Dear Tyler the Creator

If this picture doesn't say it, then nothing does...

No, this isn't a review. There are too many of those floating around, and with the uniqueness of your work, there really isn't a perspective out there that I trust other than my own. I suppose that is the mark of a 'game-changer'. *cringes* If there was a resounding opinion on Goblin, I'd be less likely to write this letter, as no one would be able to differentiate mine from the sea. Rather, this letter is a barometer of sorts; an understanding of how your album, your presence, and what you stand for stand to make waves in the hip-hop industry.

Tyler, I am by no means a fan of your work. Too often, I feel that your macabre and grotesque imagery is done for shock-value and is indicative of your young age. However, I see its appeal for the masses of Odd Future faithful that have appeared over the past year. You cater to a crowd that is internet-savvy, but weary of the structure that the 'blog game' places on the hip-hop industry. Rather than kow-tow to the likes of NahRight 2DopeBoyz and whatever other website, you staunchly disowned them, essentially slandering them constantly. It got to a point where you had the oft-disparaging Eskay (nobody really likes him anyway) engaging in a long Twitter tirade about how much he disliked you, simply because you had gotten to the pinnacle of hip-hop stardom without a virtual cosign from him or the other new hip-hop pundits. Rather than whore yourself through generic press releases done by some PR guy who has no connection to OFWGKTA, you made your sound speak for you, something that most artists have forgotten to do in this 'blog age'.

That you and Odd Future have kept the group a close-knit band of wily, angry teenagers serves to enforce this 'us against the world' mentality that makes you unique. It serves as a bastion of unity, an 'us' in a sea of 'me's' that dominates hip-hop. I've called hip-hop over the past two years an 'arms race of collectives', yet most of the big groups are a mish-mash of different sounds put together for the sole purpose of making money and promotion. Let's be honest. Wale and Meek Mill might be cool on wax, but aside from their MMG imprint, the two have little in common. Drake, Nicki and Wayne are three breeds of rapper being kept in the same kennel. And though all of GOOD Music seem to have similar lyrical abilities, Big Sean's 'swag' stature seems to wane in the shadow of Pusha T's larger-than-life drug raps. Your team's collective sound keeps the outsiders out, and the insiders and fans interested. Never repeating, never re-imagining, always living up to your namesake as a creator, you and your squad have deep wells of inspiration and creativity. It endears the listener because they know you won't be influenced the corporate entities that seem to woo you just for a chance at a chart topper.

Speaking of chart-topping, Goblin debuted at #5 on the Billboard charts. While I'm sure you could give two half-shits about your mainstream standing, as evidenced by you and OFWGKTA's drubbing of FOX News' conservative white reporters, that your name ended up on FOX's clueless lips is evidence enough of how your chaotic style ruffles peoples' feathers. No one knows what you or the Wolf Gang will do next. You don't mirror the rest of the hip-hop world. There is no formula to your madness, which is what makes people tune in. Since the turn of the new year, few if any hip-hop acts have registered on my radar because they all follow formulas.

In a sea of generic, monochromatic goons all searching for beats from the same producers and visuals from the same artists, you've become the technicolor goblin with a squad of monsters behind you just waiting to kill them all. Even as the 'urban' *gags at MTO* and mainstream media catches on, and as most fail to find your true 'niche', it's obvious that categorizing you is pointless. You don't color within the lines. You've already broken any box you could be put in, and shattered any comparisons that could be made. This is all while gaining the adoration of a like-minded, school-hating, establishment-gagging, sneaker-clad army of wolves shouting 'swag!', not as a banner, but as a mockery of the industry that has come to emulate itself so much that the few originators don't even know what to do anymore. Do I 'like' your music? Mehhh... Yet, no one can ever deny the ripples that you and the Wolf Gang are causing, one mosh pit at a time.

Dear Hype Williams

As inspired by @itsThiz.. Make sure you check out The Interludes for great hip-hop articles.

Now that Lil Tunechi is out of Rikers, it was imperative that the NOLA native got his image back on the scene. The interwebs received his single '6 Foot, 7 Foot' featuring Cory Gunz (at least Wayne didn't jerk Cory out of another platinum feature) warmly, and it was only natural that there needed to be a video to accompany the madness that is Weezy's return. Of all directors, I suppose it made the most sense to hire you, Hype Williams for the job of visually resurrecting Wayne's career. Yet, upon further review of your latest directorial offerings, I'm drawing a few head-scratchers.

The video for 'All of the Lights' had none of the budget and induced more Pokemon-esque seizures than it made fans. While Nicki Minaj's 'Massive Attack' was a frisbee from jump, your visuals did little more than confuse the viewer. Sure there was 'Empire State of Mind', but anyone can juxtapose shots of Alicia Keys and Jigga performing with epic shots of NYCers in all their working-class glory. The megahit 'Forever' with Drake, Ye, Wayne and Eminem was little more than a remake of every club scene, and there's been little to write home about other than those. To tell you the truth, Hype, little if anything has hit as hard as your earliest videos.

Hype, your M.O. in directing has always been larger-than-life productions, combined with colorful scenery, and different cinematic viewpoints. '6 Foot, 7 Foot' is a far cry from the visually stunning cuts for tracks like 'Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See', 'Woo-Hah' or 'Down Low'. Hell, you didn't even scratch the fish-eyed lensed, trippy heels of Ma$e's 'Feel So Good' or the almost-macabre grittiness in DMX's 'Get At Me Dog'.

The video for '6 Foot, 7 Foot' is tame at best, for what is an adversely hectic track. Your references to the movie 'Inception' were well-intentioned, but sloppily undergone. Rather than go over-the-top with some of the punchlines, in your usual fashion, you used simple sight gags. Half of the punchlines didn't even get those half-assed visualizations. In fact, the only part of the video I thoroughly enjoyed was Cory's verse (on wax, too), with the Young Gun doing his best Agent Smith impression. To tell you the truth, you're not losing it, but you're losing a lot of traction in my book. The whole 'crew in front of the white screen looking cool' motif has been played out in the recession era of hip-hop. You've outworn your welcome to use the slow-mo camera, and there's little more that you can do with black and white filters. To sum it up, all of the cinematic that made your videos the vanguard of hip-hop are becoming more stale than 'Gettin Jiggy With It' in 2011. It's not enough any more. I've said it numerous times and will continue to: creative hip-hop videos are becoming a lost art, with you being a prime example. I guess even for you, the hype is exceeding the actual products... #youseewhatididthere