Childish Gambino political track hits UK

Childish Gambino’s weighty new political track This Is America has scored him his highest-ever position in the UK charts as a lead artist.

The American rapper – the musical alter-ego of actor and writer Donald Glover – dropped the surprise single last weekend, taking aim at gun violence in his home country in a powerful video that sees him shooting people around him.

The video has been watched more than 70 million times in six days, and the track is this week’s highest new entry on the Official Singles Chart, debuting at number 14.

His only other top 40 appearance to date was in 2012 as a guest on Leona Lewis’s Trouble, which peaked at number seven.

Glover’s effort has been widely praised across the board by fans and celebrities, including Adele and Bruno Mars.