Earl Sweatshirt (2022)- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Earl-Sweatshirt-At-Festival.png
On November 8th, The Catalyst will be hosting American rapper/ producer Earl Sweatshirt on his west coast tour following his recent album, “Live Laugh Love”. With just about 3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Earl’s music has remained just outside the mainstream for the past decade or so he’s been putting out.
Fans of his music know him for his slow and methodical flow, combined with his thoughtful lyrics and meticulous production. However Earl Sweatshirt’s story goes deeper than just his rap career. The poetic nature of his music actually stems from his father Keorapetse Kgositsile, a South African political poet and activist. Earl credits his father as a large inspiration for his lyrics.
With poet blood in his veins, Earl Sweatshirt has made a name for himself in the underground scene. He also starred in the comedy show “Loiter Squad” alongside Tyler The Creator and other members of Odd Future, the hip hop group he was a part of. Over his career, Earl Sweatshirt has been called a “Hip hop prodigy” and in 2011 The New Yorker branded him “the most exciting rapper to emerge in years, a virtuoso who was just starting to figure out what he could do with words.”
It’s safe to say if you’re familiar with rap and unfamiliar with Earl Sweatshirt, you should do yourself a favor and check him out. Tickets for his show in Santa Cruz are starting at $76 for general admission, no matter if you’re already a fan of Earl or not, consider showing some love when he comes our way!