Born the son of a South African political poet, rapper Earl Sweatshirt has had a mercurial rise from his involvement with the alt hip-hop collective Odd Future. After spending time at a boarding school in Samoa for at-risk youth, Sweatshirt reemerged with a record deal with Columbia for his fantastic 2013 debut, Doris. I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside (2015) and Some Rap Songs (2018) further elevated his stature as a genius lyricist. His most recent works, Sick! (2022) and Live Laugh Love (2025), showcase a remarkably mature, dad-rap triptych creator, someone who has studied hip-hop craft and history. – Kahron Spearman
