Earl (mixtape)

Earl is the debut mixtape by American rapper Earl Sweatshirt, released as a free digital download on March 12, 2010. At the time of its release, Earl Sweatshirt was 16 years old and a member of the then-nascent hip hop collective Odd Future.

The mixtape is characterized by its dark, violent, and often transgressive lyrical content. It features production from a variety of sources, including MF Doom, Flying Lotus, and Samiyam, contributing to a lo-fi, experimental sound. Lyrically, Earl is noted for its explicit depictions of drug use, violence, rape fantasies, and other taboo subjects, often delivered with a raw and cynical perspective.

Following its release, Earl gained significant attention online, becoming a viral sensation and helping to propel Earl Sweatshirt and Odd Future into the mainstream spotlight. However, the graphic nature of the mixtape also drew considerable controversy and criticism. Shortly after its release, Earl Sweatshirt was sent to a boarding school in Samoa by his mother, effectively halting his burgeoning music career. This absence further fueled the mystique surrounding the mixtape and its creator.

Earl is considered a significant work in the Odd Future discography and a pivotal release in the development of Earl Sweatshirt's unique artistic style. While its shock value was undeniable, the mixtape also displayed early glimpses of Earl's complex rhyme schemes and introspective tendencies that would later be more fully realized in his subsequent albums. The mixtape remains a controversial but influential document of underground hip hop in the early 2010s.