Wolf (Tyler, The Creator album)

Wolf
Studio album by Tyler, The Creator
Released	April 2, 2013
Recorded	2011–13
Genre	Alternative hip hop
Length	71:17[1]
Label	Odd Future RED
Producer	Tyler, The Creator (also exec.) Wilson das Neves
Tyler, The Creator chronology
Goblin (2011) Wolf (2013) Cherry Bomb (2015)
Singles from Wolf
"Domo23" Released: February 14, 2013
Alternate covers
Alternate cover
Limited deluxe edition and vinyl cover

Wolf is the second studio album by American rapper Tyler, The Creator. It was released on April 2, 2013, by Odd Future Records, distributed by RED Distribution. Wolf is a set in a different direction compared to his other material. Bastard (2009) and Goblin (2011) respectively featured more violent content, while this album features a more production based sound and different themes.

The album features guest appearances by Frank Ocean, Mike G, Domo Genesis, Earl Sweatshirt, Left Brain, Hodgy Beats, Erykah Badu, Casey Veggies and Pharrell. The album is produced solely by Tyler, The Creator, except for the final track "Lone". The album was supported by a sole single "Domo23" along with additional music videos for "Bimmer", "IFHY", "Jamba", "Tamale" and "Answer". Wolf debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200, selling 89,000 copies in its first week, and it received generally positive reviews from critics.

Background and themes

In November 2011, in an interview with Spin, Tyler expressed wanting to shift away from the themes of his previous albums, stating:

The themes of Wolf range from "struggles with women, not handling the absence of his father to misunderstandings about his grandmother's death, and the beautiful nightmare known as fame." "It is incredibly dark as with his previous albums though, Tyler weaves this intense imagery into an upbeat sound."^[3]

Release and promotion

On February 14, 2013, OFWGKTA have uploaded and released a video to their YouTube account, which includes L-Boy skydiving and stating that Wolf will be released on April 2, 2013. On the same day, Tyler would reveal the three album covers via his Instagram account.^[4] The deluxe version of the album features a fold-out poster of the full album cover art designed by Mark Ryden, a limited embroidered patch, a Wolf calendar and a 24-page booklet featuring lyrics and artwork.^[4] Prior to the album release, four days later, Tyler released the whole album for free streaming via SoundCloud.^[5]

From March 11, 2013, to April 11, 2013, Tyler toured North America and Europe on the Wolf tour. The tour was his first solo tour without his group Odd Future. His first stop was Boulder, Colorado and the Wolf release party took place in Los Angeles, California on the release day of the album.^[6] He announced he would extend the tour from April 30, to May 18, 2013. These shows took place on the west coast of the United States and it features his Odd Future cohort, Earl Sweatshirt.^[4][7] On September 9, 2013, Tyler released a trailer for a film based on Wolf.^[8]

Singles

The album's first single, titled "Domo23", was released on February 14, 2013, and accompanied by a music video which featured cameo appearances from Odd Future members Domo Genesis, Earl Sweatshirt, Jasper Dolphin and Taco.^[9] The song has peaked on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles at number 2 and number 37 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.^[10] At the end of the video for "Domo23", he previewed the video for the reported second single "Bimmer" which features Odd Future member Frank Ocean.^[11][12]

Other songs

On March 29, 2013, the music video for "IFHY" was released, featuring Pharrell. At the end of the video, the song cuts to the music video for "Jamba", featuring Odd Future member Hodgy Beats. In the music video, Tyler "plays a lovestruck doll, acting out scenes in a dollhouse with a plastic girlfriend. While the real-life Tyler later drives through a neighborhood with Hodgy Beats as his song "Jamba" blasts from the speakers."^[13] "IFHY" has since peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Heatseekers Songs chart.^[14] On October 7, 2013, the music video was released for "Tamale" and "Answer".^[15]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	6.9/10[16]
Metacritic	70/100[17]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Consequence of Sound	C+[18]
Exclaim!	8/10[19]
Fact	4/5[20]
The Independent	[21]
Los Angeles Times	[22]
NME	8/10[23]
Pitchfork	7.8/10[24]
The Quietus	7/10[25]
Rolling Stone	[26]

