All Good Things Come To An End.
a memoir to Odd Future
Biggie told us things done changed, and things are still changing today. 2015 is a totally different situation than 2012 was. Although the comparison may seem trivial or even exaggerated, it’s true. The things that can happen in two years... What may have meant the world to you may not even cross your mind anymore, and it really is okay. Change is inevitable, but dealing with it can be extremely difficult. The reason for me writing this is because of the end of something amazing. I can only speak for myself, but hearing that OFWGKTA is over was heartbreaking. From an era where your generation is always criticized for being unoriginal, I can honestly say that Odd Future changed all of it. This article isn’t meant to explain what happened because I know as much as you do. However, I'm writing this as to act as a eulogy of some sort for a childhood hero.
Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. I was first introduced to the West Coast collective in the spring of 2011. My sister and her friend Fatima wanted to show me some troubled kids who worshipped the devil and they turned out to be a major influence in my life. So there was Yonkers. I'm not gonna lie about how I became interested in Odd Future, regardless of how general my experience was. I watched Yonkers in awe as I was being forced to think that they were terrible people. After that, we watched the video for Earl, and I couldn't help but be intrigued by these bad ass kids. Being 13 at the time, I was really inquisitive and although I was initially intimidated by them, I somehow was drawn back to them.
They were loud. Like not necessarily volume wise, but their voices made a prominent statement on the internet, so speculation was everywhere. As a result I learned a lot about OFWGKTA during the summer of 2011. Being a nerd and kind of socially uncomfortable, I flocked to their antics. I loved what they meant to rap. Their size and effortless collaborations were impossible to ignore. I dived into their discography, and found some amazing artists within the group. What amazed me so much is that everyone in Odd Future wasn’t nerdy but they all meshed and seemed like a family that would last forever. I learned about the legend of earl sweatshirt and it really impressed me that they constantly expressed a desire for their friend to return. I soon fell in love with Blackenedwhite, Goblin, nostalgiaULTRA, Earl, and Bastard while having a keen interest in Domo Genesis, Mike G, The Internet, and Jet Age of Tomorrow. In a summer that wasn't spent with anyone except my neighbor and stepbrother, Odd future became extended family.
As 2011 progressed, Odd Future was gaining even more popularity but they weren’t there yet. When I was sad, Goblin helped me through it, and that meant everything to me. When I used to make music, I was interviewed by online radio host Jay-O at the beginning of 2012, and he asked me who inspired me. Along with Drake and Mac Miller, I cited Odd Future as a whole. They were the amazing collective that introduced me to experimentation, creative control, artistry, and multiple artists that did what the f- they believed in.
Then the Rella music video dropped. I don’t care what anyone says, but that was the biggest turning point for odd future as a whole. With millions of views within hours, I remember watching it over and over and waiting for The Odd Future Tape Vol. 2. Suddenly there was news about earl possibly returning, and everything seemed to be going great. As momentum built up, the tape was ready to hit the world. So of course it leaked a little early, and of course I downloaded it illegally. I connected with the album easily. To this day, I don’t know where I got the money from but I ordered the album and a snapback from the Odd Future web store.
This album made me love myself for the first time. There was nothing more that I enjoyed than being myself, and because of Odd Future I felt amazing. And for the record, being an odd future fan wasn't cool at all, but it introduced me to people that were similar to me and we ended up cresting friendships, even if they were left in middle school. Because of Odd future, I felt like I could talk to anyone and be and do anything. Words cannot express how much I owe to Odd Future in the process of myself.
And oh yeah Earl was home. At first, everything seemed incredibly kosher, but I was uneasy about Earl's return. From the first time I heard him rap post-hiatus, I knew that this guy wasn’t happy. And he curved odd future extremely hard by not signing with them. Regardless, Odd future kept pushing but the hype that surrounded slowly winded down. All of the artists went on to do their own things, and they didn’t collaborate nearly as much as they used to. The high points were whenever Tyler or Earl dropped an album. At this point I was more satisfied with Tyler's output, because his music had a positive impact on me as I was traveling through freshman year. Fall of sophomore year, however, led me to falter on Earl; I still think that the dude is troubled and his music suffers from it.
Then there was a time where Odd future wasn’t even in the conversation for new music; they had essentially fell off. Winter 2014 comes around and I purchase the Tyler the Creator/Migos issue of the Fader, and I read subtle hints that confirmed what I feared: ODD future was barely holding on. Then news of Mellowhype breaking up added fuel to the fire to my suspicions.
After releases this spring from Tyler and Earl there was almost an obvious divide present. Now to hear that everything that helped shape me is over is almost disheartening. But really it shouldn’t be. Things change, and people do too. Even though they may not male music together anymore as OFWGKTA, they all made my life better when they became a part of my life. When times get hard and I need inspiration, Odd future records will always be accessible. If nothing else, the collective has taught me to really appreciate something while you've got it, and while something may sound good in theory, it can mess everything up. So enjoy your life while staying true to yourself because you never know what’s in store. Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All Forever.