Our Conversation with VMA Best New Artist, Tyler the Creator from OFWGKTA

A few weeks back I was introduced to a new collective out of Los Angeles called Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA). After a few minutes of watching their videos I had to pick my jaw up off the ground and hunt down whatever music of their's I could. Listening to them, it felt like a changing of the guard. It was the same feeling I had when I first heard Suicidal Tendencies self titled album all those years ago. After listening to BASTARD by VMA Best New Artist, Tyler the Creator, and EARL by Earl Sweatshirt I knew I needed to track these guys down and find out more. Everywhere I went they seemed to be a bit of an enigma. Everyone loved their music but nobody knew anything about them other than that they were excessively skilled at their craft, offered an excitingly fresh perspective to the stale as zombie fart hip hop scene and they were young. After a few attempts to reach out via myspace and Facebook, Tyler the Creator got back to us and we shot some emails back and forth to create the following interview.

Syffal: Introduce yourself to the readers, tell them a bit about your history, how you came up, etc.

Tyler: I'm Tyler, I Sell Weed To Minors, And I Make Music In My Spare Time. I Came Up In A Very Big Family, Mother Was A Teacher, Father Was A Firefighter, Little Sister, And My Dog Steve. I Took Piano Lessons At The Young Age Of 7, And Started Writing Poems At 10.

I'm Lying, I Have No Father, My Mother Was Single Parent TIll I Was 15 When She Bounced Up North Without Me, I Taught Myself Piano At 14 And Started Rapping At 7 Because I Fucking Sucked At Sports.

Syffal: OFWGKTA is the collective give us a brief introduction to each of the members of the group.

Tyler: Tyler The Creator's The Head Drug Dealer. Wolf Haley is The Evil Voice In His Head.
Hodgy Beats Is His Right Hand Man, Along With His Brother Left Brain.
Earl Sweatshirt Is Tyler's Young Brother, Dealing Drugs To The Younger Crowd.
Domo Genesis Handles The Money. And Mike G Is The Look Out.

Syffal: How did you guys come together?

Tyler: Most Of Us Met In School And Just Skating Around. Selling Drugs And Doing Real Bad Hoodrat Shit

Syffal: Since we all are creations of our influences How would you describe your sound and how do you feel they come across in the music you create?

Tyler: My Sound Is Like: A Mosh Pit At A Jazz Concert. Or Like, Hitler Fucking Dr. Suess.

Syffal: I saw you listed Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti as one of your favorite groups, which is also one of my favorite albums this year. What other new artists are you checking for?

Tyler: Ariel's Pretty Old, But Overall. I'm Fucking With Toro Y Moi, The New Nite Jewel EP Is Swagged Out, And Those Odd Future Guys Are Fucking Legit. And I Love Justin Beiber

Syffal: As a larger group I’m sure the creative process is a bit rougher than a solo artist or a duo. How does it work for you guys?

Tyler: well for one, we're all solo artists. we just run together. and we just let shit flow, the first thing that comes to our heads goes down on paper or on a keyboard. we're lucky that people like the shit.

Syffal: You mention a few times on BASTARD that you dont get fucked up. Is there any reason behind that, have you gone straight edge like Ian MacKaye?

Tyler: I Dont Need Drugs. Except For Albuterol, Predinisone And Ritalin.

Syffal: One of the things I found most refreshing about you guys is that you tend to thumb your nose at the establishment, the 40 year old rappers talking about how much money they have, etc. How have you found the response to be from established artists?

Tyler: I Dont Know, Prolly When i Make Alot Of Fucking Money, Ill Buy Rims And Chains And All That Dumb Shit, So, If You Look At It, I'm A Hypocrite In Progress.

Syffal: Most of the people I talk hip hop with are old fucks like myself, who got really into the music during the late 80s and early 90s, they all seem to share the opinion that hip hop has gotten boring as shit, there are no real risk takers, everyone falls into one of like 5 sounds, its not even that dudes are technically bad, they are just boring. It would be interesting to get the opinion of a younger artist, especially one who is making the type of music we have all been craving (Those same old fucks that bitch non-stop are geeked on you guys and the energy and vibe you bring).

Tyler: Music Sucks Now. The Only Rap Shit Out Now Thats Fucking Swag Is Waka Flocka, Lil B And OFWGKTA. Seriously.

Syffal: Where do you see it all going, you guys are obviously a self contained unit, with tons of talent, the videos are fresh, the music is great, there is a lot of talk in the music and the videos of skating, even sponsorships. What does the future hold for Odd Future?

Tyler: Who The Fuck Knows. I Want A Grammy, And Nice House, Trampoline, Mini Ramp, A Cat named Wolf, A Lifetime Supply Of Bacon And Cinnamon Toast Crunch. And Motor Scooters For All My Friends. In Order To Do That I Have to Work Hard And Stop Jacking Off And Yelling At People I Dont Know.......And Work Hard...er.

Lightning Round:

Syffal: Who would win in a fight, circa 1985 Motley Crue or the new A-Team?

Tyler: Eh, Motley Was Gnarly, But These A-Team Niggas Have Guns

Syffal: Diary of a Madman by Ozzy or Diary of a Mad Black Woman by Tyler Perry?

Tyler: Ozzy. I Fucking Hate Tyler Perry. FUCK TYLER PERRY

Syffal: Have you ever had sex while listening to your own music like one Jamie Foxx?

Tyler: No, But Numerous Kids Have Told Me They Lost The Fucking V Card To VCR/BLOW. So Swag Me The Fuck Out.

Syffal: Using the LeFevre scale what would it take for you to kill Justin Beiber - A Hot Pocket, World Peace or Something inbetween?

Tyler: Nothing. I Love Justin Bieber. No Homo.

Syffal: Anything you want to promote?

Tyler: HATE. And GOLF WANG FREE EARL CULT SHIT. Fuck Steve Harvey.