RAPPER Donald Glover has revealed he cancelled his tour because he suffered a stroke on stage.
The actor, 42, previously told how he needed to focus on his “physical health” when he scrapped the North American gigs in September 2024.
Glover, who performs under the stage name Childish Gambino, initially shared the unfortunate news he was cancelling to his 2.5 million followers on X.
After he then called off the UK tour leg for The New World Tour, he told fans he needed surgery – but did not reveal why.
Now he has told how he suffered a stroke – and how medics also found a hole in his heart.
He spoke out at the Camp Flog Gnaw Festival at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles last night, after performing a set.
He told the crowds: “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.
“And the first thing I thought was like, ‘Oh, here I am still copying Jamie Foxx’ [the actor who suffered a stroke in 2023].
“That’s really like the second thing. The first thing was like, ‘I’m letting everybody down.’”
He then added how more medical woe was to come and said: “I broke my foot, they found a hole in my heart.
“So I had this surgery, and then I had to have another surgery.
“They say everybody has two lives, and the second life starts when you realise you have one.
“You should be living your life how you want. If we have to do this again, it can only get better.”
HEALTH BATTLES
After canceling his UK tour in 2024, the star released a brief statement.
He said “After my show in New Orleans, I went to the hospital in Houston to make sure of an ailment that had become apparent.
“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.”
He continued: “My path to recovery is something that I need to confront seriously.
“With that said, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of the North American tour and the UK and European dates.
“Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase.
“I want nothing more than to bring this show to the fans and perform.
“Until then, thanks for love, privacy and support.”
The New World Tour started on August 11 2024 in Oklahoma and wrapped up in New Orleans on September 7th.
Childish Gambino was due to perform in Lyon, France, on October 31st.
Followed by a number of other shows in Italy, Germany, Norway, Denmark and Belgium.
RETIREMENT
The New World Tour was the sixth and final scheduled tour by Childish Gambino.
Earlier this year the singer revealed his plans to retire.
“It really was just like, ‘Oh, it’s done,’” he told The New York Times in July 2024.
“It’s not fulfilling. And I just felt like I didn’t need to build in this way anymore.”
“I’m not 25 anymore, standing in front of a boulder like, ‘This has to move,’” Donald said.
“You give what you can, but there’s beauty everywhere in every moment. You don’t have to build it. You don’t have to search for it.”