If you haven’t heard of Odd Future yet, you probably don’t have the internet. OFWGKTA are a bunch of skater kids from LA who have gone from releasing their music for free download on blogs and posting their antics on Youtube, to being hyped as the next big thing in hip hop and being flown around the world to play venues like the Sydney fucking Opera House. The Wolf Gang have caused quite a storm in an extremely short time, attracting comparisons to Wu Tang Clan and gaining praise and condemnation in equal measures for their heavily controversial lyrics.
Being Odd Future’s first ever performance in Australia, and having sold out literally within a few minutes, there was a thick sense of expectation in the crowd at the Studio. I must admit that when Hodgy Beats (who was reported to have decided to miss coming to Australia) walked out of the venue prior to the show with some OF companions and a trailing cohort of trendy groupies, it was pretty exciting. Needless to say the show was hipster / streetwear aficionado festival 2011.
To build the anticipation, the OF DJ Syd tha Kid spun some familiar, mainstream tunes of the likes of Lil Wayne and Waka Flocka Flame. This went on for a good ten minutes before the group erupted out of the backstage into the group’s anthem-of-sorts “Sandwitches”, which had the whole crowd screaming “Wolf Gang” at the top of their lungs. Known for their wild, energetic and at times violent live shows more in the vein of a punk act, Odd Future didn’t disappoint as kids promptly started mosh pits and stage dived throughout. Frontman Tyler, The Creator took great pleasure in repeatedly joking about the white-ness of the crowd (“y’all are a bunch of white ass niggas!”), which the crowd received with hysterical appreciation. The crew played a solid breadth of material from their extensive catalogue, from Tyler’s dark and introspective songs to Hodgy Beats’ upbeat, danceable bangers and the weed-infused tunes of Domo Genesis. OFWGKTA wrapped up their set with an encore which was arguably the highlight of the night, smashing a few familiar tunes like the EarlWolf joint “Orange Juice” and “Double Cheeseburger”.
Whatever you may think of Odd Future – as the exciting and gifted future of hip hop, or as a bunch of over-hyped and bigoted kids – they certainly put on a pretty entertaining show. After all, playing three sold out shows at the Opera House (as probably the venue’s youngest ever performers bar School Spectacular) ain’t something to be sneezed at.
-Max Walden
