Earl Sweatshirt And Tyler The Creator, "Whoa"

In one part of rap right now, lots of rappers are publicly expressing their disappointment about MTV’s recently issued top ten “Hottest MCs” list, which is specifically designed, each and every year, to make rappers publicly express their disappointment. So, in the manufactured-content and conversation-fodder department, job well done, I guess. In a different part of rap, one that has more to do with things that I think should matter to people, Odd Future’s prodigal son Earl Sweatshirt continues to make the argument that he is about as skillful a lyricist as exists in the world right now. With an elevated visual sense, too. That shot of him floating in the dirty water of a mostly empty swimming pool while his friends ride around him on skateboards and BMX bikes tops anything I can remember seeing in hip-hop this year.