Odd Future self-released their debut mixtape, The Odd Future Tape, in 2008, as well as various solo and collaborative projects over the subsequent years. In 2010, they then released their second mixtape, Radical, gaining a significant rise in popularity throughout the early 2010s. Their debut studio album, The OF Tape Vol. 2, was released in 2012. Aside from music, Odd Future had an Adult Swim comedy skit show, Loiter Squad, which ran from 2012 to 2014.
Since 2016, the official status of the group has been highly disputed. While there is no conclusive announcement signifying an official breakup, the group has remained completely inactive, with many of its members suggesting that there are no plans for the collective going forward. Because of this, the group is generally considered to have disbanded. Despite their inactivity, there have been reunion shows in both 2018 and 2023.[4][5]
History
2007–2010: Formation, early releases and rise in popularity
Odd Future was formed in 2007 in Los Angeles by Tyler, the Creator along with Casey Veggies, Hodgy, Left Brain, the Super 3 (Matt Martians' production trio which included fictional characters Betty Vasolean and Yoshi Jankins Jr.) and Jasper Dolphin. The entirety of the group consisted of rappers, producers, filmmakers, skateboarders, and clothing designers. The group's recording side was known for their rebellious, brutally honest, and profanity dense lyrics.[6]
In early 2008, Casey Veggies released Customized Greatly, Vol. 1, featuring Tyler on a few tracks.[7] On November 15, 2008, Odd Future released their debut mixtape, The Odd Future Tape.[8]
On July 7, 2009, Hodgy released his debut mixtape, The Dena Tape. On December 25, 2009, Tyler, the Creator released his debut mixtape, Bastard. In 2008, Chicago-based rapper Brandun DeShay and Atlanta-based producer Pyramid Vritra joined the collective; the latter joined Matt Martians' Super 3, and they released The Super D3Shay EP alongside the former before changing their name to the Jet Age of Tomorrow.[citation needed]Earl Sweatshirt, Domo Genesis, Mike G, Frank Ocean and Na-Kel Smith joined the group between 2009 and 2010.[citation needed] Earl Sweatshirt's debut mixtape, Earl, was released on Tumblr in March 2010.[9] MellowHype, a duo composed of Hodgy and Left Brain, released their debut mixtape, YelloWhite, on February 24, 2010,[10] and their debut album, BlackenedWhite was also released in 2010.[11] Domo Genesis released his debut mixtape, Rolling Papers on August 30, 2010,[12] and Mike G released a mixtape,Ali, in 2010,[13] The collective also released their second mixtape, Radical, near the middle of 2010.[14] In November 2010, Odd Future completed a two-stop tour and the first was in London on November 5, 2010.[15][16] The second was in New York City on November 8, 2010.[17] Their concerts have been compared to punk rock shows, with stagediving, moshing, and group members antagonizing the crowd.[18][19]
Also some time during 2010 or early 2011, Pyramid Vritra lost connections with most of the Odd Future members because he was forced to move back to Georgia after Matt Martians, his roommate and fellow group member, got evicted from his house. However, he was able to reconnect with the group, and stay in the collective.[20]
2011–2014: Solo releases, The OF Tape Vol. 2 and Loiter Squad
Earl Sweatshirt performing with the rest of Odd Future in March 2012
MellowHype re-released BlackenedWhite through Fat Possum Records on July 12, 2011.[21] Frank Ocean self-released his debut mixtape, Nostalgia, Ultra, on February 16, 2011.[22] Tyler, the Creator signed a one-album deal with XL Recordings and released his debut album, Goblin, on May 10, 2011.[23][24] They gained a cult following, and received press attention from blogs and magazines.[25] In April 2011, the group signed a deal with RED Distribution and Sony Music Entertainment to start their own label, Odd Future Records.[26] On August 2, 2011, Odd Future announced the Golf Wang Tour 2011 on their website.[27] The tour included 27 stops, beginning on September 28, 2011, in San Diego, California at the House of Blues.[28]
On September 8, 2011, it was announced that Odd Future would be making a television show called Loiter Squad. [29] The show was announced to be a sketch comedy show featuring various skits and pranks and first aired on Adult Swim in March 2012.[30] The show featured Tyler, Jasper, Taco, Earl and Lionel as main cast members, with other members of Odd Future making cameo appearances.[29][31] The program was produced by Dickhouse Productions, which is also the production company for the TV series Jackass.[32]
On October 3, 2011, Tyler, the Creator tweeted a link to iTunes with a compilation album of songs from artists within the group such as Domo Genesis, Hodgy Beats, Mike G, the Jet Age of Tomorrow, MellowHype, the Internet, and Tyler himself.[33] The album is simply named 12 Odd Future Songs, despite having 13 tracks, including three new releases from the Internet, Mike G and MellowHype.[citation needed] On March 20, 2012, the collective released their debut studio album, The OF Tape Vol. 2, as a relative sequel to the original mixtape, The Odd Future Tape. On the same day, Earl Sweatshirt, who was absent from Odd Future from June 2010 until February 2012 due to attending boarding school in Samoa, first performed with the group at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York.[34][35]
Frank Ocean released his debut studio album, Channel Orange, on July 10, 2012.[36] Other solo releases for the second half of 2012 included Domo Genesis's No Idols with the Alchemist, released on August 1, 2012, and MellowHype's Numbers, released on October 9, 2012.[37][38] On December 5, 2012, it was announced Frank Ocean was nominated for six awards at the 2013 Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist, Record of the Year for "Thinkin Bout You" and Album of the Year for Channel Orange.[39]
On April 2, 2013, Tyler, the Creator released his completely new second studio album, Wolf, which received positive reviews from critics and debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200, selling 89,895 copies in the United States.[40][41] Earl Sweatshirt released his debut studio album, Doris, on August 20, 2013,[42] under Columbia Records. Tyler and Earl also went on an EarlWolf Summer Tour in 2013.[43][44][45]
