My Music, My Way: Odd Future Say 'People Just Choose To Be Offended'

Friday, March 11, 2011

Odd Future Say 'People Just Choose To Be Offended'

Tyler the Creator's L.A. collective lands Billboard SXSW cover.
By Alvin Blanco

Odd Future on the cover of <i>Billboard</i> magazine
Photo: Billboard

L.A. collective Odd Future are continuing to bolster their rep as hip-hop's latest phenomenon, landing on the cover of Billboard magazine.

Billed as its South by Southwest 2011 preview issue, the magazine's cover line reads, "Shock rappers, skate kids, rule breakers, content creators, DIY evangelists, disrupters, Odd Future just may be the future of the music business." The feature story, written by Andrew "Noz" Nosnitsky, details Odd Future's seemingly meteoric rise and evaluates their chances of continued success.

Much has been said about Odd Future's music being offensive, thanks to liberal doses of violence, sexism and bugged-out videos. "People just choose to be offended by stuff," Syd the Kid, the group's sole female member, told Billboard. "If they are, then that sucks and I'm sorry, but they don't have to keep listening. Words are words. They don't act out what they say, they just say it."

The motley crew of brash and unfiltered MCs also known as OFWGKTA (short for Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All) includes rap duo MellowHype (Hodgy Beats, Left Brain), Earl Sweatshirt, Domo Genesis and others, with Tyler the Creator as its most-prominent act and de facto leader.

MellowHype recently signed a deal with Fat Possum Records to formally release their BlackenedWhite album this summer, and Tyler the Creator signed a one-album deal with XL Recordings to release Goblin in April.

Despite sold-out shows at small venues and labels clamoring to align with the Odd Future crew, Billboard notes that their actual sales have been only modest. "Sandwitches" and "Yonkers," the only songs from the group (credited to Tyler the Creator) available on iTunes, have sold only about 6,000 and 12,000 units, respectively.

Whether Odd Future is even seeking commercial notoriety is debatable. But their youthful exuberance and confidence is indisputable.

"I could be a complete failure come June," Tyler told Billboard. "Goblin could brick. Everyone could hate it. The hype could be over. I could be back to trying to fill out junior-college [applications] ... But I don't see that happening. I see Grammys."

Odd Future are scheduled to perform at the 2011 MTV Woodie Awards, airing live Wednesday on MTV, MTV2 and mtvU.

Do you expect Odd Future to have commercial success? Sound off in the comments below!

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