"Radicals" is a song written, produced, and performed by American rapper and producer

Tyler, the Creator Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. Tyler beca ...

, and features as the third song from his debut studio album ''

Goblin A goblin is a small, grotesque, monster, monstrous humanoid creature that appears in the folklore of multiple European cultures. First attested in stories from the Middle Ages, they are ascribed conflicting abilities, temperaments, and appearan ...

''. The song sparked controversy due to its lyrical themes, and it would receive even more controversy after a student attending the

University of South Alabama The University of South Alabama (USA) is a public research university in Mobile, Alabama, United States. It was created by the Alabama Legislature in May 1963 and replaced existing extension programs operated in Mobile by the University of Alaba ...

wrote the lyrics to the chorus of the song on school property. Although not being released as a single, "Radicals" has become one of the most popular tracks from ''Goblin'' in recent years, possibly in part due to its controversies. The song also features additional vocals by fellow

Odd Future Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, better known as Odd Future and often abbreviated as OF or OFWGKTA, was an American alternative hip-hop Musical collective, music collective formed in Los Angeles, California in 2007. The group consisted of rap ...

members (and siblings)

Taco A taco (, , ) is a traditional Mexican cuisine, Mexican dish consisting of a small hand-sized corn tortilla, corn- or Flour tortilla, wheat-based tortilla topped with a Stuffing, filling. The tortilla is then folded around the filling and fing ...

and Syd tha Kyd.

Background

As with many of his early songs, "Radicals" features many explicit lyrics and controversial, violent messages. Tyler is encouraging listeners to question authority and take action, although he expresses it in a violent way. However, he begins the song by asking the listeners not to take any of the violent lyrics seriously. The chorus of "Radicals" became a sort of rallying cry for fans, and was chanted at concerts. The chorus is actually reused from a song by fellow

member Earl Sweatshirt from his first mixtape ''

Earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the Peerages in the United Kingdom, peerage, ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. A feminine form of ''earl'' never developed; instead, ...

'' entitled "Pidgeons". The chorus of that song was written and performed by Tyler, and not Earl. The chorus of "Radicals" also features additional vocals by

and Syd tha Kyd. The second half of the song is much calmer, and features backing vocals from Syd tha Kyd. The song was performed live numerous times with Tyler's group

, usually as a show closer. In some cases, the group were accompanied by the hardcore band

Trash Talk Trash talk is a form of spoken insult usually found in sports events, although it is not exclusive to sports or similarly characterized events. It is often used to intimidate the opposition and/or make them less confident in their ability to wi ...

Cancelled music video

In a 2011 interview with DJ Semtex, Tyler stated that he wanted to make a video for the song, but most likely wouldn't be able to as he wanted it to include him blowing things up. In 2012, he would again talk about wanting to film and release a video, but this idea never came to fruition.

Content and controversy

"Radicals" would become a subject of controversy in 2019. Jack Aaron Christensen, a student attending the

, was accused of writing the lyrics of the song in a library on the 18th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and was arrested later that day. The story was covered by numerous news outlets, including

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...

Complex Complex commonly refers to: * Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe ** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...

and

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

The Mobile County District Attorney refused to comment, but the school's Vice President Michael Mitchell did decide to elaborate. Christensen and another student (uninvolved with this case) were both charged with making terrorist threats and were expelled from the school. Tyler was previously banned from the U.K. and

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

for lyrics from his first two albums '' Bastard'' and ''

'', with "Radicals" most likely being one of the culprits. New Zealand government officials called his lyrics "a potential threat to public order."

Critical reception

"Radicals" received much attention in reviews for ''

''. In terms of positive reviews, Huw Jones from Slant Magazine called the chorus "(one of) music’s most provocative refrains of all time". However, some critics weren't as kind to the song. In the

review for ''Goblin'', the track was called "cringe-worthy", and the

L.A. Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...

called it "one of the dumbest, laziest songs of the year". In an article about ''Goblin'' by

Slate Magazine ''Slate'' is an online magazine that covers current affairs, politics, and culture in the United States. It was created in 1996 by former ''The New Republic, New Republic'' editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as ...

, half of the entire review was about "Radicals". The reviewer called the first part of the song funny and cartoonish. He also described Tyler's lyrics from the second half (where he tells the listener to be who they want to be) as "unconvincing (and) corny".

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal. * Tyler, the Creator (credited as Wolf Haley) – lead vocals, production * Syd tha Kyd – additional vocals, mixing, engineering *

– additional vocals * Brian "Big Bass" Gardner – mastering

References

{{Authority control Tyler, the Creator songs 2011 songs Songs written by Tyler, the Creator Odd Future Obscenity controversies in music Horrorcore songs