Ranking Every Song on Tyler, The Creator’s WOLF Trilogy

Connor Cudmore
20 min readOct 26, 2021
Unhinged doodle by Connor Cudmore

POV: You’re walking through your high school in 2011 (if you’re in the UK or anywhere outside America, then squeeze your eyes really tight and imagine a ‘high school’ as hard as you can! Magical.) There’s a white kid wearing a Supreme snapback and a tye-dye t-shirt leaning against a locker. Crowded around him is another morose looking white guy who has scrawled an upside-down cross on his hand in crusty marker pen and spent his last class before lunch doodling pictures of cats. A third guy, meekly brandishing a skateboard under his arm, is wearing a jet-black hoodie with a giant pink donut plastered across its front. The description of these three individuals is specific enough and yet alienating enough for your reaction to be either: “shit yeah, I completely get what you’re talking about, those were the days”, or, “the guy who wrote this is clearly unhinged, why is he talking about cats and donuts?”

If you’ve not already been transported back to a time when you’re strutting through your high school (or equivalent) eyeing up the above reprobates with disdain (unless you were one of them, of course, like I was), then you’ve probably never heard Tyler, the Creator’s 2011 debut album Goblin. Relative newcomers to Tyler’s music could be mistaken for thinking the Grammy Award-winning rapper/producer-turned-musician and fashion extraordinaire came into music with his head already glued on straight, nothing but soulful croons and piano raps in his arsenal. They would be wrong, however.

Back in 2009, a teenage Tyler released Bastard, a mixtape recorded in his grandmother’s basement that was filled with juvenile profanity and a dark deep-dive into Tyler’s psyche. It would serve as the perfect predecessor for his debut album, Goblin, a project that made headlines for some seriously questionable lyricism and set Tyler up for world tours alongside his clique of misfits, Odd Future. It also started to spawn personalities like those I described in the first paragraph of this increasingly long introduction to this article. Odd Future merchandise, mostly characterised by the now iconic ‘donut’ emblem on hoodies and t-shirts, was everywhere, skateboarding became cool for a generation of hip-hop lovers once again, and a rebellious attitude wrought havoc through many a family home. If you’ve never heard Bastard or Goblin, you should know they got Tyler banned from the United Kingdom for his use of homophobic slurs and violent lyricism towards women, and then — in a Twilight Zone-esque turn of events — Tyler himself later came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2013, however, Tyler would release his best project (at that point), Wolf, an album that continued in a similar vein to Bastard and Goblin but with slightly better instrumental offerings and more clearly thought out songs about abandonment and the difficulty of finding fame. Tyler was growing up. He had now created a trilogy of albums that had a loose storyline running throughout them (I implore you to read about it, it’s a pretty great feat for an artist who had just started rapping).

Odd Future may have been a flash in the pan moment, a cultural phenomenon that threatens never to be repeated, and a nostalgia trip for many a twenty-something year old, but it’s also arguably the worst leg of Tyler’s career. His three most recent releases, 2017’s Flower Boy, 2019’s IGOR, and 2021’s CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST are extraordinary in their own right, and serve as much better examples of what Tyler is capable of. We’re not here to talk about those albums though, we’re here to talk about the Wolf trilogy.

SO, without further ado, I present to you: All forty-seven songs from Tyler’s Wolf trilogy ranked from worst-to-best.* Yes, I listened to all of these songs again. Yes, it was torture at points. Yes, I enjoyed the nostalgia injection regardless.

*bonus tracks not included.

47. ‘Fish/Boppin Bitch’

Where to even begin. Fish is the most boring song in the entire trilogy, and without a doubt in my mind the worst thing Frank Ocean has ever willingly put his name to. His feature is so cringeworthy and his interpolation of the Bed Intruder Song is actually inconceivable. Boppin Bitch is akin to a mid-2000’s Eminem skit. Tyler should never have committed this atrocity to record. An awful song, one of history’s worst, surely?

46. ‘Tina’

For whatever reason, Tyler felt the need to have one song on all three albums in this trilogy where he fucked around with his two favourite loveable idiots Jasper and Taco. Despite the palpable chemistry as a trio, believe me when I say it wears itself out quickly. Jasper and Taco have no rapping ability whatsoever, but that isn’t so much the point: Tina pretty much showcases Odd Future’s sense of humour and what they can (criminally) get away with. The song is supposed to be funny. It isn’t. You can skip this one, no one will think any less of you. In fact, I personally will think more of you.

