Goblin isn’t about female empowerment. It won’t inspire any feminist movements either. But, whether you believe that Tyler, The Creator’s misogynist-laced lyrics in “Yonkers” are satirical or rather a reflection of the artist’s inner deliberations (or a little of both), you will come to agree on one thing: ZZ Ward’s interpretation is damn good.
Cribbing the unmistakable beat from the YouTube sensation, ZZ Ward, a rising soul songstress from Oregon, has put her indelible print on the infamous Odd Future calling card. In the process, she’s flipped “Yonkers” on its head, turning it into her own. In “Better Off Dead,” Ward swaps hip hop for old-school blues, as she riffs, impressively, on some inner demons. ”I don’t care what people say, I’m anything but crazy/ Talking to my shadow, only she knows I’m not crazy,” she sings.
Even with Tyler gone, the swag remains, as Ward channels a more a sinister Joss Stone. With female power and hooks aplenty, the Oregon singer has done something impressive, chewing up Odd Future, and spitting out her own chilling effort. Look out for her soon-to-be-released mixtape, 11 Roses.
ZZ Ward- Better Off Dead (download)
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