Do not Faucet the Glass is a little bit of a left flip: a hyperkinetic, summertime LP with an pressing enchantment to maneuver the plenty.
SARAH MCCAMMON, HOST:
Because the late 2010s, Tyler the Creator has change into one of many extra uncommon hip-hop stars, rising out of the shock techniques of his juvenile music collective Odd Future and into his auteur standing. This week, the rapper-producer topped the Billboard 200 chart with a shock album he solely introduced three days earlier than its launch. “Do not Faucet The Glass” is a little bit of a left flip, a hyperkinetic summertime LP with an pressing enchantment to maneuver the plenty.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SUCKA FREE”)
TYLER THE CREATOR: (Singing) I am that man, attempting to get my paper, child. I am that man perpetually.
MCCAMMON: Right here to inform us why Tyler needs to spark a dance revolution is NPR Music’s Rodney Carmichael. Hey, Rodney.
RODNEY CARMICHAEL, BYLINE: Hey, what is going on on, Sarah?
MCCAMMON: So Rodney, Tyler’s profession has had many alternative phases through the years. What has led him to this newest chapter?
CARMICHAEL: Nicely, Tyler began within the weblog period, releasing self-produced albums for obtain earlier than breaking by to the mainstream. And, you understand, he is since change into recognized for these rigorously crafted albums, mixing jazz, soul and R&B music and profitable two Grammys for rap album of the yr within the course of. However he is all the time had this reward for shattering taboo. He is a button pusher, a ordinary line stepper, and nothing brings him extra pleasure than making folks squirm or blush or finger wag.
Now, early on in his profession, he did it by being this loud, vulgar, obnoxious, punk provocateur. Then later got here his soft-boy period, the place he actually began to toy with rap’s actually inflexible norms round sexuality and gender. And he is positively thrown in a quarter-life disaster or two. However on this newest album, he simply needs to bounce.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “STOP PLAYING WITH ME”)
TYLER THE CREATOR: (Singing) Once I get to snapping like doo-wop, actually acquired the juice like Tupac. Shorty acquired a powerful jaw, may chew rock. Obtained me popping out the blue like nude cop. I been rocking…
MCCAMMON: OK, so it feels like it is a little bit of a shift for Tyler. I imply, why this give attention to dance?
CARMICHAEL: Nicely, from Tyler’s perspective, quite a lot of the modern resistance in opposition to dancing is related to this fixed state of surveillance that we reside underneath. The identical day he launched the album, he posted on-line about asking a few of his mates why they do not like to bounce in public. And so they stated it was due to their worry of being filmed, principally, the specter of cellphones. And he says it made him marvel how a lot of our human spirit acquired killed due to this worry of being a meme only for the sake of getting a great time.
However in a broader sense, he is additionally taking the entrance traces of a battle that is been waged in rap for many years. I imply, hip-hop is liable for a few of the biggest dance traits of the twenty first century. However that is not come with out quite a lot of inside battle. I imply, usually, rap tradition is constructed on road cred, and dancing has lengthy been stigmatized by these too cool, too onerous and too woke to be seen shifting their our bodies or having enjoyable. And within the spirit of constant to problem the norms of Black masculinity, Tyler’s pushing again, and he is attempting to compel others to embrace freedom of motion, too.
MCCAMMON: Yeah, so what else is he attempting to say with this album?
CARMICHAEL: Nicely, apparently sufficient, Tyler’s denied that any type of forethought or intention went into making the album. If something, coming off the heels of his final LP, “Chromakopia,” the place he handled these heavy, mature themes, the very last thing he needed to do on this one was overthinking. He got down to make one thing quick, enjoyable and pressing.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SUGAR ON MY TONGUE”)
TYLER THE CREATOR: (Singing) Like sugar on my tongue. Can I steal that from you? Like sugar on my tongue, can I steal that…
CARMICHAEL: He began recording the album whereas he was on tour, simply this previous Might, and he rushed to launch it earlier than even giving himself time to have any second ideas.
MCCAMMON: OK, so no overthinking, no second ideas – however Tyler does recommend the album comes with, I assume, some guidelines of engagement. I imply, how does he need his followers to expertise it?
CARMICHAEL: Nicely, No. 1 isn’t any sitting nonetheless. Tyler needs folks to be shifting after they hearken to this album to grasp the spirit of it – dancing, driving, operating, doing one thing bodily. And you may positively hear the eras of dance that Tyler was influenced by within the samples he picked, from Miami booty bass to the electro funk of Mantronix to Crime Mob’s crunk anthem “Knuck If You Buck.” The album could be known as “Do not Faucet The Glass,” however it’s clear that Tyler’s out to shatter all of the myths round masculinity and motion.
MCCAMMON: So I assume the takeaway is, dance like no one’s filming, proper?
CARMICHAEL: (Laughter) Certainly, yeah.
MCCAMMON: Honest sufficient. That is NPR Music’s Rodney Carmichael. Thanks a lot, Rodney.
CARMICHAEL: Thanks, Sarah.
(SOUNDBITE OF TYLER THE CREATOR SONG, “I’LL TAKE CARE OF YOU”)
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