Recently Tyler's blessed us with new music. For the first time since he dropped 'Fuck it' post Cherry Bomb and his version of Kanye's 'Freestyle 4' titled 'What The Fuck Right Now' if I'm not mistaken. Although since the release of his last project I haven't been following him as closely as I once did so I could be mistaken. These new songs are some of the best, most focused material he's released since Wolf, so there's a lot to be excited about.
I've been a Tyler fan since the Odd Future craze was at it's peak, and I'll always look back at that period of time with nostalgia. It was really more than music at the time, it was an entire movement. I can't stress how enormous the hype for the collective was, and you'd be extremely hard pressed to go a day without seeing someone boasting apparel with the infamous doughnuts. While OF's music as a whole will always hold a special place in my heart, a lot of it is borderline unlistenable looking back. A great deal of it was needlessly juvenile, and in retrospect I completely understand the older generations vilifying them at the time. But for us kids? Odd Future was the SHIT. With Tyler at the helm, they inspired the youth to attain self confidence, flex their creativity, and stay out of trouble. Which was the beauty of the whole movement, because while at the surface it was extremely belligerent and oftentimes ignorant. The underlying message was always one of positivity. Especially with Tyler's music.
With all that being said though, I wasn't the biggest fan of Cherry Bomb. Tyler was at a pivotal moment in his career because all the old OF fans were growing up, and I'm sure he did a lot of maturing too. He couldn't create another Wolf, and he certainly couldn't make another Goblin. So we got Cherry Bomb..... While I appreciated the artistic growth, a vast majority of the music just didn't appeal to me. It essentially continued down the trajectory which Wolf begun, showing a more mature and happy Tyler, The Creator. But this time around he changed up his sound a lot. The problem was that it lacked cohesion and the musical edge which I always loved about his music. It had it's moments sure (Buffalo, Find Your Wings, The Brown Stains) but even those didn't connect with me nearly as much as tracks like Nightmare, 48, Bastard, and Slater did. Something was just missing, which brings us to his new music....
Who Dat Boy
Let's start things off with Who Dat Boy. God damn, this instrumental is fucking amazing. Easily one of my favorite beats I've ever heard from Tyler. I think he found the perfect balance between what everyone initially loved from him, and the more mature style displayed on Cherry Bomb. He brought back the edge which the aforementioned LP lacked without regressing back to the belligerent immaturity he showcased in his early work. As for ASAP Rocky? I've got to give him props. I'm in no way an ASAP fan, and the vast majority of his music either bores me to death or makes me want to wash my ears out with soap. However, he absolutely murdered this track. I was not expecting him to flow so effortlessly over the beat, and he matched Tyler's energy while still maintaining his cool laid back persona perfectly. Overall this song was great.
4/5
911/Mr. Lonely
This one has a very different vibe then Who Dat Boy. It's much more subdued and brings to mind much more of Cherry Bomb than Wolf. The first half of it showcases multiple vocals layered over one another with Tyler singing a very relaxing tune. Frank Ocean didn't contribute as much as I hoped he would, but it's always a joy to hear him as a featured artist. Once it shifts to the second half of the song, Tyler employs a quicker paced flow as he raps about sentiments of loneliness and regret. I particularly love this line:
They say the loudest in the room is weak
That's what they assume, but I disagree
I say the loudest in the room
Is prolly the loneliest one in the room (that's me)
Throughout the Mr. Lonely portion he displays a high level of vulnerability which I'm sure everyone can relate to, because we all get lonely at times. Although of course he interjects humor between the lines, because well... It's Tyler. I'd be disappointed if he didn't. One portion towards the end of the track in particular comes to mind:
Never had a pet
I've never had a pet
There's more fish in the sea
But I never had a goldfish to begin with
I never had a dog
So I've never been good with bitches
'Cause I never threw a ball, fetch
I never had a pet, that's where it stems from, I bet
This song perfectly embodies what I've always been attracted to in Tyler's music. He's never been afraid to wear his emotions on his sleeve, yet he always weaves them within outlandish narratives and topics which no sane person would ever relate to what he's actually speaking on. I enjoyed this song a bit more than Who Dat Boy, and in the context of his upcoming album (Which has the most Tyler, The Creator title ever: Scum Fuck Flower Boy) I can easily see it becoming one of my all time favorite joints from him.
5/5
Overall, while I've strayed away from his music in recent years, these two songs most definitely renewed my interest. I'm heavily anticipating the new album, and if the music is of this same quality I think we're in for a real treat. Go check em' out!