For a moment in time, Odd future, a rap collective fronted by Tyler, The creator but backed by Frank Ocean, Earl Sweatshirt and a whole host more beatmakers, taste-leaders, rappers and miscreants. The Los Angeles band was formed in 2007 and became a cultural phenomenon as they embodied a punk spirit that saw them subvert and reject modern principles of society.
One such philosophy would see the group become a national news story in the UK as they were interviewed as part of the well-established show Newsnight on BBC. The feature focused on the group’s decision to release their songs for free but sell high-priced merchandise as a way of counter-balancing the role of streaming platforms.
It was a unique method of gaining some publicity, but perhaps the most curious thing was that it seemed to stem from a sincere desire to create music and art. When Tyler was interviewed for the show, it soon became apparent that his and the group’s desire to disrupt the mainstream was the only thing on the agenda.
It had been a long time since a rap group, with seemingly minor backing, could garner this much attention in London. As the group touched down, they opened up one of their famous merch shops and witnessed hundreds and hundreds of teenagers queueing up to purchase their gear.
It garnered a TV crew and an interview for the group. Both of which were given the exact strange treatment as you would expect. Of course, the group would split, and the individual leaders of the band, the aforementioned Tyler, Frank Ocean and Earl Sweatshirt, would all go on to achieve mainstream success.
However, in the interview below, we get to see the potent philosophy at the group’s core, one that every artist connected with Odd Future would take into their own work.
Watch a rarely seen Odd future interview on British TV below.
