EAST: Understanding Earl Sweatshirt

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  • Опубліковано 26 вер 2024
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 138

  • @nedd.8479
    @nedd.8479 Рік тому +354

    This is a great analysis, but the sample was actually found - it's an Indonesian song from the 70s called 'Iddunja Chilwah'.

  • @t.j._edits9669
    @t.j._edits9669 Рік тому +51

    EAST created the best comment section on the internet

    • @stateportSound_wav
      @stateportSound_wav Рік тому

      I swear, when I used to be able to deal with the subreddit, it was never this reasonable 😂

  • @TheJSRF001
    @TheJSRF001 Рік тому +130

    I still think its "goofy ahh beat" incarnate but the Earl's commitment to expressing himself how HE wants to and pushing boundaries has to be respected.
    Most rappers wouldn't dare record on a beat that strange let alone release it for the world to see.

  • @walterdavis2843
    @walterdavis2843 Рік тому +28

    The cover of Some Rap Songs is from a fan that approached with a camera and he shoved him away.

    • @-1707
      @-1707 Рік тому +7

      sorry buddy that’s cap

  • @Cv2CaboVerde
    @Cv2CaboVerde Рік тому +180

    Honestly I think Earl sweatshirt is the most lyrically talented artist to touch a mic

    • @ethansprague2005
      @ethansprague2005 Рік тому +37

      He's not given enough attention for it, even when he was 16 he was already Wiping the floor with his flows and wordplay

    • @doctorbnasty1859
      @doctorbnasty1859 Рік тому +14

      Hes really a poet on the beat

    • @WHOAM1894
      @WHOAM1894 Рік тому +14

      Earl is one of the best, but I think Rap Ferrira, Billy Woods, and E Lucid are better when it comes to lyrics. I do think Earl is really good at matching a vibe and captivating an audience a little better when the other three can come off a little too esoteric, dry, and nerdy despite their excellence. Ka is very excellent and deep lyrically and probably the most underrated out of all these. He's enigmatic and doesn't have much of a public presence it seems, but admittedly idk much about him. I also respect Mavi, MIKE, and Navy Blue when it comes to lyrics. That's all that's coming to mind rn.

    • @Cv2CaboVerde
      @Cv2CaboVerde Рік тому

      @@WHOAM1894 thank you for the recs, I knitted a few of those artists but I’ll check out the rest

    • @hansolo9585
      @hansolo9585 Рік тому +10

      Check out Ka. Funny enough, it was Earl that put me on to him. Really dope lyricist.

  • @coldennys
    @coldennys 11 місяців тому +12

    To be honest, East was my favorite song off of FOC when it first dropped. It felt like an extension to the vibe of some of my favorite songs by him like Wind In My Sails and Hat Trick. It's just got that ancient piratey grit to it and I rock with it HEAVY. The memes were funny at first, but I feel like the cultural impact this song will have has yet to even be fully recognized. People laugh at it now, but I feel like this song will be really important once the time comes that people understand it. In other words, I think it's MAD ahead of it's time.

  • @ferdi200204
    @ferdi200204 Рік тому +76

    This video was better than I expected it to be!
    Great video, thanks for putting this out.

  • @ToxcityBass
    @ToxcityBass Рік тому +82

    The More I listened to EAST the more i liked it.

    • @bobseeee
      @bobseeee Рік тому +1

      For me, the more I listened to EAST the more I disliked it.

    • @alonzomor112
      @alonzomor112 Рік тому +3

      ​@@bobseeeecool

    • @bobseeee
      @bobseeee Рік тому

      @@alonzomor112 yeah, its real cool

  • @dinodalle-vacche3958
    @dinodalle-vacche3958 Рік тому +33

    Was listening to east and this song came up in the recommended, keep it up man love the thumbnail style as well. so cool to see someone from the uk covering the niche shit I fuck with.

  • @SlyHikari03
    @SlyHikari03 Рік тому +14

    The fact that earl sampled a Indonesian song is crazy.
    I love when people sample music from Asia, I grew up on that stuff.

