago and it changed my life. its one if my favorite albums of all time, and ive always been so curious on the entire backstory and art behind it, im glad its getting a little bit more recognition

[@natthecat3602]

I think roscoe’s wetsuit also represents how people say random things on the internet repeatedly to be “on trend”. It might not mean anything but people say things they hear just to fit in or grab attention.

[@blondedivy]

bro you made this one for ME. this was the first album i’ve thought of as my favorite of all time…of course, this has changed, but bti still holds such a special place in my heart🥺

[@mehdizaidi4864]

This truly felt like you put your all into it. Please do more music content. If you did reviews that would be so sick

[@Cybo-18]

Love this album. It’s my #1 of his discography

[@nickb5371]

14:40 there was a video on KZbin posted by REVOLT BLACKOUT back in like 2018-19 at least, he predormed (in order shown in video from memory) 1 Worldstar 2 Telegtaph Ave. (Oakland) 3 Firefly 4 Yaphette Kotto (closer) It was such a cool preformamce, he turned the songs I listed into a medley

[@perdomgoth2443]

Philosophical concepts like absurdism by Camus and boredom by Jean paule Sartre can explain this very well, also, Dadaism and art without meaning

[@ethandew1768]

I think the boy isn’t just a character but an extension on Gambino, every time you see Gambino in the boy fit, he’s portraying the boy

[@bzradiohead18]

I keep coming back to this album and I keep falling in love with it more and more. I remember I went to a record shop and bought this album, good kid maad city, and Doris. Needless to say, hip hop and rap was big for me that year.

[@ryangouveia7197]

wow such an in depth and interesting video, keep it up bro

[@lotsclosed19]

My favorite album of alltime. Sweet vid man

[@BevWrld]

Love seeing my homie grow 😭 videos just keep on getting better, love you bro 👉🏽

[@forgotten_one_nyx7791]

great vid man keep it up and may the algorithm be with you

[@gus3635]

Love the dedication to this and I never knew how deep this went, loved vibing to the album but didnt know what was behind it. I came across a relisation that my favorate freestyle by Gambino, Poundcake, was during this time. The jacket and hat era. I wonder how this fits into the iceberg

[@Slayeur23]

Just found out bout your channel yesterday, awesome work man !

[@AnAbsurdExistence]

🤟

[@darylingoteborg3178]

Not even 2 minutes in I hit the like and sub purely out of respect for the the amount of effort you put into this; and likely all of your other videos

[@AnAbsurdExistence]

Thanks! They take a while to produce but in the end I know it's worth for myself and viewers like you.☮️☮️

[@dennizJWZ12]

Didn’t know one of my favorite albums of all time went so deep in terms of content

[@trevorkleist4329]

This is awesome dude!!! Subbed after the MFDoom Vid and have been watching ever since. Thank you for the good informed information!!

[@azreila7476]

didn’t really know much about this and now i want to dive in head first into the rabbit hole

[@treyk473]

great video loved it could do a part two

[@milesfranklyn]

I love this fam keep up the good work this the content we love to see!

[@AcidZRTL]

This video is so good, props to u! I'm subscribing

[@sebastianavilesmartinez5547]

Great video!

[@sethdunn6162]

I respect the hustle bro. You will get more views cause your videos so good 👍🏻

[@AnAbsurdExistence]

Thank bro

[@EurekaX]

great video!

[@kiayamwak3778]

This is the album that i ALWAYS brought to a conversation, and now i will have more to talk other than the roll out, roscoe wetsuit and meaning

[@dairsmad99]

Just wanted to say thank you for this

[@joshuamonge8275]

Thanks for amazing content

[@biterface03]

Also Thank You For This, I've Been Looking For Good Analysis Pieces On This & The ARG Since The Album Dropped.

[@itsluell]

love your videos

[@noblewhitneyIII]

This is awesome sir sharing today

[@Gilboat]

Great vid bro

[@berdth8397]

Great video, champ!

[@proto333]

running up dat algorithm for you fam

[@RadaSmada]

i swear to god this is the best album of all time. because the internet gives me feelings no other album has done

[@ianvaliente]

You are the man, thank you for this. Truly.

