Earl Sweatshirt’s Unexpected Sabbatical and Return with 'Doris'

How Earl Sweatshirt was found and his surprising return to the music scene.

When the collective Odd Future emerged from Southern Los Angeles County in 2010, the focus was not initially on the group’s primary spokesperson, Tyler, the Creator. Instead, it was the extraordinary talent of Earl Sweatshirt, a remarkably young individual (around 15 or 16) whose profound proficiency in wordsmithery commanded attention. His eerie narratives of gruesome fantasies, presented with impressive poise, were significantly amplified in the video for "Earl."

This particular visual, showcasing Sweatshirt and his crew indulging in a dangerous cocktail of substances, was a critical factor in propelling the initially obscure group toward hip-hop fame. However, as Odd Future began to rise, Earl unexpectedly disappeared, leaving an evident gap in the group's initial live performances and solo projects, with no explanation for his absence provided by the group.

Following a detailed investigation, Complex magazine eventually located Earl at a Samoan rehabilitation center for at-risk teenagers. It was revealed that his mother, a renowned civil rights activist and law professor, had sent him to this remote location in response to his behavioral issues affecting his academic performance. Aside from a revealing conversation with The New Yorker, Earl remained silent until early 2012, when he released a new track, "Home," on Twitter, in which he joyfully announced his return. He participated in several collaborations post-revelation. He seamlessly picked up where his ominous EARL alter-ego left off, delivering lyrics teeming with the exact detached depictions of violent and misanthropic scenes.

The release of the single "Chum" at the end of 2012 marked Earl’s first musical acknowledgment of his past experiences. With its stark piano melody and thumping bass backdrop, "Chum" was a raw reflection of a troubled soul seemingly back on a healthier path. The song was a frank confession of his hardships, from the absence of his father, distinguished South African Poet Laureate Keorapetse Kgositsile, to his entanglement with substance misuse, petty crime, his relationship with Tyler, and the aftermath of his sudden exposure by Complex. Earl presented his personal experiences through his music for the first time, demonstrating an impactful emotional depth without relying on his earlier, grim narratives.

Stepping away from the raw coarseness of EARL, Sweatshirt utilized his major-label debut album Doris, released under Columbia Records, to express a wider range of emotions. With tracks like "Burgundy," "Sunday," and "Hive," he confronted personal issues such as familial illness, self-doubt regarding his new work, deteriorating relationships, and the harsh realities of inner-city life in Los Angeles. The sincerity in his voice during these reflective moments was as powerful as his relentless flow of intricate rhymes and striking imagery.

Despite the added depth in Earl's songwriting, Doris' primary emphasis remains his complex wordplay, which is often so intricately woven it may initially appear cryptic to listeners. Tracks such as "Hive" demonstrate his adept rhyming skills, clever references, inventive language use, and masterfully hidden rhymes.

Unlike Tyler, the Creator's Wolf, which leaned into melodic elements, Doris mainly focuses on a barrage of relentless rap verses. Despite the presence of several guest artists, the spotlight is kept firmly on Earl's intricate, MF DOOM-inspired songwriting, delivered in concise, potent bursts, reminiscent of his earlier work in 2010 with EARL.

Despite its 44-minute runtime, the album creates a sense of a more extended listening experience. Earl's preference for slow-paced, densely textured production is interspersed with enough variation to instill a sense of unpredictable energy within the album. From the dreamy keys and trap rhythms of the opener “Pre” to the unexpected drum shuffle added to the end of "Chum," Doris showcases Earl's propensity for enveloping the listener in dark, immersive soundscapes and then abruptly pulling them out. Without the macabre tales of his earlier work, Earl demonstrates new methods of shocking and disorienting the fans.

Doris shows Earl Sweatshirt's remarkable abilities as an important emerging voice in L.A.'s revitalized hip-hop scene. However, it focuses more on the astonishment of the moment rather than its wider implications. Earl's return to the music scene is strikingly introspective and unassuming, maintaining a self-deprecating tone throughout, even as he produced a significant portion of the album's tracks under the alias Randomblackdude.