Rap Rivalry

OFWGKTA. Don’t try to pronounce it; those sitting nearby will think you’re either sneezing or cursing them in Swahili. It’s the abbreviation of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, the rap collective from L.A. you’ve probably already heard about. Tyler, the Creator, the group’s leader, directed and starred in the disturbingly cool video for “Yonkers,” the first single from his upcoming sophomore release Goblin. On February 23^rd Kanye West tweeted that “Yonkers” was video of the year, an endorsement that probably helped it reach its current view count of just under five million views.

On February 16^th they made their television debut on Jimmy Fallon with Tyler, the Creator and fellow Wolf Gang member Hodgy Beats performing a heavily edited version of the song “Sandwitches.” The performance featured music by the Roots, an excessive use of fog machines, green ski masks, the girl from The Ring, a wardrobe change, a cameo from Mos Def, an Ellen DeGeneres reference, and a piggy back ride. Check out that video here.

Despite the group’s rapid rise in popularity, Odd Future isn’t out to make friends. In “Yonkers,” Tyler the Creator calls out Hayley Williams (of Paramore), Bruno Mars, and B.o.B all in a single verse, rapping that he’ll “crash that (expletive) airplane that (expletive) (expletive) Bob is in.”  The lyrics are a direct reference to “Airplanes,” a song that was arguably the most overplayed radio hit of summer 2010, and that both Hayley Williams and B.o.B contributed to.

B.o.B decided he wasn’t going to take the diss sitting down, and on March 25 the track “No Future,” appeared online. Besides the obvious reference made in the song’s title, the lyrics are riddled with slams against the L.A. supergroup. B.o.B raps, “You see the (expletive) I gotta deal with from these beginners?” and warns, “The future ain’t looking promising for these rookies.”

Tyler was impressed by B.o.B’s “diss track” response. He tweeted, “Whoa. I Don’t Think The ‘No Future’ Song Is Even A Diss. But I’ve Never Heard Him Spit Like That. Took Me By Surprise, Cus Its Tight.” But afterwards, still tweeting, he said “Still Hate That Airplanes Song Tho. It Has The Same (expletive) Chord Progression As (expletive) ‘Love The Way You Lie’ And That One Song By Kay Perry.”

Watch the videos for “Yonkers” here, and listen to “No Future” here. Warning, the language of both songs are NSFW, and the visuals in “Yonkers” are just plain spooky.

No word yet on whether or not Hayley Williams and Bruno Mars have a diss track of their own in the works.

No word yet on whether or not an attempt in that regard would be intimidating at all.

Written by Christian Koons, Staff Music Writer