Tyler poses for XXL Magazine with members of Odd Future, including Earl Sweatshirt, Frank Ocean, and members of The Internet amongst others. Photo credit: XXL

45. ‘Transylvania’

From the moment Tyler uttered “goddamn, I love women / daydream about penis being in ‘em” my eyes took on a life of their own and rolled so hard they didn’t come down for the full 3-minute run time of this heinous venture. Transylvania lands fairly early on in Goblin’s tracklisting, but even by the time this one graces your ears, you can’t help but feel kind of done with Tyler’s gross-out violent lyricism. Skip it.

44. ‘Bitch Suck Dick’

The second intolerable track in this trilogy to feature Jasper and Taco. In fairness, the lyrics are funnier than on Tina (their first outing together) and almost sounds like something that Lil B (a known influence on Tyler) would legitimately release. It’s still juvenile and, whether intentionally or not for the sake of comedy, an all-round ugly sonic experience. But, it’s probably worth one listen through just to hear Jasper’s questionable adlibs that, I’m ashamed to say, got a smirk out of me.

43. ‘Tron Cat’

Perhaps Tyler’s most infamous song, and for good reason. It’s lyrical content is honestly pretty disgusting, even if Tyler is playing a character (that one line about raping a pregnant woman and telling his friends he had threesome? Yeah, it’s a no from me). It’s romanticised violence reeks of youthful ignorance, but besides the reflux-triggering lyrical content, this track has some of the poorest mixing of the entire trilogy.

42. ‘Au79'

The only entirely instrumental offering on the entire trilogy, Au79 is completely inoffensive but it begs the question why Tyler thought this particular beat was good enough to consume three whole minutes of Goblin’s runtime.

Tyler poses with a bloodied fan at Coachella 2011. The fan is wearing Odd Future merch with an Earl Sweatshirt missing poster brandished across the front.

41. ‘VCR/Wheels’

A more seductive(?) number hidden deeper on Bastard’s track listing. Icky and uncomfortable, VCR’s saving grace is its refrain of “push my fucking buttons baby”, which is annoyingly catchy. Tyler had a habit of pitching his vocals aaaalll the way down on many of his songs at this time, and Wheels is a good example of it not working. Wheels latches itself to the end of VCR and even in its short runtime, refuses to finish quickly enough.

40. ‘Parade’

Honestly, I just find this one kind of boring. I think this is one that fans like, but for the life of me I don’t know why. It doesn’t even offer the most compelling listen on Bastard, and while it’s by no means the worst thing Tyler has ever released — that would be unfair — he’s also created far more exciting music.

39. ‘Pigs Fly’

It would be pretty easy to sleep through this one. The beat is demo-quality and Tyler exposes no versatility over the course of the song, again opting for pitched-down vocals and a bland verse. Domo Genesis, who, generally speaking, I think is actually underrated as an artist, delivers an okay verse, but Domo has done much better on other Odd Future escapades (see his features on Earl Sweatshirt’s Doris album).

38. ‘Odd Toddlers’

A DOOM-inspired joint that doesn’t feel out of place amongst Bastard’s Fruity Loops-heavy instrumental palette. Aside from its fun beat, however, Odd Toddlers doesn’t give much besides a middle-of-the-road Casey Veggies verse and, once again, an over-reliance on pitched-down vocals.

37. ‘Goblin’

For an artist who built their image on not giving a fuck what people think, Tyler sure does give a fuck what people think. Goblin as an album is littered with Tyler’s disdain for critics, but on the title track it really comes to fruition. In fact this song spends nearly seven minutes on just this topic. There’s some nice rhyme schemes and interesting inflections in Tyler’s delivery, but much like Bastard’s title track, it’s instrumental serves purely as a way for Tyler to stay on beat, while Tyler’s outcry at critics is akin to a thirteen-year-old crying over their mum not understanding them.

Tyler in prosthetics for the ‘IFHY’ music video, 2013.

36. ‘Cowboy’

Some of the poorest production your ears will be graced with over the course of this trilogy. Cowboy is exactly what fans came to expect from Tyler: rowdy raps delivered through gritted teeth, but with a refrain that borders on irritating this song loses its footing before it has the chance to do anything remotely interesting.

