Tyler, the Creator signs to XL Recordings

Manager of The XX, Caius Pawson announced in a mass email yesterday that he had personally signed the 19 year-old abstract hip-hopper and beats extraordinaire Tyler, the Creator to the XL Recordings label.

The LA based artist signed a one-album deal and is part of the Odd Future crew who late last year attracted huge label and media interest. The crew made up of about ten individual teenagers includes, "rappers, producers, visual artists, skate kids, contrarians, outcasts, amoral teenagers, and fatherless children" who also received a lot of wanted attention because of their lyrics that dealt with murder, kidnapping, blasphemy, and rape. Fans of the crew also include Wu-Tang Clan’s GZA and the photographer Larry Clark.

Upon his signing to XL Recordings signing, Tyler said on Twitter, "Yes, I Did A One Album Thing With XL. Thats Family. Don’t Trip, Still Have %100 Creative Control Over Raps, Beats, Videos, Covers. Fuck You."

The video for the first single below "Yonkers", references a more Anti-Pop Consortium/Madvillian style, but for anyone that wants to go back to the original horrorcore rap source, look no further than Necro. This will be Tyler’s second solo album entitled Goblin which will be released in April.

If you feel like exploring the LA-collective further, check out Earl, who is a 16-year old member of the Odd Future crew, and on hiatus for being a juvenile trouble-maker, he made this "tasteful" video.

Published February 15, 2011.