Wolf received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album has received an average score of 70, based on 31 reviews.^[17] Craig Jenkins of Pitchfork said, "With Wolf, Tyler, the Creator displays a radical growth as a producer, composer and arranger, even if, as a rapper, he's still up to some of the same antics. Still, the album contains a few of the best songs he's ever written."^[24] Jeremy D. Larson of Consequence of Sound said, "Tyler is his own worst enemy, of course. But the buoyancy of the production and the overall intrigue of hearing him struggle with his idle hands prevent the album from getting mired down in too much vanity."^[18] David Jeffries of AllMusic said, "It's a fun album for fanatics, but the willingness to shock feels too comfortable at this point, so those who found it tiresome before will likely find it devastating here."^[1] Chris Dart of Exclaim! felt that "While Tyler will almost certainly never outgrow life as a weird, hell-raising provocateur, Wolf shows that he's already growing into life as a smart, diverse artist."^[19]

Slant Magazine's Jesse Cataldo commenting "The production is routinely strong, but things are weighed down by Tyler himself, who forcefully refuses to provide a palatable anchor to over an hour's worth of material." Cataldo saw the album as "progress on some fronts", but felt that Tyler "needs to move beyond certain issues" to "prove himself a vital force."^[27] Martín Caballero of The Boston Globe said, "Despite careering from one alter ego to the next and touching on everything from his absent father on "Answer" to the art of making campfire s'mores on the seven-minute "Partyisntover  / Campfire  / Bimmer", there's a broad vision and deft execution that holds things together much better than on Goblin."^[28] Eric Diep of XXL said, "Wolf meets its own high expectations by creating an absorbing journey of Tyler's imagination. Everything from being his own therapist to poking fun at newfound fame is documented in captivating fashion, however juvenile it may be at times. There's still growing up to do, and maybe time will tame the fascinating artist we see on this album. Until then, there's no escaping his meteoric rise. And the diehard Odd Future fans will love every minute of it."^[29]

David Amidon of PopMatters said, "If Wolf is not Goblin is the most important statement I feel like I could make about this album, the second most important thing I can probably say about it is that nothing has actually changed about Tyler himself. All his flaws as a coherent lyricist and person are on full display throughout the album, and the charm or lack thereof of that fact goes a long way towards how enjoyable this album can be."^[30] Jessica Hopper of Spin magazine felt that "Wolf's most grievous misstep, and its one true spiritual connection to the superior Bastard and Goblin: Tyler's defiant use of the word 'faggot.' As usual, he spends a ton of time here bragging about how little he cares about how the world sees him, but his reliance on the other f-bomb to keep our attention suggests otherwise."^[31] Chris Kelly of Fact said, "With Wolf, Tyler, the Creator is exciting again: maybe not as the ringleader of the Odd Future empire, but as a producer who just turned 22 (did you forget how young he actually is?), has internalized a decade of Neptunes / Doom / Def Jux production, and has Pharrell, Erykah, and (most importantly) Frank Ocean on speed dial. The don't-give-a-fuck attitude might have run its course lyrically, but when applying it as a production ethos, Tyler is just getting started."^[20]

Accolades

XXL ranked it at number 18 on their list of the best albums of 2013. They commented saying, "The leader of the Odd Future crew's second album Wolf displayed radical maturity—both musically and lyrically; partnering with fellow Odd Future members Frank Ocean and Earl Sweatshirt, alongside Pharrell Williams and even Erykah Badu on songs involving gripping narratives of personal frustrations and heartbreak. Coupled with vivid lyrics and stark synth production, Tyler's fascinatingly still weird but insightful and musically pleasing."^[32] HipHopDX named it one of the top 25 albums of 2013. They elaborated saying, "Wolf was Tyler's most grown up effort to date. Developing into a fully realized production mastermind, he somehow tied a summer camp story in with his usual themes of relationships and the struggles of fame, not to mention the ghetto's crack epidemic and bullying leading to school shootings."^[33]

Commercial performance

In the United States, Wolf debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200, selling 89,000 copies in the first week.^[34][35] In its second week, the album sold 18,000 more copies bringing its sales total to 107,000 in the United States.^[36]

Track listing

All songs produced by Tyler, The Creator, except for the final track "Lone" which he raps over "Jornada" by Wilson das Neves.^[37][3]

Notes

• "Jamba" contains an uncredited appearance from Domo Genesis
• "Cowboy" contains an uncredited appearance from Lego-Head^[38]
• "Awkward" and "48" contain uncredited appearances from Frank Ocean
• "48" contains an uncredited appearance from Nas
• "Rusty" contains an uncredited appearance from Jason Dill
• Syd tha Kyd is uncredited with contributing vocals on "Answer"
• Elijah Hall, Parys Hall, and Jaslyn Leonti are uncredited with contributing vocals on "Campfire"
• Tallullah Willis is uncredited with contributing vocals on "Tamale"

Personnel

Credits for Wolf adapted from AllMusic.^[39]

Charts

Release history

References