35. ‘Inglorious’

Or, the one in which Tyler directly addresses his father. Rightfully expressing his anger at his father’s abandonment of Tyler and his mother, it’s actually a proud moment hearing him brag that he got so far without a father-figure. Its one of the few moments on Bastard that feels personal enough to take us out of the trilogy’s overarching narrative. The beat is pretty basic, sure, but it’s definitely a more passionate moment from ‘this’-era Tyler.

34. ‘Wolf’

Even though it’s laden with Tyler’s typical penchant for profanity for the sake of being risky, this short album opener succeeds in introducing the more musical elements that Wolf brought into the fold as an album, a penchant that, as we know and love, Tyler would carry forward onto his later releases.

33. ‘Slow It Down’

Why does Hodgy Beats sound like he has a cold? Again, a dime-a-dozen beat from Tyler on Slow It Down really brings the song down, as does Hodgy Beats’ verse. But the hook is actually kind of sweet, and catchy, which seemed to be something Tyler was adept at but clearly couldn’t do with any consistency over the course of Bastard.

32. ‘Trashwang’

The best of the three terrible cuts to feature Jasper and Taco, Trashwang is at least a respectable attempt at a comedy posse cut. Featuring punk band Trash Talk and slew of other affiliates from Odd Future’s bloated ranks, Trashwang is a hit-and-miss gaggle of ridiculous one liners and genuinely awful attempts at humour. The hook is kind of infectious, but it’s ruined by the verses from members of Tyler’s clique that, frankly, shouldn’t have bothered.

31. ‘AssMilk’

Look, we can’t ignore the lyrical content here… Its poor at its best, and really disgusting at its worst, not to mention a pretty serious bout of homophobia being prevalent on this particular track. At its best, AssMilk is testament to the chemistry between Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler, and for that reason it lands this high on the list. Earl, by far the most talented rapper from Odd Future (yes, over Tyler), showcases impressive ability as an MC on a track that likely introduced him to many of Tyler’s listeners. The two spar, going back and forth trading verses and when Earl is forced to stop rapping so Tyler can throw some friendly punches inside the recording booth (yes, the song actually stops so we can hear them fighting) it’s actually more funny than awkward. Sadly, it’s insufferable lyrics let the song down. That, and the fact that the song is literally called ‘AssMilk.’

Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler on stage at Ace of Spades, Sacramento, around Wolf’s release. Photo credit: Impose Magazine.

30. ‘Nightmare’

The spoken word passages on Goblin that feature Tyler talking with Dr. TC serve the album well, and thank God that he decided to incorporate them into the album’s actual songs instead of making skits (*shudders at the mere thought*). Nightmare does this best, and while a distinctly average beat doesn’t do the song any favours, we get an interesting glimpse into Tyler’s psyche and his relationship with fame.

29. ‘Sandwitches’

Arguably the most iconic song in Odd Future’s cannon, the chants of “Wolf Gang” over the song’s hook are anthemic. It acts as a hype anthem for the fan base, and Sandwitches gets points for that alone. Unlike many of the other songs on Goblin, Sandwitches has a certain youthful innocence that implores you to jump around and not give a fuck for a while, rather than cringe. Has it aged well? Not particularly. Is it more tolerable that 90% of Goblin? Absolutely.

28. ‘Pigs’

One of the less enjoyable moments on Wolf in which Tyler seems determined to keep the boisterous spirit of Odd Future alive. It’s a raspy moment of aggression on a more sonically upbeat record. Rapping again from the viewpoint of Sam, Tyler gets near-Eminem levels of goofy with his voice by the end this one, and the payoff feels minimal on an album that is so story-centric.

27. ‘Session’

Curiously more straightforward than many of the other songs on Bastard, Tyler enlists the help of Hodgy Beats and BranDun Deshay to rap over a more palatable hip-hop beat that feels akin to something that East coast bastions of the time, Pro Era, would have released.

26. ‘Tamale’

Without a doubt, the most annoying song Tyler has ever released into the ethos. He really created a beast and just let it off the chain with this one. I actually want (literally more than anything in this particular moment) to put Tamale lower down the list, but from a production standpoint it’s way more interesting than the majority of Wolf, so I guess it deserves this slightly higher placement. I really don’t have many positive things to say about Tamale at all — it’s annoying, pointlessly random from a lyrical standpoint, and it’s called fucking Tamale.

