It’s An Odd Future After All: Dissecting The Legacy and Unity Behind One Simple Slogan

Picture this: the sun’s shafting rays stream through your supposedly light-blocking blinds as you struggle to put an end to the “Party in the U.S.A.” blaring through your alarm clock’s speakers. After lazily lying through “I Gotta Feeling” and “Good Girls Go Bad”, you finally decide to put an end to the mainstream music filtering through your pillow-covered ears. As your eyes scan the Eminem and Pharell posters lining every square inch of your bedroom wall, you somehow muster the courage to roll out of bed. It’s 2009, and it’s almost impossible not to begin your day by refreshing Tumblr’s dashboard. Amidst the gifs bringing all your various interests to life, one phrase undeniably grabs your attention: “They Are Them. We Are Us. Kill Them. All. OFWGKTA”. 

Tyler, The Creator. Hodgy. Left Brain. Pyramid Vritra. Jasper Dolphin. Earl Sweatshirt. Domo Genesis. Mike G. Taco Bennett. Lucas Vercetti. Frank Ocean. Syd tha Kid. Na’kel Smith. Matt Martians. Casey Veggies. Separately, each unique stage name depicts the creative endeavors of California misfits as they navigate their way through life and music.  Together, they joined what they couldn’t beat. In 2007, the hip-hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (commonly referred to as Odd Future or OFWGKTA) came to life, slaughtering any stereotypical presence that did not coincide with their juvenile spirit. 

The late 2000s deeply diverges away from social media and the internet that we have come to know and love today. Even in a time where Instagram and Snapchat were nonexistent, the group consistently offered a sense of pseudo intimacy to their fans by posting daily photos and videos. Through Odd Future’s lens, casual content felt more like a documentation of behind-the-scenes moments transcending the group from local friends to cult stars. Between the hours of internet trolling, the collective formed a tight-knit bond recording their first mixtapes in Syd and Taco’s South-Central Los Angeles home. The Trap embodied more than a spot to sample different beats. It became a haven of expression, each against-the-grain idea building the foundation for their repulsively magnetic rhymes. Their unfiltered aggression, paired perfectly with flamboyant illustrations of their individually distinct aesthetics, characterized every ounce of teenage angst bubbling through Odd Future’s veins. In their eyes, vulgar topics delivered in mocking tones extended an escape from the painful realities where turning the volume down wasn’t an option. The misinterpretations and passed judgements from an industry lacking originality could be enough to discourage any artist from producing their personalized sound; Odd Future capitalized on their unapologetic approach, creating music specifically designed to piss off anyone who failed to align with their imaginative image. Teens from every corner of the Internet basked in the solace provided through the collective’s ability to carelessly unravel the adolescent mind. Innocent uploads to Tumblr and Youtube quickly morphed into a platform reflecting their maturity and life experiences thus far in the public eye, granting them the courage to challenge the shallow societal stereotypes solely confined to Black artists. 

The universe behind Odd Future, complete with recurring characters and raunchy jokes, directly stems from Tyler the Creator’s limitless mindset. At 16-years-old, Tyler fostered an environment canonized by controversies. Yet in the moments of slight bickering and ceaseless ridicule, Odd Future adapted their wolf-pack trademark into a lifestyle. Even as the brash collective slowly pursued solo careers, Tyler ensured Odd Future’s vision lived on in his own projects. Goblin’s 2011 release perfectly harnessed the group’s willful ignorance to the expectations of hip-hop, making the project feel more like an extension of the collective than Tyler’s debut album. “Nightmare”, “Window”, and “Transylvania” subtly namedrop the siblings who complete his fabricated family, signifying the first of many tracks to introduce Golf Wang’s spoonerism. Wolf confirmed Tyler’s devotion to Odd Future’s mischievous and chaotic roots in a time where most fans were wary of the collective’s presence. With almost half of its tracks intertwining the voices of his past, Tyler’s sophomore album acts as a tribute to the group’s unignorable chemistry. Cherry Bomb and Flower Boy set the stage for Tyler’s disruption of assumptions tied to hip-hop and himself. His charismatic rage thrives through collaborations stemming outside of the Odd Future family, reminding fans of the nostalgic power that came from showcasing different vocal ranges in one harmonious song. When Tyler isn’t directly referencing the group that changed it all for him, he integrates easter eggs hinting at the inspiration he garnered from his best friends. The overlapping commentary in “November” mirrors the raw accounts featured in “Futura Free”, the closure to Frank Ocean’s Blonde in the same way that “Bitch Suck Dick” features the same violin surge that opens Frank Ocean’s “Pink + White”. Tyler’s discography, in all its unpredictable glory, makes one thing clear: the only standard Tyler conforms to is Odd Future’s label.

Odd Future, on the surface, compiles similar tastes and interests under one shared reality. Its true purpose, however, empowers its creators and listeners to carve a path divergent from one filled with institutionalized beliefs. This exact ideology inspired Tyler to base Igor around his alleged entanglement with another man; it compelled him to confront his sexuality, a taboo topic he harshly refuted in his earlier music.  It also encouraged him to question the motives behind the categorization of his sound at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards while addressing how the urban genre essentially equates to a politically correct way to say the “n-word”. Thirteen years as a creator taught Tyler to tune into GOLF Radio instead of listening to the critics and cries of normalcy around him. Odd Future represents rebellion in its purest form, pushing Tyler to oppose every preconceived notion Black artists and children are confined to. The collective’s legacy not only lives on in the hearts of its founders, but is surpassed by loyal fans around the world— Golf le Fleur’s flourish of colors brighten the streets and skateparks. Camp Flog Gnaw’s weekend line-up leaves avid music lovers in awe of it’s performers (unless you’re Drake). Odd Future can and never will be disbanded even if its original members remain inactive as a unit. As long as their recreational reality continues to evolve, we’ll never really know what’s next.