Thoughts On: I Don't Like Sh*t, I Don't Go Outside

Recommended tracks: Grief, DNA

Welcome back to Thoughts On, where I am still recovering from one of the most hype months of Hip-Hop music I have ever seen. Less than a week after the masterful Kendrick album we got a new single and a new album by Earl Sweat shirt seemingly out of nowhere. Much in contrast to various other albums coming out however, Earl's new joint is a minimalist project that is meant to focus on his personal depression and life status. Since the start of Earls young career (the man is only 21) he has seemed to only get darker and darker in terms of his music and honestly as someone who deals with depression I am glad that there is an artist who isn't afraid to just be honest?

So who is Earl Sweatshirt and why is his name so weird? Well Thebe Neruda Kgositsile (good luck pronouncing that) is a west coast rapper who first came into the public light with his mixtape 'Earl' that was made with the help of Tyler, The Creator. The mixtape was critically acclaimed and in typical Odd Future fashion touched on some pretty violent topics. Earl was 16 at that point in time and shortly after he was shipped off to boarding school by his single-mother who did not appreciate his violent music. The young member of Odd Future become a bit of a legend after that, with the internet wondering where he had disappeared to and collectively trying to find ways to bring him back. Well after his return in 2013 he dropped his first official album 'Doris,' one of most acclaimed albums of the year. At that point Earl become a bit of a star in the Hip-Hop world. Known for his fluid rhythmic patterns that often convey messages of sadness or loss mixed with his ability to make fun of situations and himself Earl serves as one of the darker sides of the next generation of rap music. In contrast to artists like Joey Bada$$ and Chance the Rapper, Earl's introverted tendencies show in his music and with his latest project we get to understand a little bit more about where that inspiration comes from. While the other members of Odd Future base there music around youth and the concept of growing up (or lack thereof), Earl's music has matured to the next of life which is “where do I go from here?”

So what does the album sound like? Well it starts off with 'Huey', a song composed of organs that sound like they are playing some sort of carnival game theme and Earl giving us lines that set up the setting and tone for the rest of the album. He talks about how these days he stays inside more, posted up with weed and liquor. He has to write things down faster because he can't seem to focus on things for too long anymore. He also speaks of drinking to his late grandmother, which a theme that we see emerge throughout the album. After a verse the song goes into a smooth instrumental breakdown that reminds of BBNG's signature style of Jazz Hip-Hop fusion. This makes sense considering: 1.) BBNG has worked with Earl before and even covered his songs and 2.) Earl produced this whole LP so naturally he may make sound that is reminiscent of the style he surrounds himself with. This flows into the next track 'Mantra', an angry track powered a combination of synthesizer chords and echoing drum hits that set the stage for Earl to rap about his experiences with his past relationship and how rumors were spread about him after his rise to fame. Specifically how lies got in the way of trust and even mistakes that Earl made were only made worse. The song then ends on another instrumental breakdown before 'Faucet' starts. This song touches on Earl's estranged relationship with his mother, again with simple kick snare beat, chords, and an occasional melodic set of eighth notes thrown in to give this a very chill sound. In this song he talks about how he hasn't been home in some time, probably since he was sent away after his debut mixtape. Since the release of his album it has changed his ambition and he has grown tired of being home. This contradicts the albums title and theme but it makes for a great concept. With such a sudden burst of fame you would want to keep the train rolling but your own depression is stopping you from pushing forward too much, you want to wash off the sadness but there is nothing you can do. All this is my own speculation but you can feel the twisted messages that Earl is putting out here. Next we have the single and my favorite track, 'Grief'. This track contains a floaty production and a snare that hits a bit too loud but stands to make the listener a bit uncomfortable, which may be the point. Hear we have the main selling point of this album, since it is hear that Earl talks specifically about the aftermath of his success and the resulting fake friendships, addictions, and fleeting encounters with women. The music video released for this song is shot entirely with negatives, which may mean that this song is a metaphor for finding out the true nature of those around you. The song also has drum fueled breakdown at the end. I really appreciate Earl's decision to let a lot of these beats just rock. The album is a reflection his thoughts and the constant continuation of beats just resembles the way thoughts hang in the air and don't get resolved. Next we have 'Off Top', a look into how Earl feels about him self. He raps about how he has been a burden since he was in the stroller, an angry child who missed his father. Funny enough this piano chord driven instrumental is the only song on the album not produced. The most reflective song on the project was musically handled by someone else. Maybe Earl wanted to just focus on telling his story and did not feel he could musically support his verse on this track. Skipping ahead to the last two tracks leads us to 'DNA', where in this dark tense song Earl raps about what he is made up of. A stubborn brain, stomach full of drugs, and a lack of bitch in his system. This is a confidence in Earl that very seldom comes out. His voice is usually monotone but even then you can pick up on the hints of emotions he is trying to convey. Featured on this track is Na'kel who gives this very off meter and kind of clumsy verse about his brother passing. While the delivery is not the best the picture that he paints of his brother and how he reacted to news of him moving up. It is brutally harsh depiction of grief and as the verse goes on he talks about how he plains to make him proud and live in a way that he could be happy about. Lastly the album finishes with the song 'Wool' featuring Vince Staples, a close friend and frequent collaborator of Earl. After an album of dark reflection we get this track that sounds like two friends doing their best to go in on a song rather than worry about the world around them. This may be a sign the Earl is feeling slightly better or at the very least is more comfortable in his skin. But after Earl's this no hook song just ends and the album is over.

I really like this album, while its short length and abrupt ending leave me wanting more, I cannot help but think this is only a stepping stone for Earl's next project. Granted he is not confirmed to be working on anything right now but this album may very well have been an experiment into his own ability as a solo artist (doing the majority of the production) and dealing with his demons. Granted things like depression don't just go away over night and it seems like Earl has some major things to work through and come to terms with but at the very least he has found a way to continue working at the same time. On a personal level the concept of this album is fantastic, an honest look into the minds of one of raps most prominent young MC's after being labeled a major success. We get to see the aftermath of what he does to himself both in celebration and penance of his actions, all the while he never stops delivering bars. Rap is such an odd genre, while none of these songs are radio hits in any way, the album as a whole speaks on themes that more people need to hear. Through the music we get see a young artist coping with things that a big chunk of people worldwide deal with as well. It is important for people to know that ever celebrities are still human and that some artists will go out of their way to make something this is a bit dark and uncomfortable for the sake of integrity or making a point. This may not be Earl's best work, but it has the most meaning behind it. From dealing with his mom, his grandma passing, depression leading to lethargy, and his past relationships Earl is putting himself out there. This is how you grow as a person and as artist, you have to come to terms with your past and put your best foot forward to be successful in the future. Only time will tell if Earl has gotten to the point where he wants to be. I recommended that you all: LISTEN SOON to this album, unless you are sensitive to depressing material in which case this is probably not for you.

Thank you all for reading, in the coming weeks I will be writing about Action Bronson and Fashawn's new albums and then taking a break from hip-hop to talk about the album 'Ibeyi'. Maybe even some Death Cab for Cutie, who knows? Stay tuned.