Tyler, the Creator performs on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon at the height of Odd Future’s popularity. Photo credit: Rolling Stone

25. ‘Blow’

This is the Ted Bundy one. Yes, Tyler is actually rapping from the perspective of Ted Bundy, that’s right. It’s actually better than it’s premise makes it sound; Tyler delivers a smooth hook that is one of the few moments on Bastard that has the potential to worm it’s way into your short term memory, but unfortunately Blow is let down by a distinctly average delivery from Tyler. Also, rapping from a notorious serial killer’s perspective has less effect when you’ve spent the majority of your album bragging about raping and murdering anyway.

24. ‘Her’

A pivotal track in the overall narrative. We get a pretty good description of exactly what went down between Tyler and the girl he’s in love with. Tyler does a great job of delivering the story, but the instrumental is embarrassing, barely rising above a metronome for it’s full three minute and thirty second runtime. One of the biggest issues with Goblin is that Tyler was unable to convey the narrative he wanted to without straight rappidy-rapping, which leaves Goblin feeling like such a mixed bag. On the one hand you have a few rewarding tunes that are well worth the listen if you have the patience, but they’re undermined by the more experimental ideas he had that don’t play out because narratively they’re non-existent. He definitely improved on this combination of experimentation and storytelling on Wolf.

23. ‘Slater’

The one where Tyler raps about how much he likes riding his bike… no seriously. It’s okay though, the track picks up mostly in the back half where he collaborates nicely with Frank Ocean, winding in and out of each other's vocal tracks. The front of the track is a little bland, however.

22. ‘French’

Without a doubt one of my favourite opening lines in an early Tyler song: “Got all the black bitches mad ‘cus my main bitch vanilla”, French instantly gets across Tyler’s personality and sense of humour. I remembered this song quite well before returning to it for this list, and expected it to age far worse than it actually has. It’s not an awful song, and while there’s some dodgy lyrics on the tail end of the song, it’s entertaining enough.

Tyler performs in the iconic ‘Goblin’ mask, circa 2011. Photo credit: Slate

21. ‘Jamba’

I think fans will either love this one or think it’s pretty skipable (or annoying. I’d fully understand if they thought it’s was annoying). The beat is grainy, whiny even. But Tyler and Hodgy Beats both deliver great performances, and it’s got a groove to it that I find pretty nice. It’s far from perfect, but as track two on Wolf, and the first full-length song on the record, it certainly throws listeners immediately into the thick of the album.

20. ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’

The most mixtape-esque track found on Bastard. I love how slack-jawed and non-chalant Tyler sounds on Jack and the Beanstalk, opening with a drawl of “Odd Future I’m ya mu’fuckin’ sergeant” and sliding smoothly into a well-placed Jay Z sample rounds this one off nicely.

19. ‘Window’

An interesting posse cut that features a whole slew of Odd Future’s line-up rapping over a beat that challenges what a posse cut actually is. It’s incredibly slow, so slow in fact that a few of the featured guests’ flows sound awkward. Frank Ocean and Domo Genesis deliver standout verses, but Window definitely opens up a conversation around the oft-discussed Odd Future talent gap. Narratively however, Window is a crucial moment in the storyline in which Tyler murders his best friends, succumbing to his inner demons. Perhaps the song’s best moment comes at its close, where Tyler cries out in agony and remorse while Doctor TC again emerges within Tyler’s psyche.

18. ‘Bastard’

The opening to the entire trilogy gives us a heavy-handed introduction to the storyline. A simple piano-led instrumental takes a backseat to more serious subject matter as Tyler converses with Doctor TC over the course of nine verses. It’s an ambitious opener, and it actually pays off pretty well.

17. ‘Seven’

A stark contrast from the melancholic tones of Bastard’s self-titled opener, track two on the album gives us a plain yet addictive beat to sink our teeth into. Tyler sounds hungry, and in the space of two songs we understand exactly what we can expect from Tyler over the course of Bastard.

16. ‘Golden’

When Tyler gets across the storytelling elements of this album trilogy well, it makes for a captivating listen. Goblin’s album closer (on the standard edition), Golden, sees Tyler have a final confrontation with his therapist Doctor TC, who, spoiler alert, turns out to be one of Tyler’s many personalities he assumes on the record, and a figment of his imagination. He does a good job of playing his characters on this one, where it matters most as Golden acts as the narrative and chronological end to the trilogy. He sounds desperate and exhausted, angry and afraid as he confesses to violently murdering his friends to Doctor TC (a plot element that occurs earlier in Goblin’s tracklisting). Overall, the track wraps things up nicely and closes Goblin on a much-needed high point, even if the story’s conclusion falls a little flat in the end.

