Sarah Nicole Prickett debates MTV Canada's Johnny Hockin on the merits—or lack thereof—of the most talked-about hip-hop group in the world right now.
There’s not much left to say about Odd Future (a.k.a. OFWGKTA), but there’s plenty to debate. The loose hip-hop collective—who played Toronto last Sunday—is led by a lightning rod for flash judgments: Tyler, the Creator, aged 19. He might be a mad genius. He might be a bigot. Everybody knows those things aren’t mutually exclusive.
Tyler’s beats are sick; his lyrics, literally sick. Like, don’t-Google-them-if-you’re-keen-on-eating sick. Like if-he-weren’t-a-”genius”-he’d-be-in-court sick.
Everyone’s talking, but is anyone speaking out? GLAAD wrist-slapped the kid for his violently homophobic lyrics (their statement said they’d continue to monitor media coverage; I’m sure he’s scared) after the Sara in Tegan and Sara wrote an open letter condemning the industry for, well, not condemning Tyler. His equally considered response? “If Tegan and Sara Need Some Hard Dick, Hit Me Up.” Incidentally, my reaction to this could best be described in a Tyler lyric—you know, “burn kill blah blah fucking bitch burn.”
Tyler—whose new solo album, Goblin, just debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard charts—is an effed-up contradiction: a punk with a publicist, a (verbally) gay-bashing rapper with a lesbian DJ (Syd tha Kid). His greatest talent is, arguably, dividing opinions on a knife’s edge. You love him. Or you hate him. Or you feel painfully ambivalent.
And because how you feel about Tyler depends hugely—and, I think, unfortunately—on whether you’re male or female, I decided to play he said/she said over gchat with MTV Canada’s Johnny Hockin (pictured at right). He’s smart, sensitive, kinda terrific—and a Tyler fan. And I totally let him win. (J/k.)
SNP: OK, so first, let’s talk about the Odd Future show at the Phoenix because you were there and I wasn’t, and apparently neither were any other girls. Although I know a couple who went.
Johnny: I was joking on Twitter that there were none, but that was a close estimate. I would say 5 per cent or less.
SNP: Seriously??! I think that’s interesting… especially because the debate about Odd Future/Tyler is largely divided along gender lines. To be very general about it, girls I know are like “WTF?” or just “whaaa?” and guys—who work at Vice and MTV, ha—are all into it.
Johnny: With Tyler, you’re really going into the mind of a young boy. Part of why he resonates with young guys is that he is so close to the nerve of what it means to be a young man.
SNP: So you’re telling me he’s, like, Sofia Coppola for dudes? I am terrified. He often says he’s “just a kid” and “having fun” and also “don’t do what I say” and “don’t take me seriously.” How old is he, 19? He’s old enough to make incredible-sounding music and have a record deal, so he’s probably old enough to take one tiiiiiny iota of responsibility for what he’s saying and how even younger men—boys—might interpret it.
Johnny: You’re saying he should take responsibility for himself, and his lyrics.
SNP: Well, it’s part of a larger debate about the responsibilities of artists, and there is no denying he’s a real artist. He is not “just a kid” though… he knows, he just doesn’t seem to care.
Johnny: Maybe where Tyler runs into trouble is that he blurs the line of rap artist as a soapbox for personality versus a story-teller.
SNP: If he’s playing a part, it’s more like a cartoon… you know, like all those cartoons about rape and burning shit.
Johnny: He tells interviewers that his songs are stories, taking on these radical points of view to take the listener to the dark parts of their brain. How often do we see this stuff on prime-time TV?
