Maps of Music

Goblin (2011)

Where the lyrics of Goblin take you, and where it was really made.

Tyler later called this album 'horrible' and said he would keep only seven of its tracks.

Key places

Recorded and mixed at The Trap (2011)

Recording site Motown Recording Studios — The Discogs release credits say the album was recorded and mixed at the Trap in Los Angeles, CA. The map point is set to the city centre, not the building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Goblin: second studio album by American rapper Tyler, the Creator
• Major label debut, released 10 May 2011 by XL Recordings
• Continues Tyler's dialogues with the fictional therapist Dr. TC, first heard on Bastard (2009)
• Produced almost entirely by Tyler, with one track produced by Left Brain
• Odd Future guests: Frank Ocean, Hodgy Beats, Jasper Dolphin, Taco, Domo Genesis, Mike G and Syd
• Three singles: "Sandwitches", "Yonkers" and "She"
• Horrorcore subject matter carried over from Bastard

Background

• After Bastard, Tyler signed to British independent label XL Recordings
• He announced Goblin after the release of "Yonkers"
• Close friend Earl Sweatshirt was not featured because he was attending Coral Reef Academy in Samoa at the time
• "Yonkers" is considered responsible for the large internet and industry buzz around Odd Future at the album's release

Recording

• Tyler claims he made the "Yonkers" instrumental in eight minutes as a parody of New York City beats
• The Discogs release credits list recording and mixing at the Trap in Los Angeles, CA
• Additional vocals on some tracks were recorded at Opra Music in Los Angeles, CA

Cover

• Album cover posted online in March 2011
• It features a colored picture of Buffalo Bill when he was 19

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Disc 1

Disc 2

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Tyler Gregory Okonma, born March 6, 1991, in Hawthorne, California.
• Co-founded the alternative hip-hop collective Odd Future in 2007 with Hodgy, Left Brain, and Casey Veggies.
• Released the self-produced debut album Bastard in 2009.

Members

• Solo artist known as Tyler, the Creator, and the founder and leader of Odd Future.

Career

• Goblin (2011) brought mainstream attention through the single "Yonkers" and its music video.
• Wolf (2013) marked a shift away from horrorcore toward jazz, soul, and R&B.
• Flower Boy (2017) received widespread critical acclaim and commercial success.
• Igor (2019) and Call Me If You Get Lost (2021) both debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and won Best Rap Album at the Grammy Awards.
• Chromakopia (2024) and Don't Tap the Glass (2025) also debuted at number one in the U.S.
• Founded the clothing brands Golf Wang and Le Fleur, and the Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival festival.
• Has won three Grammy Awards in total.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Rolling Stone's Jon Dolan praised the album's lush, left-field tracks with R&B tints, along with its early Eminem-style lyrics
• Pitchfork's Scott Plagenhoef said Tyler's fantasies and lack of filter remain roadblocks for many listeners, but also part of a larger character-driven story
• Spin's Chris Martins said the album is probably about 20 minutes too long, but Tyler's auteur status remains intact
• AllMusic's David Jeffries praised the production, which contrasts harsh rhymes with subdued, sometimes serene beats
• Slant Magazine's Huw Jones praised the production and said Goblin could be one of the decade's most significant releases
• Randal Roberts of the Los Angeles Times found the album pressed the same button as earlier provocateurs, and felt it ran too long

Reappraisal

• In a 2018 interview with GQ, Tyler called Goblin 'horrible'
• He said he would keep only seven tracks: Yonkers, She, Nightmare, Tron Cat, Fish, Analog and AU79

Records

• Debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 45,000 copies
• Metacritic average of 72, based on 37 reviews
• AnyDecentMusic? aggregate of 7.3 out of 10
• Sold 230,000 copies in the United States as of April 2013
• Certified gold by the RIAA on 30 January 2018
• Sold 25,000 copies in the United Kingdom as of 2012

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Earl Sweatshirt did not appear because he was attending Coral Reef Academy in Samoa at the time
• The hidden track "Boppin' Bitch" sits at the end of "Fish" and is mentioned only in the booklet
• "Sandwitches" was released free on the Odd Future website in October 2010, before the album was announced
• "Yonkers" was the first single and its video was released on 10 February 2011
• The deluxe edition added alternate artwork, a poster, lyrics and a second disc with three bonus tracks
• Dr. TC is revealed on the final track, "Golden", to be Tyler's conscience

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org

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