opinionz

have you heard of him? he's this really good rapper that says really scary / terrible things. his album came out today, and according to his twitter, is currently number three on itunes.

i've given it a couple of listens, and i can't decide if i can take the F-bombs (the homophobic kind) and the rape glorification. throughout the album, he repeatedly ridicules anyone who would take him seriously, stating simply "im not homophobic", and i want to be laidback about it, but i've never really understood the artistic appeal / gain of using the word "faggot". i find myself agreeing with this sentiment:

Tyler's combination of dubious fantasies, anti-gay slurs and emo whining about his upbringing recalls Eminem which doesn't leave much room for shock. In 2011, this feels impotent and tedious. Odd Future's defenders in the media emphasise Tyler's technical skills – and it's true that his gift for assonance and internal rhymes is impressive. But his talent is only half the story: the shtick they use it for is played out. And it undermines the rest of his aesthetic: he demands our empathy at every turn for his own tough life, but is too limited an artist to show empathy for people who, with all due respect, suffer much more on a daily basis than growing up in a single-parent household. Tyler's model of male anger ends up feeling a lot more like male privilege – and as conservative and regressive as that implies. (via)

 that "yonkers" video is pretty good, though. do you have any thoughts?