Tyler, the Creator - Yonkers

It seems almost silly to think about it nowadays, when rappers wish airplanes in the night sky are shooting stars, that Hip-Hop, once upon a time, was a shocking and dangerous art form. NWA screamed "Fuck Tha Police" and Public Enemy shouted "Fight the Power," mobilizing and energizing urban and suburban communities in the late 1980s. In 2011, it's a pretty high bar if you're aiming to make listeners uncomfortable. Tyler, The Creator and the rest of the Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All collective have cleared that bar. Odd Future have blown up the internet, mostly for that Kanye tweet and an incendiary appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. By now, everyone reading this page will probably know what these guys are all about: ridiculously obscene rhymes about rape and parental issues over hypnotic lo-fi, industrial beats, made by Tyler. On Tyler's "French," he raps about raping Goldilocks and Mary Mary Quite Contrary. Sure, troubled teens probably respond to Odd Future (and scribble "Wolf Gang" on their notes and school walls) because of their "fuck everything" attitude and jokes about suicide, but rap purists love OFWGKTA because they consciously rebel against the trends and conventions of modern Hip-Hop.

Tyler starts his debut mixtape with a declaration of "Fuck Nahright and 2dopeboyz," assaulting rap blogs that wouldn't play his music. In "Yonkers," he raps about crashing B.o.B.'s airplane and stabbing Bruno Mars "in the motherfucking esophagus." When I hear that, I can't help think about The Clash's famous anti-mainstream declaration of "No Elvis, No Beatles, No Rolling Stones in 1977." Odd Future's brand of Hip-Hop bears a striking resemblance to the Punk movement of the late 70s. Tyler and the rest actively antagonize mainstream artists and make music that will NEVER ever receive radio airplay. Nonetheless, they've developed a rabid following on and off-line. There is a boundless feral energy at their concerts, which are often marked by mosh pits and stage rushes, reminiscent of early Sex Pistols shows. It remains to be seen whether Wolf Gang will have a lasting impact on rap, but kids who worship them will eventually start making music of their own. Wolf Gang looks like they'll be important for a while. Swag.