  • @anthonyguzzi9535
    @anthonyguzzi9535 Рік тому +16

    I see you were on the Midwest emo to alternative pipeline just like me. Good work man your taste in music + video creation is sick

  • @coburgerj1993
    @coburgerj1993 Рік тому +7

    Earl's godfather is trumpet Legend Hugh Masakela .. Along with his father's work, he's cut from rare cloth.,

  • @DRAVENBROOKS
    @DRAVENBROOKS Рік тому +4

    Damn how has this channel not blown up already

  • @hohosbebbe1232
    @hohosbebbe1232 2 місяці тому

    The lyrics are actually insane, im obsessed

  • @zefanto
    @zefanto Рік тому +3

    This is the most beautiful description on a song i ever heard dawg, subscribed

  • @HIMMBelljuvo
    @HIMMBelljuvo Рік тому +4

    He's the Dark Soul of rappers

  • @deadby2534
    @deadby2534 Рік тому +7

    Excellent analysis my man, very fascinating video.

  • @prod.dobhar
    @prod.dobhar Рік тому +11

    his name is of Sotho origin so it’s pronounced Te-be, the H is silent and Kgo-sit-si-le, the Kg should sound like a hard R. great video btw!

    • @unabridged.
      @unabridged.  Рік тому +2

      thanks for letting me know!

    • @stateportSound_wav
      @stateportSound_wav Рік тому

      where’d you get the hard R from? I’ve always heard them say it more like an H. hard R sounds crazy 😂

    • @prod.dobhar
      @prod.dobhar Рік тому

      @@stateportSound_wav its more so the accent cause that’s how it’s pronounced in south africa

    • @stateportSound_wav
      @stateportSound_wav Рік тому

      @@prod.dobhar interesting, I recall hearing it on the SA memorial broadcast for Keorapetse, I didn’t catch that aspect I suppose

  • @tukoijarrett9155
    @tukoijarrett9155 Рік тому +4

    Accordion doesn't actually sample an accordion weirdly enough

  • @fischy6182
    @fischy6182 11 місяців тому +2

    I can't go a day without listening to Earl

  • @iProbablyDontCare
    @iProbablyDontCare Рік тому +2

    Can't wait for the next vid. You're good at this

    • @unabridged.
      @unabridged.  Рік тому +1

      Thanks so much! got more videos on the way

  • @chrxstt
    @chrxstt Рік тому +3

    i love this song so much thank you for making this

  • @deadchannel-ch5xp
    @deadchannel-ch5xp Рік тому +2

    amazing analysis

  • @madgenius2278
    @madgenius2278 Рік тому +1

    This song reminds me of a the fire in which you burn by company flow such unorthodox hip hop songs. Great analysis

    • @stateportSound_wav
      @stateportSound_wav Рік тому

      not familiar with that. the style on this track is Earl’s of course, but I’d also heavily attribute it to Billy Woods’s influence on him

  • @floppagang1
    @floppagang1 Рік тому +1

    Great video

  • @omegarift
    @omegarift Рік тому +1

    Flawless video man ty so much, I still got my Feet of Clay Tshirt

  • @slevin003
    @slevin003 Рік тому +2

    Loved this, great work.

  • @drgenuine3357
    @drgenuine3357 Рік тому +1

    Newest best journalist in the making. Imma keep my eyes peeled.👀

  • @doit9times
    @doit9times Рік тому +2

    Thank u cuz everybody just makes fun of the song but nobody appreciates it and it's ARTT

  • @truederpsloth
    @truederpsloth Рік тому +5

    ts really in depth and deserves more views tbh

  • @grief2134
    @grief2134 Рік тому +5

    intresting points you made i never could wrap my head around east but after this video i see it with a different perspective thanks!

  • @jacklattimer3890
    @jacklattimer3890 Рік тому +1

    really good vid, this needs more views

  • @tomassandao3913
    @tomassandao3913 6 місяців тому

    Great analysis, still gonna mosh when i hear that tho 💃

  • @stateportSound_wav
    @stateportSound_wav Рік тому +5

    another interesting point, this is a prime example of purposely shifting his flow back (imagine this visually on a vocal audio track, entirely shifted back behind the beat starting time, just enough to be off a bit). This leaves more unfamiliar listeners to think of him as not actually having a flow all the time, as they describe it as “spoken word.” If you listen to his live version, he makes it obvious where the cadence is actually coming in at, without the “lazy, delayed” delivery. Much like his contemporaries Mach, Roc Marci, MIKE, Billy Woods, and of course DOOM first, he will decide what songs (or just some bars) he wants to deliver with tight timing, while others will be shifted behind the beat.
    There’s a Rory & Mal segment where he acknowledges this, saying people often just don’t understand timing, which has proven true. To me it’s one element that adds to the experience, almost like knowing a line technically goes here, but the way it’s delivered it comes in over there, and is done very meticulously.

