"I'm fuckin' Goldilocks up in the forest
In the three bear house eatin' their muthafuckin' porridge
I tell her it's my house, give her a tour
In my basement, and keep that bitch locked up in my storage
Rape her and record it, then edit it with more shit"

 

Pitchfork, just a question:

When did rape, kidnapping, hatred, and murder become so... trendy?

Seriously, is this a joke?

 

It isn't disputed that the lyrics of Odd Future are ridden with hatred, misogyny, and homophobia. Much of the discussion surrounding the band somewhat acknowledges the awful content, but many critics instead like to bullshit some kind of excuse -- that the music is simply artistic teenage angst, offering a horrifying but intense rush.

"Someone should introduce these people to to the music of Screwdriver," music critic Wallace Wylie writes. "One wonders whether Pitchfork would find their shocking racism exhiliarting."

 

Pitchfork Media is very much a part of this discussion. "They rap about raping women," Pithfork muses. "Often." Though detailed in its analysis of the actual music and its genre, Pitchfork does not so much as SUGGEST a critical analysis of the lyrics, but rather, passes it off as "hilarious."

 

Can these lyrics simply be dismissed as funny or (in Tyler's words) "weird?"

Dare we challenge his highness Tyler the Creator, we can call this music what it actually is -- hatred.

 

Why is it acceptable to demean and marginalize millions of people in the name of "art?" Can we call ourselves socially responsible and engaged citizens while celebrating the kind of music that embodies such oppression?

 

We respect that musical artists have every right to express themselves in whatever way that they might choose. **However, we also feel that socially-conscious criticism is ESSENTIAL in any dialogue regarding artistic expression. We recognize that art has real political consequences; it reflects on the culture at large, and often perpetuates and reinforces social inequality.**

 

Pitchfork predicted that Odd Future might "face the wraths of conservatism."

The implications here are laughable. Apparently when decent human beings choose to condemn misogyny and homophobia, they are conservative and out of touch.

 

Help send a message to Pitchfork and other media sources that we can no longer silently condone the violent and hateful fantasies of individuals like Tyler, the Creator, passively as art.

 

* * *

IN THE WORDS OF OTHERS

(Who can say it much more succinctly than myself)

 

Sara Quin of indie-duo "Tegan and Sara" puts it quite eloquently:

"If any of the bands whose records are held in similar esteem as Goblin had lyrics littered with rape fantasies and slurs, would they be labeled hate mongers? I realize I could ask that question of DOZENS of other artists, but is Tyler exempt because people are afraid of the backlash? The inevitable claim that detractors are being racist, or the brush-off that not “getting it” would indicate that you’re “old” (or a faggot)? Because, the more I think about it, the more I think people don’t actually want to go up against this particular bully because he’s popular. Who sticks up for women and gay people now? It seems entirely uncool to do so in the indie rock world, and I’ll argue that point with ANYONE."

 

Music critic Wallace Wylie gets to the heart of the matter:

"Anyone with a fully working brain and heart would attack such brutality on sight, but instead Odd Future have had the red carpet laid down for them. Whatever the factors behind it, and there are undoubtedly many, the fact remains that the press coverage documenting Odd Future’s rise to fame has been morally bankrupt in every sense. The outrage that would greet race-killing fantasies from white teenagers is missing and not because of any kind of race-based bias from the ‘liberal media’. The outrage is missing because misogyny is not treated with the same seriousness as racism, because large parts of the male population still hold shockingly moronic views on female sexuality and femininity, because many females still don’t see a problem with violent rape fantasies, because many men still feel that endless misogynistic ‘jokes’ are ultimately harmless and that everyone should just get a sense of humour."

 

SOURCES

Pitchfork Media, "The /b/ Boys: Odd Future and the Swag Generation"

(http://pitchfork.com/features/articles/7863-the-b-boys-odd-future-and-the-swag-generation/)

 

Collapse Board, "Odd Future and Sexism Etc."

(http://www.collapseboard.com/odd-future-and-sexism-etc/)

 

Tegan and Sara, "A Call for Change"

(http://teganandsara.com/)