On October 31, 2013, MellowHigh, which consisted of Hodgy Beats, Domo Genesis, and Left Brain, released their self titled album.[46] It received generally positive reviews and charted on #89 on the Billboard 200 chart.[47]
In June 2014, Frank Ocean left Odd Future management, 4 Strikes Management.[48] In May 2014, the third season of Loiter Squad premiered.[49][50] Earl, Tyler, Jasper, Taco, and L-Boy did an in-depth interview for HuffPost Live.[51] On August 11 and 12, 2014, Odd Future opened up for Eminem at Wembley Stadium, London.[52]
An excerpt of a sting used on Odd Future Radio
On September 12, 2014, the Odd Future radio station premiered on Dash Radio, which was released the month before by DJ Skee.[citation needed] The station featured a live playlist, special links such as "Taco Tuesday" (also repeated on Fridays) and coverage of live events, such as the Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, also hosted by Odd Future.[53]
2015–present: Decline in activity, subsequent hiatus
On January 18, 2015, Hodgy Beats stated that MellowHype will not release another project, but he and Left Brain will continue to make music together. Hodgy stated in an interview, "Nah, we ain't breaking up. Nah, this ain't no weirdo shit. It's just some real shit. It's a refocus. Going from boys to men this is what it is. So it's either understand it, 'cause it will be explained–cry about it, talk shit, applaud us–we still moving."[54]
In May 2015, Tyler, the Creator hinted on Twitter that Odd Future was supposedly breaking up, saying "although its no more, those 7 letters are forever", seemingly referring to the collective's acronym "OFWGKTA", with Earl Sweatshirt backing up Tyler's claims as well.[55][56][57]
"OFWGKTA" was listed on the bill for Tyler, the Creator's 4th Annual Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival.[58] The line-up that performed included Hodgy Beats, Domo Genesis, Mike G and Left Brain. Tyler and Earl were not included in the set due to Tyler already having a solo show and Earl being busy.
Some rumors began to circulate in 2016 about the group working together musically again after a picture was taken of Tyler, Earl, Syd, Jasper, Taco, and Matt Martians together at the Afropunk Festival.[59]
On December 9, 2016, Hodgy released his debut studio album Fireplace: TheNotTheOtherSide, the final release under Odd Future Records.[60] On February 6, 2017, it was confirmed MellowHype to be reuniting on Left Brain's solo mixtape MindGone Vol. 1.[61]
Tyler, the Creator's 2017 album, Flower Boy, featured vocals by fellow Odd Future members Frank Ocean, Jasper Dolphin, and L-Boy, but was released under Columbia Records.
With the release of Tyler's 2018 single "Okra", he seems to further hint towards an Odd Future breakup with the lyric "Golf be the set, no more OF".[62] However, later that year on August 8, Taco posted a series videos on his Instagram story, showing an Odd Future surprise concert taking place at The Low End Theory club in Los Angeles. Odd Future members who attended the show included Tyler, Taco, Jasper, Mike G, Earl, and the returning Syd and Hodgy.[63]
In 2018, Pitchfork wrote that Odd Future's legacy was "one that demands we bask in complicated truths, reminding us that nurturing the parts that don't fit is how any culture moves forward."[64]
On October 23, 2019, Mike G confirmed Odd Future was "still together" but that they would no longer be touring.[65]
On February 17, 2020, Tyler confirmed Odd Future was likely not going to release another album, stating he does not think "the styles will mesh much for a good cohesive thing".[66]
Members
Tyler, the Creator – vocals, production, music video directing, fashion design (2007–present)
Odd Future was scheduled to appear at the February 2014 Rapture Festival in Auckland, as a supporting act to Eminem. The group was not on the original bill, but was substituting for Kendrick Lamar after the concert had been sold out.[76] A campaign was launched by an anti-violence group to prevent Odd Future performing, based partly on prior occurrences of the group supposedly inciting violence by their fans towards members of the public, and by the group's lyrics allegedly supporting rape and violence towards women.[77] Immigration New Zealand canceled the visa of some group members because of alleged acts of inciting violence.
In 2015, Tyler, the Creator was banned from the United Kingdom for 3–5 years due to the allegedly homophobic and violent content of his lyrics from earlier albums such as Bastard and Goblin.[78]
Tyler's UK ban has since been lifted,[79] concurring with his show in London to promote his sixth studio album, Igor. However, his show was forcibly cancelled by police after they voiced their safety concerns, saying that it was "overcrowded" and "too rowdy".[80]
↑ Abbreviation for "Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All Don't Give a Fuck Litter Life Bacon Boys Loiter Squad Butt Fuck Bitch Niggas".
Related Research Articles
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Thebe Neruda Kgositsile, also known by his stage name Earl Sweatshirt, is a South African-American rapper and record producer. Kgositsile was originally known by the moniker Sly Tendencies when he began rapping in 2008, but changed his name when Tyler, the Creator invited him to join his alternative hip hop collective Odd Future in late 2009.
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The Jet Age of Tomorrow is an American production duo from Atlanta, Georgia and a sub-group of hip hop collective Odd Future that consists of producer-singer Matt Martians, and producer-rapper Pyramid Vritra. According to Martians, the group's music originated from instrumentals turned down by Tyler, the Creator and Hodgy, who liked the tracks Martians sent them, but could not use them in their own music. Outside of their work with the Jet Age, Martians is a member of The Internet with Odd Future member Syd, while Vritra is a member of his own hip hop collective, NRK.
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