Tyler, The Creator: Goblin (XL)

Tyler, The Creator

Goblin

XL

Jun 09, 2011 Web Exclusive By Hays Davis

The opinions prompted by the second album from Tyler, The Creator will likely be as contradictory as its material.

The opening title track sets the tone, with a scenario presenting the rapper sounding off about his current state of mind to his therapist. A few disarming revelations sound more human than persona, and they provide some balance for what follows: "I don't even skate anymore, I'm too fucking busy;" "Still live in my grandma's house/sell out a fucking show in London just to end up on couches." He also delivers the album's first disclaimer here, telling his therapist that he's not homophobic when his use of the word "faggot" is brought up—just before calling the therapist one.

While Tyler revels in dropping words or statements for the sheer value of their negative impact, Goblin is far from being a scattershot album of epithets. "I'm a fucking walking paradox/No, I'm not," he declares in "Yonkers." Still, for every clever twist there's a murder fantasy or a viciously descriptive bit of misogyny waiting in the next phrase.

"Hey, don't do anything I do in this song, okay? It's fucking fiction. If anything happens don't fucking blame me, white America," Tyler announces at the start of "Radicals," which includes the centerpiece chant "Kill people, burn shit, fuck school." Goblin will probably encourage some hand-wringing by non-fans/detractors, and Tyler is well aware of what's within the grooves of his record. It doesn't take radical thought to understand that outrage sells. (www.oddfuture.com)

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