Yeah, I listened to a few songs while having my teeth drilled on this morning (I have trouble with Kanye during procedures because I always end up dancing a little bit in the chair when I blast him — such is the visceral effect his music has on me). I thought one of them had some nice Pharrell-esque sonic textures, but I soon became bored.

Also, I just realized that Tyler's openly gay now. :eek:

Did you know about this louder?

I mean, I guess it doesn't matter much, but it is a bit weird. Pitchfork gave Flower Boy a sterling review (first time they've ever given Tyler a "Best New Music" designation) and it feels like they're "reviewing" his coming out, and not the actual music. How could they really NOT give him a glowing review on his coming out party album? Especially after all the homophobic shit. They're applauding his graceful-by-Tyler-standards expression of sentiment, and I guess his bravery.

I dunno. Good for him and stuff. Hope he apologizes for all the flagrant homophobia at some point. If he wants to be a "gay" figure, he needs to be ready to take on the added responsibility that position entails. The kids (if there are there any gay kids who like Tyler) deserve an explanation.

I will listen to the whole thing at some point, but it's certainly no competition for DAMN. or 4:44.

Hey NR ... 4:44 is out on hard copy now.

:) :)

I'd be interested to see how many of his knuckle dragging fans are outraged at him coming out (has he actually come out?) and took his homophobic lines far too seriously.

Well... he seems to be toying with people about it. But yeah. He's not heterosexual. That much is very clear. He's being deliberately coy, and then people are misunderstanding. Like his tweet: "I TRIED TO COME OUT FOUR DAYS AGO AND NO ONE CARED."

I'm not sure taking his homophobic lyrics "too seriously" is the right way of putting it. I guess it could be one of many things:

A) He's gay and he was disguising his confusion with a façade of homophobia
B) He's gay and legitimately didn't know it and was overtly homophobic because that's the image he wanted to present at the time
C) He's not "hard"-gay, or straight; he's bi, or omnisexual or demisexual or trans or something, and he did (A).
D) He's (C) but did (B)
E) He's straight and he decided he wanted to shift his image for some reason, and what better way to get away with past homophobic hate speech than to chalk it up to adolescent confusion (this sounds alt-righty, and I don't think this is what he's doing, but I suppose it's a dim possibility)

Whatever the case may be, the kids who follow him and look up to him deserve an explanation. I'm not talking about the bigots, I'm talking about the people who know the confusion of coming to grips with one's sexuality. THOSE fans deserve a fucking explanation. And he'll give one if he wants to be any kind of respectable role model.

Whatever. The point is that it's easy to take something someone says "too seriously" when said person is shouting their shit from the rooftops and publishing it in all caps, bold print, year after year. If he amassed a following that's anti-gay, he bloody well asked for it.

LOUDER:

I finally got my physical copy of 4:44 in the mail yesterday, and it has, like, THREE bonus tracks. Not just one, as previously stated in media accounts.

And, brush, they may be demo-quality in terms of fidelity, but they are fucking WORTH IT.

Since 4:44 came out, I have only had another album playing in my car a couple times. I mean, I always play Kanye on a fairly daily basis, and I've listened to some new albums just to hear them, and the other day I played DAMN. to see if I still thought it was better than 4:44 (which I do, despite it being less jubilant and enjoyable), but it's pretty much owned my speakers since it dropped.

I'm considering the possibility that this might actually be Jay's best album. :eek:

I don't think a gay person needs to apologize to ANYONE for having spouted homophobic things while in the closet. It is a form of self-protection in a warped, unsuccessful manner.

I'm not saying apologize. Don't misunderstand.

I'm saying explain. Tell people without dancing around the subject and sounding like a queer-baiting provocateur, "I am gay."

Explain why this should be taken seriously.

It's starting to feel like queer-baiting. A slightly evolved version of the kind of bullying he was doing before.

No, he doesn't need to apologize. But being clear about whether the fuck he's sincere or not. And whether he was sincere or not previously.

It's a matter of respect. He hasn't fully come out, or not come out. He owes it to his fans to explain.

Does he?

You know as well as I do how incredibly homophobic the rap scene can be. If he is coming out then don't underestimate how big a move it is for a male, black rapper to do.

Tyler being Tyler loves to get a reaction. But I suspect he's also doing ths to test the waters to see how it's gonna be for him

Ok, fair enough.


Eventually it would be preferable if he gave a bit more clarity on the subject. His home Frank did. Worked out fine for Frank. Staying in this "is he/isn't he?" space certainly isn't going to do him any favors withtje homophobes, who are already ripping him up on Twitter.

Makonnen came out and instantly the dipshits in Migos started talking mad shit saying they would never have worked with him if they knew and that it was fucked that he "lied" to them and all sorts of other blindly homophobic bullshit. Methinks those who complain the loudest like to have their gay sex the most, when it comes to these Migos cats.....

That was just incredibly embarrassing. Fuck those Migos assholes.

So, on that basis, are we to assume you're packing one helluva collection of Boyz II Men and Jodeci vinyls behind that pile of skronk?

do I complain about Jodeci? hahahahha

I have a large collection of 70's and early 80's soul/funk music vinyl, yes. Chi-lites, the Spinners, Ray Charles, Gap Band, Parliament, The O'Jays, the Ohio Players, Barry White, etc.....

More like he's a closet Kanye-case, and his room is covered with Union Jacks, Beatles posters and a TARDIS bed spread. Mug next to bed inscribed with Cartmen ranting about Gingers.

And whatever he's he professes to hate. I forget. There's so much stuff that Rob hates.

there is also so much I love......

Sure there is buddy. Sure there is. There's... codeine-fueled warble rap, there's not reading Book of the New Sun, there's mushrooms. Maybe Sonic Youth a little. Oh, and Watchmen.

See? You got stuff.

everyone needs somethin'!

Yeah, I know.

Btw: I at least 50% hate this guy (Anthony Fantano), but this is one of those other 50% moments where.. goddamn... I'm almost glad he exists.

Future - Hndrxx is NOT GOOD

I can't wait to lay my hands on a physical copy, man.

I'm actually with you on the possibility that it's his best album.

The link is broken, but HNDRXX got old fast, it's still pretty good in my opinion, but not great. The Thugger album came and went too.

The only three rap albums that really made an impact on me this year are DAMN., Big Fish Theory and of course, 4:44.

Here, try this: https://youtu.be/3kFmkDNp1fY


Yup.

1. DAMN
2. 4:44
3. Big Fish Theory

Everything else is a joke.