Donald Glover has revealed that he suffered a stroke last year, forcing him to cancel dates on his Childish Gambino New World Tour.
The “Redbone” crooner, also known as Childish Gambino, recalled performing at the Louisiana tour stop during Saturday’s Camp Frog Now with “terrible pain in my head.”
“I just did the show,” he said, according to a fan video shared via X. “I couldn’t see well, so when I went to Houston, I went to the hospital and the doctor said, ‘I’ve had a stroke.’
“And the first thing I thought was, ‘Oh, I’m still imitating Jamie Foxx,'” Glover, 42, joked about Foxx’s cerebral hemorrhage in April 2023, which led to his stroke.
“It’s really like the second thing,” he added. “At first I was like, ‘I’m letting everyone down.'”
The hitmaker explained that medical professionals “discovered there was a hole in his heart” and he had to undergo multiple surgeries.
“They say we all have two lives, but your second life begins when you realize you only have one life,” Glover continued.
“Guys, you only live once, and I can honestly say that the life I’ve lived with you has been a very happy one.”
The “This Is America” rapper urged fans to live their lives the way they want, adding, “Even if I have to do it again, things can only get better.”
Last October, Glover announced that he was canceling the remainder of his tour in North America and Europe.
At the time, he revealed that he was hospitalized, but did not disclose his medical condition.
“All I want is to bring this show to my fans and perform. Until then, I appreciate your love, privacy, and support,” the “Feels Like Summer” singer said in a statement.
Glover’s tour, which began in August 2024, was meant to say goodbye to his stage name Childish Gambino.
In an interview with The New York Times, he said he no longer felt “satisfied” with his stage name.
“I’m not 25 anymore and I’m standing in front of a rock thinking, ‘This has to work,'” Glover said. “I give everything I can, but beauty is everywhere, in every moment. You don’t have to build it. You don’t have to look for it.”