    • @unabridged.
      @unabridged.  11 місяців тому

      Interesting point! I'm fascinated by Earl's meandering flow/delivery so this is cool to know

  • @_widas_
    @_widas_ Рік тому +1

    Dude this video is awesome 🤝🫂🔥

  • @XXDanimalz
    @XXDanimalz Рік тому +1

    Legendary !!

  • @NoxiousAffection
    @NoxiousAffection Рік тому +17

    I think difficult-to-listen-to music encourages the listener to, instead of taking in a piece for the sake of it sounding good, analyze it and try to figure out the why the artist made the decisions that they made. Waxing poetic and bearing your heart raw to the world in a song that begs the audience to pick it apart, in my opinion, makes the most sense -- If the message you're trying to convey is demystification of the self and expressing your hardest emotions, why not put it in a form that screams to the listener, "I am a puzzle. Solve me."?
    Some of my personal favorite tracks of all time sound like absolute shit. If I hadn't taken the time to pick them apart and appreciate the parts that make up the whole, I would not still listen to them; yet here I am, playing them on repeat just to hear it. Something about hearing those same tracks with an open mind and an open heart helps you connect to them in complete earnest, I think.
    Beautiful essay, Mateus.
    (P.S. your description links are broken)

    • @unabridged.
      @unabridged.  Рік тому +1

      Thank you for your comment! I especially like what you said about 'solving the puzzle'. There is something deeply rewarding about engaging with challenging tracks such as this, even if their full meanings will always remain elusive. The links in the description should be working now:)

    • @SamuelHikida
      @SamuelHikida Рік тому +1

      What “shit” tracks are you talking about here? I’m curious

    • @natelin1722
      @natelin1722 Рік тому

      LLLLLLLLLLLLL

    • @stateportSound_wav
      @stateportSound_wav Рік тому

      I think much of what the comments are saying (most succinctly in your comment) applies for Earl’s music from Solace onward, and very much MIKE’s too.
      Much of it off-putting at first, but ultimately more fulfilling to sit with, and get every experience possible out of it.
      When a hard-to-grasp song just finally hits, it’s so worth the time spent expanding your listening horizons.
      If you ever heard Earl’s DJ sets (eg. old Boiler Room skatepark set) or RBMA show, he plays everything from spiritual jazz like Sun Ra, to CyHi or Future.
      I found hella rnb jams, Mach Hommy + MIKE, and a much better grasp of his 90’s rap influence like M.O.P., , Lox, + Mobb Deep. And then he’d play some heat from 21/Nudy 😂
      He’s one of the single most influential plugs for my inspiration because of stuff like that, and early on it gave me an idea of the sounds he’d wanted to explore. That may have made it easier to be open to it when he dove fully into it.
      The newest project with Alc is really my favorite mix of the extreme left-field, while still bringing it all together in a great listening experience, and finally overcoming many of his emotional struggles for some inspiringly optimistic sentiments.

  • @garytucker3563
    @garytucker3563 11 місяців тому

    Excellent video cuz.

  • @devonrichards8769
    @devonrichards8769 Рік тому +2

    Damn this was fire

  • @NuWerra_OF
    @NuWerra_OF 11 місяців тому

    Honestly understanding earls style changed my perspective on his music

  • @messucherforever
    @messucherforever Рік тому +6

    This was a good video, but you lost me when you where talking about g minor having "melancholic connotations". People without golden ears (the vast majority) can't reliably tell the difference between g minor and other minor keys at all if they aren't played next together. It's all about how its used, it's completely possible to make a non-melancholic song in g minor. Ice ice baby by vanilla ice or we like to party by the vengaboys are also in g minor, why didn't you mention them instead of a mozart piece?

