Donald Glover Reveals Stroke Is Why He Cancelled Childish Gambino Tour Dates

Musician and actor Donald Glover has revealed that he had a stroke last year, which was the reason behind the cancellation of Childish Gambino tour dates.

At the time, he told fans he was suffering from an “ailment,” without getting specific. But on Saturday night (22 November), upon his return to the stage at Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival in Los Angeles, he opened up about his health scare.

“You guys voted for a ‘where have I been monologue,’” Glover began. “I had a really bad pain in my head in Louisiana, and I did the show anyway. I couldn’t really see well, so when we went to Houston, I went to the hospital, and the doctor was like, ‘You had a stroke.’”

Glover added that upon cancelling tour dates, he felt like he was letting fans down—especially those in countries he still hadn’t managed to visit, like Ireland. The Redbone singer also admitted that doctors “found a hole” in his heart, and he had to undergo two surgeries.

“They say everybody has two lives and the second life starts when you realise you have one,” Glover continued. “You got one life, guys, and I gotta be honest, the life I’ve lived with you guys has been such a blessing.”

You can watch video footage of his sharing with the audience below.

In October 2024, Glover released a statement upon cancelling tour dates in North America and Europe without detailing the “ailment” he was dealing with.

“After my show in New Orleans, I went to the hospital in Houston to make sure of an ailment that had become apparent,” he wrote to fans.

He continued, “After being assessed, it became clear i would not perform that night, and after more tests, i could not perform the rest of the US tour in the time asked. As of now, I have surgery scheduled and need time out to heal. My path to recovery is something I need to confront seriously.”

A month later, Glover cancelled his Australian and New Zealand tour dates, which were scheduled for February 2025.

In an email to attendees via Ticketek, Gambino wrote: “Unfortunately, my path to recovery is taking longer than expected. The upcoming concerts in Australia and New Zealand are cancelled.

“One of the last things I'd ever want to do is disappoint my fans. I really appreciate the support you have shown and know that I will do what I can to give you an exceptional experience when the time is right. Thank you.”

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