Odd Future
Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, better known as Odd Future and often abbreviated as OF or OFWGKTA,[2][3] is an American alternative hip-hop music collective formed in Los Angeles, California in 2007. The original members were Tyler, the Creator, Casey Veggies, Hodgy, Left Brain, Matt Martians, Jasper Dolphin, Earl Sweatshirt, Travis "Taco" Bennett, and Syd. Later members included brandUn DeShay, Pyramid Vritra, Domo Genesis, Mike G, L-Boy, Frank Ocean, and Na-Kel Smith.
Odd Future
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
2007–2016[a]
- Tyler, the Creator
- Left Brain
- Jasper Dolphin
- Hodgy
- Syd
- Domo Genesis
- Mike G
- Taco
- Earl Sweatshirt
- Frank Ocean
- L-Boy
- Matt Martians
- Pyramid Vritra
- Casey Veggies
- brandUn DeShay
- Na-Kel Smith
- LegoHead
- Sagan Lockhart
- Lucas Vercetti
- Julian Berman
- Pancho
Odd Future self-released their debut mixtape, The Odd Future Tape, in 2008, as well as various solo and collaborative projects over the subsequent years. In 2010, they then released their second mixtape, Radical, gaining a significant rise in popularity throughout the early 2010s. Their debut studio album, The OF Tape Vol. 2, was released in 2012. Aside from music, Odd Future had an Adult Swim comedy skit show, Loiter Squad, which ran from 2012 to 2014.
Since 2016, the official status of the group has been highly disputed. While there is no conclusive announcement signifying an official breakup, the group has remained completely inactive, with many of its members suggesting that there are no plans for the collective going forward. Because of this, the group is generally considered to have disbanded. Despite their inactivity as a group, there have been reunion shows in both 2018 and 2023.[4] [5]
History[edit]
2007–2010: Formation, early releases and rise in popularity[edit]
Odd Future was formed in 2007 in South Central Los Angeles by Tyler, the Creator along with Casey Veggies, Hodgy, Left Brain, the Super 3 (Matt Martians' production trio which included fictional characters Betty Vasolean and Yoshi Jankins Jr.) and Jasper Dolphin. The entirety of the group consisted of rappers, producers, filmmakers, skateboarders, and clothing designers. The group's recording side was known for their rebellious, brutally honest, and profanity dense lyrics.[6]
In early 2008, Casey Veggies released Customized Greatly, Vol. 1, featuring Tyler on a few tracks.[7] On November 15, 2008, Odd Future released their debut mixtape, The Odd Future Tape.[8]
On July 7, 2009, Hodgy released his debut mixtape, The Dena Tape. On December 25, 2009, Tyler, the Creator released his debut mixtape, Bastard. In 2008, Chicago-based rapper brandUn DeShay and Atlanta-based producer Pyramid Vritra joined the collective; the latter joined Matt Martians' Super 3, and they released The Super D3Shay EP alongside the former before changing their name to the Jet Age of Tomorrow. Earl Sweatshirt, Domo Genesis, Mike G, Frank Ocean and Na-Kel Smith joined the group between 2009 and 2010. Earl Sweatshirt's debut mixtape, Earl, was released on Tumblr in March 2010.[9] MellowHype, a duo composed of Hodgy and Left Brain, released their debut mixtape, YelloWhite, on February 24, 2010, and their debut album, BlackenedWhite was also released in 2010. Domo Genesis released his debut mixtape, Rolling Papers on August 30, 2010, and Mike G released a mixtape, Ali, in 2010. The collective also released their second mixtape, Radical, near the middle of 2010.
In November 2010, Odd Future completed a two-stop tour and the first was in London on November 5, 2010.[10][11] The second was in New York City on November 8, 2010.[12] Their concerts have been compared to punk rock shows, with stagediving, moshing, and group members antagonizing the crowd.[13][14]
Controversies[edit]
Odd Future was scheduled to appear at the February 2014 Rapture Festival in Auckland, as a supporting act to Eminem. The group was not on the original bill, but was substituting for Kendrick Lamar after the concert had been sold out.[57] A campaign was launched by an anti-violence group to prevent Odd Future performing, based partly on prior occurrences of the group supposedly inciting violence by their fans towards members of the public, and by the group's lyrics allegedly supporting rape and violence towards women.[58] Immigration New Zealand canceled the visa of some group members because of alleged acts of inciting violence.
In 2015, Tyler, the Creator was banned from the United Kingdom for 3–5 years due to the allegedly homophobic and violent content of his lyrics from earlier albums such as Bastard and Goblin.[59]
Tyler's UK ban has since been lifted,[60] concurring with his show in London to promote his fifth studio album, Igor. However, his show was forcibly cancelled by police after they voiced their safety concerns, saying that it was "overcrowded" and "too rowdy".[61]
