Collective: Odd Future

[MrMattDiehl]

Well, Steve, I totally enjoyed your re-telling of your Odd Future encounter, although I have to say that enjoyment probably wasn't worth the annoying experience you had. I was kind of hoping they had approached you about "producing" (sic) them, which would've made for probably an even funnier story (although probably no less aggravating). Sorry you had to go through that, regardless. Re: Ted Nugent - "Great White Buffalo" is an awesome song, as is "Journey To The Center of Your Mind."

[tallchris]

Steve's post was re-posted by The Stranger's music blog.

[Mark Lansing]

A number of artists including Odd Future, Waka Flocka, and particularly Lil B are doing work that changes the way people think about what it is to rap, the act of rapping, the power of DIY, the sound of a hip-hop song.

Not trying to be a dick, but can you explain to me how those acts are (a) changing the way people think about what it is to rap, (b) changing the way people think about the act of rapping, or (c) the sound of a hip-hop song? I don't hear anything in their music that demands that sort of reappraisal of the medium. Maybe it's slightly eccentric hip-hop, but it's still very much recognizable as hip-hop to these ears.

[kerble]

The thing that fascinates me about Odd Future isn't really the shock-value or the beats, or the lyrics (which I enjoy, but am not compelled to revisit after the initial perusal), is how these kids have taken the rein on the production end of things. I don't mean 'production' in the cheesy audio recording definition we've grown to be wary of.

I'm far more impressed at the 'roll your own' ethos that goes throughout their art. I really like that they make their own beats and videos. they do their own album art, build their own websites, mix their own records, and have an insane adeptness with social media stuff and other DIY components. they're shrewd and manipulative, and it represented a signifier of a paradigm shift for young rappers.

Now a lot of that stuff is what we old punks take for granted, as we've been doing it that way for years, but there's something cool about the complete creative control they implement. Whether or not one finds the music good or bad, or the videos or album art or websites good or bad, is pretty irrelevant to my enjoyment of seeing a transparent process of some weird jerky kids becoming superstars. I find it refreshing to see some young kids doing it the way they want to, and not kowtowing to labels, or the other trappings of fame that popular hip hop is often associated with.

Sure, they seem like little twerps, and the fame may fuck them up for good, but the method of how they got big is far more interesting to me than whether or not they got big in the first place. It feels like an 'updated' version of punk's "I'm going to make this shitty music because it makes me feel good, commercialism be damned". I don't know if it's a better update, but it's a whole lot cooler seeing these kids blaze their own path (making and self-releasing seven albums for free before getting signed, etc.) than...I dunno, having them come out of nowhere because some huge mega-conglomerate label put them on every radio station. You can see the work they put in, and I think that's neat.

It's noncommercial music, for sure. it's ugly and repulsive, but I like gallows humor, so I can at least see where they are coming from. All of the other signifiers seem like red herrings as far as why I find them compelling. I like that they do shit themselves, whether or not I like the shit they themselves do.

[Flaneur]

4Chan: The Band.

[steve]

An apparent publicist just tweeted about the bus incident.

@NYMag I felt bad for everyone in the back of the ride that day. Had no idea it was Albini!! I had a bruise on my head for stagediving!

[Boombats]

I'm far more impressed at the 'roll your own' ethos that goes throughout their art. I really like that they make their own beats and videos. they do their own album art, build their own websites, mix their own records, and have an insane adeptness with social media stuff and other DIY components. they're shrewd and manipulative, and it represented a signifier of a paradigm shift for young rappers.

There are thousands of kids making their own music, videos, etc., with cheap modern technology, kicking their shit all over the net. The only distinction is that most of them don't get big. Being young makes the interwebbing easier for them to maneuver, and like flaneur said

4Chan: The Band.

really works for them. Maybe you can credit OFWGKTA's particular ingenuity for succeeding where others have failed, but the method of media itself is not unique.

[AnthonyCinder]

Steve's post was re-posted by The Stranger's music blog.

Kind of annoying that someone had to take Steve's post and go post it elsewhere. I know Steve probably doesn't give a shit, but it feels like there's lurkers on the board with questionable designs.

[MrMattDiehl]

Don't know how that's questionable, exactly... People care what public figures think, especially interesting ones. Most of the interesting/semi-controversial shit Steve says gets published somewhere; it's been that way since fanzines were mimeographed. The forum is also linkable without password... If this was all meant to be private, you couldn't link to it, right? At least that's how it appears... Anyways, Steve, how do you feel about that? (And no, I didn't put it on The Stranger...)

