By Corey Vikser
Arts Editor
Drake, Kendrick Lamar and J.Cole are just some of the big name rappers who’ve released albums this year. However, Odd Future alumni Earl Sweatshirt’s new album, “I Don’t Like ****, I Don’t Go Outside” is one of the most unique recent rap releases in this already prolific year.
Sweatshirt shows heavy progression from his Odd Future days in this new release as it features impressive production, complex lyricism and cohesion in its theme.
Earl Sweatshirt first gained attention in 2009 as a part of the LA-rap collective Odd Future. At only 16 years old, he released his first mixtape to critical acclaim and controversy due to his extremely violent and sexually explicit lyrics. Following that his mother sent him to boarding school in Samoa, and the fellow members of OF launched a viral campaign titled ‘Free Earl.’ Upon return in 2012, he was quickly pressured to release an album. His studio debut, “Doris,” was released to mixed response due to his monotonous rapping and overproduction, resulting in a cluttered product.
Sweatshirt shows growth as an artist as he entirely switches his style, stemming complex lyrics from his own personal experiences. Grief, heartbreak and drug addiction are the central themes of the album as he expresses the devastation of his grandmother’s death and losing his long-time girlfriend.
The album is his most personal release to date, as he delves into his struggles with depression and even builds upon his newfound distance from Odd Future. Sweatshirt details his feelings of alienation from the collective in “Grief”, whilst expressing his contempt in “DNA”. These topics provide a sense of genuinity to a rapper usually known for extremely hyperbolic lyrics.
In response to criticisms of his monotonous rapping style, Sweatshirt employs different rhyme schemes heavily on the album, most impressively on “DNA,” where he begins to rap at such a fluency that at first listen sounds nothing like him. These new styles benefit the lyrics, allowing them to take center stage over the production unlike the majority of today’s mainstream rap.
Sweatshirt had full creative control on the album, impressively maintaining a consistent theme within every aspect. Under advice from Flying Lotus, he self-produced 9 out of the 10 tracks on the release. His production contains a lo-fi aesthetic, switching between grating and ethereal sounds. For example, lead single “Grief” is grating on the ears, utilizing a heavily compressed snare for the majority of the song. Although initially harsh, these stylistic choices lend to the album’s core theme of alienation and hopelessness.
Clocking in at a tight 30 minutes, the album is extremely cohesive. By taking on his production, Earl flexes complete control on the album’s tone after his debut was cluttered with producers. Unlike albums that have similar sounding songs, “I Don’t Like ****” sounds like it was crafted to be listened to as a single experience. The tracklist progresses thematically, as ‘Faucet’ lyrically introduces Earl’s grief over his grandmother before leading into ‘Grief.’ The progression is not only lyrical, as the instrumental outros transition into the following tracks perfectly as well.
“I Don’t Like ****, I Don’t Go Outside” is an impressive come-back for rapper Earl Sweatshirt, as he completely takes control over the thematics of the album, resulting in a genuine work. The personal lyrics, lo-fi production and re-invented rhyme schemes from Sweatshirt make this album a must listen.
‘I Don’t Like ****, I Don’t Go Outside’ is available digitally for $9.99.
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