Even one of my close personal friends who considers himself virtually unoffendable has cringed with distaste upon hearing a few of rising hip-hop star Tyler, The Creator’s sickest rhymes. Tyler lives to push the boundary of what’s socially acceptable. This week, he dropped his third studio album, Wolf—a highly anticipated record from a guy who is considered the central force in Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA), the indie-rap collective that also contains recent Grammy winner Frank Ocean (more on that relationship later).
On Wolf, Tyler shakes off the haters, sets the record straight on a number of issues such as his own attitude towards homosexuality, showcases his production skills, gives feature spots to names like Pharrell Williams and Erykah Badu, and still manages to drop a few killer bars in his spare time—admittedly impressive. But the record is not without its inescapable stumbling blocks. Chronicling the arrival of the character Wolf at camp Flog Gnaw (an anagram of Wolf Gang), the album’s events lead to his eventual conflict with another camper, Sam, over a girl, Salem. These consistent narrative elements emerge as an impressive dimension of the record.
However, even more impressive is the cohesiveness of the production. Angling toward a Neptunes style, the album is full of crisp drums and a plethora of dark, minor synth lines that twinkle and buzz. Tyler even name-drops N.E.R.D. on the chorus of “Slater,” a track that features the smooth croon of Frank Ocean. With each repeated listen, I’m in awe at Tyler’s ability to manage such a seamless storyline and production value across 18 tracks. As impressive as this feat may be, the record could still be tightened by dumping some of the dead air and loose ends in favor of the album’s strongest songs—“Answer,” “Slater,” “Rusty,” and “Colossus” to name a few. Despite my personal love for Laetitia Sadier of Sterolab, “PartyIsntOver/Campfire/Bimmer” feels like a series of sketches, as one might assume from its name. I’d love to hear a more fully realized treatment of the last two parts as both have strengths, but the first section is a throwaway.
The honest introspection about father issues on “Answer” is emotionally affecting even through all of Tyler’s angst. “Rusty” offers streamlined rhymes as Tyler’s talent laid bare provides words of inspiration for the social outcasts, celebrating drama kids and skaters in high schools around the globe. For a second, he almost sounds like a role model. Conversely, while we can all respect the privacy Tyler seeks from a rabid fan on “Colossus,” his off-hand gay slurs don’t impress much. The format of the song feels unmistakably like Eminem’s “Stan.” In fact, the similarities don’t end there—both were once-outsiders in the rap game, vying for credibility; both have garnered attention by spitting some of the most foul, abrasive, and violent lyrics imaginable. Which really brings us to the more imposing issue with Wolf—and with Tyler, The Creator.
At some point, shocking statements for the sole purpose of inciting an audience begins to wear thin and feel played. For quite a few, that may have happened two records ago. I mean, “Bitch Suck Dick,” the single from Tyler’s previous album Goblin, sounds like a title made up by a reaching critic trying to make a point. Even if you’re one of the patient ones, Tyler seems to be asking a lot of us as he continues to reach a wider listening base. Eminem’s most substantive rhymes came after all his angry flailing, perhaps even as late as his recent comeback. For Tyler’s sake, I hope he can avoid the same career crash.
In the meantime, we still have before us yet another Tyler, The Creator record riddled with misogyny and gay epithets. I’m not sure which I find more sigh inducing, the frequent use of fag, Tyler’s flippant demand that a girl swallow after performing oral sex, or his implication that he’d offer up to the waitress his “dick for gratiturity [sic].” Tyler frequently tosses off any criticism, categorically dismissing those who are “offended.” Well, what if we aren’t offended in the least? Simply unimpressed by the same old trick of caustic, thoughtless childishness.
The case can be made that some merit exists in pushing cultural boundaries and motivating the complacent to evaluate their environment. For me, Wolf has inspired perhaps more conversations with friends about music’s social impact, homophobia, shock value, and hip-hop than any other record in recent memory. However, in one of those conversations, a friend made the excellent point that these cerebral conversations and astute responses may have more to do with us as listeners than Tyler as the creator.
Beyond generally taking offense, Tyler addresses the homophobia accusations directly on the album, rapping, “Look at that article that says my subject matter is wrong, saying I hate gays even though Frank is on 10 of my songs,” referring to friend and colleague Frank Ocean, who is featured twice on the album and who also recently announced having sexual feelings for another man at age 19. But having gay friends doesn’t make you not hate gays any more than having black friends makes you not racist.
Further, even if it meant you didn’t hate gay people, it doesn’t mean that the slur isn’t still potentially damaging. Even if Ocean himself isn’t bothered, the usage of the slur by a person adored by young people has effects beyond the spheres of Tyler’s control. The lack of maliciousness won’t stop high school kids from adopting the term faggot, which has a very real possibility of causing gay teenagers to continue to hate themselves. As a high school teacher of seven years in urban schools, I’ve seen this on an almost daily basis. I heard it today, and that’s not an exaggeration. It wasn’t in a song or said in jest. It was directed at another human being.
So, here is the real issue. I’m not personally offended, and clearly, neither is Ocean. And Tyler “[doesn’t] give a fuck.” Maybe neither of the high school boys, the one delivering the slur or being attacked, found it offensive today. But the culture of heterosexism isn’t about individuals or even individuals being offended or hurt. Specific rappers, bands, or video games can’t ever be liable for widespread cultural problems, although they sometimes shoulder the blame for attention. No, the issue is bigger than all of that, but these sorts of statements and standpoints do uphold the systemic marginalization of gay people and of women. It’s a problem as large as the world, but it isn’t carried singularly by some Atlas-like figure. Rather, it is supported by a countless number of splintered forces such as the commonplace usage of the word faggot and the routine objectification of females.
With all of its assets, of which there are many, Wolf still grates on me because of these concerning aspects. All morality or social implications aside, these viewpoints and techniques are trite. Perpetuating stereotypes of black culture and hip-hop culture isn’t becoming of indie-rap. As fresh as the storytelling and beats are, I’d like to hear a fresher take on lyricism and attitude. Tyler is talented and Wolf showcases those skills, but to become great and to be an icon of a new movement in rap, he’ll need to reflect on his game moving forward.
