Fans of Childish Gambino were unaware of just how close they came to losing the artist last year. In 2024, Donald Glover, known for his role in Community and as the creator and star of FX’s hit series Atlanta, unexpectedly canceled the U.S., U.K., and European segments of The New World Tour. The only explanation given at the time was an unspecified surgery and the need for a break.

In a post on X, which was later deleted but captured by Variety, Glover informed his fans, “After my show in New Orleans, I went to the hospital in Houston to check on a health issue that had surfaced. After evaluation, it was determined that I couldn’t perform that night, and further tests confirmed I couldn’t continue the U.S. tour within the expected timeframe. I now have a surgery scheduled and need to take time off to recover.”

He acknowledged, “My recovery journey is one I must take seriously. With that in mind, we’ve made the tough decision to cancel the remaining North American, U.K., and European tour dates. Ticket refunds will be available at the point of purchase. I deeply wish to bring this show to my fans and perform for you. Until then, thank you for your love, privacy, and support.”

In a recent performance, Glover finally opened up about the real circumstances behind the tour’s cancellation. During his set at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival, the artist behind “3005” paused to share the alarming events that led to his hiatus. Glover described experiencing severe pain mid-tour that impaired his vision and necessitated a hospital visit.

Taking the stage at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival, the “3005” artist paused his set to recount the frightening series of events that took him off the road. Glover described a severe pain that hit him mid-tour, one that messed with his vision and sent him to the hospital.

“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,’” he joked. “That’s really like the second thing. The first thing was like, ‘I’m letting everybody down.’”

What followed was an even more sobering stretch of health setbacks. “I broke my foot… They found a hole in my heart… so I had this surgery, and then I had to have another surgery,” he told the crowd.

The near-death experience fundamentally shifted his perspective. “They say everybody has two lives and the second life starts when you realize you have one… You should be living your life how you want. If we have to do this again, it can only get better,” he said.

Glover’s return to the stage may be triumphant — but now fans know just how much it took to get there.