BlocBoy JB on Contributing to Childish Gambino's 'This Is America': 'It Was Like an Organ Donation'

Released on May 5 to coincide with Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover) performing on and hosting Saturday Night Live, “This Is America” became Gambino’s first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, debuting atop the chart after less than a week tracking.

With provocative lyrics and a video that depicts a host racially charged issues facing the country — protests, police brutality and gun violence — “America” also includes a slew other MCs contributing vocal ad-libs: Young Thug, Quavo, 21 Savage, Slim Jxmmi Rae Sremmurd and BlocBoy JB, whose contributions to the video include Gambino doing his “Shoot” dance, popularized in his “Look Alive” clip featuring Drake, which hit No. 5 on the Hot 100. BlocBoy weighs in on one the year’s most jolting hits.

How did “This Is America” come about?
Gambino] reached out to my people. He needed my words. My manager] was like, “Childish Gambino wants your vocals.” They] made it seem like an organ donation]. That beat was so motherfucking hard, and that’s all that was. As soon as I heard that motherfucker, I was like, “Man, I ain’t going to lie, I want to rap on his motherfucker.” But then I was like, “I’m just going to do what they say,” because I said I was going to record ad-libs]. I said I was going to keep it simple. I had other music to get back to anyway.

What was your reaction to the video?
The video is real-deal lit. When I first heard it, I saw the video at the same time]. Soon as he started hitting the dance, I was like, “Oh, word!” I didn’t know he knew how to dance like that.

How would you rate his “Shoot” dance?
Nobody can get a 10. He’ll get a 9. Only me gets the 10.

What was your favorite part the video?
When he shot the dude in the head and then he had the choir singing, that shit was so live! That shit is America. Motherfuckers are dying every day.

This article originally appeared in the May 19 Issue  Billboard.