Hype is a fickle beast and Odd Future rides it like a pack of rodeo clowns. The Angeleno misfit rap crew seems to understand that the arena wants to see its champions knocked around a bit, wants to jeer before it cheers—that, or the group’s “kill people, burn shit, fuck school” nihilism is exactly what’s needed in the two-thousand-teens. Regardless, their new posse album, The OF Tape Vol. 2, reminds us of what’s so great about these fuckers. Read at The A.V. Club.
Wanted to like Odd Future’s neo-soul wasteland funk more than I did. Ho hum. Read all about it via the A.V. Club. At least Earl is back. OFWGK†A.
Went down to San Diego to get weird with Odd Future. Mission accomplished. The adored/abhorred aggro-swag kingpins (plus one queenpin) whipped those surfers, skaters and servicemen into a salty, blood-speckled froth. It was epic and unhinged, probably dangerous to society overall, but it was fun, fun, fun.
OF strikes again: wild beats, swaggy raps, palpable hatred for authority. SPIN.
Tyler the Creator, "Goblin"
Even as more of the world watches and Diddy lurks at his door, it still would’ve been surprising if Tyler, the Creator had made a run for the mainstream on his second album. And by kicking off Goblin with a defiant seven-minute intro, the Odd Future overlord solidifies his place as America’s favorite young nihilist, dismantling the next-big-thing rep that he’s been building. As he debates a “therapist” (Tyler himself, his voice distorted), the MC/producer claims, “People excited, thinking shit is so tight / Getting cosigns from rappers I don’t even like.” For a newcomer …
Spilled a bunch of ink over this album for Spin. 50K in the first week. Wow.
Sleigh Bells slay balls. (Erik Voake)
Late, late, late. The internet has already forgotten that Coachella 2011 ever happened, but for posterity’s sake, here’s what I wrote about it for Spin.
DAY ONE: Odd Future & Pharell, Sleigh Bells, Cold Cave, Crystal Castles, Ariel Pink*, YACHT, !!! (plus lil blurbs on Paul McCartney & Best Coast, Omar Rodriguez Lopez & Cedric Bixler-Zavala, Titus Andronicus & Lil B).
*The inimitable Carles of Hipster Runoff picked up on my Ariel Pink diss.
Little Dragon at SXSW 2011 (Ian Witlen)
Wow. If my love for all things Odd Future didn’t already color me a fanboy, consider the deed done after I saw the impossible happen (read the review below) at their daytime gig at an altogether awesome party thrown by legendary skate mag Thrasher. Readers of this blog will also know I’m a dogged Das Racist apologist, and them dudes kicked things off right by going through a case of PBR while onstage. But that’s not all that happened on Day 3. I ate a pair of strikingly delicious sliders (think Carl’s Jr.’s Bacon Western Cheeseburger done gourmet and petit), Little Dragon made beautiful music (following up a one-two-punch of Gayngs and Black Lips), and Skrillex inspired Austiners to shake a leg.
Tyler the Creator, Mike G, Syd, Left Brain (L to R)
Run to the stands (now! right now! stop reading! do it now!) to pick up the new issue of Spin. It’s a great one cover to cover, but pages 50 thru 54 are my personal favorites. That’s right. It’s a five-page dive into the bizarre, exuberant world of rising L.A. rap stars Odd Future (OFWGKTA) penned by yours truly. A real labor of love that came with surprising little injury (well, people were hurt, but I wasn’t — it’s in the article). I spent hours with Tyler the Creator, Hodgy Beats, Left Brain, Syd, Mike G and the inimitable Taco (was there when he revealed his new brace-less face), and even more hours (days?) on the Internet, reading Tweets, blogs, obscure articles and thought-to-be-lost emails about and by these young, rakish web-savvy entrepreneurs. I even talked to Flying Lotus, members of Liars and Tyler’s old high school teacher.
Shamelessness in profile.
[This blog used to be called Funny Ha Ha.] In a long series of pretty much solely self-indulgent posts, this might be rock bottom. But hey, I’m a fan as much as I’m a journalist, so this is me fanning out. The above shot was taken by Taco at Odd Future’s Low End Theory show last year (October?). That’s Left Brain on the left, and Tyler’s right eye on the right. More pictures from that night here, on the excellent Golf Wang photo Tumblr. Better shot from December below:
Tyler the Creator rocks New York City. Where's Earl?
Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. Courtesy of P4K. Nuttin’ to do with me. Just a fan, fanning out. Love this GIF. Blow your mind on this.
Chris Writes Things 