[AnthonyCinder]

Don't know how that's questionable, exactly... People care what public figures think, especially interesting ones. Most of the interesting/semi-controversial shit Steve says gets published somewhere; it's been that way since fanzines were mimeographed. The forum is also linkable without password... If this was all meant to be private, you couldn't link to it, right? At least that's how it appears... Anyways, Steve, how do you feel about that? (And no, I didn't put it on The Stranger...)

To clarify, I think it's fair, I just think it's weasel-like behavior.

[steve]

... Anyways, Steve, how do you feel about that?

Don't care. Obviously I care about discussions on this board more than elsewhere, because I spend much less time elsewhere, but like most internet things, what wants to happen happens and there's no point in even forming an opinion about it.

[El Protoolio]

Personally I find it kind of funny in a sad and pathetic way that there are people who write about music monitoring this site for juicy quotes. To have a conversation amongst friends and aquaintances posted to a blog and then "tweeted" about is beyond ridiculous, regardless of how public the conversation is. There is just way too much sharing on the fucking internet.

What would be better is if the tourists actually engaged with people here instead of being gawkers. But, whatever. Knock your socks off.

[The Canadian]

I wonder how long now until the Odd Future dudes register on here.

[J. Burns]

I blog for the Stranger occasionally, but I had nothing to do with that.

The fact that people are interested in what Steve thinks of Odd Future is not surprising, but it still makes me feel weird when music blogs and sites link to this forum.

#secretclubhouse #getoffmylawn

[kerble]

I'm far more impressed at the 'roll your own' ethos that goes throughout their art. I really like that they make their own beats and videos. they do their own album art, build their own websites, mix their own records, and have an insane adeptness with social media stuff and other DIY components. they're shrewd and manipulative, and it represented a signifier of a paradigm shift for young rappers.

There are thousands of kids making their own music, videos, etc., with cheap modern technology, kicking their shit all over the net. The only distinction is that most of them don't get big. Being young makes the interwebbing easier for them to maneuver, and like flaneur said

4Chan: The Band.

really works for them. Maybe you can credit OFWGKTA's particular ingenuity for succeeding where others have failed, but the method of media itself is not unique.

I actually agree with you completely. they didn't invent anything new. their music isn't anything new. I just think it's pretty rad seeing the DIY thing "work out" for some kids. I know that I put that in quotes, as fame and success aren't really things the folks of this board shoot for when they create, but it might inspire some other kids to do the same, and make music that isn't compromised. I mean, the records, to me, just sound like a "what's grosser than gross?" competition between some friends. and it got popular.

Sure, it's contrived and juvenile, but whatever. I find plenty of substance in the music I listen to regularly, so I don't have to look for it in something like Odd Future. I may not love it. I may not think the message is any good, but I'm for it. get yours, little twerps.

[Superking]

Remember "Money for Nothing" almost 30 years ago with its "faggot" part that's now excised?

Hi,

Before I say anything, I thought I might address this particular quote:

By the way, I can't believe I'm going out of my way to say this, but the use of the word "faggot" in that particular song obviously comes from an ignorant, third-person voice within the narrative of the song. I mean, it's so obvious that it falls outside the realm of the current discussion. Also, it's embarrassing to have to get into the voice, narrative, and psychology of "Money for Nothing".

Sorry I'm so late to the discussion, but I felt that needed pointing out...

Odd Future et al. is kind of exciting, as a DIY concern, but I don't find them to be that ground-breaking. They're fun, in their own way, but I'm probably too old to get the "joke". Which is fine. As a younger man, I enjoyed all kinds of misogynistic, homophobic, etc., hip hop. I'm thinking, at this moment, of Ice T's "Original Gangster" -- always loved that record. I'm not sure I would feel the same way about that record now, if it were released today and I was hearing it for the first time as the middle-aged man that I am...

Meanwhile, the Nardwaur interview with them is a delight:



OK!

[kerble]

Nardwuar blew their minds in that interview. totally charming.

I'm thinking, at this moment, of Ice T's "Original Gangster" -- always loved that record.

I'm thinking that you and I need to drive around, crank "Midnight" and dry ice-bomb some mailboxes before the summer ends.

[Superking]

Faiz,

Why not? I used to do a lot of dumb shit with that record as the soundtrack:

Like, cruise around slowly down the streets of the small South Dakota town I lived in, with a crew of dudes with water guns, in an old conversion van. Eventually we would roll up on a middle-aged couple out for a walk with their dog. We'd creep up on them, then open the sliding side door. Our buddy, who was one of the 5 black people in town, would say, "You know Lucifer? Cuz' you're about to meet him!" and then he would spray them with water.

This is the kind of thing kids do for fun in small towns in the middle of nowhere, but it still embarrasses me.

But, yes, let's do this thing!

[kerble]

[buys crate of Mountain Dew 2-liters]

[Tree]

I used to do a lot of dumb shit

Oh, you want Ice Cube for that one.