An Ode to the Rebellious: Odd Future’s Impact a Decade Later
By Luke Modugno
Courtesy of The Independent
Odd Future members pictured: Tyler, The Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, Frank Ocean, Syd, Jasper, Taco, Domo Genesis, Hodgy, Left Brain.
perhaps the most influential rap collective of all time, we examine odd future’s profound effect on the music industry
Every rap purist remembers the first time they heard the expression “Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All.” Beside the fact that LA’s divergent hip hop collective Odd Future’s moto was blasphemous on its own, it could be argued that their unavoidable presence in the early 2010’s rap scene was just as abrasive. For some, the group and their work was akin to that of a petulant child. For others, Odd Future’s polarizing brilliance was simply a continuation of the long-celebrated musical trope of the industry outcast, which has only been further reinforced by their individual excellence in the past decade since their meteoric rise to stardom.
On the surface, Odd Future simply shouldn’t have worked. For some, the lyrical content of rap music is repugnant as is. For those people, head-huncho and founder of Odd Future Tyler, The Creator’s early material made the ears bleed and the eyes melt. From provocative cuts like “Tron Cat” to grotesquely seminal visuals of the “Yonkers” music video, Tyler and his crew weren’t exactly on good terms with mass music media. “Odd Future and the acts from which they’ve descended make us confront a kind of disgust that is mercifully absent from our everyday lives,” said GQ staff writer Zach Baron back in 2011. “Nobody wants to talk about this stuff, nobody feels comfortable talking about this stuff, because this stuff is awful.”
With slogans like “kill people burn shit fuck school” it was nothing short of hilarious to see bloggers and writers fall into the same trap set for them by predecessors of provacutering like Eminem. While OF was ruffling feathers in the industry and nationwide, the rap collective resonated deeply with younger listeners. There wasn’t a single day in my middle school experience in which I didn’t see the emblematic donut on a shirt, pair of Vans or “OFWGKTA” scribed via Sharpie onto a rancid bathroom wall.
Courtesy of Wallpaper Access
For some reason, it makes perfect sense that Odd Future’s sound connected with middle schoolers. Beside catering directly to the mind-numbingly dull middle school brain through profane lyricism, OF’s art had a profound psychological effect on their target market: the youth. Researchers at the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Music and Health Network found that the music children identify with is profoundly influential in helping them develop a sense of identity. “Music can support and enrich the development of a positive self-identity as well as provide confidence, motivation and a sense of belonging,” reads the study. “Music can enhance creative, social and emotional skills. Music can be both a sense of self-preservation and fundamental wellbeing, providing a source of support when youth feel stressed, troubled or lonely.” Adolescence can be a confusing time. In many ways, Odd Future was making music as weird as their audience felt, allowing for a cult community of fans to bloom.
Enemies of the industry and of society at large have always held a special place in the hearts of music fans. Odd Future is simply a perpetuation of the trend. Seattle punk legends Nirvana had a knack for snatching the ears of the youth via their nihilistic lyricist and leader Kurt Cobain. Cobain’s life pushed him to say things like “I'm a product of a spoiled America,” messages that reverberated with socially awkward 90’s teens and their frustration with society. Although a near 15 year gap exists between their apex’s, the nihilistic messages of Nirvana and Odd Future display the universal appeal of a group fixated on catering to the societally uncatered. “Ultimately the function of art is to express something and move an idea from one person to another, and the tools of that can include revulsion and discomfort,” said Steve Albini, esteemed producer for Nirvana, Sonic Youth and more. It doesn’t stop there, a target market for those who feel disenfranchised by society at large has always existed within the music industry. From the anti-war and hippie teachings of music acts like Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd and The Smiths, music has been a historical haven for the societally shunned. While the agendas of these musical icons spanned a diverse blend of issues such as racial equity, capitalistic systems and pointless wars, the central motif of their sonic art was simple: challenging the status quo and questioning if what we consider “normal” really is normal. Although conveyed in a slightly more elegant, albeit less humorous manner, “Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2” off Pink Floyd’s legendary 1979 project “The Wall” transmits many of the same sentiments found in Odd Future’s catalog. A fiercely anti-education ballot, Roger Walters and David Gilmour’s critiques of traditional societal expectations and uniformity are only temporally separated from Odd Future’s commentary.
While many wrote Odd Future’s early success off as a fluke, the transcendent individual talent of OF alumni Frank Ocean, Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler have validated the group’s unique talent for connecting with the human experience beyond being an awkward teen. From the painfully gnarled and distorted production down to the heart-crushingly honest bars, Earl’s 2018 album “Some Rap Songs” sounds what it feels like to be in a dismally depressive state. Earl’s raw and overwhelming poetry on “Some Rap Songs” produced a project that has been widely used by listeners as a musical outlet to their suffering and mental health struggles. “Some Rap Songs” doesn’t have a happy ending, there’s no pot of gold at the end of the black and gray rainbow representative of the albums brief 18-minute run time. It’s simply a 24-year-old going through hell, an anxious cacophony of solace-seeking tracks that are painfully real.
Love and heartbreak are two emotions that are ingrained in the human condition. The universally recognized sound of heartbreak is Frank Ocean’s 2016 magnum-opus “Blond.” What is there to say about this project that hasn’t already been said? Tracks like “Self Control,” “Ivy,” and “White Ferrari” speak for themselves, as Frank channels his heartache and despair over a love lost. You can palpably experience Frank’s splitting emotions, as his sheer disappointment and shame bleed through his angelic vocals.
Resonating with listeners in many of the same ways as “Blond,” Tyler’s 2019 project “IGOR” is a toxic relationship personified. Across 12 retro-futuristic synth-pop anthems, Tyler depicts his romantic relationship with a man who is dating another woman. The harmonious bridge powered by Solange and Charlie Wilson on “I DON'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE,” the blood curdling scream near the climax of “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?,” and the desperate confusion that is expressed on “PUPPET.” All of these gorgeously vivid musical moments on “IGOR” proves Tyler’s ability to transmit human feeling through his pen and MPC.
Whether it’s the oddity of being a teen, dealing with feelings of rejection, heartbreak, depression or love, the solo work of Odd Future’s big three has only elevated their ability to detail our feelings as we navigate the gamut of life. The rebellious are always remembered. Such is the case for Odd Future and their predecessors. However, their staying power has been demonstrated time and time again by their acute understanding of what it means to be a human being. As long as there are musicians that push people's buttons, making the media feel uncomfortable and ultimately connecting with the human spirit, the essence of Odd Future will live forever.
Luke Modugno is the Editor-in-Chief. Follow him on Twitter: @lmodugno5
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