X Urban Music Magazine Preview issue Vol 1 | Page 8

“TYLER, THE
Anthony Alden

CREATOR” LIVE

W

atching Tyler, The Creator live in concert is like watching an aerobics class in session, except Tyler is teaching us how to walk in paradox to his beat. I’m a traditional hip-hop fan, so I must admit when I first heard of him I had to Google his credibility, because my music IQ can become one-dimensional. The alternative hip-hop collective rapper hails from Los Angeles, CA. and has been stirring debate with fans and critics because of his use of topics such as rape and murder.
Despite the fact that Tyler has gained much recognition and was the winner of MTV’s Video Music Award for Best New Artist in 2011, his group grabs attention as soon as their mouths reach the microphones. They refuse to censor their thoughts no matter how deranged and perverted they are. I arrived at the venue around 7: 30 p.m. when the doors were to open at 7 p.m.. Despite the time being half an hour after the doors’ opening, the line still stretched as far as your eye could see down High Street on OSU’s campus. For a minute it felt like I was a Beatles revival fan pushing and shoving to get inside away from the cold. My tensions began to rise. I had read a little about Tyler fans. I wasn’t exactly ready to fight my way into the venue or catch a diving fan in my arms. I didn’t exactly know what to expect, but I came to find that the audience was a diverse group of hipsters who appreciate his brand of rap. The crowd contained a huge variety of XUMM | Preview Issue 8 cultures, ages and ethnicities. In fact, I stood out like a sore thumb being a black guy at this rap concert. my $5 12-oz Coors light draft beer as I watched the crowd from the balcony. I knew when the concert started I would flash my press pass and be escorted past all of the drama to the front of the stage. It was past 9 p.m. by the time Tyler, minus OFWGKTA, came on stage, and there was a full crowd pushing at my backside. It reeked of beer, sweat, and funk… and I don’t mean music. Before I could take a shot with my camera, a bottle of water smacked me in the back of the head. Un-phased, I kept my lens focused on the stage. Tyler floated out on stage, owned his moves, did a little MJ float, and demanded stage presence as he connected with his fans who were chanting “Wolf Gang”, “Golf Wang.” The combination of the loud bass, up-tempo rap and hard beats reminded me more of a rock concert. Overall, I was impressed by his ability to connect with such a wide audience, and I can’t wait to see what he brings to the industry in the future.

By 8:30 p.m., as the sold out crowd began shoving to get closer to the stage, they began to chant and become restless. The main floor area to the stage was tightly packed. I enjoyed