Tyler in typically colourful attire.

15. ‘PartyIsntOver/Campfire/Bimmer’

A three-parter and another first for Tyler. Exactly why these three songs ended up merged into one is a mystery to me, but somehow Tyler makes it work. PartyIsntOver is a slower moment on Wolf, and a welcome contrast to tracks like Domo23 or Tamale. Campfire feature eerie group harmonics, a cult-like chorus of children’s voices that is effective in producing an unnerving atmosphere. Bimmer is by far the best moment of this song, however. Catchy and fun, Frank Ocean’s backing vocals are a pleasure, and ultimately I just wish Bimmer was it’s own song.

14. ‘Domo23'

The closest Tyler comes to a through-and-through banger, Domo23 may be filled with lyrics that make you eye-role or cringe, but the song has a drive to it that makes you want to bounce off of the wall and punch something. In a similar vein to Sandwitches, the hook is anthemic and will surely have had the Odd Future crowds of the time screaming “fuck that, golf wang” at the top of their innocent little lungs.

13. ‘Radical’

Odd Future’s anthem for the parents, Radical helped Tyler’s reputation for going against the grain with his now-notorious growl of “kill people, burn shit, fuck school!” Sure, it’s brash, but the core message is one that is crucial to Tyler’s character — do what the hell you want and don’t worry about what anyone thinks of you. It’s a rare moment of complete sense and encouragement in which Tyler proves to us that he isn’t blind to his influence. Radical is a true barn-stomper and a mantra for teen fans at the time.

12. ‘Parking Lot’

The hook saves this one, a rapped chorus that fits suitably over this coffee shop hip hop aesthetic. The verses are okay, nothing special, but as an overall listening experience, this lands on the top end of the trilogy extensive roster.

11. ‘IFHY’

Despite Pharrell being a pioneer in his own right, it’s difficult to get a good feature out of him when he’s not over his own production. But Tyler has a habit of getting the best out of his featured guests, and Pharrell sounds at home on IFHY. After a short spoken word passage to kick things off, Tyler launches into a seething tirade that eventually gives way to Pharrell’s sultry vocals on the song’s backend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lDqMx4rmFU

10. ‘Lone’

A genuine moment from Tyler comes on Lone, where he talks extensively about the passing of his grandmother. It’s a tougher listen, and a more emotional one than the majority of Wolf. Not to mention that the shrill strings and jazzy piano of the instrumental is far more interesting than the synth-led production that brings down a lot of the material over the course of Bastard, Goblin, and Wolf.

09. ‘Analog’

A welcome break from the offensive onslaught Tyler brings for the majority of Goblin, Analog does well at reminding us that there is actually a narrative running through this trilogy. One of the better produced tracks from Goblin, I’ve seen some fans find dark undertones in the song’s lyrics, but honestly considering there is actually supposed to be a good side to Tyler’s character, I think it’s a sweeter song than some give it credit for.

08. ‘Treehome95'

It speaks volumes that this was the song so many OF fans at the time found a more difficult listen. Superbly smooth and bouncy, it stands in stark contrast to the sound fans had come to expect of Tyler, but it’s a good indication of what was to come. Guest feature Erykah Badu sounds surprisingly good harmonising with Tyler while the jazzy piano track that permeates throughout makes for easy listening.

07. ‘Rusty’

As Wolf’s notable straight hip hop track, Rusty carried a lot of pressure on it’s shoulders, especially considering it features Earl Sweatshirt on his first track since returning from an extended time away from Odd Futures clique (I won’t explain it here, but look up the entire ‘Free Earl’ phenom if you don’t know your Odd Future history). Tyler is at his rapping best on Rusty, finally delivering a verse attacking his critics that has some thought behind it. Domo Genesis delivers a killer opening verse, and solidifies himself as Odd Future’s rapping gold standard (Earl is a great rapper but until this point, literally hadn’t released enough solid material. Doris, Earl’s fantastic debut album, was just around the corner). Speaking on which, while not at his best on Rusty, Earl still teases a hungry fanbase with an okay verse on Rusty.

06. ‘She’

It might not have the most compelling beat, but Frank Ocean delivers the hook that introduced him to the masses on She. He is by far the most vital component here, but Tyler himself also manages to come through with an earworm refrain on one of Goblin’s standout moments. She isn’t perfect, but it’s almost as good as it gets on Goblin.

