Dear Tyler the Creator…

Tyler the Creator performs with his band Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All
on Jul 22, 2011 at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco

Dear Tyler the Creator and other members of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All:

You probably know what this is about. A lot of people have been upset with you lately for your use of violent, sexist and homophobic lyrics in your raps. I mean, you can't really blame them can you, when you have lyrics like these or these or these? It's quite the quandary, because you guys are really talented.

I mean, you have great beats, really clever (non-rape) lyrics, and the emotional intensity of your work is amazing. Clearly you guys have something to say about the current state of the world and that's great! Some of the best music in history was produced to challenge the status quo and to make people look at the world they are living in.

Here's the thing – you're an artist, and you are entitled to free speech, so I guess you can use whatever slurs that you want. No one is disputing that.

But the fact is, you make it really difficult to appreciate the art you are producing when everything that you say is so loathsome. In fact, it's distracting and it's completely unnecessary because you are so talented. Why do you have to resort to these cheap theatrics and shock techniques?

I know you guys are really young and part of being a teenager is rebelling. We all do it. I mean, one of the reasons that I voted for Barack Obama is because my dad listens to Rush Limbaugh every day and I find it funny to get him all riled up with my offensive liberalism. Like I said, it's a phase that everyone goes through and eventually, you might grow up enough to see that.

You may think what you are saying is edgy and shocking, but really, it just comes off as childish. Also, speaking from the female perspective, I can't see myself accepting a date from someone who had expressed an interest in locking me in a basement and killing me. I don't know many girls who would. And hey, that calls into question the number of girls you claim to have slept with.

I get that you guys are really angry about a lot of things in this world: The economy is in the toilet, we are kept in a constant state of fear by the news media, there is still a major racial divide in this country, and Twilight is allowed to exist. These things make me angry too and it's important to speak up and challenge the status quo. But calling the status quo a f*g and then saying your going to rape it? That is really not effective.

So here's the thing – I respect your talent and I think you guys have the potential to be a voice for a generation of young people who are very discontent with the state of the world. But I am not going to listen to your music again until you clean up your act!

Cut the homophobia, the misogyny and the violence so that we can focus on what you are really trying to say instead of being forced to have these debates about whether you are really as much of a homophobic asshole as you appear.

Love,

Kelley