I was told by a prominent manager currently circling the crew that Eminem's violent, outlandish album Relapse , is their favorite in recent memory. They are not fans of this year's more popular "return to form," Recovery. Marshall Mathers is an important guidepost for Odd Future, but even at his most debased, Eminem never quite made skin crawl the way Tyler can. So what makes them like this? What turns a teenager's mind so dark? Not much, really. Tyler explains himself flippantly.
I'm interested in serial killers' minds and shit, so I rap about it at the moment. Who the fuck knows, next week I can be rapping about oatmeal if that's what I'm into. And for the record, I don't worship the devil, I just hate religion.
There is no compass, other than, maybe, the Internet-- and the Internet has no compass. Tyler and Earl, while the most notable of the crew, are also the most divisive.
Hawthorne's Domo Genesis, the group's delegated stoner, is more approachable. His recently-released Rolling Papers is less accomplished-- it recalls Wiz Khalifa's recent blunted-for-life output. But it diversified the crew's discography to some extent-- it's full of mellow, hollow grooves, and is decidedly less dark. Radical , while not quite the cohesive achievement of Earl or Bastard works as a collective sampler.
It features nearly every member, and showcases their taste beyond gothic, post-horrorcore productions, which is often impeccable. These are hardly conventional moves-- they imply a level of nerdery not seen by many year-olds. But then, these kids are smart. The same sense of interiority that Insane Clown Posse has instilled in the Juggalos, appears to be crucial to Odd Future, too.
Their ethos is well-defined-- either you're in or out; for Odd Future or against it. And in that categorical way, it makes them the perfect rap crew for our time: Where we all live on the Internet, alone.
Where the darkest corners of desire are a Google search away. Where you can say anything and hide in the shadows of blog commenter anonymity or meme Tumblrs or fake Twitter accounts. And right now is a sublime moment for Odd Future, before they're not yet exploited and corrupted by the system that is coming for them. Their admiration for, say, Waka Flocka Flame, could become a collaboration with him by this time next year.
Or sooner. Would that audience get targeted by Vanity Fair? No chance. The Miami rapper was dead set on growing the squad with the hottest artists possible. I wanna talk to that Tyler kid. I want to sign him. If Tyler joined MMG, his popularity could have soared, but it also would have peaked early.
And plus, can you imagine Tyler, The Creator suited up, mafioso style, rapping next to a Maybach?! Tyler eventually signed a distribution deal with Columbia Records, where he maintains control and his creative vision. This mentality extended to his merch strategy. That actually could be the worst thing possible, if famous people wore Golf Wang.
The last place Tyler wants to see his clothes is on a TJ Maxx clearance rack—the home for once-popular brands that get too excited and flood the market. Meanwhile, lasting brands take time to build, but the rewards are often greater. With his engaged following, Tyler extended the brand quickly. That year he also launched his music festival, Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival. In , Golf Wang had already teamed up with Vans. He had the content, production partnerships, in-person events, and merch.
The only thing left was a podcast deal. He truly enjoys building stuff. He writes and produces most of his music. He designs his own clothes. The first Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival only had 2, fans. But the small crowd was a blessing in disguise. Those attendees were fully decked out in Golf Wang apparel. It worked. Throughout Bastard , Tyler proved himself to be a wildly talented MC. Just take a look at the first track, which is six minutes of piano, bars, and skits, but captivates like a Tom Cruise thriller.
I am legend. Tyler has always had a fascinating relationship with the concept of rapping. He has long been a stellar rapper, but during the early part of his career, the word had an ugly ring in his ear. To have called Tyler a rapper was to, from his perspective, eliminate his other accomplishments and skills: he created Odd Future; he directed his own videos; he produced his own songs; he had ideas for television, film, and soundtrack work.
Tyler was more than a rapper, so when people praised his skills as an MC, he sometimes viewed it as a willful neglect of his other talents.
More accurately, that he hated rapping. People look at you different. I just want to compose music. By moving further away from traditional rap, despite still being a quote-unquote rapper, Tyler expanded the scope of his own rap music, creating a new lane in which more experimental works could still be viewed through the lens of hip-hop.
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