“The rest of the song is me/Childish trying to get back to that moment.”

Between the release of his 2012 mixtape, Royalty, and 2013 album, Because the Internet Childish Gambino dropped an epic, six-minute loosie titled “Centipede.” Produced by Gambino and Ludwig Göransson, the song has earned over six million streams on SoundCloud since the rapper uploaded it on July 23, 2013. As Gambino explains on Genius, the chorus, which is based on a song he used to sing as a child, informs the track’s self-reflective subject matter.

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In a verified annotation on Genius, Gambino explained how the chorus helped him develop the song:

“Centipede” is filled with imagery from Gambino’s pre-fame years growing up in Stone Mountain, Georgia, like on the first verse when he raps:

I’m at my Grandma’s house, man, like I don’t know what to say

Maybe “I’m sorry” but sorry don’t pay the rent

I promise to pay you back and I don’t know where he at

But tell him he missing out, his grandson is cool as fuck

And tell me who be standing when them other ones giving up?

Later on, he reflects on the time he spent living in the Bronx with his parents:

Them Edenwald projects was eatin' our concept

Of anyone walking out, what is you talking about?

Gun Hill Road made them summers feel cold

On the same train that my parents met on

Twenty years later and my thoughts still ghetto

“Centipede” ends with a lengthy sample taken from a Charles Hamilton YouTube docu-series titled Behind the Lava Lamp. Although the specific episode is no longer available online, the snippet is preserved on Gambino’s track:

“Hood niggas don’t want to be hood niggas, my nigga. Everything niggas do, everything niggas do in the hood is for money, my nigga. What’s one thing that niggas do in the hood that ain’t for money? What bitch would want a nigga with no money? Huh? Huh!? Yo, slime! It’s your time.”

“Centipede” was believed to be a single from Because the Internet upon its release, but didn’t end up making the project’s final tracklist. It has retained a cult following, however, as Gambino has found more widespread success in the wake of “Redbone” and Awaken, My Love!.

Listen to the song above and catch up on all the lyrics to Childish Gambino’s “Centipede” on Genius now.