"Yonkers" | ||||||||
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Single by Tyler, The Creator | ||||||||
from the album Goblin | ||||||||
Released | February 14, 2011 | |||||||
Format | Digital download | |||||||
Recorded | 2010 | |||||||
Genre | ||||||||
Length | 4:11 | |||||||
Label | XL | |||||||
Writer(s) | Tyler Okonma | |||||||
Producer(s) | Tyler, The Creator | |||||||
Tyler, The Creator singles chronology | ||||||||
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"Yonkers" is a song by American hip hop artist and Odd Future member Tyler, The Creator, released as the lead single from his debut studio album Goblin. It was produced by Tyler, the Creator. The single was released digitally on February 14, 2011. The song received controversy due to its violent lyrics and numerous "disses", although it was critically acclaimed, landing on numerous year-end lists. Tyler also directed a music video for the single, which was also met with positive critical reception, giving Tyler the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. Numerous magazine publications noted "Yonkers" as Tyler, the Creator and Odd Future's breakout song. The late American rapper Capital Steez sampled it in his song "Negus", using the same opening line: "I'm a fucking walking paradox". The song was featured in the soundtrack to the video game Saints Row: The Third.
In the song, Tyler disses numerous artists, such as Hayley Williams, B.o.B and Bruno Mars. Tyler, the Creator also disses Mars in Game's song "Martians vs. Goblins", in which he and Lil Wayne are featured artists. In response, B.o.B released a similar diss track, entitled "No Future" that also references Tyler's group, Odd Future. Ironically, Tyler praised the song, and initially did not think it was a diss track. Bruno Mars, in response to the verse "stab Bruno Mars in his goddamn esophagus", said, "[Tyler] has to wait in line if he wants to stab me...[Tyler's] definitely not the first guy that's said something like that to me and he's not going to be the last."