Turn it up: Tyler, the Creator – “Yonkers”
After listening to Tyler, the Creator’s “Yonkers,” I don’t know if I should clap the guy on the back or get him another therapist. The guy’s pissed about the way music is nowadays, dissing mainstream artists like Hayley Williams of Paramore, threatening to crash B.o.B.s’ airplane and “stab Bruno Mars in his goddamn esophagus.” The song sets a tense backdrop with a too-slow bassline and a minimalist drum beat while Tyler drops more more F- bombs than any Tarantino flick. But the guy’s not just cursing for fun, he’s got a point after all – and he’s not just after the pop-stars.
Tyler, the Creator; also leader and producer of the rap outfit Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, is single-handedly trying to change the game in his image. And he’s after the critics, too with lines threatening to stab “hipsters with a pitchfork,” referring to the admittedly hipster-news site Pitchfork.com. And although Tyler, the Creator kind of scares the crap out of this reviewer, it doesn’t mean he isn’t worth a listen. It’s refreshing to see someone from the underground come out with so much confidence, flair and raw talent in a world where those same qualities won’t get you anywhere near the radio. But that’s what’s awesome about Tyler, the Creator: he doesn’t care either way. He’s performed on MTV, and Jimmy Fallon’s show, so it’s obvious that the guy’s gathering some momentum. But at the same time, we’re not going to hear “Yonkers” on 95.5 anytime soon. And Tyler doesn’t care.
Turn it down: Chris Brown – “Yeah 3x”
I know what you’re thinking. It’s easy to pick on Chris Brown. You’re probably thinking that I’m biased because the turd of a person was involved in a domestic violence charge against Rihanna a few years ago. You might think I was affected by the totally inappropriate display of anger he showed at the Today Show on Tuesday when he broke a window and left the studio shirtless and a mess – after being asked a question about Rihanna.
You’re thinking it wasn’t the cookie-cutter radio hit format of his new singles that made me hate the guy, or his ridiculous new video where some parents let their kids get close to the guy or his dumb new hairdo. Whatever reason you think landed Chris Brown in this section of the paper makes you right, because the fact that he’s got a single with a lot of airplay just doesn’t sit well with me. And if you were thinking about buying his album, if for some reason you can’t manage to escape the song’s charm, I’d just download it illegally and donate $15 to Japan so things are right in the world again.
