It’s been about two years since Tumblr posts and Youtube comment sections alike were plagued with the phrase “Free Earl” and a lot has changed since then – Most notably, the release of the rapper’s debut album Doris and the announcement of his first solo tour, which kicked off at The Sinclair on Sunday night.
No one can dispute the dedication of the quirky, LA-based collective Odd Future’s fanbase, especially upon seeing the sold-out crowd form an endless line behind the venue’s doors on the rainy autumn evening. People of varying demographics made up the crowd of misfits who had nothing in common other than a mutual love for hip-hop’s acclaimed rookie. After an excruciating hour and a half long wait with no opening act, relentless fans erupted in excitement as Earl Sweatshirt nonchalantly took the stage with Vince Staples and DJ Taco Bennett.
Even with the steady crowd-surfing and stage-diving, the audience was uncharacteristically calm for an Odd Future show. The rambunctious Vince Staples seemed particularly miffed by the plethora of snapbacks nodding methodically to each heavy bass drop and begged the crowd in between songs to “turn up.” The toned-down atmosphere was definitely a result of the lack of 15-year-old boys in Thrasher hoodies who didn’t meet the show’s 18+ age requirement and I think we were all ultimately grateful for that.
From eerie, aggressive “Hive” to mellow Frank Ocean-featured track “Sunday,” Earl evoked a wide range of emotion throughout his short set. While sure to showcase Doris heavy-hitters, the lyrical mastermind still catered to old school OF fans with mixtape classics like the dynamic “Drop” and “Orange Juice.” There was a point in the night when I speculated whether or not he would actually perform the cult favorite he shares a name with and, to everyone’s elation, launched into “Earl” with the introduction of a simple knock-knock joke.
Taking his unconventionally intelligent wordplay into consideration, it’s truly astonishing to see someone innovate underground hip-hop at 19; his rising success is enough to send any 20-something spiraling into an existential crisis. Although, Earl’s age shines through his stage performance, which is completely unscripted and full of off-color banter among himself, his hype-men, and the audience. The drawn-out pauses scattered throughout the hour-long set couldn’t help but make one laugh at the rapper’s uncoordinated, yet genuine demeanor.
And that’s the point – Earl isn’t a polished performer, but a skilled lyricist who appeals to the awkward 19-year-old in all of his listeners.