They chant “Kill People, Burn Shit, Fuck School.†Their lyrics are bursting with statements like “Rape a pregnant bitch and tell my friends I had a threesome.†They condone violence, preach chaos and thrive on the unpredictable. They dedicate their lives to disrupting social norms and shattering moral barriers. They accomplish all of this through their harsh music. They are the members of the Hip Hop group Odd Future Wolfgang Kill Them All, or OFWKTA. And they are fascinating.
For the past week I have immersed myself in their music, videos and live footage. Their group dynamic is that of any friendly collection of teenagers, except they add a barrage of expletives and vulgarity unique to their own dynamic. Comprised of Tyler, the Creator and his partners Earl Sweatshirt, Hodgy Beats, Domo Genisis and Frank Ocean (among others), Odd Future is a Hip Hop team unlike anything else the world has seen. The emphasis of their music is placed almost entirely on their lyrics; the bass-heavy, steady beats prevalent in almost every Odd Future song merely provide platforms for the voices, which forces the listener to pay close attention to the words. The words, in turn, elicit an inevitably emotional response, and the response spreads the group’s message. That message is the reason for their music.
If you have never heard them, Odd Future’s lyrics are easily some of the most violent and morally insensitive statements ever imagined by mankind. However, these horribly offensive insults only serve as a blanket that hides the essence of their ideology. Odd Future’s true declaration is to not care. About anything. Ever. As children of broken families these teenagers have encapsulated the apathetic, misanthropic, Blink-182 credo that intrigues so many adolescents in our society, and have rejuvenated it into a culture much larger than any punk band could have dreamed of. Hordes of people, including (if not especially) members of every race, gender, religion and sexual orientation attacked in the music, have flung themselves at Odd Future. This cult following has formulated because of the attitude ringing out of its very name. The music allows an outlet for anger and helplessness by first accepting that anger, and then disregarding it. They don’t care that what they say is terrible. They don’t care that their lives have not followed any of the traditional paths for youths today. They don’t care that they are pissing off every well-respected adult they come in contact with. They don’t care about anything.
My initial curiosity regarding this group stemmed from my appreciation for Frank Ocean’s music. Frank Ocean, who has one of the best voices on the planet, was featured in two of the songs on Kanye and Jay-Z’s recent collaboration Watch The Throne. As this proves, he has the talent to work with the biggest names in his industry, yet he remains a member of Odd Future. This surprised me because of the contrast in their principles. While Tyler the Creator is often reprimanded for his frequent use of the word “faggot†and seemingly strong homophobia issues, Frank Ocean spreads lyrics such as “I believe that marriage isn’t between a man and woman, but between love and love.†Then I began to listen more closely to Tyler’s words, and I began to understand their relationship.
Tyler the Creator actually has a much more brilliant mind than he likes to display, one he keeps intact through his substance-free lifestyle. Tyler often attaches a sarcastic, contradictory tone to make his points in lines such as, “I’m not homophobic, faggot.†Or in his song She, he pleads, “I just want to ask you on a date, cunt.†These lines prove that Odd Future’s mentality delves much deeper than the phrases that initiate these derogatory proclamations. Tyler has nothing against homosexuality, but harsh insults transfer his anger and provoke his desired reaction. The point is that they aren’t homophobic; they aren’t racist. They’re just kids.
The true brilliance of Odd Future rests in their ultimate belief. They stress the glorification of violence and anger, and exist in a world with no rules, no morals and no restrictions. They don’t believe in right or wrong. They eliminate the concept of immorality because they don’t recognize it as a possibility. They want to rape, burn, and kill just so they can remind the world that they can. It is utter and complete indifference; they do or say anything they want and never think of the consequences. They have condensed the entire universe down to the flat line of basic primal desire. Critics of Odd Future need to stop creating a controversy because they won’t ever be able to win; they’re fighting a losing battle. They’re attempting to rationalize the irrational. Instead, they should embrace the ideas and reflect on how a bunch of teenagers have captured the attention of millions by channeling their frustration into, albeit, terribly vulgar lyrics that nevertheless precede an inspirational message. It is youth rebellion at its finest. It is the oddest future. It is pure apathy. So I join in, and chant, “Kill people Burn shit Fuck school.†Because I can.