    • @ShadowWizard123
      @ShadowWizard123 Рік тому

      Everyone knows minor keys are supposed to be melancholic. He's hardly the first to suggest that.

    • @messucherforever
      @messucherforever Рік тому +1

      @@ShadowWizard123 its not about minor in general , he specifically pointed out east being in g minor to relate it to a mozart piece which just came of as really pretentious

    • @ShadowWizard123
      @ShadowWizard123 Рік тому

      @@messucherforever at least he didn't use the phrase "golden ears" to describe perfect pitch lmaooo. Talk about coming off as pretentious

    • @messucherforever
      @messucherforever 11 місяців тому

      @@ShadowWizard123 Whats pretentious about golden ears??? Its just the common, non-academic phrase for describing perfect pitch when it comes to hearing.

  • @Cv2CaboVerde
    @Cv2CaboVerde Рік тому +1

    I have read the lyrics to EAST and I still have no fucking idea what that man said for half of the song

  • @stateportSound_wav
    @stateportSound_wav Рік тому +1

    Is it really a minor key song? I thought the key it was in (major) was whatever the bass note is on the every 4 count, which is the resolve.

  • @mrdyasi
    @mrdyasi Рік тому

    Great analysis

  • @stateportSound_wav
    @stateportSound_wav Рік тому +1

    we need a video on MIKE, please!

    • @unabridged.
      @unabridged.  11 місяців тому

      Need to listen to more of his music! I like what I've heard

  • @Charlie-kt9oy
    @Charlie-kt9oy Рік тому

    I FUCKING LOVE EARL SWEATSHIRT

  • @squareglobeplus
    @squareglobeplus Рік тому +1

    neptunes had many accordion beats

  • @chancemitchell4147
    @chancemitchell4147 Рік тому +1

    …nah that beat is fire, I’m sorry. Lmfao

  • @lars4888
    @lars4888 Рік тому

    das a crazy good video right there

  • @drinksoap6827
    @drinksoap6827 Рік тому

    2:24 oh its me

  • @michaelofparadise
    @michaelofparadise Рік тому

    i love earl

  • @alterpathmusic
    @alterpathmusic Рік тому

    Also fantastic video 🤟🏻🤟🏻🤟🏻

  • @wh33zr
    @wh33zr Рік тому

    its a masterpiece

  • @hasanz7585
    @hasanz7585 Рік тому +1

    this is unironically the most interesting song i've ever heard cos to this day i have no idea how to feel about it
    it's almost reached rickroll status for me in terms of meme songs because of that fucking looney tunes ass beat but at the same time he's hitting you with some hard ass bars the shits just confusing to my emotions lmao

  • @ketchup8837
    @ketchup8837 Рік тому +1

    Good video

  • @myyoutubeaccount4167
    @myyoutubeaccount4167 Рік тому

    This is a really interesting take

  • @PpXun-x3t
    @PpXun-x3t Рік тому

    I usually hate these but ill be ok with this one

  • @Dialloreese
    @Dialloreese 5 місяців тому

    It’s just proof that people don’t listen to words

  • @adammartin27
    @adammartin27 Рік тому +6

    if you look past the uncomfiness of the wonky instrumentals on songs like EAST, Earl is one of the most lyrically talented and creative rappers of all time

  • @oswarrd
    @oswarrd Рік тому

    im pretty sure the sample was from a spongebob episode

  • @dannysoul0
    @dannysoul0 Рік тому

    Do Larry June

  • @mindinthesand
    @mindinthesand Рік тому

    Please narrate my life

    • @unabridged.
      @unabridged.  11 місяців тому +1

      hahah this is one of my favourite comments

  • @myntultryp3685
    @myntultryp3685 Рік тому

    now go listen to EAST

  • @tafarithehooligan
    @tafarithehooligan Рік тому +3

    you butchered that name my guy. good try tho

  • @AARON-gt4qe
    @AARON-gt4qe Рік тому

    east is sonic nihilism

  • @alterpathmusic
    @alterpathmusic Рік тому

    That song isn’t in G minor, it’s in Bb Major. Same notes but massive difference