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What the fk is Odd Future? A rap group made up of ten or so skateboard rats from L.A., ages 16 through 19(ish). "Odd Future" is short for "Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All," which usually gets abbreviated as "OFWGKTA."
Who the fk are Odd Future? The leader of the group is a 19 year-old named Tyler, or Tyler The Creator. The second-most prominent of the group is a rapper named Hodgy Beats. The rest of the group splinter off into sub-groups. The youngest member is Earl Sweatshirt, who was recently sent away to boarding school by his parents.
What the fk is the big deal about Odd Future? Imagine the most belligerent, psychotic, damaged, and mischievous teenagers you've never wanted to meet. Pair them with ounces of charisma, an SAT-ready vocabulary, and rap records. You end up with their mixtapes, which have involved raps about drugs, sex, rape, anarchy, Freudian damage, epic self-consciousness, and a purview of the world mostly involving nihilism, anarchy, and obscenities as vocally nutritious content. Sample hook from a new song debuted Tuesday night: "Kill people, burn sht, fk school!" They make Eminem sound about as violent as Wolf Blitzer. They are intent on terrifying every parent and Republican in America. And they just might.
Why the fk is everyone talking about Odd Future? They performed on Jimmy Fallon Wednesday night after hitting small nightclub shows in Washington D.C., and New York. It was mildly terrifying. Tyler was recently signed by XL Records, which is incredible, because they're an obscure rap group plucked from said obscurity by legions of music critics — Tyler's first mixtape, the self-released Bastard, ended up on many 2010 year-end lists. And yet, they routinely go after all critics, even those who adore them. Most of their music is available for free at their blog.
But really, what the fk is the big deal about Odd Future? They make their own beats: no samples. They are young and prodigal. They are anarchists — smart, and catchy ones. Their lyrics are dark and demented, and legitimately controversial (see: "On Odd Future, Rape and Murder, And Why We Sometimes Like the Things That Repel Us."
Who the fk is talking about Odd Future? The Roots' drummer and ringleader Questlove supposedly helped get them booked for Fallon after hearing about them from Mos Def, who was in the house at both of their two shows in New York City. Everyone in rap is excited about them right now. Questlove even had Jay-Z watching last night. And after Kanye West, Rhianna, Drake, and a handful of other acts made all the more powerful by Jay-Z's anointment of status, they very well could be causing you to lock away your loved ones shortly (while you listen to them in secret).
Finally, why the fk are they always screaming about "SWAG"? It's hard to explain. Tyler's asthma is "SWAG" but so are women, fighting, and telling everyone to "motherfk off." SWAG is like the Odd Future version of The Force. When you find yourself chanting it at random in a few weeks after getting OFWGKTA's dark hooks stuck to the side of your head, you'll understand.
PLUS: Read up on Esquire's New Kings of Hip-Hop here >>
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