Album Review: Tyler, The Creator-Goblin

Tyler,The Creator has exploded on in the Internet in the past few months. His popularity really seemed to come out of nowhere. I follow rap pretty closely, so when I kept hearing about Tyler, The Creator, I needed to at least check him out. I'll admit at first, I was a bit skeptical considering the level of popularity he has reached in such a brief period of time. When something like this happens, it tends to me that are extremely generic and mainstream (cough cough Wiz Kahlifa.)  Thankfully, Tyler, The Creator is not in the least bit mainstream and Goblin shows signs that Tyler, The Creator is one of the most promising rappers around.

When Goblin is good, it's really good. Tracks like "Tron Cat" and "Nightmare" showcase his insane, sinister flow. This is when Goblin is at it's absolute best . His lyrics although graphic, are also extremely clever. There where many moments where I was left saying "Holy shit, that line was sick". For me, lyrics are a huge part of rap and Tyler, The Creator definitely does not disappoint in that aspect. Another one of the album standouts "She" was a really nice surprise. It made great use of something I normally hate in rap songs, a sung R&B chorus. I tend to find R&B choruses to be an overdone and horrible cliche, but for whatever reason it's effective on this track.

Goblin is not without it's flaws. First off, there is far too many filler tracks. About four or five tracks on here (especially "Fish", "Her" and "Transylvania") are completely dull and there really isn't anything interesting about them. The production is kind of an issue as well. At times, it's fine, but at others it's really sloppy. Not too many of the beats are really memorable and they kind of seem like they were thrown together in a rush as a kind of an afterthought. Lastly, there are times where this record is too over-the-top. The lyrics are just too much at a few points during the record.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Goblin to fans of rap. Tyler, The Creator is one of the most intense and talented rappers to emerge in a long time. This record is definitely not for the faint for the heart, the lyrics are so violent and brutal that it makes early Eminem look like Will Smith. I think he will only get better over time. He's young (he's only 20) and what he has already accomplished is stunning. Goblin shows the massive potential that Tyler, The Creator has and if even irons out the kinks on this record, we could be looking at the next hip-hop genius.

3.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Tron Cat
2.She
3.Nightmare