OFWGKTA: Swag Me Out

If youth is all about rebellion and defiance, then LA-based rap collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All—better known as Odd Future— has it down to a science.  Their controversial image of being alternately Satanists, thieves, rapists, and regular young adults is one that some have taken offense to, but their fan base far outweighs their detractors.  The group stopped by the Center Stage Theater in Atlanta on October 28^th to perform for a sold-out crowd, and the show was absolutely off-the-wall.

The group’s members include founder Tyler, the Creator, Frank Ocean, Hodgy Beats, Left Brain, the “missing” Earl Sweatshirt, Mike G, Domo Genesis, Matt Martians, Taco, Jasper Dolphin, and Producer/DJ Syd the Kid.  Their styles are just as unique as their names and their lyrics range from horrific scenes of murder and mayhem to more traditional rap subject matter like weed, girls and being the illest.

The group began in 2008 with the release of “The Odd Future Tape,” recorded solely on a home computer and only included Tyler, the Creator, Hodgy Beats, Left Brain and Casey Veggies, who left shortly after.  It is nowhere near the caliber of their current material, and the sound quality is pretty awful.  However, they acquired better hardware and have since made leaps and bounds in their productions.

Albums such as “Bastard,” “YellowWhite,” “The Dena Tape,” “Earl,” and “Rolling Papers” sounds like they were made in studios, but were actually produced mostly in Syd the Kid’s basement.
The past two years have seen OF’s fame take off to levels that its members only dreamt of before now.  With Tyler, the Creator’s “Best New Artist” win at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, the group has somewhat entered the mainstream, though their songs are still radio-unfriendly.  Tracks like “B*tch Suck Dick” and “Fish” from Tyler’s latest album, “Goblin,” would be unrecognizable if they were to air censored on major stations, but his single “Yonkers” has received some play on satellite radio.  With hooks like “She’s a boppin’ b*tch” and lyrics about killing B.o.B., Bruno Mars and Hayley Williams, Odd Future clearly doesn’t want anything to do with most of the hip-hop community. 

Due to their young ages and extreme subject matter, most of their notoriety has been through word-of-mouth and Internet exposure.  However, from the Center Stage marquee reading “OFWGKTA – SOLD OUT,” you wouldn’t know it.

The line is literally wrapped around the block, and rain pours on us for almost an hour before the doors finally open.  We’re all soaked to the bone, but everyone on the floor eagerly awaits Odd Future’s appearance.  They chant “Golf Wang!” and other inside jokes that Odd Future uses in their raps, but the auditorium isn’t filling.  This means we have to wait…

About an hour and 20 minutes later, the lights finally go out and Syd the Kid takes the stage.  She mixes several Southern hip-hop classics, beginning with Ludacris’ “Move B*tch.”  From that moment on the floor becomes a melee, and most of the male audience members (and a few girls) are pushing each other wildly.  Some people flee to the bowl seats behind us, but leaving is rather difficult there is literally a wall of people to get past. 

During this chaos, my friends and I try to avoid the more belligerent members of the crowd.  However, with Left Brain, Hodgy Beats and Tyler, the Creator stage-diving during every other song it’s difficult to keep any semblance of order or stay in one place for more than a few seconds.  People shove each other out of the way to get to the front of the stage but are almost immediately pushed back by those around them.

This doesn’t last for the entire show, though, since most people get tired eventually and calm down (some).  One of the wildest moments of the show, however, is when Tyler, the Creator introduces the night’s special guest.  He begins by expressing his love for Atlanta’s trap rap, saying, “Y’all know I’m a big fan of this n***a’s music…” before asking the crowd who they think it will be. 

Of course, most people already know, shouting his name as loud as they can, and at that moment Waka Flaka Flame jumps out from the right side of the stage.  His song “Karma” thunders over the sound system, followed by “Keep It Real,” and the crowd once again becomes a madhouse.  Odd Future and Waka proceed to head bang and jump around the stage while singing the lyrics, and when the songs finish Waka begins chanting “Wolf Gang Brick Squad!”  The reference to his clique 1017 Brick Squad is an honor to Odd Future, and Tyler, the Creator gives Domo Genesis a jumping high-five before he yells, “That was so f*cking cool!!!”

Although I can’t remember the specific order of the setlist, I do remember a few of the songs they played.  MellowHype (Hodgy Beats and Left Brain) opened with their single “64” and played “F666 The Police” with Tyler, the Creator.  Domo Genesis did his song “Rolling Papers” and a mix from his new album “Under the Influence.”  Mike G performed his songs “Forest Green” and “Everything That’s Yours,” and he did an acapella freestyle at one point which had the crowd cheering long after it ended.

The most songs featured were material from Tyler, the Creator, including “Tron Cat,” “Transylvania,” “Yonkers,” Sandwitches,” “B*tch Suck Dick,” “Burger,” and “Radicals,” which closed the show.  There were also several renditions of Earl Sweatshirt’s songs that were sang by the group as a whole, including “Drop,” “Orange Juice” and “Earl,” which was the track to which Odd Future left the stage.
Although their music is certainly not for everyone and is openly juvenile in some cases, there is no denying the talent that Odd Future has for production and lyricism.  There is a reason they’ve been making waves in the industry lately, and if you read any hip-hop publications you probably already know why. Older artists such as Mos Def, Nas, Method Man and others have voiced their support for the young group, and their following will only continue to grow.

-Taylor Burns