Donald Glover Reveals a Stroke Forced Him to Cancel 2024 Tour

Donald Glover revealed at Camp Flog Gnaw music festival in Los Angeles on November 22 that he had to cancel his 2024 tour because he suffered a stroke.

"I had a really bad pain in my head in Louisiana, and I did the show anyway," he said in video captured at the show. "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.'"

His first thought? "Oh, here I am still copying Jamie Foxx."

Dark humor about a serious health crisis. Very on-brand for Glover.

The rapper and "Community" star, 42, went on to share that doctors "found a hole in my heart." He underwent two surgeries after the episode.

What Happened

Glover, who also goes by Childish Gambino, launched his New World tour in August 2024. It ended the following month after a final stop in New Orleans.

At the time, he said he had to "postpone the rest of the North American tour to focus on my physical health for a few weeks." Then he canceled the remainder entirely.

He didn't disclose the health issue back then, telling fans that after being assessed at a hospital in Houston, "it became clear I would not perform that night, and after more tests, I could not perform the rest of the U.S. tour in the time asked."

Performing Through It

The fact that Glover had bad head pain in Louisiana, couldn't see well, but did the show anyway is both admirable and concerning.

Bad headache and blurry vision are classic stroke warning signs. He ignored them to perform anyway because thousands of people bought tickets and were waiting for the show.

What He Said at the Festival

Speaking to the crowd at Camp Flog Gnaw, Glover said he felt like he was "letting everybody down" by canceling the tour. Then he got reflective about how the stroke changed his perspective.

Everybody has two lives, and the second life starts when you realize you have one," he said. "You've got one life, guys. And I've got to be honest: The life I've lived with you guys has been such a blessing. I love seeing and performing for you guys.

That's what you say after a health scare reminds you mortality is real and not just something that happens to other people.

The Jamie Foxx Connection

Jamie Foxx also suffered a stroke. In his 2024 Netflix special "What Had Happened Was...," he said symptoms started with a "bad headache." After he was given aspirin, Foxx quickly lost consciousness and has no memory of the following 20 days.

The exact cause of Foxx's stroke was never determined. "It is a mystery," he said. "We still don't know exactly what happened to me."

So Glover joking about "copying" Foxx makes sense. Both had strokes around the same age. Both initially kept their health issues private and both eventually opened up about what happened.

The Heart Problem

Glover mentioning doctors found a hole in his heart adds another layer. That's not just stroke recovery—that's a structural heart defect requiring surgical intervention.

Two surgeries. Plural. It required multiple procedures to fix whatever they found.

The hole likely contributed to the stroke. Blood clot forms, travels through the hole to the brain, blocks blood flow. Common mechanism for stroke in younger patients with heart defects.

Recovery from both stroke and heart surgery takes months, not weeks. Which explains why Glover didn't just postpone the tour—he canceled it entirely.

What a Stroke Is

A stroke occurs when something prevents your brain from getting enough blood flow, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Common symptoms include sudden and severe headaches, blurry vision, and loss of muscle control on one side of the face.

Glover's symptoms: bad pain in head, couldn't see well. Classic warning signs he ignored to perform a show.

The Bottom Line

Glover is 42. Strokes are less common in people under 50 but can happen, especially with underlying conditions like heart defects.

He performed at Camp Flog Gnaw, so he's clearly recovered enough to be on stage again. Whether he'll reschedule canceled tour dates or launch new tour plans remains to be seen.

For now, he's alive, recovering, and sharing his story with fans. "You've got one life, guys." True. And Glover almost lost his performing through stroke symptoms in Louisiana.

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