OFWGKTA @ Phoenix Concert Theatre, May 15th 2011

"Swag! Swag! Swag! Swag!"

The excitement that rumbled the walls of Phoenix Concert Theatre in anticipation of one of hip-hop's most hyped new acts was like a force of hunger. 

Given the size of the crowd, the sold out copies of everything (unless you count the remaining XXL-sized tees), the associative united chants, and the pre-show mosh-pitting, the setting seemed more fitting for a punk band with legions of hardcore fans than a rap group that released the first record you have to pay for last week.

Such is the mantra of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, the teenage hip-hop collective of post-gangsta rap skate punks, who really don’t give a fuck about anything; and if they do, they’re putting a fantastic act on, and leaving some big-name media outlets satisfied to be in their gunpowder dust. 


OFWGKTA exploded into the focal point of the alternative music scene late last year, and the group’s been going full throttle since, gaining fans at a pace more fitting for the modestly edgy pop acts that dominate the traditional musical outlets that cling to relevancy. Their do-it-yourself philosophy towards their own nature is a breath of fresh, contentious air, especially in a genre that regularly manufactures a “don’t give a fuck” attitude with fat paycheque investments by labels and A&R, all in the name of hunting that elusive aura of realness, in what is a notoriously plastic musical universe. 





That quality comes through very organically for Odd Future. They’re comfortable in their crude element, and it’s not for everyone. Hell, if it were, the Wolves wouldn’t be a Gang. They rap about rape, killing themselves and their friends, their interests, and what they don’t like, over raw cut beats with a sloppy but acceptable enough string of togetherness. It’s like the musical version of yelling “SEX! Now that I’ve gotten your attention...” but with faint cues of subculture, and an addictive, inclusive attitude orbiting the frustration of trying to define oneself in an environment that’s spawning more and more hybrids of what used to be clearly laid out lines of musical and behavioural spectrums. By rap’s standards, they’re still kids, and while they give off a hostile attitude, it hits like an edgy joke from your best friend. 

But the proof is in the pudding, and I don’t want to add my name to the never-ending list of blogs that treat this wonderfully unique act like a pig fetus in biology class. Let’s talk about the damn concert, already.



The show started with some background chatter about a weakening voice by front man Tyler, the Creator, and within minutes the group ran onto the stage for a solid four songs of crowd-surfing, stage diving, and yelling out their rap-alongs. A mob this energized would have made even the most introverted artists an electricity factory, and it became very evident Odd Future and their fans would feed off each other all night.



Since that the show was originally supposed to be in the tiny venue Mod Club, many of crowd goers were probably jolted with the excitement of getting to see Odd Future after initially thinking they wouldn’t be. Right from the get-go this show was a wild presentation of hype theatrics (as dramatic as a bunch of guys with mics can be, anyways), spotty off-time at times raps, heavy bass beats, and even reflections that a group of buds from California could play their first ever show in Canada to a sold-out group of screaming fans. Their opening rendition of “Sandwitches” and midway “French!” performance were especially galvanizing. 

Odd Future’s swan song “Radicals” was saved for last, and it really did a number on the mosh-pits, stage security, and even gigantic suspended PA speaker that was wobbling and getting pushed by Hodgy Beats as “Kill people, burn shit, fuck school!” echoed throughout the venue. The house was collectively brought down, and it left a satisfying, if predictable end to the beginning of a what’s going to be a promising career for Odd Future. I really was rooting for these guys that they’d put a good show on, and they brought exactly what was coveted; a cavity pulled from the excited brigades of fans, receiving their hype candy for the memory book. 

I will absolutely be seeing these guys the next time they’re in Toronto, and wish them continued success, though given their current velocity, it’s not like I have to. 


Swag.