05. ‘Yonkers’

The track (and music video) that transformed the lives of many an angsty teenager. Over an admittedly derivative beat, Tyler holds our attention with some of his most memorable one liners. The perfect cacophony of murderous lyrics, mental anguish and storytelling, Yonkers stands tall as one of the trilogy’s greatest triumphs. Long before the world realised what Tyler had in store for us, he angrily introduced us to a warped universe born of Tyler’s dark imagination. It’s one of the few songs on Goblin that still holds up, and while Tyler might be sick of fans mentioning it, Yonkers is still a decent song that put Tyler well and truly on the map.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSbZidsgMfw

04. ‘Colossus’

Tyler is at his lyrical best here. The rhyme scheme is nice, and gets progressively more detailed as Colossus goes on. A lament over fans approaching Tyler at every possible opportunity, Tyler becomes fully aware (and scared) of his influence. It was truly a strange time to see someone as weirdly wonderful as Tyler, the Creator become so inexplicably popular, but it happened. On Colossus, Tyler puts his rapping ability front and centre, and details his thoughts on fame succinctly.

03. ‘Awkward’

Tyler’s love letter to his imaginary girlfriend. It would be a bonus if the vocals weren’t pitched down for the entirety of the song, but Awkward’s hook is nice, and it’s one of the more innocent of trilogy’s lengthy array of violent songs (can’t believe that was a sentence I just typed.) The final third of the song features one of Tyler’s best vocal performances to date. It’s a beautiful moment and it’s reminiscent of the more soulful journey he’d embark on with future releases.

02. ‘48’

One of Tyler’s catchiest hooks leads 48, a song that won’t sound alien to fans of Tyler’s newer music. Lyrically, Tyler adapts the character of Sam, the narrative’s defacto bad guy, who expresses regret over ruining so many lives dealing drugs, but juxtaposes it with an element of necessity (“I killed black folk, I’m sorry/but I got a nice car, put my sister through school/while my mama all cool. I’m sorry”). It adds a much-needed element of complexity to Sam, who was only properly introduced on Wolf, the final instalment in Tyler’s exhaustive trilogy, and raises questions around society’s ‘sacrifice in return for success’ mentality.

01. ‘Answer’

Here we are. The best song from across the dark and questionable expanse of Tyler, the Creator’s Wolf trilogy. Answer is another of Tyler’s laments over his father’s absence, but this time he exchanges the juvenile jabs for hard blows. What makes Answer so special is the melancholy that seeps through Tyler’s venomous disdain for his father, however. It’s a dour moment on Wolf, an album that (for better of for worse) throws itself from murderous anger to dumb humour to moments of genuine storytelling from track to track with relative ease. Answer stands out amongst its peers for its sparse electric guitars, gorgeous background vocals from The Internet’s Syd, and marching band-esque drums. “I hope he answer”, Tyler pleads as he considers calling his father, despite his fury at him. It’s raw, and this line enforces the beauty that can be found in the Wolf trilogy if one is willing to spend time with it. Answer is instrumentally compelling, lyrically gripping, and offers a moment of genuine depth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rs5aO40WL4

So there we have it, all forty-seven songs from Tyler, the Creator’s infamous Wolf trilogy ranked. I’m not sure, with all good conscience, I could suggest listening to these albums in their entirety. If you’re brand new to Tyler, go and listen to IGOR or Flower Boy, they’re much more worthwhile. I would, however, suggest reading about the trilogy in depth, its storyline isn’t overly complicated but it does make listening the Bastard, Goblin, and Wolf far more interesting.

Honestly, these three records will always hold a special place in my heart. I don’t agree with the violent misogyny littered throughout them, nor the homophobia, and I’d listen to these records now with more knowledge and respect than I would have had as a fourteen-year-old, circa when this trilogy came out. I imagine, considering where Tyler has taken his music since, he might agree. But despite the litany of negative comments you can hold against these first three efforts from Tyler, I believe they were necessary for him to get to where he is now — a far more mature artist, with genuinely thought-provoking ideas in his songs.

I’m thankful for 2010 Tyler, the Creator. Thankful for giving me exciting rap music that appealed to my dumb sense of humour as much as it did help get me into hip-hop. But, and I cannot express this enough, I’m thankful its over. Now, I’m going to go and listen to Tyler’s pretty extraordinary new record CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, and try and guess where one of music’s most versatile artists will head to next.

Words by Connor Cudmore
21–10–2021

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