[@13hills]

The ghibli music and boondocks music in the background is a great match

[@your_son.]

the only things i knew about bti was the cover changing, the alien theory and the screen play. it was actually pretty nuts finding out about all this other stuff

[@youssefmoussa6532]

One of the greatest albums ever made and one of my favorites

[@biterface03]

“because the internet, *mistakes are forever.”*

[@diego-qc5kq]

car seat headrest iceberg would complete my life

[@icaruz1273]

Great Video!

[@KJlegend18]

This album is so ahead of it's time, it's still sounds fresh almost 10 years later. Crazy.

[@keinette9899]

this is my favorite album bc of the rabbit chase i went on 3 years ago deciphering the universe within the album, i developed a deep love for the album & short film.

[@VikTheGreat360]

I’ll never forget the impact this album had on me

[@Th3GamingAddict]

Super surprised the answer to "All she needed was some..." wasn't on here. If I remember correctly, you could find it on his website if you changed the url (?), not entirely sure. Great video regardless!

[@AttsRealm]

Very cool, I’m glad people are doing icebergs on more specific topics within music and stuff. However, why was there no mention of yaphet kotto? I’m pretty sure that it was a promo for the album, and also part of the screenplay

[@smash5551]

Great video

[@garykruger28]

I hope that was a joke about the infinity pool not being shaped as infinity... you do know what an infinity pool is right? Surely right???

[@ilmariharlemi3817]

This is not a comment for the algorithm, this is a personal manifestation of appreciation for the creator.

[@otterdonnelly9959]

Many people seem to have forgotten about the Miami Vice alternate cover. Surprised the video didn't go into Yaphet Kotto or Centipede. Pretty much the true bonus songs with What Kind of Love and Melrose.

[@matthewbell745]

I've never had this big of a deep dive into Gambino before

[@2012aal]

I don’t think Roscoe’s Wetsuit doesn’t have meaning, I think it only has meaning to whomever wants to give it meaning. It’s like a nihilist, and existential token of what the true meaning of what matters to the people it matters to.

[@AnAbsurdExistence]

That's exactly what I interpret it as.

[@2012aal]

Oh well I misinterpreted you but completely understood what you meant lol.

[@ITSJUlCY]

Amazing video.

[@thedankwalrus]

great video

[@well_as_an_expert_id_say]

Hey bro, I know it might appear now that the juice isn't worth the squeeze with the views to work ratio, but that's only for right now. Please keep doing what you're doing, I (along with many many others) thoroughly enjoy your content. Try not to worry about the numbers, I will always watch

[@AnAbsurdExistence]

Thank you! In the era of algorithms and access to so much analytical information, people focus TOO much on numbers. I do KZbin for fun. Have been since 2007 and always will make content I feel like making and never just for numbers. ✌

[@well_as_an_expert_id_say]

@@AnAbsurdExistence You're the best man, keep on keepin on 🤟🤟

[@well_as_an_expert_id_say]

Btw, I wanted to give a special thank you for the videos on MF DOOM. I unfortunately didn't discover him until after his passing, but the videos really helped me make a connection with the artist and now he's one of the few people I listen to daily. I really appreciate it.

[@chazzmaxey6184]

Algorithm putting in work today. Great video! 🐐

[@AnAbsurdExistence]

Thanks to people like you

[@DeeDerry]

One of most favourite albums 💯

[@lfhip-hop6794]

Nice breakdown! Also, I'm not sure if you remember, or even if it's worth mentioning but the leaked version of the album cut short and you couldn't hear the end of Life: The Biggest Troll

[@f0xxi3]

Thank you for this

[@kev1nruiz]

this is my favorite video ever

[@chrxstt]

I normally find videos like this immensely annoying but this was good

[@AnAbsurdExistence]

thanks 🤝 what quality did my video have that didn’t make it annoying like others you’re referring to?

[@chrxstt]

@@AnAbsurdExistence the iceberg genre of video has recently become quite over saturated in my opinion but I find the way you presented it to be far more appealing than others

[@GunnyRaps]

I remember when Donald Glover said on the Nerdest podcast in like 2011 that he wrote a musical from the perspective of Mayor Goldie Wilson from Back to the Future... I was like, "ok, I'll check out anything you put out. "

[@lucasfernandez5231]

Love the background songs

[@kh0357]

i’m not sure how this album still sounds futuristic

[@adrn___]

I just listened to this album not that long ago and this just explained everything

[@ezrafaith6592]

YES! That’s my favorite because of the internet songs- so underrated