Tyler, The Creator – Goblin (XL Recordings)
I’ve been trying to review the new album by Odd Future’s Tyler, the Creator for a few weeks now, but have struggled consistently with what to say about the new record, Goblin. It has received much critical acclaim—glowing reviews from Pitchfork and The Source have mixed with small blog hype to create a dominating internet presence. His popularity has led to criticism from many whose protest comes as a reaction to Tyler’s constantly misogynistic and homophobic lyrical content; he regularly sings about rape, and uses the word “faggot” like it’s a comma. Those who defend him claim that these words aren’t spoken seriously. He’s not being serious, or he just doesn’t care, or maybe his talent is just more important than his message.
Tyler, The Creator – Goblin (XL Recordings)
I’ve been trying to review the new album by Odd Future’s Tyler, the Creator for a few weeks now, but have struggled consistently with what to say about the new record, Goblin. It has received much critical acclaim—glowing reviews from Pitchfork and The Source have mixed with small blog hype to create a dominating internet presence. His popularity has led to criticism from many whose protest comes as a reaction to Tyler’s constantly misogynistic and homophobic lyrical content; he regularly sings about rape, and uses the word “faggot” like it’s a comma. Those who defend him claim that these words aren’t spoken seriously. He’s not being serious, or he just doesn’t care, or maybe his talent is just more important than his message.
In terms of production and talented lyrical delivery, this record is stunning. But people need to make a decision when they listen to Tyler: do they want to defend rape? Do they want to defend homophobia? To support Tyler, the Creator, or any of the rest of Odd Future, is to consciously endorse such behavior. This isn’t just violence. It’s not a Hollywood movie. It’s not cultural slang. It’s hate.
There are examples throughout the album, but for the sake of saving space, I’ll just examine one song, “Bitch Suck Dick”–admittedly the worst of the album, both in terms of ingenuity in delivery and in lyrical content. The chorus of this song is simply, “My bitch suck dick like she suck dick.” More haunting, however, are the closing lines of the second verse: “All this ice around my neck, all this ice around my dick/Gun to her head make your bitch massage my shoulders.” These lines are followed in the third verse with the charming lyric: “Beat your bitch in her mouth just for talkin’ shit.” I don’t see any satirical value. There is no ironic justification for these lines. Go ahead and tell me that I just don’t get it–I’ll tell you that you’re a rape sympathizer and a coward.
I’ve heard people talk about how the genius of the Odd Future crew is their understanding and enforcement of DIY ethics. They’re doing it on their own every step of the way, making their reputation by releasing music for free on the internet. In practice they are indeed taking a DIY approach to music. But in ethos, they are way off the mark. Championing rape is not anti-authority. Embracing homophobia is not funny, nor is it revolutionary. It is not tearing down the system; it’s propping it up. It’s a shame and a tragedy that these young people are reverting to hate.
